Batman v Superman’s Knightmare Wasn’t Originally In The Movie

The famed Knightmare sequence of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice wasn't originally in the film. Four years after its release, Batman v Superman remains arguably the most hotly debated superhero movie ever made, with the film's depiction of a brutal and world-weary Dark Knight being among its more contentious elements. At the same time, the Knightmare future is the section of the movie that has been poured over and examined possibly more than any other.

The Knightmare reality depicts a future world in which Darkseid and the forces of Apokolips have conquered Earth, with Superman having joined forces with them. Batman leads humanity's resistance to the invasion, though his efforts end up being thwarted after his cover is blown. Right as Batman is about to be murdered by the rogue Superman, the sequence cuts back to The Flash time-traveling into the Batcave in the present day to warn Bruce Wayne of what is to come, telling him that Lois Lane is "the key." As it turns out, this sequence was a late addition to Batman v Superman, and far from an easy one.

Speaking to Screen Rant's Stephen Colbert and Andrew Dyce on the BVS By The Minute podcast, Ben Affleck's Batman stunt double Richard Cetrone said that, with respect to the Knightmare, "After shooting had already started, that scene was added." This stands in contrast to the "months" of prep that went into other major set pieces in the film, such as The Caped Crusader's warehouse brawl and the showdown between Batman and Superman themselves. Cetrone also revealed that the sequence presented him with another great challenge as a stunt performer.

With most of the Knightmare being filmed in one day, Cetrone described it as "the toughest day of my career" in his 27 years of stunt work, partly owing to an unexpected emergency involving his son the night prior to filming. As a result, Cetrone got "maybe an hour of sleep," with the day proving so taxing for him that he slept during the lunch break. Cetrone further stated that viewing the finished sequence, "I just watch how lethargic I'm moving" due to his exhaustion, while commending his fellow stunt people on set that day in helping put the Knightmare's one-shot fight sequence together.

At the time of its release, the Knightmare left some segments of the moviegoing public perplexed due to its lack of context within the film itself. However, the ensuing years have seen a considerable amount of detail revealed on where the Knightmare scene fits in the story, and how it plays an important part in the Justice League Snyder Cut. With that film officially set to arrive on HBO Max next year, audiences will finally have a chance to see the pay off for the Knightmare sequence that Snyder had intended.

Cetrone's look behind-the-scenes also shows just how complex the construction of the Knightmare was, especially given its late addition to the film. Considering the intricacies of the Knightmare, the fact that most of it was filmed in a single day is incredibly impressive. Ultimately, Cetrone's peak behind the curtain to the making of Batman v Superman's Knightmare goes to show that, in addition to the many other moving parts that go into them, not a single superhero blockbuster would be possible to realize without the blood, sweat, and tears of professional stunt people.

NEXT: Batman v Superman's Knightmare Will Make Sense After Snyder's Justice League

Source: BVS By The Minute