There are some big, BIG movies on the horizon for 2015 - The Avengers 2Star Wars Episode VII - but right now, the one that has most people on pins and needles of excitement is the Batman vs. Superman movie that will serve as the sequel to Man of Steel. We know that the film will supposedly see The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel at odds with one another (before an inevitable team-up), and that the cause of that friction will likely be Batman's distrust of (or anger at) a the fact that an god-like alien is engaging in unchecked (and poorly planned) battles that destroyed Metropolis.

Of course, within that reported narrative framework there arose the question of what version of Batman would we see in Batman vs. Superman; and, if a new rumor is to be believed, then the scenario that many fans (and bloggers) initially guessed at will in fact turn out to be the way the film introduces the world to a new Batman.

Batman and Superman movie mashup

According to Batman-on-Film's multiple sources, the Batman in Batman vs. Superman will be an older, already experienced Batman. How much older, do you ask? Well, the rumors state that mid-40s is the age range being sought - but for our own betting money, we'd say between mid-30s and mid-40s is the age range the filmmakers could pull from. The reasoning should be obvious, and is a topic we've discussed on multiple episodes of our Screen Rant Podcast:

The keystone was always Man of Steel; as we said way back: The development of DC's shared universe rested entirely on MoS' reception. If MoS was able to make a favorable impre$$ion (and it  has) then star Henry Cavill would headline the franchise and an older, more experienced Batman would be introduced as a guide for the younger, still learning Superman. If MoS had tanked, then it could be written off as a self-contained story (a la Nolan's Dark Knight continuity) and a new, older Superman could be cast as the wise shepherd for younger superheroes like Batman.

Obviously at this juncture, Man of Steel and Henry Cavill are locked in. And, with recent rumors that Zack Snyder is consulting Dark Knight Returns creator Frank Miller for advice on the Batman vs. Superman showdown, it's believable that an older, wiser, Batman - an interpretation Miller explored and one we discussed in our own blueprint for bringing Batman into a Justice League universe - will be what we get.

Older Bruce Wayne vs. Superman
Batman vs. Superman in the 'Dark Knight Returns - Part 2' Animated Movie.

Unlike so many other websites, our previous list of potential new Batman actors already skews toward actors in the late-30s/early-40s range - actors who would also be affordable and available for what is sure to be a long-running superhero franchise (so, no to those Jude Law, Josh Brolin, or Jon Hamm theories - and let's just put the Christian Bale talk to rest entirely). An older Batman (especially one going up against the likes of Superman) needs to be more sagely and strategy-minded - none of those flimsy gadgets or half-cooked scream loud and attack hard tactics seen in the Nolan films. For our money, actors like Hobbit star Richard Armitage or Fast & Furious 6 star Luke Evans convey that type of personality perfectly (Armitage in particular).

A perfect example of a Batman/Superman team-up done right is undoubtedly the three-part "Wold's Finest" episode of Superman: The Animated Series that aired in 1997. Check out the clip below for example of how an older, more mature Batman keeps step with Superman, and why the worlds of Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne (not just their hero alter-egos) tend to meld so well:

All in all, this reasoning is sound: Batman and Superman having a habit of really helping to inform the other man about who he is, what he stands for, with a nice bit of personal growth inspired by the other man. For Superman of the MoS continuity, this would mean learning to handle problems in ways other than brute force, confronting the death and destruction he caused, and getting a little be less naive about his stature and place in the world. For Bats, coming to trust Superman would pull him a little further out of his dark and cynical world view, would give him something hopeful to truly believe in, and would introduce him to the concept of having friends and relying on others. In short: using the right character setups and development, we could actually get respective Batman and Superman story arcs we've never really seen before (i.e. not origin stories!).

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Batman vs. Superman will be released sometime in 2015. Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

Source: BoF & The Independent