You know what I liked about Superman Returns? The bad guys. Lex Luthor was funny and his silly lady sidekick was even funnier. When Superman was flying around in that movie, I was always wondering what Lex Luthor and his silly sidekick was up to. If I were a bad guy, I would want to have a sidekick like her.
What If: Batman v. Superman Scenarios of the Past
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 On 03/22/2016 at 11:13 AM by The Last Ninja See More From This User » |
Just imagine if the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel had duked it out back in the day
The long-awaited and very anticipated Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is released in theaters this week. Comic book fans have waited a long time to finally see these two heroes go head to head on the big screen. And hopefully we're not disappointed.
But what if this was not the first time these two were going head to head on the big screen? What if they had done so in the past? That's what this fun, speculative blog is all about. Granted, most of the possibilities are impossible, but it's still fun to imagine. So put on those nostalgia glasses as we go back in time and simply imagine WHAT IF!
Adam West Batman v. George Reeves Superman
Adam West: played Batman in one movie and a successful TV series.
Movie--Batman: The Movie (1966)
TV series--Batman (1966-1968)
The old Batman TV show is so cheesy, yet greatly loved. Adam West brought a campiness to the character which we hadn't really seen before. But of course, the entire show was cheesy on purpose; it's obvious with all the BAMs and POWs exploding on screen whenever Batman or Robin simply throw a punch at a thug. This is the most un-Batman Batman: he fights during the day and he's not terrifying in the least bit. But once again, it was aimed at kids and tried to be goofy on purpose, so this show succeeded big time.
George Reeves: played Superman in one movie and a long-running TV series.
Movie--Superman and the Mole Men (1951)
TV series--Adventures of Superman (1952-1958)
The above movie kicked off the career of George Reeves, who would go on to play Superman in the first live-action TV series of the beloved character. Reeves got the balance just right between the gentle Clark Kent and the serious Superman. Also, the special effects for his flying had to be astounding in the 1950s! Believe it or not, some of the episodes of the show are quite dark for the time, going into Twilight Zone-style territory. Even better, the show eventually changed to color, which was a huge deal back then. Old, yes, but this show is certainly still watchable today.
Now imagine if these two had faced each other back then. The ironic part is that the shows are backwards to what we're used to: Batman was cheesy while Superman was more on the dark and realistic side. Still, the two heroes would've clashed on some things. Atleast they both had great colorful costumes.
Michael Keaton Batman v. Christopher Reeve Superman
Michael Keaton: played Batman in two movies.
Movies--Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)
Tim Burton's Batman was the first dark Batman we had seen on the big screen, and it was a huge welcome. Michael Keaton played an excellent Batman who stayed in the shadows and struck fear into the hearts of villains. Keaton's eyes alone made Batman feel strong and terrifying. This was the Dark Knight fans wanted, and it's how Batman should be.
Christopher Reeve: played Superman in four movies.
Movies--Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV (1987)
Reeve is the definitive Superman, and I think he always will be. He nails the look, feel, and structure of both Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. When he flies across the sky or makes a speech, you really believe it's Superman. Reeve gave depth to the character, portaying him in more movies than anyone previous or since, and while some of those movies aren't good, Reeve's performance of the iconic hero is always spot-on.
How awesome would it have been if these two had faced each other? It would've been pure awesome! Both characters were depicted correctly; Batman was dark and Superman was simply super. Their battle would have been quite spectacular, even with 80s special effects. Funny enough, Superman is referenced in Batman & Robin, but it was too late by then, and we wouldn't want to see George Clooney play Batman again.
Christian Bale Batman v. Brandon Routh Superman
Christian Bale: played Batman in three successful movies.
Movies--Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
By far, the best portrayal of Batman is done by the talented Christian Bale. Christopher Nolan crafted a trilogy that was both realistic and terrifying, grounding the character of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Bale does a superb job as both Wayne and Batman, better than any of his predecessors. Not only so, but Nolan's Batman performed amazing feats that only Batman could pull off. Truly, this is the Dark Knight at his very best on the big screen.
Brandon Routh: played Superman in just one movie.
Movie--Superman Returns (2006)
In contrast, we have Brandon Routh's Superman, which is a fine performance. Most fans did not like the movie, but Routh's Superman was not the reason why. This Superman was strong, passionate, emotional, and concerned for the world. That's totally Superman! Also, Superman actually dies and is resurrected in the movie, which is really cool. And let me say this: Routh's Superman doesn't look angry all the time (ahem, Henry Cavill!). Ironically, Routh is currently playing another DC super hero: The Atom in DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
Unlike the previous entries, this crossover would've been possible. Both movies were filmed around the same time. Imagine these two duking it out. Bale's Batman would be hard to beat for sure, but Routh's persuasive performance would make for a great time. Ah, too bad. All we can do is simply imagine.
But we won't have to wait long to see these two fight on the big screen! Batman v. Superman is finally here! History can finally rejoice!
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