User:TreCoolGuy/Untitled Man of Steel sequel

The untitled Man of Steel sequel is an upcoming American crossover superhero film directed by Zack Snyder, written by David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio with Christopher Nolan returning but as executive producer. Based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Batman, it is a sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel. It also servers as the third reboot to the Batman series and the second installment of the DC Cinematic Universe. Snyder returns as director, with Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Laurence Fishburne reprising their roles from the first film. While Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons and Gal Gadot join the cast respectively.

The untitled Man of Steel sequel is scheduled to be released on May 6, 2016.

Cast

 * Henry Cavill as Clark Kent / Superman: A Kryptonian whose parents set him to Earth as an infant to escape from the destruction of his home world. After the events of Man of Steel, he is now the protector of the city Metropolis and works at the Daily Planet under the alias Clark Kent.
 * Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman: After witnessing the death of his parents as a child, Wayne has vowed to dedicate himself as the protector of Gotham City. Wayne later became the vigilante known as Batman and began his war on crime.
 * Amy Adams as Lois Lane: Reporter at the Daily Planet and love interest of Clark Kent/Superman.
 * Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor: The main antagonist, archenemy of Clark Kent/Superman. CEO of LexCorp.
 * Gal Gadot as Diana Prince: The warrior Amazonian princess of Themyscria.
 * Diane Lane as Martha Kent: The adoptive mother of Clark Kent/Superman.
 * Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth: Bruce Wayne's loyal and trusted English butler.
 * Laurence Fishburne as Perry White: The editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet and the boss of both Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane.

Early development
Warner Bros. abandoned J. J. Abrams' script for Superman: Flyby, which had been greenlighted with McG to direct. When McG dropped out in favor of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Warner Bros. approached Wolfgang Petersen to direct Superman: Flyby, however, in August 2001, Andrew Kevin Walker pitched Warner Bros. an idea titled Batman vs Superman, attaching Petersen as director. Superman: Flyby was put on hold, and Akiva Goldsman was hired to rewrite Walker's Batman vs. Superman.

Goldsman's draft, dated June 21, 2002, had Bruce Wayne going through a mental breakdown after his five-year retirement from crime fighting. Dick Grayson, Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon are all dead, but Bruce's depressed emotions become resolved with fiancée Elizabeth Miller. Meanwhile, Clark Kent is struggling because of a recent divorce with Lois Lane. Clark and Bruce are close friends, and Clark is Bruce's best man. After the Joker kills Elizabeth on the honeymoon, Bruce plots a revenge scheme, while Clark tries to hold him back. In return, Bruce blames Clark for her death, and the two go against one another. Part of the script took place in Smallville, where Clark goes into exile with Lana Lang. However, Lex Luthor is held to be responsible for the entire plot of Batman and Superman destroying each other. The two decide to team up and stop Luthor. Christian Bale, who would play the character in Christopher Nolan's Batman film trilogy, was simultaneously approached to portray Batman for Darren Aronofsky's Batman: Year One, while Josh Hartnett was offered the role of Superman.

Filming was to start in early 2003, with plans for a five- to six-month shoot. The release date was set for the summer of 2004. However, Warner Bros. canceled development to focus on individual Superman and Batman projects after Abrams submitted another draft for Superman: Flyby. According to Petersen "[Warner Bros.' chief] Alan Horn was so torn, because it's such a fascinating concept to do a Batman versus Superman film." Petersen still has expressed interest in directing Batman vs. Superman sometime in the future (with Bale as Batman), as has Bryan Singer. In the opening scene of I Am Legend, a large banner displays the Superman symbol within the Batman symbol in Times Square. It is meant as an in-joke by writer Akiva Goldsman, who wrote scripts for Batman vs. Superman and I Am Legend.

Development
On June 10, 2013, it was announced that director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer will both be returning for a Man of Steel sequel which is being fast tracked by Warner Bros. Goyer had previously signed a three-film deal, which includes Man of Steel, its sequel, and a Justice League film featuring Superman. Christopher Nolan has announced he will be attached as executive producer, while composer Hans Zimmer has expressed doubts about returning to score the sequel. On June 16, 2013, The Wall Street Journal reported that the studio is possibly planning to release the sequel in 2014.

On July 20, 2013, Zack Snyder confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con International that the sequel to Man of Steel in 2015 will have Superman and Batman meeting for the first time in a cinematic format. Goyer and Snyder will co-write the story, and Goyer will write the script. Cavill, Adams, Lane, and Fishburne are confirmed to reprise their roles. Initially, Snyder stated that the film would take inspiration from the comic The Dark Knight Returns. However, in November 2013, Snyder clarified that the film would not be based on the novel. "If you were going to do that, you would need a different Superman. We’re bringing Batman into the universe that now this Superman lives in." Goyer stated at the Superman 75th Anniversary Panel at Comic-Con, that Superman and Batman will face off, and titles under consideration are Superman vs Batman or Batman vs Superman. The production will start filming in Toronto, Ontario rather than Vancouver in 2014. On August 22, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter announced the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, along with the film's release date of July 17, 2015. Warner Bros. confirmed that the sequel will be filmed in Detroit and other areas in Michigan. Filming commenced on October 19, 2013, at East Los Angeles College to shoot a football game between Gotham City University and rival Metropolis State University.

Pre-production
On November 7, 2013, Variety reported that Gal Gadot, Elodie Yung and Olga Kurylenko had auditioned for a lead female role. On November 30, it was reported that the Kent farm featured in Man of Steel will be used in the film. On December 4, 2013, it was reported that Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman. On December 9, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter announced that actor, Jason Momoa was in talks to join the film. On December 18, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Argo screenwriter Chris Terrio will rewrite the script. On January 17, 2014, it was announced that the film had been delayed from its original July 17, 2015 release date to May 6, 2016, in order to give the filmmakers "time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story". On January 31, 2014, Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons were cast as Lex Luthor and Alfred Pennyworth, respectively. Jeremy Irons Join the Cast of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Untitled Superman/Batman Film from Director Zack Snyder. In an official press release, Snyder described the casting of Eisenberg as Luthor by stating, "Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions."