10 Things Man Of Steel 2 Needs To Be Great
5. Metropolis As A Metropolis
Metropolis isn't just a fancy name. In the comics, Metropolis is an actual Metropolis, a utopian-like city that is the epitome of the American dream.
But in the DCEU thus far, Metropolis hasn't gotten to be any of that, even in the slightest. What little we've seen of it consists of it being desaturated, dark, and a full of crime. Snyder essentially took the city that was originally envisioned as the polar opposite of Gotham and turned it into just another Gotham. That is, when it's not being completely destroyed by Superman and a villain.
Man of Steel 2 would benefit greatly from allowing Metropolis to be a metropolis. Don't try to make it discount Gotham and don't have it be completely destroyed in the third act. Like the Daily Planet, Metropolis is a location that matters to Superman and his stories. Take the time to make it a real, lived-in setting and not just a go-to dark, exterior backdrop.
Just as Gotham is a key part of Batman's character, Metropolis is a key part of Superman's. Making Metropolis a more hopeful setting would immediately make Superman a more hopeful character in the film.