When moviegoers met the DC Extended Universe’s Clark Kent in Man of Steel, he was an inexperienced Superman. Oh sure, he’d been using his abilities for years, but Zod’s invasion of Earth was the first time he ever used them to keep his adopted people safe. Three years later, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice follows up on Clark’s role as Earth’s defender, and while his life is by no means perfect, he has changed for the better.
Henry Cavill explained to Empire (via WhatCulture) that Superman will be much more comfortable in his superhero role during the March blockbuster. He said:
He’s more used to this gig, doing his best to save as many lives as he can. He is no longer frantic. He’s no longer a wet behind the ears kind of superhero.
Considering that Clark’s first bout as Superman had him fighting experienced militants from his home planet, everything he’s dealt with afterwards has been smooth sailing. As one of the most powerful beings on Earth, with numerous special abilities, stopping a group of bank robbers or saving someone from being hit by a car is easy. Despite that period in Man of Steel where he remained hidden, Clark will always have that firm moral code his Earth parents instilled in him, and now he knows it’s his responsibility to use his powers to help humanity. Now he’s had a few years to get a handle on doing this.
Unfortunately for Clark, his benevolent actions haven’t been warmly received by everyone. A good portion of the population believes he poses a threat to our planet. This includes the manipulative mastermind Lex Luthor, who will use his company’s resources to secure both Kryptonite and Zod’s corpse to find a way to take Superman off the board. As well all know, the latter will result in Doomsday entering the equation. That will undoubtedly be his toughest opponent since Zod, though he’ll have help.
Then there’s fellow superhero Batman, who’s become so hardened fighting crime for years that his methods have become even more brutal. After witnessing Superman and Zod’s battle firsthand, Bruce Wayne grows paranoid about how dangerous the Man of Steel is, and a particularly bad “Knightmare” will push Bruce to deal with Superman himself. However, Cavill pointed out that Batman is also on Clark’s radar, as he doesn’t agree with Batman’s idea of justice. As hinted in the trailers, Clark will first try to take down Batman as a Daily Planet reporter, and when that doesn’t work, he’ll put on his costume and confront the Caped Crusader directly. We know these two will eventually make up and become friends, but for right now, neither cares for the other.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice flies into theaters on March 25.
