Ah, Comic Con. Apple of my eye. You really are too good to me sometimes. This year, you may have outdone yourself. You've given us a handful of awesome superhero movies and a couple of amazing trailers (plus a few more if you count the leaked ones).
So, really, before we go any further just make sure you've seen the latest trailers. Click here for Superman v Batman trailer 2, then click here for the first Suicide Squad trailer.
Read on for information about the Superman v Batman trailer and speculations on what the final movie might entail. So with that in mind…
*** Possible 'speculative spoilers' ahead ***
Dawn of Franchises
For those not up to speed, Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice (DOJ) is probably what many would call 'Phase 1' of DC building their own cinematic universe à la Marvel style. This means that whilst DOJ will frames the two biggest characters of the Justice League, Comic Con also saw the release of Suicide Squad. This second movie will serve to establish a diverse array of DC's villains, perhaps most importantly, the Joker, who will undoubtedly pop up again in future DC movies.
That said, we're going to talk more about Suicide Squad and the other superhero movies announced at Comic Con 2015 in tomorrow's blog (so stayed tuned for that). Today, however, we're going to get stuck in with DOJ, as the latest trailer has not only clarified what we can come to expect from the movie, but it has also revealed a couple of new DC characters as well…
Let Me Introduce Myself
There were two new faces in the new Comic Con trailer: Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman. Starting with the latter, her role in the movie is still a little unclear. We see her both in costume and as her alter-ego, Diana Prince. She has shades of Bruce Wayne about her, appearing at both regal events and scenes of combat. Though as a super-powered individual, will she side with Superman or Batman?
Luthor however, has a bit more screen time. Firstly, he has hair. It's been enough to cause outcry among fans already but in all honesty it's probably just a wig. It kind of looks like one too. Its flimsiness adds a kind of sinister campness to his character.
We also see that Luthor's got Kryptonite and there's a point where he has Superman on his knees. Whether it's by physical weakness or by political manoeuvring, I'm unsure. I say this because we see him get chummy with Metropolis's senator, and rumour has it that the military figures emblazoned with the Superman 'S' may actually be part of a Luthor smear campaign to force Superman into a position of inaction against the highly intelligent Lex.
This leads to the trailer's chilling last lines:
'The red capes are coming…'
But what is Lex referring to? If you know, leave a comment below.
A Common Evil
Where Luthor may really come into play is with his possession of General Zod's body, Superman's defeated (and deceased) enemy from his solo movie. Luthor is physically far too weak to take on either Superman or Batman, but the reveal of Zod has led many to suspect that he will appropriate the body to create an enemy on par with the both the titular super heroes' strength.
This would make sense, as despite the main face-off between Superman and Batman being the movie's main focus, even the most casual comic-book fan knows that the two will eventually reconcile to mutually helm DC's super-squad, the Justice League.
Also, it seems that Batman directors just can't get enough of A Tale of Two Cities references (if you haven't seen the ending of The Dark Knight Rises, click here to see what I'm referring to). Director Zack Snyder has justified Batman's involvement in the movie due to Gotham's proximity to Metropolis. The Dark Knight is mainly embroiled in the plot due to the immense collateral damage caused in Man of Steel. Snyder has taken a little creative licence with DC's fictional geography and explained that Gotham is Metropolis's sister city. Nearby and subject to the same damages we saw in Metropolis. This is a cool idea because he says there is a stark contrast between the two cities: Metropolis being a destination for wealth and success, whereas Gotham is a place full of poverty and is riddled with crime. This sounds really interesting and helps layer in more depth in the animosity between Batman and Superman.
And finally, a quick nod to Daily Planet's Editor-in-Chief Perry White, for his accidental wit:
'Nobody cares about Clark Kent taking on the Batman.'
I see what you did there...
That's about it from the rumour mill so far. How much of this do you think is correct, how much of it is baloney? Leave your thoughts in a comment below. We have plenty of time to speculate, as Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice is slated for a March 2016 release.
Make sure to check back tomorrow when we talk about even more superhero movies, including Suicide Squad, Deadpool, Fantastic Four and X-Men: Apocalypse.
We love superhero movies here at Flame Tree. So much so that we've compiled all of the most awesome movie posters ever made into one incredible book. With plenty of information on the history of superheros in cinema, the rest of the title is packed with jaw-dropping images of superheroes doing their thing. Take a closer look at the book here.
