Superman vs Batman Movie: 3 Reasons It Could Succeed & 3 Reasons It Could Fail

The sound you're hearing is guaranteed bank. Probably. Hooray! It's great news right? I mean, look at that logo - That's EXACTLY what we want from a DC movie, isn't it? I mean, what can go wrong? I mean, everyone loved "Man of Steel".....oh, wait. I'll be blunt - the now confirmed team-up movie is only going to work if the strongest features of Batman and Superman films make it in, and some problems from Snyder's and Nolan's visions don't....There's no doubt this'll make money, but so did "Man of Steel" - and that left MANY fans feeling less than warm and fuzzy about a Superman sequel. If anything, the cynical would say that teaming Batman up with Superman solves the "How do we get people who are jaded to come back?" problem - Because, naturally, there's no WAY they could possibly screw this up...... Of course there is. But there's a lot that's on this movie's side, and it actually fixes some problems that "Man of Steel" had - And that's important seeing it's the same people on board for this in some capacity. So, let's get to it....Starting with the "good bits"....

3. Superman Is Perfectly Cast, And His World Is Right For Batman To Show Up In

There are many, many niggles about "Man of Steel" and those won't get ignored. BUT, one of the most encouraging things about this pairing is that it brings something most agree the film got right to the fore, and that's Henry Cavill. Let's face it, if this is done right it'll be a buddy-movie in the extreme - Both have different agendas and conflicts, but ultimately their goal - To fight injustice and protect the innocent - is going to be the common ground they find. And that's probably going to happen (ideally) through intense interaction and conflict, eventually arriving on common ground. Cavill could've used more "human to Kryptonian" moments in "Man of Steel", and this certainly means that for all the action this movie will almost certainly have, Batman vs Superman will need to have some solid acting chops on display as these two icons come to an understanding and common ground. Cavill's up for the challenge, based on not only "Man of Steel" but his past work as well. I'll sound out his role in "The Tudors" specifically as Charles Brandon, who had to alternate "the way things were done" and "The spoilt git that Henry VIII can be" with his conscience, personal loves and desires, and what he felt was right. Though "Man of Steel" was light on interpersonal development outside of its flashbacks, Cavill's got the chops to handle it. More importantly, in a film that conflicted everybody about its story and execution, Cavill seemed the one thing everyone was OK with. Even though I have some issues about the movie, I was definitely up for seeing Cavill put on the cape for another outing. And to a lesser degree, his Earth/Metropolis/universe is pretty welcoming of a Batman. Nolan's severe and realistic Gotham couldn't have welcomed Superman, be it Cavill, Routh, or even Reeve. In the same way you knew Poison Ivy, the Penguin, or Clayface would never turn up (WAY too fantastic and "unrealistic"), an alien from Krypton would've plunged Nolan's Gotham into a black hole of implausibility - Why not help Wayne solve this Bane situation in under 10 minutes (If even that, if we're being honest)? And if we're following on from "Dark Knight Rises", I'm not sure anyone would be interested in a retired, old Batman meeting a superpowered being from another world in his prime - There's a film for that called "Watchmen", and when Snyder made that he couldn't please everybody no matter how hard he tried. Better to bring a new Batman in than try to reconcile Cavill with "The Dark Knight". "Man of Steel" wasn't a perfect movie, but it had a great Superman and a world Batman could comfortably exist in.
Contributor

In a parallel universe where game shows' final jackpots and consequent fortunes depend on knowledge of obscure music trivia and Jon Pertwee/Tom Baker Doctor Who episodes, I've probably gone rich, insane, and am now a powermad despot. But happily we're not there, so I'm actually rather pleasant. Really.