With Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice set for release on the 25th, director Zack Snyder has seemed to pop up in so many interviews over the past week that he’s probably the most talked about person in Hollywood at the moment. If that continues after the film’s initial reception remains to be seen. With the big announcement of the epic superhero standoff featuring both Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) and Doomsday as villains, the 151-runtime already may seem a bit overstuffed. Although according Snyder, he and Oscar-winning screenwriter Chris Terrio (Argo) had considered adding two more iconic villains into the mix.
Speaking to Collider, the director stated that The Joker, set to appear in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad this August, and The Riddler, who became famous in Batman Forever, were on the table for possible additions to Dawn of Justice. Looking at that, even from a surface level, seems quite far-fetched from what the film’s storyline suggests. Not to mention how it would have potentially downplayed the former’s appearance in Ayer’s film. Snyder had a few words about he and Terrio’s consideration:
The Joker and The Riddler both came close to being in this movie. We talked about the possibility of putting them in. [Screenwriter] Chris Terrio and I talked about it a lot and felt that their mythological presence is felt in the movie and that’s cool, but I didn’t want to get my eye too far off the ball because I needed to spend the time, frankly, with Batman and Superman to understand the conflict.
Whether or not the two iconic villains’ appearance would have been sensible or even plausible in the film remains to be seen, but Snyder definitely showed some restraint by keeping them out. In a recent announcement about the official R-rated cut of Dawn of Justice, that will be featured on the Blu-ray/DVD release, the director also revealed that some characters were completely taken out from the theatrical cut, so clearly a lot was shelved for the final product.
It’s an interesting thought to consider as to what those villains’ part may have been, but it’s comforting to know that epic hasn’t stretched any more than it made already have.
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25.
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