Beyond their war of batarangs, kicks, and general fisticuffs, Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) will soon go to war over ideology. The long-awaited Man of Steel follow-up Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will mark the first ever meeting of the two DC titans on the silver screen, and they aren’t exactly going to get along at first. A new image has just hit the web that seemingly sides with Batman’s notion that Superman cannot be trusted. Check it out below.
As you can see from the photo – which was posted to the official Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Twitter account – the image showcases the Superman statue we’ve consistently seen since the first teaser for the film came out less than a year ago. Despite the fact that it depicts Superman in a glorious, Atlas-esque fashion, we know just from the caption of the photo that some people consider the supposed Kryptonian Savior a "false god." This terminology will also make its way into Zack Snyder’s film, as the words will also find themselves spray painted across the chest of the behemoth effigy.
The biggest takeaway from this photo seems to be the intentions of Zack Snyder in framing the film. From the very beginning, we as fans have been tasked with picking a side between these two iconic superheroes. When it comes down to the actual battle between Batman and Superman, neither side will seem wholly right or wrong when the punches start to fly.
This ambiguous sense of morality is important for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice because it helps elevate the film above typical superhero fare. The overwhelming majority of superhero movies released over the years have framed themselves as battles between good and evil, but Dawn of Justice aims to make the film a more nuanced spectacle in which audiences can empathize with various points of view.
Although most people have probably already chosen a side, we will just have to wait and see who comes out on top when Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice finally hits theaters next month. No matter what, we all know that more substantial threats are looming in the background, so at the end of the day our heroes will need to move past their vicious battle of ideology. After three long, grueling years of waiting, Dawn of Justice will hit theaters in every major market on March 25.
