Summary
James Gunn’sSupermanis already proving to be a success. Critics and audiences are in agreement about the film’s quality, giving it an 83% critic rating and a 93% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie also performed well in its opening weekend, bringing in an impressive $217 million worldwide haul. From a fan standpoint,Supermanalso succeeds in setting up the world of the DCU, which might have been its most important job.
Supermanis more than just a singular story. It’s a test balloon for a new cinematic universe. Unlike the ongoing (and admittedly faltering) MCU, the DCU has the opportunity to present fresh faces in iconic roles. It’s already done so with David Corenswet’s pitch-perfect Clark Kent, and after seeing the movie this weekend, I’m absolutely certain it can do the same for another caped hero. In fact, one of the best parts ofSupermanall but proves it.
Superman’s Mister Terrific Makes A Great Case For The DCU Batman
Edi Gathegi’s take on the character is great, and proves that there is room for varied performances
There’s a lot to like inSuperman, but what makes the movie work overall is the excellent cast of characters. One of the standouts in the movie, who may just steal the whole thing, isEdi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific. Mister Terrific is a lesser-known hero in the DC canon, but he’s made a huge impact on comic fans all the same. Gathegi brings him to life with a confident, nonchalant swagger that belies his massive intellect.
In the comics, Mister Terrific is one of the smartest people on Earth, and without having to directly point it out,Supermanmakes that clear as well. Mister Terrific’s above-it-all attitude and impatience with those who are not as smart as him is a great contrast to Superman’s ‘aw shucks, I’m just happy to help’ nature. That contrast is important because it demonstrates justhow a DCU Batman can exist in this world, despite its more fantastical nature.
Batman and Superman have had myriad adventurestogether. Sometimes that’s working alongside the rest of the Justice League, and sometimes as a proper duo (often dubbed the ‘World’s Finest,’ a potential title for their eventual movie team-up). The fact that David Corenswet can balance his performance with Gathegi’s and that the latter can keep his composure (for the most part) during the movie’s massive climax, is proof that the DCU Batman would make a great foil to Superman.
This raises the question of whether Mister Terrific and the DCU’s version of Batman would be too similar, but I don’t think this would be an issue. Mister Terrific is no-nonsense to be sure, but he’s very self-assured and competent. He’s also got a signature brand. His name is Mister Terrific, after all. The difference between him and Batman in this world would be one of internal personality. Mister Terrific has had his own personal tragedy to deal with, but his incredibly high intelligence doesn’t entirely allow him to deal with it in an emotional way. This leaves him feeling a bit closed off, a guy who is all business and just there to get things done.
Batman, on the other hand, is almost entirely emotions, even if he doesn’t think so. His overwhelming grief and anger over the loss of his parents have driven every decision he’s made. He may lean into the more logical side of things, but Batman has always been someone who understands human psychology, even if he can’t fully come to terms with his own. Including him in the DCU, therefore, wouldn’t cause that much overlap with Mister Terrific. There’s also the easy solution of not including the two heroes in stories together. From a screenwriting standpoint, these two are likely an either/or proposition. If you include one, you don’t need the other.
What Will The DCU Batman Be Like?
Any takes on how Batman will appear in the DCU are purely speculation at this point. However, knowing James Gunn’s propensity for character relationships, the DCU version of the Dark Knight would need to be quite a bit different than Superman, as well as previous iterations of the hero. He will likely still have the same sort of unsmiling intensity that Batman usually exhibits, as well as his keen detective skills. Where he will probably split off from the versions played by the likes of Christian Bale and Robert Pattinson (assumingPattinson doesn’t eventually become the DCU Batman, a move that seems less and less likely as time goes on) is in dealing with the more comic book-y, fantastical things in the DCU.
The only other time fans have seen these two characters interact is in the previous DCEU, where Ben Affleck’s Batman and Henry Cavill’s Superman started off beating the living daylights out of one another, before becoming colleagues inboth iterations ofJustice League. This time around, it would be great to see the beginning of Clark and Bruce’s relationship from a perspective where they both begrudgingly respect each other and are forced to work together. Imagine a buddy cop movie where the unlikely pair is two of the most famous superheroes of all time. Now that’s a selling point for a movie, and one where Batman and Superman can coexist without it feeling awkward.
