52 Fun Facts About Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
By Steve Lam
The First Batman vs. Superman
Little do most people know, a Batman and Superman face-off movie wasn’t a new concept at Warner Bros. / DC. The idea had been pitched over a decade ago. Due to the ever-changing plans of studios, this film got lost in all the shuffling. However, we were able to dig up some interesting things the studio had planned if the Dark Knight were to ever meet the Man of Steel on the silver screen.
Did You Know?
- In 2002, Andrew Kevin Walker pitched Warner Bros. an idea titled “Batman vs. Superman” with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct. Akiva Goldsman — the writer behind Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) — was hired to rewrite Walker’s draft.
- The film was set to introduce Bruce Wayne retired from being Batman. Commissioner Gordon, Dick Grayson, and Alfred Pennyworth would all be dead. Clark Kent would have been divorced from Lois lane and in a romance with Lana Lang. Clark would also be Bruce’s best man during his wedding to Elizabeth Miller. When Elizabeth is killed by the Joker, Bruce becomes Batman again to exact revenge. Superman then steps in to stop Batman from killing the Joker.
- Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, James Franco, Jude Law, and Paul Walker were all in consideration for either the role of Batman or the role of Superman.
- The project was canceled due to Warner Bros. wanting to focus more on Superman and Batman solo projects.
- In the opening scene of I Am Legend (2007), the famous Batman/Superman combination logo can be spotted in Times Square. It was meant to be an in-joke because writer Akiva Goldsman, who rewrote Batman vs. Superman, also wrote I Am Legend.
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