Thanks to Deadpool, the superhero over-exhaust that fans had been suffering from of late is finally over. Deadpool is a testimony to the fact that if done right, superhero movies can be immune to the repercussions of genre influx.
As fans around the globe shake off the Deadpool hangover, we decided to bring you the best of the other side of the spectrum: DC comic’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. One of the most awaited movies of the year, Batman v Superman has had fans hold their breath with every trailer. And quite naturally, the Internet is ablaze with swamps of conspiracy theories and plot hints already.
Hence, this is the perfect time to bring to you 21 cool facts about the super-anticipated (only seems fair to use ‘super’) Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice that you didn’t know.
1. Robin’s dead.
Let’s begin the list with the most widely known fact about the movie. The trailer shows the words “Hahaha joke’s on you Batman” scribbled across on a suit with a stylized “R”. This line is an ode to the 1988 comic book, Batman: A Death In The Family where Joker kills Jason Todd, the second Robin.
2. Why Batman hates Superman.
The fight between Superman and General Zod destroys the Wayne Tower which kills Bruce Wayne’s friends and consequently has Bruce angry. Superman is also responsible for the destruction of Gotham and Metropolis. Being the vigilante saviour of Gotham, Bruce has reasons to worry about the destructive powers of Superman.
3. And why Superman can’t stand the Dark Knight.
While it’s established that Batman has reasons to despise Superman, this hate isn’t one-sided. We see that Batman strips criminals of their clothes and burns a bat sign on their chest, to which Clark Kent remarks, “This bat vigilante is like a one man reign of terror”. This leads his editor Lawrence Fishburne to say, “You don’t get to decide what the right thing is. No one cares about Clark Kent taking on the Batman.”
4. The Bat-suit is laced with Kryptonite.
Admitted by Ben Affleck in a press conference, the bat-suit is laced with Kryptonite to bring Batman to Superman’s level. Pretty hardcore, we’d say.
5. But the Bat-suit doesn’t enhance Batman’s strength.
Unlike The Dark Knight series, the bat-suit in Batman v Superman only enhances Batman’s protection against Superman and not his strength. Makes so much sense to lace it with Kryptonite. Bruce Wayne is a smart man.
6. Christian Bale gave Ben Affleck the coolest advice on playing Batman.
Affleck also revealed that he asked Bale for advice on playing Batman. Bale had some very useful advice for Ben: “Make sure you can piss in that suit”. Words of wisdom, Chris. Words of wisdom.
7. Ben Affleck saw Internet’s reaction to him being cast as Batman.
Affleck was warned by Warner Bros about the possible negative reaction to his casting and was advised to stay off the Internet in the days following the announcement. Affleck’s curiosity made him search the web and the first comment he saw was – “Affleck as Batman? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!”.
8. I Am Legend had an easter egg of Batman v Superman.
The opening scenes of the 2007 movie I Am Legend bore a fake poster of Batman v Superman. The story goes that the writer and producer of I Am Legend, Akiva Goldsman had written a script for a Batman vs Superman movie which never got made, but a poster made its way into the opening scene of I Am Legend.
9. Lex Luther brings General Zod to life as Doomsday.
General Zod, who was killed at the end of Man of Steel, was seen as a corpse in the trailer of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. According to a popular Internet rumour, Lex Luthor brings Zod back to life as Doomsday. The trailer shows Zod’s body being carried to Lex Luthor’s lab followed by Lex saying the following words:
10. ‘Aquaman’ and ‘The Flash’ make appearances in Dawn of Justice.
Another prominent rumour on the Internet is that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will also mark Aquaman and The Flash’s appearances on the big screen. Is Zack Snyder teasing us of a Justice League movie? Fingers have been crossed.
11. Wonder Woman’s bracelets are more than just fancy metal cuffs!
This will be the first time Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman appear in one movie. In the trailer, Wonder Woman is shown clapping her wrist-bracelets together to create a force field. Her bracelets known as “Bracelets of Submission,” are a pair of metal cuffs worn on her arms. They can deflect any blasts and are indestructible.
12. Superman has a personal army.
In one of the trailers, we see Superman inside a sand filled bunker with soldiers bearing patches of Superman’s family insignia on their shoulders. The soldiers are kneeling before Superman. In another scene from the trailer, these soldiers are shown fighting with Batman. Some say this is a dream sequence while others believe this could be an exploration of Superman’s dark side. We’ll have to wait for the movie to find out.
13. Cyborg is just one of the other DC Universe heroes set to make an appearance in the movie.
Dawn of Justice is expected to feature many other DC Universe heroes. Actor Ray Fisher who was confirmed to play Victor ‘Vic” Stone a.k.a. Cyborg has confirmed that his character will be revealed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
14. A cool Alfred for the cooler Batman.
Taking away from the much-loved actor Michael Caine, Zack Snyder’s version of Batman will have a new Alfred Pennyworth played by the British actor Jeremy Irons.
15. Batman fires guns and kills people.
Taking away from Batman’s old morals of never killing anyone, Zack Snyder’s Batman is seen with guns in multiple scenes in the trailer. In another scene, he’s seen fighting off Superman soldiers, who he would need to kill in order to get away.
16. Dawn of Justice starts from where Man of Steel ended.
As confirmed by Ben Affleck, Bruce Wayne watching the events of Man of Steel’s climax reduce Metropolis to rubble, is in fact where Dawn of Justice picks up from. The famous line from the trailer, “He brought the war to us” is a reference to this encounter.
17. Batman, in all probability, won’t die fighting Superman! We’re not suggesting anything here!
This is what it all boils down to, this is what every fan has been waiting for. Who will win the fight when the mightiest lock horns. Loyal fans of the DC Universe may already have an answer to the question and if you put enough stress, it isn’t all that difficult to figure out who will win. But do the two of them actually fight till death in the movie, we’ll have to find out.
18. Bruce Wayne is actually Clark Kent’s boss!
Fanboys around the world already know this for a fact that Bruce Wayne owns The Daily Planet, where Clark Kent works. So in a way, Bruce Wayne pays Clark Kent’s salary. It would be interesting to see how this anecdote affects their rivalry in the film.
19. ‘Sage and Milo’ is nothing but Batman v Superman.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is reportedly being called Sage and Milo on and off-sets to avoid unwanted attention. Didn’t work out too well now, did it, Warner Bros.?
20. Dawn of Justice is loosely based on ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ comic series.
Dawn of Justice is loosely based on Frank Miller’s 1986 series of comic books titled The Dark Knight Returns. Frank Miller has also written sequels to the story which were published in late 2015. We are staying away from the comic book till the movie comes out. Are you?
21. Your DC Universe itinerary has been fixed for the next 5 years.
Zack Snyder reportedly has a whiteboard in his office with the entire DC Universe sketched out. We had no idea what Dawn of Justice is leading us into and we’re very very excited.