10 DC Comics Movies That Almost Happened
5. Batman Vs. Superman
Batman and Superman locked horns in last year's divisive Dawn of Justice, but these two comic book titans almost clashed on screen many years earlier.
In 2001, Warner Bros hired Wolfgang Petersen to direct a film based on a showdown between DC's finest from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman. It got well into the planning stages and was assigned a summer 2004 release date.
The story saw Batman and Superman come to blows because the latter spares the Joker's life, allowing the Clown Prince of Crime to evenutally kill Bruce Wayne's future bride. The whole thing, including Bruce's wedding, turns out to be part of a convoluted Lex Luthor plot, which the duo thwart after inevitably joining forces.
Goldsman's script paints a picture of another popcorn-fuelled blockbuster, but it does have its moments, including a poignant scene where Batman has the chance to kill The Joker and only refuses to do so when Superman insists he delivers the coup de grace with his mask removed.
Whether it would have been better than Dawn of Justice is impossible to determine because Warner canned the movie to pursue Batman and Superman solo projects.
The only thing tangible to come out of this version of Batman Vs. Superman is an Easter egg in I Am Legend, which was written and produced by Goldsman.