Most people expected the first sequel from filmmaker Zack Snyder to be a follow-up to his 2005 film 300.  Instead, as 300: Rise of an Empire (which he co-wrote and produced) is about to hit theaters, Snyder is currently knee-deep in prep on the highly anticipated follow-up to last year’s Superman reboot Man of Steel.  Not only does the film continue the adventures of Warner Bros.’ brand new Superman franchise, but it also reboots the Batman franchise and kicks off the DC Cinematic Universe at the same time.  There would be immense pressure in tackling any one of those feats alone, but Snyder appears giddy at the prospect of juggling all three.

Though most have been tight-lipped about what we can expect from the untitled Man of Steel follow-up (aka Batman vs. Superman), Snyder recently gave a status update on the film and bluntly addressed fan criticisms about some of his casting choices.  Read on after the jump.

Speaking with the LA Times, Snyder gave an update on the current status of Batman vs. Superman:

“We’re getting ready to start shooting in a month or so. It’s going great. I’m very excited. It’s very fun to get into this world with different heroes coexisting in the same universe, but a lot of balls in the air as they say. As a fan, it’s an amazing opportunity.”

The fact that Superman and Batman have not existed in the same major feature film universe before is not lost on Snyder.  The filmmaker revealed a fanboy moment of his own that happened just recently, saying he was “slightly dorking out” at a recent costume test in which the new Batsuit and the Superman suit were standing next to each other.

However, not everyone has been happy with the way things have been progressing on Batman vs. Superman.  Fans are rightfully protective when it comes to beloved properties, but the open forum nature of the internet gives way to hyperbolic, knee-jerk reactions from people who have no idea what Snyder’s iteration of a certain character entails.  There was obviously outcry over Ben Affleck landing the Batman role, there were complaints about Gal Gadot being cast as Wonder Woman, and most recently fans went into a tizzy when Warner Bros. dropped the bomb that Jesse Eisenberg will be playing Lex Luthor.

During the interview, Snyder addressed these criticisms head-on:

“We know the material. Unfortunately, the fans don’t know the material. So, we’re casting according to what’s happening in the script. And we’re hoping that leads to enough originality, enough perspective on what we’re doing that you get something fresh and exciting. I understand the canon. I’m not crazy. I know what these characters need from a mythological standpoint. I think Jesse is going to be an amazing Lex. Let’s not forget he was nominated for an Academy Award. It’s not like I just grabbed my friend to play the guy! This guy’s the real deal.”

As for the film itself, the director teased a bit about his plans for the follow-up:

"[The movie] literally takes the Man of Steel and Batman universes and explodes them. You’re not as tied to the mythology. In Man of Steel, we had to create an origin story, a mythology, and there’s a lot of energy into that, which we love doing. Don’t get me wrong. But when you think about how fun it is too — now that you’ve got these characters — to now let ‘em loose. That’s fun!"

We still have a long while to go before we see any footage from the untitled Man of Steel sequel, but with filming set to get underway in a month and the risk of paparazzi photos of everyone in costume looming, I expect we’ll get an official look at the new Batsuit relatively soon.  Batman vs. Superman is slated for release on May 6, 2016.

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