The Dark Knight returns for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Gary Collinson is a writer and lecturer from the North East of England. He has a degree in media production from the University of Sunderland and is the founder and editor of the UK movie site FlickeringMyth.com.

Here he discusses the new Batman and what fans can expect from the Man of Steel sequel…

It’s only been a couple of years since Christopher Nolan brought the curtain down on his Dark Knight Trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises, but Batman is back in front of the cameras once again… and this time he’s not alone.

After giving us a first look at Ben Affleck in his Dark Knight Returns-inspired Batsuit a couple of weeks ago, Warner Bros. has officially announced the start of filming on Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel sequel, which now has the official title of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The choice of title is very telling; not only is this movie a lead in to the long-awaited Justice League movie, but the fact that Batman’s name comes before Superman in the title of a Man of Steel sequel makes it plain that Warner Bros. sees The Dark Knight as the centre of fledgling ‘DC Cinematic Universe’, and it’s not hard to see why.

In terms of general public perception, the Man of Steel may be one of the most recognisable superheroes around, but as last year’s reboot proved, Superman alone is no guarantee of success – at least, not on the scale of Warner Bros.’ main comic book movie rivals, Marvel Studios.

While Marvel Studios has turned second-tier characters such as Iron Man and Captain America into bonafide A-list superheroes, the popularity of Wonder Woman, DC’s third-biggest name, is arguably at an all-time low, and it’s hard to imagine many non-comic book fans will have even heard of Cyborg.

But throw in Batman – the only superhero character to have two solo movies grossing over a billion at the global box office – and now the studio has a sure-fire box office smash on its hands. Not only will the inclusion of the Dark Knight elevate Warner’s other DC characters, but it also gives them an ensemble to rival The Avengers. And that’s before we even get to Justice League…

– Gary Collinson

Holy Franchise Batman! by Gary Collinson is available to buy now at all good retailers

OUT TODAY: Holy Franchise Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen by Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a writer and lecturer from the North East of England. He has a degree in media production from the University of Sunderland and is the founder and editor of the UK movie site FlickeringMyth.com.

HOLY FRANCHISE, BATMAN! OFFICIAL BLURB

Since the Caped Crusader first made the leap from comics to silver screen in the early 1940s, generations of audiences have been captivated by the screen adventures of Batman, establishing the celebrated comic book hero as a true icon of popular culture. Now, Gary Collinson traces the entire screen history of Bob Kane’s Dark Knight Detective, providing a fascinating insight into one of the most successful media franchises of all time.

Beginning with the early movie serials of the 1940s, Holy Franchise, Batman! charts the development of Batman’s many exploits across both live-action and animation, presenting a comprehensive overview of his illustrious screen career. From the classic 1960s television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward to the hugely successful blockbuster feature films from directors Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher and Christopher Nolan, as well as early Saturday morning cartoon outings through to the acclaimed ‘DC Animated Universe’, this book explores the evolution of Batman – a journey that has taken him from ‘camp’ crime-fighter to Dark Knight.

Holy Franchise, Batman! by Gary Collinson is available to buy now with a limited time only discount of 30%.

For more information, follow @holyfranchise on Twitter.

Flickering Myth Reviews Holy Franchise Batman! by Gary Collinson

The Dark Knight Rises hits cinemas worldwide in July. To commemorate the hotly anticipated film, Robert Hale Ltd will be publishing Holy Franchise, Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen in June. Flickering Myth called it “indispensable reading material” for Batman fans.

Read the full review and find out more about the book over at Flickering Myth

ABOUT HOLY FRANCHISE BATMAN! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen

Since the Caped Crusader first made the leap from comics to silver screen in the early 1940s, generations of audiences have been captivated by the screen adventures of Batman, establishing the celebrated comic book hero as a true icon of popular culture. Now, Gary Collinson traces the entire screen history of Bob Kane’s Dark Knight Detective, providing a fascinating insight into one of the most successful media franchises of all time.

Beginning with the early movie serials of the 1940s, Holy Franchise, Batman! charts the development of Batman’s many exploits across both live-action and animation, presenting a comprehensive overview of his illustrious screen career. From the classic 1960s television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward to the hugely successful blockbuster feature films from directors Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher and Christopher Nolan, as well as early Saturday morning cartoon outings through to the acclaimed ‘DC Animated Universe’, this book explores the evolution of Batman – a journey that has taken him from ‘camp’ crime-fighter to Dark Knight.