DC might be waaay behind Marvel in the movie department, but their cinematic universe is growing fast. The announcement of a Suicide Squad movie (with actors like Will Smith, Tom Hardy, and Jared Leto cast no less) has done a huge amount of legwork in establishing just who the villains of this world are; and now, a bunch of new rumors have emerged that might expand this side of things even more.
Badass Digest is reporting on a bunch of new ideas floating around the ol’ rumor mill concerning DC/WB’s next movie. Granted, all of this is unconfirmed, but none of it seems entirely implausible. Still, take it with a grain of salt, as Batman V. Superman is still almost two years away.
Also, potential spoilers.
All of that being said, here are four of the biggest bits:
1. The Joker is in the House
Apparently Joker will get name-dropped in the movie, but won’t appear in person. Also, Superman knows about him for some reason.
We can assume then that the Caped Crusader is also aware. We’ve previously heard that Affleck’s Batman is an older version of the character, similar to The Dark Knight Returns comic book. If that’s true, it seems likely that Batman and the Joker have crossed paths more than a few times.
The Joker will get his official debut in Suicide Squad, where he’ll be played by Jared Leto.
2. Anatoli Knyazev
Lex Luthor will reportedly have some hired muscle working for him named Anatoli Knyazev. In the comics, Knyazev is a Rogues Gallery supervillain known as KGBeast.
As implied by the name, this guy is a former KGB agent. He’s also been enhanced with cybernetic prosthetics, making him pretty dangerous. He’s tangled with Batman a few times, and most recently, he was recruited into the Black Lantern Corps.
It’s doubtful he’ll have much of a role in the movie, but it could be a setup for a bigger presence in the future (especially with Suicide Squad on the radar).
3. Doomsday!
Doomsday is in the movie in some capacity. Holy shit if that’s true.
One could surmise that he’d provide a big enough threat that Superman and Batman would need to put aside their differences and team up. Lex Luthor is probably involved somehow.
4. Lex Luthor Wants Metahumans
Speaking of ol’ Lex, he’s apparently looking for so-called “metahumans.” One could assume he’s trying to build some kind of superpowered army, but the one he definitely knows about is slightly less villainous: Wonder Woman.
In the comics, “metahuman” is the blanket term used for super-powered humans, as well as aliens such as Superman and Martian Manhunter. Characters like Superman and Wonder Woman are considered “alpha” level, meaning they are among the most powerful beings on Earth.
Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice will hit theaters on March 25, 2016.
