Just a little under a few years ago, Warner Bros. laid out plans for a slate of DC Comics movies to assemble a formidable cinematic universe opposite Marvel following Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel, a film that essentially put a terrific new version on the map for movie goers. Since then and for many a fan and optimist, hopes were high as fans got ready for Snyder’s Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ahead of Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman among other titles still forthcoming.
Fast forward two years later following the wiggly performances of BvS: DoJ and director David Ayer’s Suicide Squad over the weekend, and it appears that things are still no enough. Both films have weighed with controversy despite box office earnings with the latter just recently raking in with well over $135 million within its global $267 million gross, though the question remains as to whether or not WB will be able to live up to its expectations apart from the mounting mixes of largely pessimistic reviews by critics.
In short, reviews matter – which is something Snyder knows fully well following Man Of Steel which grossed a little over $668 million globally, even with a 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film tackled, greatly, a daring-yet-destructive look with the arrival of Henry Cavill as our pre-Daily Planet up-and-coming journeying bearded fisher Clark Kent who sets out North to discover his roots within a mysterious alien craft, thus becoming superman with the blue suit, red cape and all. What ensues with these revelations is the debut battle that will decide the fate of Metropolis and all of Earth when General Zod decides that the planet is worth terraforming to create a new planet for surviving Kryptonians. Building topple and lives are lost through this battle, later echoed in a the perspective of Bruce Wayne a la Ben Affleck as the new Batman of today in this year’s DoJ – a film that, for better or worse, gave us a an amazing iteration of Frank Miller’s character ahead of Affleck’s own franchise-to-be.
Alas, both Affleck and Cavill are expected to reunite next year in November for Justice League and its June 2019 sequel, while it was always rumored what Warner Bros. themselves would do about a Man Of Steel follow-up to balance things out. Well, leave it to The Wrap to officially confirm the development of the Superman sequel now at hand, though it is not yet known if Snyder will return to the helm.
Alas, it looks like we’re getting more Superman if things go as planned. Man Of Steel served up something pretty doable and kickass despite what some may think, and with a version of said character that newly redeems itself following Bryan Singer’s unceremonious chick-flick-ish Superman Returns in 2006. This particular, hardened and battle ready version from WB is something fans have already shown themselves to appreciate, though now it’s time to make better of it, and hopefully without the same crippling hinderances now driving discussions surrounding their films and the prospects of directors-cut versions of themselves. Because, it’s getting a little silly.