Production
It’s difficult to imagine now, but there was a time when comic book movies were a novelty, and caused excitement just by virtue of their association with comic book characters. Now, however – and particularly since the phenomenal success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – this genre has become somewhat commonplace, which in turn, has reduced the reverence with which the source material is handled.
In adapting comic book characters for the big screen in the past decade, Hollywood has focused more heavily on fitting chosen characters into a specifically designed narrative – referencing plot points of comic book stories but, keeping the adaptation itself very loose in nature. This is where Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice redefines the genre – by creating a new relationship between movie and source material.
In the hands of director Zack Snyder, the visuals of the film reach an entirely new level, never before seen in superhero movies. There are very deliberate, very accurate renderings of comic book panels from fan-favourite comic book series – but these are woven into an essentially new story. While Batman and Superman have been in conflict in the source material on numerous occasions, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice does not follow one specific comic book storyline. Rather, it selects specific elements of many Justice League character stories and blends them with new elements, to create something that is original, yet more faithful to the source material than any superhero movie that went before.
Using every production department to the very best of its abilities, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is not just the dawn of the DC Extended Universe – it is the dawn of a whole new era in the superhero genre. And that’s historic.
