This was inevitable, but sooner than I anticipated: Superman and Batman will team up in a live-action movie in 2015!  Warner Bros. will develop the project as a sequel to Man of Steel, so Henry Cavill will return as Clark Kent/Superman.  Zack Snyder and David S. Goyer, the director/writer team behind Man of Steel, are expected to reprise their roles for the follow-up.  Christopher Nolan is also expected to return as a producer, though it is unclear how involved he will be this time around.

This raises many questions.  Does this put the Justice League movie on hold indefinitely?  [Update: No.  WB is also planning for Flash in 2016 and Justice League in 2017.  Details here.]  After all, why force Green Lantern in there when you have the two biggest superheroes in the world in the forefront?  Christian Bale has no plans to return to Batman, so who will star opposite Cavill?  Is this where Joseph Gordon-Levitt steps in?  Luckily, Warner Bros. plans to announce the project at their Comic-Con panel that starts in about 10 minutes.  Check back soon for our full recap of the panel for more details. [Update 2: We added the press release after the jump with more details.  Click here for our description of the panel announcement.]

A few details to note:

  • Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane will return with Cavill.
  • The new Batman has not been cast.
  • Snyder will co-write the story with Goyer.
  • Production is scheduled in 2014 for a Summer 2015 release.
  • Nolan will executive produce with Emma Thomas, Benjamin Melniker, and Michael E. UslanCharles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producers.

Here's the press release:

NEXT DC SUPER HERO MOVIE IN PRE-PRODUCTION

Director Zack Snyder Unites Superman and Batman in One Explosive New Film

man-of-steel-poster-henry cavill

BURBANK, CA, July 20, 2013 – On the heels of the worldwide success of “Man of Steel,” director Zack Snyder is bringing together the two greatest Super Heroes of all time—Batman and Superman—for the first time on the big screen.  The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The current hit, “Man of Steel,” has taken in more than $630 million at the worldwide box office to date, and climbing.  Along with its star, Henry Cavill, the upcoming film brings back Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.  The new Batman has yet to be cast.

Snyder is co-writing the story with David S. Goyer, who will then pen the screenplay.  Production is expected to begin in 2014, with an anticipated release date in Summer 2015.

Silverman stated, “Zack Snyder is an incredibly talented filmmaker, but beyond that, he’s a fan first and he utterly gets this genre.  We could not think of anyone better suited to the task of bringing these iconic Super Heroes to the screen in his own way.”   Kroll added, “We are thrilled to be back in business with Zack and his team on this next movie.  The success of ‘Man of Steel’ is a wonderful testament to the love and support that both fans and new audiences, worldwide, have for these characters.  We are very excited to see what Zack has in store for all of us.”

Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment, noted,“Superman and Batman together on the big screen is a dream come true for DC fans everywhere. All of us at DC Entertainment could not be more excited for Zack’s continuing vision for the DC Universe.”

Zack Snyder, who made a surprise appearance at Comic-Con today, breaking the news to audiences there, later said, “I’m so excited to begin working again with Henry Cavill in the world we created, and I can’t wait to expand the DC Universe in this next chapter.  Let’s face it, it’s beyond mythological to have Superman and our new Batman facing off, since they are the greatest Super Heroes in the world.”

The new film brings back Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder as producers. This time, Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas are serving as executive producers, along with Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan.

Thomas offered, “Whilst our ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy is complete, we have every confidence that Zack’s fresh interpretation will take the character in a new and exciting direction.  His vision for Superman opened the door to a whole new universe and we can’t wait to see what Zack does with these characters.”

The film is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, and Batman characters created by Bob Kane, published by DC Entertainment.

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