Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice Trailer Breakdown
As the celebration of all things nerdy and comic-related known as the San Diego Comic-Con slowly comes to an end, the past few days have been full of leaked trailers, anticipated speculation, and most of all, superheroes. While Marvel Studios and their acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe may have ruled over Comic-Con last year, releasing a massive line-up of films from 2016's Captain America: Civil War to a plethora of solo films like Doctor Strange, this year however, it's DC Comics' time to shine. After releasing their own growing line-up from a Justice League two-parter to a whole new Green Lantern, now it was time to show us a little of what they've got in their artillery. What exactly do they have? Well, it's a little something called Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Releasing a fantastic amount of footage in its second trailer, the second installment in the DC Cinematic Universe looks to be everything we hoped for and more. Here with a breakdown of this awesome trailer, I've relayed some of my initial thoughts and speculations on just what they hell is going on beneath all the explosions and dark imagery:
We begin with a look at the grim aftermath of the events of Man of Steel, with the alien savior Superman (Henry Cavill) standing with the world against him. Among a sea of protesters, as well as a divided government, the hero stands trial for the massive cataclysm that was left in the wake of his battle with General Zod. Seeing him as a threat to the world and its people, Senator Finch (Holly Hunter) holds him completely accountable for all the damage that was done to Metropolis. However, she is not the only one pointing blame at the god-like hero. Watching as the chaos as it unfolded on the streets of the city, a weary Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) watches his own building, a Wayne Financial building, crumble before him. Looking to the skies in horror of what he just witnessed, Wayne realizes that something must be done.
Following that turning point for Wayne, we then get a glimpse of some of the man's past. Already knowing the tale of millionaire Bruce Wayne, who dons the identity of the Dark Knight aka the Batman following his parents' murder, we now see how much this Bruce Wayne has changed through the years. We get a glimpse of Wayne Manor in near-ruins, sitting in a barren field, laying dormant. We then get a look at some type of underground facility, most likely the Batcave, Batman's headquarters. Perhaps beneath the ruin of his manor, Wayne continues to keep the Batcave running, believing that there may come a day that he must don his cowl once more. As for Wayne himself, as we see next, the man is continually haunted by his past, a dark and quite eventful one for sure. As we see, Wayne receives some type of letter at his manor, revealed to be a newspaper clipping of the day his building fell. Sprawled across the paper, we see the words "You let your family die." written in red. Unbeknownst as to whom exactly sent this cryptic message to Wayne (Some believing it to be the Joker, while others believe it's Jason Todd aka the Red Hood, a former ally of Batman), we know that this stirs something in Wayne, prompting him to become the Batman again.
Along with a narration about how "good men become cruel" by our new Alfred (Jeremy Irons), we then get an intro into the recent acts of violent heroism by our Caped Crusader. Whether this be a flashback just to show what Batman has been doing in Gotham for 20+ years, or something he's doing to possibly taunt Superman to come and find him, it looks like he's been busy. With the police finding a beaten man handcuffed in an alley and branded by a Batarang, the government begins to view this masked vigilante also as a threat. The newspapers have had their say as well, as we see lead journalist for the Daily Planet Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) speaking against Clark Kent, Superman's alter ego. Discussing that "nobody cares about Clark Kent taking on the Batman", Clark soon realizes that he must deal with this vigilante in some other way. But the way that he has in mind, however violent it may get, may result in something he never wanted.
A symbol for hope, a god among men, Superman stands as the sole savior for some people in this corrupt world. Viewed as an illegal alien, a terrorist sent here to destroy our world, Superman still holds onto the belief that he was sent here to save it. With Lois Lane (Amy Adams) by his side, as well as his adopted mother (Diane Lane), Superman tries his hardest to be the true savior to mankind, and not a symbol for mindless destruction. But, as the world falls into chaos following the recent events caused by this "hero", Clark begins to wonder if he really owes the world anything, and if its people truly deserve to be kept safe.
We then get our first taste of Jesse Eisenberg as the villainous Lex Luthor, a millionaire as wealthy as Bruce Wayne who believes that Superman is not a god, but rather something far worse. Donning a glorious head of hair, which is most likely covering up his character's signature bald head, as well a menacing and conniving smirk, we see right away that Superman and him aren't the best of friends. Most likely one part of the reason the government has begun to antagonize the alien hero, with Luthor whispering lies into the ears of the politicians, we also learn that Luthor may have another plan up his sleeve. With a brief glimpse of a deceased General Zod (Michael Shannon), who met his fate by the hands of a desperate Superman after a lengthy climactic battle in Man of Steel, it's quite possible that Lex, being the villain that he is, harnesses power from a dead Zod to create his own weapon. The synopsis alluding to another threat that quickly rises as Batman and Superman are taking on one another, said threat could be such villains as Doomsday or Brainiac, or even Metallo who harvests his power from Superman's weakness, kryptonite.
Next, we get a peek inside the Batcave, as Bruce Wayne ponders on whether or not there are any good guys left in the world, after 20 years of fighting in a corrupt world. As he narrates, we linger on a display within the Batcave, one that contains the remnants of a suit. With an "R" plastered to the suit, beneath the crude writing of the Joker most likely, we can clearly assume that this is Robin's (Batman's loyal sidekick) old suit. But which Robin exactly? Judging by the writing spray-painted onto the suit, with the words "Joke's on you, Batman", the suit could belong to Jason Todd (I mentioned him earlier), the second person to don the sidekick persona. Having met his violent fate at the hands of none other than the Joker in the comics, we can assume that Jason Todd (or whoever it may be) has had a lasting effect on Batman. However, judging by Bruce Wayne's cryptic narration, it could be inferred that he lost Robin at the hands of someone he once trusted, now believing there are no more good and trustworthy men left in the world. Well, at least you can always trust Alfred, Bruce. Or can you?
Following a mysterious scene involving a somewhat pissed-off-looking Superman walking among some kneeling soldiers (who could possibly be working for the hero), we get a shot of Batman in full Iron-Bat armor, pulling the sheet of the dusty Bat-Signal. With more narration by Wayne, alluding to the fact that someone (who may not be exclusively Superman) has "the power to wipe out the entire human race", we see clearly that Batman is gearing up for something big. Donning a suit we've never seen the Caped Crusader wear in the films, an almost-medieval knight type armor, it's been said that this suit is more for "self-preservation", rather than just aiding him in kicking Superman's ass. Perhaps Bruce Wayne builds himself a suit that serves a purpose more than just combat, but something that will actually keep him alive as he becomes an aged crime-fighter. 20+ years in the same thrown-together suit could have a negative effect on the vigilante, prompting him to arm himself with more...especially against an alien with god-like abilities.
Following an eerie crack of lightning as Batman gears up for war, we get a lot of images thrown at us all at once. From some deep-sea diving (maybe something from Superman's past) and horses riding through the desert, we're not completely sure what these scenes may involve just yet. We are, however, quite familiar with the next few scenes, as we see another recreation of Bruce Wayne's parents getting murdered. Most likely just a flashback or nightmare that Bruce has while he preps for the final battle, it's interesting that director Zack Snyder included this in the film, as we already know what happens from numerous other Batman flicks. Perhaps the murders of his parents play into the story somehow, or affect Bruce in a way we've never seen on-screen. Or maybe Snyder just wanted us to relive that moment again...just like we've lived through Uncle Ben's death numerous times.
We then get some more quick shots, from a jet (Bat-jet?) flying over a fiery battleground to a glimpse at Lois Lane taking cover at one of the many Superman protests, and also get a brief exchange between Bruce Wayne and...wait who's that? Not just some hot brunette driving off from Wayne's party, that's Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman, played by the beautiful Gal Gadot. Obviously Prince is somehow involved with Wayne, maybe a passing member of one of Wayne's galas or a business associate, who knows. What we do know, however, is that she most definitely not from around here. An Amazonian princess who also has some god-like abilities like Superman (as well as a sword and the Lasso of Truth, among other things), Diana Prince doesn't just bat her lashes at Wayne, she also kicks some major ass! Teasing some type of battle between her and someone else (or something else) Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman certainly looks to play a major role in the film, or at least a role in the conflict that ignites the big fight.
Back to our other starring hero, Batman, we find our masked vigilante stepping out into some type of desert location, one that looks almost like the location of the prison Bane tossed him into in The Dark Knight Rises. Seemingly unrelated, it's pretty unclear as to what the hell is going down here. Something we do know is that a desert-ready Batman, trench coat and all, is taking on some seemingly normal soldiers while he's there. These soldiers, who bear the striking "S" symbol of Superman on their uniforms, remain quite mysterious when you look closer. Whether they're insurgents working for Superman himself (who doesn't really need an army behind him) or products of the tricky Lex Luthor, Batman looks to be having not the easiest time fighting them. Perhaps Luthor trains an elite team of soldiers to provoke Batman with acts of violence, leaving Wayne to believe that these soldiers marked with Superman's symbol ultimately display the hero's true intentions. Overhead through these scenes, along with the next flashes of Batman going at it with more than one problem at a time, we hear Alfred warning Bruce that Superman may not be his enemy, and that going to war may not be the smartest idea.
Moving all in this lengthy trailer, we then see some chaos down at Lex's home at LexCorp, with Lex walking among some splayed bullet rounds on the floor. Unknown about what may have happened, we also see Lex marveling over a glowing green rock. If you know Superman, you know exactly what that mysterious glowing rock is. As I've mentioned, Lex might use kryptonite to construct a new weapon or even Frankenstein's monster of sorts, making for a new enemy for Batman and Superman to face. Whether it be with the remnants of General Zod or not, we can definitely assume Luthor has something on his agenda for the weary heroes.
Now, the fun really begins. The first battle commences as we see Batman overpowering Superman and smashing him through a skylight. Following that, we get some quick glimpses of our heroes facing something together, presumably, as we see Wonder Woman, Supes, and Batman all blasting or dodging an unknown source. The scenes involving Batman and Superman here, which could very well be one of their fights against one another, could also be them all fighting something else, a bigger enemy with similar abilities of someone like Superman. Narrating overhead, we hear Lex Luthor, spitting out his thoughts on the fight, saying something along the lines of: "Black and blue, god vs. man, day vs. night!"
In the final scene of the trailer, we get one final warning, as Luthor utters, "The red capes are coming! The red capes are coming!". A clear allusion to Paul Revere, the famous patriot who warns the American colonists of an incoming attack by the British Redcoats, Luthor is clearly sarcastic in his statement, as he anticipates, with utter glee, the coming battle between the world's finest.
A lengthy three and a half minutes later, and the world is at a stand-still...well, for comic fans that is. We're finally getting Batman and Superman on the big screen together, after nearly three decades of stand-alone films. A momentous occasion, one that's been a decade in the making, will finally grace our presence next Spring. With one of the most exciting trailers of the year (well, there's most likely another Star Wars trailer on the way), Dawn of Justice has a lot going for it, at least in eye candy. Let's just hope Zack Snyder and his team of gloomy superhero storytellers knocked this one out of the park.
What did you think of this massive trailer? Such a tease, right? Let me know in the comments below what you thought, or if I missed any big clues that only true comic book fans could find!
We begin with a look at the grim aftermath of the events of Man of Steel, with the alien savior Superman (Henry Cavill) standing with the world against him. Among a sea of protesters, as well as a divided government, the hero stands trial for the massive cataclysm that was left in the wake of his battle with General Zod. Seeing him as a threat to the world and its people, Senator Finch (Holly Hunter) holds him completely accountable for all the damage that was done to Metropolis. However, she is not the only one pointing blame at the god-like hero. Watching as the chaos as it unfolded on the streets of the city, a weary Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) watches his own building, a Wayne Financial building, crumble before him. Looking to the skies in horror of what he just witnessed, Wayne realizes that something must be done.
Following that turning point for Wayne, we then get a glimpse of some of the man's past. Already knowing the tale of millionaire Bruce Wayne, who dons the identity of the Dark Knight aka the Batman following his parents' murder, we now see how much this Bruce Wayne has changed through the years. We get a glimpse of Wayne Manor in near-ruins, sitting in a barren field, laying dormant. We then get a look at some type of underground facility, most likely the Batcave, Batman's headquarters. Perhaps beneath the ruin of his manor, Wayne continues to keep the Batcave running, believing that there may come a day that he must don his cowl once more. As for Wayne himself, as we see next, the man is continually haunted by his past, a dark and quite eventful one for sure. As we see, Wayne receives some type of letter at his manor, revealed to be a newspaper clipping of the day his building fell. Sprawled across the paper, we see the words "You let your family die." written in red. Unbeknownst as to whom exactly sent this cryptic message to Wayne (Some believing it to be the Joker, while others believe it's Jason Todd aka the Red Hood, a former ally of Batman), we know that this stirs something in Wayne, prompting him to become the Batman again.
Along with a narration about how "good men become cruel" by our new Alfred (Jeremy Irons), we then get an intro into the recent acts of violent heroism by our Caped Crusader. Whether this be a flashback just to show what Batman has been doing in Gotham for 20+ years, or something he's doing to possibly taunt Superman to come and find him, it looks like he's been busy. With the police finding a beaten man handcuffed in an alley and branded by a Batarang, the government begins to view this masked vigilante also as a threat. The newspapers have had their say as well, as we see lead journalist for the Daily Planet Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) speaking against Clark Kent, Superman's alter ego. Discussing that "nobody cares about Clark Kent taking on the Batman", Clark soon realizes that he must deal with this vigilante in some other way. But the way that he has in mind, however violent it may get, may result in something he never wanted.
A symbol for hope, a god among men, Superman stands as the sole savior for some people in this corrupt world. Viewed as an illegal alien, a terrorist sent here to destroy our world, Superman still holds onto the belief that he was sent here to save it. With Lois Lane (Amy Adams) by his side, as well as his adopted mother (Diane Lane), Superman tries his hardest to be the true savior to mankind, and not a symbol for mindless destruction. But, as the world falls into chaos following the recent events caused by this "hero", Clark begins to wonder if he really owes the world anything, and if its people truly deserve to be kept safe.
We then get our first taste of Jesse Eisenberg as the villainous Lex Luthor, a millionaire as wealthy as Bruce Wayne who believes that Superman is not a god, but rather something far worse. Donning a glorious head of hair, which is most likely covering up his character's signature bald head, as well a menacing and conniving smirk, we see right away that Superman and him aren't the best of friends. Most likely one part of the reason the government has begun to antagonize the alien hero, with Luthor whispering lies into the ears of the politicians, we also learn that Luthor may have another plan up his sleeve. With a brief glimpse of a deceased General Zod (Michael Shannon), who met his fate by the hands of a desperate Superman after a lengthy climactic battle in Man of Steel, it's quite possible that Lex, being the villain that he is, harnesses power from a dead Zod to create his own weapon. The synopsis alluding to another threat that quickly rises as Batman and Superman are taking on one another, said threat could be such villains as Doomsday or Brainiac, or even Metallo who harvests his power from Superman's weakness, kryptonite.
Next, we get a peek inside the Batcave, as Bruce Wayne ponders on whether or not there are any good guys left in the world, after 20 years of fighting in a corrupt world. As he narrates, we linger on a display within the Batcave, one that contains the remnants of a suit. With an "R" plastered to the suit, beneath the crude writing of the Joker most likely, we can clearly assume that this is Robin's (Batman's loyal sidekick) old suit. But which Robin exactly? Judging by the writing spray-painted onto the suit, with the words "Joke's on you, Batman", the suit could belong to Jason Todd (I mentioned him earlier), the second person to don the sidekick persona. Having met his violent fate at the hands of none other than the Joker in the comics, we can assume that Jason Todd (or whoever it may be) has had a lasting effect on Batman. However, judging by Bruce Wayne's cryptic narration, it could be inferred that he lost Robin at the hands of someone he once trusted, now believing there are no more good and trustworthy men left in the world. Well, at least you can always trust Alfred, Bruce. Or can you?
Following a mysterious scene involving a somewhat pissed-off-looking Superman walking among some kneeling soldiers (who could possibly be working for the hero), we get a shot of Batman in full Iron-Bat armor, pulling the sheet of the dusty Bat-Signal. With more narration by Wayne, alluding to the fact that someone (who may not be exclusively Superman) has "the power to wipe out the entire human race", we see clearly that Batman is gearing up for something big. Donning a suit we've never seen the Caped Crusader wear in the films, an almost-medieval knight type armor, it's been said that this suit is more for "self-preservation", rather than just aiding him in kicking Superman's ass. Perhaps Bruce Wayne builds himself a suit that serves a purpose more than just combat, but something that will actually keep him alive as he becomes an aged crime-fighter. 20+ years in the same thrown-together suit could have a negative effect on the vigilante, prompting him to arm himself with more...especially against an alien with god-like abilities.
Following an eerie crack of lightning as Batman gears up for war, we get a lot of images thrown at us all at once. From some deep-sea diving (maybe something from Superman's past) and horses riding through the desert, we're not completely sure what these scenes may involve just yet. We are, however, quite familiar with the next few scenes, as we see another recreation of Bruce Wayne's parents getting murdered. Most likely just a flashback or nightmare that Bruce has while he preps for the final battle, it's interesting that director Zack Snyder included this in the film, as we already know what happens from numerous other Batman flicks. Perhaps the murders of his parents play into the story somehow, or affect Bruce in a way we've never seen on-screen. Or maybe Snyder just wanted us to relive that moment again...just like we've lived through Uncle Ben's death numerous times.
We then get some more quick shots, from a jet (Bat-jet?) flying over a fiery battleground to a glimpse at Lois Lane taking cover at one of the many Superman protests, and also get a brief exchange between Bruce Wayne and...wait who's that? Not just some hot brunette driving off from Wayne's party, that's Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman, played by the beautiful Gal Gadot. Obviously Prince is somehow involved with Wayne, maybe a passing member of one of Wayne's galas or a business associate, who knows. What we do know, however, is that she most definitely not from around here. An Amazonian princess who also has some god-like abilities like Superman (as well as a sword and the Lasso of Truth, among other things), Diana Prince doesn't just bat her lashes at Wayne, she also kicks some major ass! Teasing some type of battle between her and someone else (or something else) Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman certainly looks to play a major role in the film, or at least a role in the conflict that ignites the big fight.
Back to our other starring hero, Batman, we find our masked vigilante stepping out into some type of desert location, one that looks almost like the location of the prison Bane tossed him into in The Dark Knight Rises. Seemingly unrelated, it's pretty unclear as to what the hell is going down here. Something we do know is that a desert-ready Batman, trench coat and all, is taking on some seemingly normal soldiers while he's there. These soldiers, who bear the striking "S" symbol of Superman on their uniforms, remain quite mysterious when you look closer. Whether they're insurgents working for Superman himself (who doesn't really need an army behind him) or products of the tricky Lex Luthor, Batman looks to be having not the easiest time fighting them. Perhaps Luthor trains an elite team of soldiers to provoke Batman with acts of violence, leaving Wayne to believe that these soldiers marked with Superman's symbol ultimately display the hero's true intentions. Overhead through these scenes, along with the next flashes of Batman going at it with more than one problem at a time, we hear Alfred warning Bruce that Superman may not be his enemy, and that going to war may not be the smartest idea.
Moving all in this lengthy trailer, we then see some chaos down at Lex's home at LexCorp, with Lex walking among some splayed bullet rounds on the floor. Unknown about what may have happened, we also see Lex marveling over a glowing green rock. If you know Superman, you know exactly what that mysterious glowing rock is. As I've mentioned, Lex might use kryptonite to construct a new weapon or even Frankenstein's monster of sorts, making for a new enemy for Batman and Superman to face. Whether it be with the remnants of General Zod or not, we can definitely assume Luthor has something on his agenda for the weary heroes.
Now, the fun really begins. The first battle commences as we see Batman overpowering Superman and smashing him through a skylight. Following that, we get some quick glimpses of our heroes facing something together, presumably, as we see Wonder Woman, Supes, and Batman all blasting or dodging an unknown source. The scenes involving Batman and Superman here, which could very well be one of their fights against one another, could also be them all fighting something else, a bigger enemy with similar abilities of someone like Superman. Narrating overhead, we hear Lex Luthor, spitting out his thoughts on the fight, saying something along the lines of: "Black and blue, god vs. man, day vs. night!"
In the final scene of the trailer, we get one final warning, as Luthor utters, "The red capes are coming! The red capes are coming!". A clear allusion to Paul Revere, the famous patriot who warns the American colonists of an incoming attack by the British Redcoats, Luthor is clearly sarcastic in his statement, as he anticipates, with utter glee, the coming battle between the world's finest.
 |
| Oh, and then there's this glorious shot... |
A lengthy three and a half minutes later, and the world is at a stand-still...well, for comic fans that is. We're finally getting Batman and Superman on the big screen together, after nearly three decades of stand-alone films. A momentous occasion, one that's been a decade in the making, will finally grace our presence next Spring. With one of the most exciting trailers of the year (well, there's most likely another Star Wars trailer on the way), Dawn of Justice has a lot going for it, at least in eye candy. Let's just hope Zack Snyder and his team of gloomy superhero storytellers knocked this one out of the park.
What did you think of this massive trailer? Such a tease, right? Let me know in the comments below what you thought, or if I missed any big clues that only true comic book fans could find!
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