I’ll state this now. This isn’t
an article about how Batman is THE comic book character and how everybody else
is second to him. It’s probably true. This is about the news that we won’t be
getting a pure Man of Steel sequel,
but instead a team movie called apparently Batman Vs Superman.
I enjoyed Man of Steel, it achieved to a similar degree, what Batman Begins did eight years earlier.
It reintroduced a classic character back into the mainstream after a time away
and a dud film.
Leaving the cinema after Man of Steel, I talked as much about
what I had just seen, as much as what would come next. The fallout from the
battle of Metropolis, Lex Luthor, Clark at the Daily Planet, Jimmy Olsen, Clark
and Lois, the list goes on. I was looking forward to Superman getting his own
version of The Dark Knight.
I didn’t want Batman to turn up
in this film, or any other Justice League character and take over. Let Superman
establish himself with this generation of fans first and build his world like The Dark Knight trilogy did with Batman.
Unfortunately it looks as though those films were a one off deal, now everybody
wants team ups and cross-pollination.
But lets look at this from a
different angle. Batman and his world has always, for most part, been contained
to Gotham. Albeit with the odd trip every now and then. His city is teaming
with great characters, that easily number in the hundreds. He doesn’t need
outside characters like Superman or Wonder Woman to come in, he has a character
that can be fitted to any theme or plot already there, be it a rogue or an
ally.
Can the same be said of Superman?
He doesn’t have the same kind of varied Rogues gallery that Batman does, or
even the vast array of supporting characters. He has the same core group of
rotating characters that appear regularly, but there is only so many times you
can reinvent the same character.
One character that is important
to Clark is Bruce. They are good friends and talk openly, but Bruce is unafraid
to challenge Clark. He is probably one of the few people who isn’t afraid of
the Clark the person, he undoubtedly respects him and his powers, but he knows
he is a good person.
Bruce has this kind of
relationship with a number of characters, Alfred, Dick Grayson, Gordon even
Selina all challenge him regularly in what he is and does.
With the next film it’s safe that
some point Bruce and Clark are going to come to blows. It may not look like his
fight with Zod, it will probably be more like something out of Alien. Striking up close and quickly
then disappearing. Kryptonite will have to be involved. Because after seeing
what Man of Steel showed Clark being
capable of, a straight up fight would look stupid.
The reason for a fight between
Bruce and Clark is that we already watched the alien threat with Zod and it’s
unlikely that we will see that again in this film. Hopefully Luthor will be
involved as some kind of manipulator challenging Superman on the destruction of
Metropolis.
I hope that despite Batman and
his presence in this film, it remains a true Man of Steel sequel. I want more of this Clark Kent, they opened up
this world and I want to see it built upon. If this world includes a Batman,
then let it be one that must adhere by this world and its rules. He shouldn’t
be a main character, maybe similar to the amount of time Joker had in The Dark Knight. He should be in it to
entertain us, but also to teach Clark something about the people he has sworn
to protect.
Looking at one of basic
differences between the characters. Batman thrives when he is silent and
unseen, striking quickly and without warning. Creating fear. Superman thrives
in the limelight, he is there to inspire. He needs to be seen. Keep Batman in
the shadows and Superman in the sun.
One hurdle this film with have to
overcome is the early days of the Bruce and Clark relationship, something we
rarely see in the comics. More often than not, we see them as long established
friends, they may not agree with each other. But they understand each other and
their methods.
This film doesn’t have that
luxury and maybe it could work to there advantage. We get to see their early
conflicts and first fight. What we don’t get, and shouldn’t get is their
history.
By just confirming that Batman is
going to appear, Warner Bros have pretty much guaranteed themselves a billion
dollar film. But it should still be a Superman film. Apparently Man of Steel didn’t make as much as they
hoped for, which is why Batman is appearing in any form at all. For the record
this is information I have heard through articles and podcast, don’t take it as
gospel.
Let’s compare box office grosses
for “origin” films since 2000. Man of
Steel made rough $650m. Only Spider-Man
(2002) which made $821m and The Amazing Spiderman(2012) which made
$752 have done better. One of which was reboot. It was close to doubling Batman Begins Box office and look what
happened with that films sequel.
Man of Steel wasn’t as well received as Batman Begins, but there was room to fix that in the sequel, most
notably the camera work. Keep it steady this time.
At some point Batman and Superman
will have to work together, this is as guaranteed as the fact that they will
fight each other. I just hope the climax is kept to a pretty much solo Superman
effort. Or at least getting a ending similar to The Dark Knight, where we get an action finale then a character
climax, where Batman could show up. Swapping Gordon and Dent for Superman and
Lex.
I still want to see Clark do
things no one else can.
Just please, if nothing else. Change the title. Maybe Man of Steel: Worlds Finest, anything but Batman vs Superman.
Clark may need Bruce. But he is
still Superman.
