Comic-Con: Zack Snyder announces Superman sequel to feature Batman
Finally the Man of Steel will face the Dark Knight in 2015
Comic-Con continues to bring us surprises as it's announced that Zack Snyder will be following up the Superman hit, 'Man Of Steel' with a sequel in 2015 featuring the Dark Knight himself: Batman.
Zack Snyder took the stage at the end of the DC panel today, saying to moderator Chris Hardwick , “I’m gonna take the lectern from you, because some s***’s going to happen up here.”
[Goyer: Superman could tackle Syria crisis in Man of Steel 2]
Snyder continued: "It’s official that we are going to make another Superman movie. And you say, Zack, what is the movie about? But you don’t want me to tell you that. You want to go and see the movie. But I can say that maybe there’s a single element that will be in the film that I could… help you out with. I was thinking about how to do that. I pored through the DC Universe to look for a way to tell this thing. We’re writing the thing now, but I came across a thing I found that’ll help you understand it."
He then introduced 'Man of Steel' star Harry Lennix to read out a message from Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight Returns' graphic novel:
"I want you to remember Clark," he said. "In all the years to come. In all your private moments. I want to you remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember, the one man who beat you."
Lennix's message was then followed by the appearance of a Superman/Batman logo on giant Hall H video screen.
[General Zod interrupts Man Of Steel conversation in cinema toilet]
Snyder then denied any rumours that it was Miller's book that was being adapted, saying: “we’re not adapting this thing, but it is the thing that will help us tell that story.”
According to Warner Brothers' press statement, issued after the Comic-Con announcement, Snyder is co-writing the story with David S. Goyer, who will then pen the screenplay. Production is expected to begin in 2014, with an anticipated release date in Summer 2015. Christopher Nolan is taking on an executive producer role.
Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Clark Kent, while Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane are also returning. A new actor will likely be replacing Christian Bale as Batman although it's yet to be announced who will don the cape.
Earlier rumours had claimed that Warner Bros/DC Comics will also unveil a Flash movie for 2016 and Justice League in 2017 at San Diego.
Warner Bros previously attempted to launch a Batman vs Superman film in the early '00s with Wolfgang Petersen directing a script by Andrew Kevin Walker ('Seven').
'Man of Steel' has grossed more than $630 million in worldwide ticket sales while both the Batman and Superman movie franchise's have earned Warner Bros more than $5 billion in box office revenue since the release of 'Superman: The Movie' in 1978.