In 2013, DC fans everywhere finally got what they had been dreaming of since the MCU began; a shared cinematic universe of their own. Warner Bros kicked off this DCEU the only way they could, with a solo Superman movie.
Over the past few years, the DCEU had its “ups and downs” in the minds of movie-goers and critics alike. One negative critique is that the shared universe was “too” dark” but was this always the plan? Would the DCEU have been better received if Warner Bros. had made a sequel to Man of Steel its second movie instead of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice? Is a Man of Steel 2 still needed? Well THE SUPERMAN himself, Henry Cavill, chimed in about a sequel to Man of Steel.
“The killing of Zod would have led to a wonderful reason why Superman never kills. Notch never kills just because his dad said so one day. He made the decision himself because of an impossible scenario, to which he then said, ‘I don’t care if it’s impossible again, I’m gonna find a way to make it possible in the impossible’. We didn’t get the opportunity to show the other side of it, the ‘I’m ready to be Superman now and I’m ready to show the world the best examples’. That’s where the joy and glee comes from, and that sense of warmth from the character, which is his real superpower- he makes people believe in themselves. It was a shame because it would’ve been nice, and it would have been an lovely coupling with the seriousness and the depth of Man of Steel“
It seems that Zack Snyder’s vision creating his Superman was deeper than what we got. It would have been great for the audience to see Clark grow out of this dark, confused young man and into the more inspirational and awe-inspiring character that we as fans know and love. The growth and explanation as to why Superman is how he is in a sequel would have been better received by the mainstream audience and critics if the character had a solo sequel and became Superman.
I, for one, love Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and how the story inside the DCEU has progressed, but I am also a Superman fan and want more of the Superman that I know and love so who’s to say if Man of Steel 2 would have brought a better reception and more continuity to the DCEU. We saw a glimpse of that Superman in Justice League, so a Man of Steel 2 is needed now, more than ever.
