Batman: The Caped Crusader – Part: Four

Few fictional characters have made such a long-evolving impact as DC Comics’ caped crusader Bruce Wayne Aka Batman, who resides in Gotham City. This is a character that has been taken in several forms and spawned into several franchises like video games, comics, and TV series besides the movies. This is a character everyone is familiar with and during this articles-series Batman: The Caped Crusader we’ll take a deep dive into the mythology of the famous comic-book character.

What was supposed to be, Man of Steel from 2013 launched something that was unprecedented.  It was a modern interpretation of Superman. It was also a critical attempt at how Zack Snyder tried to copy Marvel Studio’s successful attempt at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This failure has given the whole concept a distressing signal to the fans that DC and Warner Bros. Pictures won’t be able to fulfil the success their competition has had. This failure was first introduced in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. A film that shredded everything connected to what Batman stood for. Although DCEU is not only about Batman but for the purpose of the series, only the caped crusader will gain focus.  BVS: DOJ was a product of an ambitious setup that never came to a sophisticated conclusion. Batman’s role in DC Extended Universe is short and unnoticed.

In Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zack Snyder brought Ben Affleck into an old, wretched Bruce Wayne drowned in old memories and hate looming in the shadows. This was also a team-up film with Superman and Wonder woman that thereafter erased all that was exciting initially. Affleck dedicates his life to a short performance, drugged in a world of irrational behaviour from producers and parent production companies, which in turn caused a disastrous road trip for the beloved hero. In this film, he kills. He is gloomy and has a hate relationship with Superman, of an unanswered conflict. Lex Luthor is also a part of the film, in a self-destructive way pushing the two heroes against each other. Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Harry Lennix, and Christina Wren joined the cast in 2015. Adding Jesse Eisenberg Snyder commented:

 “Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions”

Eisenberg eccentric, disastrous acting made Lex Luthor not easy to take him seriously.  The whole film from 2016 is and was a controversial film that achieved mixed reception from fans and critics.  The film achieved $422.5 million dollar during its opening weekend. Overall, it landed on $873.5 million but during its second week; it dropped historically.  

“One of the biggest Friday-to-Friday drops any blockbuster has ever seen” It was the seventh highest-grossed film in 2016. A year filled with blockbusters animated films and Star Wars films and Captain America: Civil War. This film was a desperate attempt of giving something new to the audience, eager to see iconic heroes fight but couldn’t achieve the potential, thus it’s a tremendous failure.

Suicide Squad was another film, shortly after BvS and Affleck had a brief moment in the film fighting the Joker, played by a bad-teeth Jared Leto. Affleck had a short appearance which didn’t affect the film’s overall horrible quality.

Affleck’s next appearance was in Justice League. This was an attempt to showcase Batman in a group, something he can’t handle properly. It’s a team-up film that doesn’t fix the problem of contingency or the plot problems from the series of standalone films. Another desperate try creates continuity despite that Wonder Woman and Aquaman did get their own movie but Batman with Affleck never got his. Affleck’s interpretation of this character is rough and determined in a way that splits him from another version of Wayne. This is a film that includes Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. Batman and Wonder Woman recruits their time after the untimely death of Superman to have him rescue the world from Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. The film has been under development since 2017. A filmmaker like George Miller was even attached to direct. The story didn’t give a satisfactory result either for the audience, the critics, or Warner Bros. who lost over $60 million dollars from the film. It’s one of the most expensive films ever made with a budget of $300 million dollars and only earning $657.9 million. After Zack Snyder lost his daughter to suicide, Joss Whedon overlooks the proceedings. Whedon’s harsh attitude during the film production has met with criticism from Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher, making it a failure at the box office.

 “Zack Snyder’s Justice League lives up to its title with a sprawling cut that expands to fit the director’s vision – and should satisfy the fans who willed it into existence.”

The audience still wanted Snyder’s version of the film and he met their wishes with an extended version of the film. The whole production of trouble and issues right from the beginning. The script had major changes made just like the photography. Snyder’s version of the box-office failed film was released on March 18, on HBO Max. This film, unlike the theatrical film, stays away from the shared universe and continuity like the other films. The film achieves a far better reception than the Joss Whedon cut.

After Justice League, Snyder cut in slightly over four hours which proves that after a reshoot and a determination for a director’s characters that have achieved great response from the audience, the character won’t show up until The Flash is expected to arrive in theatres in 2023. Both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are expected to reprise their roles. This movie is a concern for Warner Bros. Pictures as Ezra Miller’s erratic criminal behavior has made the executive producers look for a replacement for Barry Allen. Who will replace him is still not decided whether or not he will be replaced.

A lot is uncertain with WB as they change their decisions every year. Their films don’t work out as they plan and their cast makes the outcome a troubling issue. An issue that makes remarks on a broken franchise, that initially tried to copy from Marvel Cinematic Universe. DCEU is their current largest franchise and they do every attempt to rescue it from drowning.