Badass Digest (BAD) claims to have gotten hold of a screenplay for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice completed about a month before principal photography began. While some specifics may have changed in the final draft, and plenty more could change before the film is released, the script as described by BAD appears to address some concerns fans had with Superman’s portrayal in Man of Steel. POSSIBLE SPOILERS below.
A major gripe both fans and critics had with Man of Steel was Superman’s seeming lack of concern for saving lives. Metropolis suffered massive damage during the fight between Superman and Zod, and the fight only ended when Superman snapped Zod’s neck. The rumored villain for Dawn of Justice, Doomsday, is even more of a ruthless killing machine than Zod and is best known as the guy who killed Superman. Despite Doomsday’s single-minded destructiveness, in Dawn of Justice, Superman will apparently explicitly state that he will not kill Doomsday, though his resolve will be tested during the fight. General Swanwick will return as a strong supporter of Superman, in contrast to his final scene in Man of Steel where he was shown tracking Supes with a drone. In the draft of Dawn of Justice in question, Swanwick announces that Superman’s plan against Doomsday involves moving the fight to a rural area to avoid civilian casualties. Fans put off by Man of Steel are likely to find these details encouraging and should feel relieved that Warner Bros is addressing their concerns.
Some other reveals from Badass Digest concern Bruce Wayne and Lois Lane. In the script, Clark Kent and Lois’ relationship has progressed to the point where they are living together. As reporters, Clark still gets minor assignments while Lois Lane travels all over the world. Bruce Wayne’s backstory will be covered briefly in a flashback before he arrives in Metropolis. Bruce will be one of a few people still hesitant to trust Superman, along with fellow business tycoon Lex Luthor.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is scheduled for release on March 25, 2015.