In 2001, just as Warner Bros. were starting redevelopment on Superman's next solo outing, a then-hot screenwriter named Andrew Kevin Walker (8mm, Sleepy Hollow) pitched them a movie called Batman vs. Superman. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? But this take on the heroes was likely about as far from Zack Snyder's upcoming team-up film as you could get. For one thing, the story starts out in a bleaker way than even Snyder could manage. After being rewritten by Akiva Goldsman, the script begins with Batman in exile after Dick Grayson, Commissioner Gordon and Alfred have all died all and Superman in despair after his divorce from Lois Lane. Surprisingly, Bruce is the first one to find new happiness and Clark serves as best man at his wedding to Elizabeth Miller, but she is shortly killed by the Joker and Batman becomes obsessed with wreaking his vengeance. The main conflict of the film depends on Superman opposing Batman's decision to hunt down the Joker, resulting (naturally) in the two of them facing off. Wolfgang Petersen was attached to direct and future Batman star Christian Bale was approached for the role of Bats, but possibly the weirdest part of Batman Vs. Superman's history is that Josh Hartnett was offered $100 million to play Superman in three films! Of course, the film never happened as Warner Bros. decided to focus on separate films for their big heroes, but Goldsman did drop a hint at what could have been in his work on I Am Legend: a billboard containing the Superman logo inside the Batman symbol appears on the side of a building.
