In a recent interview, director Zack Snyder explained that he purposefully leaned into a divisive characterization of Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The superhero film, which premiered in 2016, charts the growing tension between the DC crusaders, Batman and Superman. Heightened miscommunication, which is only further manipulated by the villainous Lex Luthor, eventually culminates in a forceful battle between two protagonists at the top of their game.

At the time, Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice debuted to a historic opening weekend, but experienced an equally historic drop in revenue during its second weekend. Ultimately, the film received largely negative press and failed to adequately regain marketing steam. Many critics disparaged the uneven pacing and wooden construction of the primary characters, as well as the overall darkness of the story. One of the most polarizing (and mocked) scenes involves the mighty heroes, Batman and Superman, pausing in the middle of a violent fight after realizing both of their mothers share the name “Martha.” The long-winded narrative alienated a number of DCEU fans hoping for a savvy reimagining of two iconic superheroes.

Related: Justice League: How Batman Was Different In Zack Snyder's Original Cut

In an interview with the New York Times, Snyder considered the possibility that current mainstream media failed to fully embrace his interpretation of Batman. He offered his personal assessment of the negative response:

I don’t have a dog in the hunt. When I made “Watchmen,” it’s deconstructionist. It’s a movie that pokes holes in your heroes. And “BvS” is the same thing. It’s meant to say, Oh, Batman’s drunk and taking painkillers and he’s sleeping with some anonymous girl. He’s a broken person. He dresses up as a bat and he goes out at night and he beats people up. He has issues. I do think the movie came along at a point where everyone was like, oh, we don’t want that Batman. We want Batman to be the warrior-monk who’s cool. And I personally am fine with that.

Ben Affleck Batman Suicide Squad

In the end, Snyder appears accustomed to the contradictory reactions that inevitably arise in the face of new projects, particularly when it comes to a superhero universe as beloved as the DCEU. His upcoming film, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, serves to remedy the weaknesses of the original movie, which was significantly retooled by Joss Whedon once Snyder left production after the death of his daughter. The four-hour director’s cut promises to explore the backstories and motives of the main cast with a nuanced eye, working to establish Snyder’s original vision of the titular Justice League.

While Snyder is ostensibly unperturbed by the harsh press he has received in the past, it will certainly be compelling to see how the public responds to his new superhero film. He continues to stand by his overall vision of the DCEU, particularly his own creative reading of multiple iconic comic book heroes, and has affirmed that Zack Snyder’s Justice League provides a necessary corrective to the disastrous 2016 cut. Notably, Ben Affleck’s Batman from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice remains a key part of this upcoming film, which raises intriguing questions about what kind of role the deep-voiced vigilante plays in this next installment.

More: Snyder's Justice Is Over-Powering Batman, And That's A Good Thing

Source: New York Times

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