The use of villains in Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice is significant. On one hand, you've got to feature a major threat or two in order to excite audiences who, otherwise, are skeptical of the superhero team-up. But you also want to hold back some surprises: DC's villains bench is not deep, and you have to save some spectacle for 2017's alleged Justice League. So exactly which baddies are facing off against the duo?
Latino Review claims the scoopage here, revealing three more villains that torment our heroes in addition to Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor. And, to be fair, they'll test the awareness of pop culture denizens all over the net, given that they're not exactly household names. The villains in question are Mr. Zsasz, Morgan Edge and David Cain. Not exactly a murderer's row, but these are all small characters who could add detail to the new DC universe.
Zsasz should be the most recognizable, as he actually popped up briefly in Batman Begins, played by Tim Booth. He was sort of an anonymous thug in that film, so perhaps you could develop him more, as he's a consistent Batman enemy in the comics. He kills indiscriminately and carves a mark on his skin to honor each victim. So, you know, bring the kids.
Morgan Edge is more of a liaison to Lex Luthor then an out-and-out villain. Latino Review reveals that Edge and Luthor grew up together, members of the same street gang (?). Also, Edge's first scene involves him on a talk show debating Lois Lane, presumably about the growing influence of LexCorp? The site seems to believe that this is the role Scoot McNairy is playing. You may have seen Edge on Smallville, where he was played by Rutger Hauer
Cain is another unglamorous addition to the universe. A fiftysomething mercenary killer, this greybeard was briefly employed in Ra's Al Ghul's League Of Assassins, and even trained a young Bruce Wayne. Wonder if they keep that bit of background, and if they still call it the League Of Assassins, rather than the League Of Shadows from the Nolan Batman movies. His daughter Cassandra eventually becomes one of the many characters to use the Batgirl mantle.
The site goes on to let fans know that they shouldn't expect any other, bigger baddies to pop up, with the exception of a non-baddie being used in a curious context. That would be Amanda Waller, the government agent who eventually forms the Suicide Squad in the comics and generally becoming an ubiquitous figure behind the scenes. Waller is being envisioned here as a senator who comes up with an anti-Superman platform and a method for dealing with him. You may remember Waller from Green Lantern, where she was played with great dignity by Angela Bassett before literally being flushed out of the movie as if she were inside a toilet. A lot about that movie is pretty ghastly, really.
You're not going to see Metallo in the film, as rumored . And you're not going to see the Joker either, though L-R claims that he's a part of Batman's past in the movie. But you do get Zsasz! Fair trade? Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice hits screens May 6th, 2016.
