Today, Zack Snyder almost broke the Internet when he tweeted one simple photo, the first real look we’ve gotten at Ben Affleck as Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel 2 (aka Batman vs. Superman). And here it is:
I shot this with my @Leica_Camera M Monochrom. #Batman #Batmobile #Gotham http://t.co/WPHKLxgBLM pic.twitter.com/p5DEf6fLzJ
— ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) May 13, 2014
Of course, everyone is weighing in on whether they think the costume looks good or it looks terrible. I’m not getting into that, because I think it’ll ultimately be about how it looks on screen. But what I thought Screenrant got right away is what the costume means. It’s not just a new version of the Batman costume. It’s a real-life interpretation of one specific version of Batman, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns
This shouldn’t have been a surprise, considering the first thing Zack Snyder did when he announced the movie was to quote from The Dark Knight Returns. Here are five features of Batfleck’s costume to watch out for, and how it compares to previous costumes. Let the nitpicking begin!
1. It Has Short Ears – Previous Batman suits have made the “bat-ears” of varying lengths, but mostly leaned on the longish side. Batfleck’s ears are rather short, which matches the ears on Miller’s Dark Knight.
2. The Bat-Symbol is Different – The bat-symbol is an almost exact replica of the Dark Knight’s bat-symbol. The wings are thick with a very squat head. This is in stark contrast to the colorful and slender Bat-symbols in previous costumes.
3. It’s Bulky – One thing many have weighed in on is how thick Ben Affleck looks in this suit. I don’t think this is because Affleck’s been pounding the cheeseburgers, because recent photos have shown he’s pretty buff. 
I believe they wanted to copy the thick look of Miller’s Dark Knight. This isn’t a ninja-style Batman who sneaks up and takes people down quietly. This is a Batman who drives up in a tank and punches people’s lungs out.
4. It’s Gray – Of course, it’s hard to tell with a black-and-white photo, but the costume seems to show up as a dark gray. Most of the Batman costumes have been pretty much black. If the tone is right, it matches Miller’s color scheme.
5. It’s a Bodysuit – I think the biggest switch in this costume is it’s a complete 180-degree from the armored look of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Even though it obviously isn’t, it clearly is intended to look like a bodysuit. That matches the comics with more authenticity than ever before.
6. It’s Beaten-up – One final point about the costume is that it has cuts and scars on it. I think that speaks volumes for what they’re going for. This isn’t a polished and clean costume like it’s been portrayed in every version before, where the suit gets damaged and ends up looking perfect in the next scene or movie. This is a costume that’s been through a war, which says Batman himself will be (as one person connected to the MoS2 production described) “tired, weary, and seasoned.” Again, much like the comic book.
What do you think of the new Batsuit?
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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="35108 ">33 Comments
We want our Batman to punch people's lungs out!
Well at least it doesn't have nipples, right? The only thing for me is I don't see how Dark Knight Returns Batman fits into a Justice League universe. Miller's Batman was pretty much a brooding psychopath, not the type who would work well with others. Add to that the Superman in Man of Steel is not the Reagan-era government Yes Man in the Dark Knight Returns, evidenced at the end of the movie where he destroys a government drone. So if that's the story they want evoke here it doesn't seem like it will work.
LOVE IT! Like LEGO Batman said in The LEGO Movie…
"I only work in black….And sometimes very, very dark gray."
Lando need his own spin off movie. Can you imagine him cruising the galaxy smooth talking women. 😉
They should absolutely have gotten Lando back if they're going to bring back all the other main actors. His rant on "Robot Chicken" responding to people who think Lando is a traitor is hilarious.
I couldn't agree more. For me, the omission of Lando in Star Wars VII has really dampened my enthusiasm for this film. Yes, I'm glad John Boyega is in the cast – but that has nothing to do with why Billy Dee Williams apparently being left out. Bottom line: since Hamill, Fisher, and Ford are back, Mr. Williams should be too – and his omission is glaring to say the least.
praying for a great script, then the flair… though it looks bad-ass!
We want Lando! They should have him married to Leia in Star Wars VII. It'd be an interesting twist.
Supposedly Abrams is trying to push for diversity in this film, but they're headed in the wrong direction. It is a glaring omission and one that needs to be addressed soon.
Williams is always funny. I saw him at a convention years ago and the audience kept bringing up how he was a traitor. He handled it well.
And a bottle of Colt 45 of course. 😉
That would be awesome! Han would be so mad. LOL
HA!
They definitely should have included Lando!
Lando Calrissian and/Billy Dee Williams is legitimately one of my all-time favorites. But I think he can safely sit this one out. I'm not going to complain about his absence.
Well, they are making 3 movies, he may be in the next ones…
Anyone stop to think that maybe the story picks up decades later and that Lando isn't a key player anymore? That maybe the character retired? Is it just not possible that maybe, just maybe, they didn't ask him because they didn't need the character on screen?
"Lando Calrissian is the only black regular cast member in the Star Wars films."
Sure, because James Earl Jones and Sam Jackson are clearly Chinese.
"J.J. Abrams should be embarrassed."
Such ridiculous hyperbole.
"But not bringing back the most influential black actor in the history of science fiction is just wrong!"
While I am in complete agreement that they should bring Lando back, that's a very silly statement. The most influence black actor in the history of science fiction? Come on, dude. He played a man who betrayed his long-time friend in TESB, then played a small role in ROTJ. He was GREAT, don't get me wrong–but the most influential? Seriously?
"they're headed in the wrong direction"
You have absolutely no idea they're headed in. No one does. It's a secret. Let's cut the histrionics, shall we?
Good points Dandru. I meant the only one in the original trilogy.
God forbid a Black character from my childhood is asked to come back. But I'm not surprised JJ hired a Dominican to reprise the Black woman in Star Trek and in Cloverfield the black girl was a pathetic sellout
So he asks a minor character and the guy who played Chewbacca to return but not Billy Dee. And nobody sees racism?
Seems obvious to me my Man.
They should only cast the actor if the character is important to the story. They shouldn't write the character in just to give stargasms to fanboys and make Williams happy. Unnecessary callbacks to previous films are part of why prequels sucked so much.
No
He should be in the movie. Unless they are somehow ignoring the eu and saying he died, we are going to have problems
If you have seen JJ abrams work on Star trek you may have understand a patern, remaking kind of the same film in order… If he make a trilogy of new star wars, I am not really surprise to see Lando character been kept for the 2nd and third installment…
this is sooooo retarded! you have four main human characters in episode 5 and 6…..Han, Luke, Leia…and Lando! whats crazy is they obviously picked Lupita Nyong for "diversity" since thats what they said…..but leave Lando out! that just makes it look forced! man they screwed up as bad as george lucas…damn you disney!
Well said
The only appropriate response to this is "This deal is getting worse all the time."
This has been at the back of my mind since they announced the movie and now the title. Lando was with the Rebels at the end of Ep VI so it makes sense for him to be there at the beginning of Ep VII. I have a positive theory that he'll appear in Ep VIII like how he did in Ep V: The Empire Strikes Back. But it's speculation, and if Ep VII is about passing the baton to the new kids/cast from the old, then why isn't he there to do so.
How do you know he won't he in the 2nd installment like he was the first time. I mean they all did move on. I'm sure he did't stay with Leia and Han, and their kids? Let the story unfold.
Maybe he is in one of the sequels and that is why he hasn't been cast, don't forget its a trilogy, we don't want them putting EVERYONE in the first movie. I kinda want him and Boba in the second.