With Henry Cavill returning as Superman for the long-term, the potential now exists for the Man of Steel to have a genuine team-up with Ben Affleck's Batman in the DCEU, redeeming the missed opportunities of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Following Cavill's Superman cameo in Black Adam's post-credits scene combined with subsequent reports from the actor himself, it's been confirmed that the DCEU's Man of Steel will be sticking around for quite some time with more content to come. Because Affleck already has confirmed future appearances as the Dark Knight, there's now hope for a legitimate team-up film down the road.
While Batman v Superman did see Clark Kent joining forces with Bruce Wayne after they were manipulated into fighting each other by Lex Luthor, their actions were largely separate during their battle with Doomsday. Likewise, the arrival of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman essentially made it a team-up of the live-action DC Trinity, rather than just the two of them coming together as the World's Finest. However, there's now a chance that Cavill and Affleck reunite once more, providing some satisfying depth to their relationship that goes beyond the fighting of CGI villains in the DCEU (Doomsday in Dawn of Justice and Steppenwolf in Justice League).
BvS Didn't Fully Deliver On Its Batman & Superman Potential.jpg)
While the involvement of Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman isn't inherently bad, it does detract from the dynamics Clark and Bruce could have had as the film's titular heroes. Likewise, the overall build-up towards the formation of the Justice League also takes away from any kind of greater partnership the two heroes could have had in the film's third act (once they finally stopped fighting each other). Furthermore, Batman is apart from Superman for the bulk of the battle against Doomsday, first saving Martha Kent before helping Wonder Woman face the monster. Meanwhile, Clark took on Doomsday himself before saying his goodbyes to Lois Lane, sacrificing himself to kill Luthor's monster with a kryptonite spear.
Things aren't much better for Batman and Superman in Justice League either. After the League resurrects Superman using one of the Mother Boxes, Superman nearly kills Bruce before he's stopped by Lois and reminded of who he is. The rest of their time is primarily spent fighting the CGI Steppenwolf of Apocalypse with the rest of the League. In truth, the only true moment the two heroes have together as partners is when Bruce reveals he bought a bank to save the Kent farm. In either film, Batman and Superman should have had more time to become true allies.
Affleck & Cavill Returning Means Batman & Superman Can Have A True Team-Up
Now that Cavill's Superman is truly back in the DCEU after years of uncertainty, Ben Affleck's Batman now can become a true ally and friend to Clark. Currently, Affleck is confirmed to have appearances in The Flash as well as Aquaman 2. However, he could certainly be signed on for more now that Cavill is similarly continuing his role in the DCEU.
In the original DC Comics, Batman and Superman's opposing tactics and abilities make their partnership one of the most interesting and entertaining in the DC Universe. As such, it deserves to be explored on-screen after Batman made up for his rivalry in Batman v Superman by bringing Superman back to life in Justice League. A third film positioned as a genuine team-up adventure would be the perfect way to conclude a "trilogy" for their relationship. Here's hoping a Dark Knight and Man of Steel reunion is part of the DCEU's plans for the future.
