Batman v Superman: Biggest Reveals From The New Director's Commentary

New details about the making of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have emerged from Zack Snyder himself during a Vero livestream director's commentary for the movie. The event came as part of numerous social media-orchestrated events commemorating the movie's four-year anniversary. Meanwhile, the turnout and reaction to Snyder's commentary would only further demonstrate that the movie's extremely polarized reception has done nothing to hold it back from being arguably the most important superhero movie ever made.

As part two of Snyder's DCEU road map, Batman v Superman also served the role of being a prelude to Justice League. However, after significant retooling and reshoots following Snyder's departure, that movie arrived in theaters bearing little resemblance to what Snyder had planned. With calls for the Justice League Snyder Cut growing louder by the day, Snyder himself has stoked those flames regularly over the past two years on social media.

Snyder has also maintained a friendly relationship with his fanbase, with the livestream also marking his director's commentary for Batman v Superman. While Snyder frequently offers behind-the-scenes looks at his movies on social media, be it through still images or storyboards (especially in the case of the Snyder Cut), his commentary nevertheless offered considerable new information on Batman v Superman and its role in the larger DCEU. Here are the biggest reveals Snyder made during his commentary.

Superman's Introduction Was Originally Bigger

Zack Snyder's movies are well-known for their big action sequences, and while Superman's introduction in Batman v Superman came after considerable build-up (though more so in the Ultimate Edition), Snyder revealed that he originally contemplated making it into a bigger action scene. However, Snyder revealed on the commentary that he ultimately decided it was better to introduce Superman in the movie in a way to would get to the point more swiftly.

That Really Was Jimmy Olsen In The North Africa Sequence

Jimmy Olsen shakes the hand of Lois Lane in Batman v Superman

One point that's remained somewhat debated is the death of Lois' CIA associate in the sequence in North Africa, specifically whether the character played by Michael Cassidy in Batman v Superman really was Jimmy Olsen or another character using an alias. Snyder would settle the debate by confirming that Cassidy was indeed playing Jimmy Olsen, explaining that that character's quick appearance and death was a byproduct of his intended five-movie arc for the DCEU. Snyder stated that "It was a five-movie arc, and as the dominoes fall, as you go, you’re ended up with the consequences, so the world is rebuilt again each time the movies continue." Snyder also revealed that Cassidy will also soon be seen in his upcoming zombie heist film Army of the Dead, set to release later this year on Netflix.

Zack Snyder's Production Process Is Different From Most Filmmakers

Throughout much of his commentary, Snyder showed viewers numerous storyboards of major scenes. Snyder is known for meticulously storyboarding his movies before production and described himself as "not a big fan of the shot list" during his commentary. This also led into some other details of his production process that Snyder described in his commentary, with Snyder revealing that the college football game being viewed by two Gotham City police officers and the Batman's warehouse battle to rescue Martha Kent were among the first scenes filmed. In the case of the latter, Snyder explained that while most film shoots save big action scenes for later in production, he likes doing so early on in the aim of kicking the enthusiasm of the cast and crew into high gear.

The Religious Iconography Of Superman

With Superman already known as a Jesus figure among superheroes, Snyder has injected considerable religious symbolism into both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman (and presumably in his cut of Justice League, as well). Snyder commented on this aspect of Batman v Superman in his commentary, particularly on the movie's Day of the Dead scene showing hundreds of people embracing Superman as a messianic figure, with Kal-El himself unsure of how to accept it. As Snyder explained in the commentary, the scene is meant to be symbolic of the godly perception of Superman, while Clark only sees himself a man trying to do the right thing in the world. Snyder also commented on Batman's use of the Kryptonite spear as being another Judeo-Christian element implemented in the film, while describing it as a more "primitive" tool for Batman to use in his fight with the Man of Steel. The Death of Superman itself is also clearly symbolic of the death of Jesus, while the crosses seen in the background of the scene have also previously been explained by Snyder as foreshadowing Batman's own future sacrifice.

Swanwick Knew Superman's Secret

Among Snyder's ongoing social media teases for the Justice League Snyder Cut, one of the most Earth-shattering was his revelation last fall that General Swanwick, played by Harry Lennix, was actually Martian Manhunter in disguise. While this news had a massive retroactive impact on both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, Snyder would add more to that tease by indicating that Swanwick was aware that Clark Kent was Superman all along. This of course only adds to the mystery surrounding the nature of Martian Manhunter's role in Justice League as directed by Snyder.

Batman's Voice Was Meant To Be Different

An image of Bruce Wayne looking serious in the movies

Snyder's commentary also addressed the voice modulator used by Batman in the movie. While previously Batman actors have adjusted their voices to varying degrees while in the cowl (most notably Christian Bale), Snyder explained that he wanted Ben Affleck's Batman to go his own route in this regard. Hence the voice modulator, which certainly does the trick of making his Batman sound thoroughly scary, while doubtlessly being much easier on Affleck's vocal cords.

New Details On The Knightmare

Zack Snyder also offered some new comments on the biggest question mark of Batman v Superman, the Knightmare future in which Superman has fallen under the influence of the Anti-Life Equation and joined forces with Apokolips. While much of the context of this sequence still remains unexplained (and likely can't be without the release of the Snyder Cut), Snyder gave a bit more context to The Flash's appearance to Bruce in the Batcave. Snyder had already explained that Barry Allen was sent back through time on the cosmic treadmill to warn Bruce of Lois' impending death at Darkseid's hands, having to choose between two possible gateways to make it back to the right time. In his commentary, Snyder elaborated that Bruce, Barry, and Victor Stone's intent was for Barry to land in a time as close as possible to the actual event in order for Bruce's past self to best understand the warning.

Wonder Woman's Photo Was Originally From The Crimean War

Snyder makes an interesting revelation on the photograph of Wonder Woman that Bruce discovers on Lex Luthor's encrypted file in the movie. Batman v Superman and subsequently Wonder Woman present it as being taken during World War One. However, Snyder revealed during his commentary that the photo that was used on set depicted Diana during the Crimean War of the 1850's, with a photo from the American Civil War also being discussed before the World War One setting of Wonder Woman was finally settled on.

The Movie Presents An Internalized Fortress Of Solitude

Henry Cavill as Clark Kent in Man of Steel

The scene of a despondent Clark Kent seeing a vision of his deceased adoptive father Johnathan Kent was also touched upon during Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman commentary. Snyder mentioned that the exact nature of Johnathan's appearance was kept deliberately vague, allowing viewers to determine whether it was the spirit of Johnathan, Clark recalling an old memory, or something else. Furthermore, Snyder also described the scene as representing Clark having internalized the Fortress of Solitude, conversing with the spirit of his father in his mind rather than the high-tech Kryptonian Scout Ship.

New Details On The Batman-Superman Showdown

The battle that forms the basis of Batman v Superman also received some new commentary from Zack Snyder. The crack made in Batman's helmet and mask in particular was intended as a point of symbolism, with Snyder explaining that this was intended to be emblematic of Batman's innermost self being revealed through his fight with Superman. Snyder also revealed a Watchmen Easter rgg is hidden in the scene, with the question "Who Watches The Watchmen?" written in Latin on a concrete pillar that passes in front of the camera as Batman prepares to throw Superman to the bottom of the building. Naturally, Snyder also addressed the movie's much-debated "Martha moment". While the debate about this aspect of the film is unlikely to die anytime soon, Snyder nevertheless addressed it on his commentary, explaining Batman coming to his senses after hearing his and Superman's mother's shared name by saying: "And then sees he's basically turned into the murder of his parents in a way because he's allowing them to kill Martha. So, is he responsible for the death of Martha? Has he become basically 100% the thing that he- blinded by hatred, he's become the thing he hates.”

Superman's Death Awakened The Mother Boxes

Justice League Snyder Cut Superman Has Yet To Rise

With the Death of Superman being the point of transition from Batman v Superman to Justice League, it's hardly surprising that Snyder's commentary would bring with it at least one new nugget of information. Nevertheless, Snyder made arguably the biggest reveal of the whole commentary when he shared that Superman's echoing scream upon his and Doomsday's death would awaken the three Mother Boxes hidden around the world. With this reveal and the implications it brings with it, the ever-growing collection of new information on the Justice League Snyder Cut has grow even more.

The Crew Played The Attendees Of Clark's Funeral

It goes without saying that superhero movie productions jump through all kinds of hoops to keep spoilers from leaking out. With Batman v Superman entailing the big screen version of the Death of Superman, keeping spoilers under lock and key would obviously have been that much more of a mandate. During his commentary, Snyder would reveal that this was partially accomplished by having crew members play the people gathered on the Kent farm for Clark's funeral to avoid the need for extras. This even included Snyder's wife and one of the movie's producers Deborah Snyder, who also popped in for a bit during the commentary, as well.

The Ending Isn't A Cliffhanger

Snyder also revealed on the commentary that the final shot of the movie wasn't simply a cliffhanger. With Batman v Superman concluding on a shot of the dirt on Clark's coffin beginning to levitate, at face value, this would seem to hint at his resurrection in Justice League. However, Snyder explained that this shot was meant to be emblematic of a ray of hope more than set up the next movie in the franchise. Snyder has also previously stated that Superman's resurrection in Justice League was meant to be "much much more" than what was presented in the theatrical cut of the movie, which offers further indications of the dirt rising off of Clark's coffin being more than just a signal of the Man of Steel's return.

As with all things related to Batman v Superman, social media reactions to the new information Snyder revealed during his commentary has run the full spectrum, but that simply strengthens the argument for the movie's longevity within the world's collective consciousness as being far great than most superhero movies. In any case, Snyder's commentary provides some welcome insight into the process of making the movie along with Snyder's overall process as a filmmaker. Snyder would also conclude his commentary by expressing his hope for a sequel to be made, saying "I want to know what happens to these guys" in an obviously coy tease for the Justice League Snyder Cut. If the ceaseless calls for its release end up being heeded by Warner Bros., the world may yet finally see the continuation of the story of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in Snyder's intended follow-up.

NEXT: Batman V Superman: How Zack Snyder Told One Of Superman's Greatest Stories