‘Batman V Superman’ Trailer Leaked: How Is The Story’s Plot Different From ‘The Dark Knight Returns’?

Now that we have seen the Batman v Superman trailer leaked, it’s time to tear into the video. Fans are probably wondering how the story’s plot shown so far in this video is different from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. While the trailer purposefully leaves a lot unsaid, already it appears there will be many differences.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, photos from the leaked Batman v Superman trailer give us an idea on what to expect from the movie. The official release of the trailer is also set for a specific list of theaters.

If you have not read it already, back in 1986, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns revitalized and re-envisioned the Batman mythos by having an older Bruce Wayne return to the streets after having hung up the cowl for years. We should expect Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to go in a slightly different direction from The Dark Knight Returns, although certain details may be the same. For example, in Frank Miller’s vision, Robin had died, and leaked photos from the set of Batman v Superman did indeed show a tattered Robin costume in the Batcave.

Based upon the leaked Batman v Superman trailer, the differences are already stacking up. First of all, Ben Affleck is way too young to play this version of Batman. While Frank Miller’s Bruce Wayne was 55-years-old, Ben Affleck is not quite that old, having turned 43 this past August. Playing as Superman, Henry Cavill is only 31-years-old, but unlike the comics, the Kryptonian appears to not being showing an increase in age.

Apparently, this means the Batman v Superman plot is not set too long in time after the last Superman movie when General Zod was defeated. This particular Batman is disconnected from Christopher Nolan’s version of the story, but it does appear he has been active as a hero for a long time. In any case, we can safely say the motive for the two superheroes to be fighting is dramatically different.

In The Dark Knights Returns, the short version of the plot is that Batman is targeted by the U.S. government and Superman is sent to take him down. Based upon the Batman v Superman trailer, it seems the situation may be reversed. We see that the world fears the power of the son of Krypton, and a Superman statue is shown defaced with the words “false God.” Since we also know that the Lex Luthor character is part of the Batman v Superman story, we can likely presume that Luthor will somehow manipulate governments so that Superman becomes a target himself. It’s also possible Batman is framed for a crime, and in order to prove himself, Superman is convinced to fight Batman.

The history between the two characters is also pronounced in the trailer. Within the comic, both Batman and Superman know each other personally, and before they start fighting, Clark tries to reason with Bruce in order to get him to stand down. The trailer does not make it clear whether they know each other’s secret identities, but it’s made abundantly clear that Batman is out for blood since he says, “Tell me, do you bleed? You will.”

There are also many other large differences in the two stories. A group calling themselves the Mutants was a large focus of Frank Miller’s story, and the Joker played a critical role in the plot. When it comes to the upcoming movies, the Joker apparently won’t be seen until the Suicide Squad movie comes out, and that’s slated to happen months after the Batman v Superman release date. Miller’s version also had a female Robin character, and although there was much speculation about that possibility, it seems it won’t happen in this movie.

The differences also extend to Batman’s technology. The Batwing and Batmobile in the movie appear to be more in line with recent Batman designs, but the Dark Knight took on Superman with a behemoth Bat Tank, which actually used guns, albeit with rubber bullets. The one notable similarity between the two stories is that when Batman confronts Superman, he’s wearing a mechanized Batsuit exoframe.

In the end, despite any differences of similarities, the plot for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is seemingly predicated by the title. In The Dark Knights Returns, Batman fakes his own death and destroys his identity as Bruce Wayne before resuming his war on crime. It’s very likely this movie will show the beginnings of the Justice League.

What do you think about the leaked Batman v Superman trailer?