Screaming fans, with the fear of spoilers striking terror in their hearts, try to stay far away as reviews of the US premiere of the movie Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice surface on the Internet. Who knew 140 characters could spell such doom? Our message to the fans out there: browse at your own peril! But this is to be expected. After all, the Gods of the DC universe are finally among us, bringing one of the most technically brilliant plots — Gotham’s Dark Knight facing off against the Man of Steel!
Picking up after Man of Steel (2013), Zack Snyder’s BvS is partially inspired by the comic book, The Dark Knight Returns. We can’t even talk about it without wanting to tear paper up and break tables — why do we have to wait an entire day? Imagine: Ben Affleck’s debut as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent/Kal El, Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor as well as appearances by Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Victor Stone a.k.a. Cyborg and Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth —
The hype is very real — most major multiplexes in Chennai are screening special premieres, some paid and others free, acting as the perfect pressure valve for fans who have reached bursting point. From her holiday in Europe, actress Raai Laxmi, a not-so-secret DC fan, tells us how she has planned to catch the movie after she touches down in India. “I had booked the tickets in advance and will catch the night show on the day I arrive back in Mumbai,” she says, adding, “Batman and Superman finally coming together on the big screen — it’s huge! I’m very excited. It’s something everyone, right from kids to adults can enjoy and relate to. It’s going to be a treat for the fans, and my fingers are crossed!”
Elsewhere, fans in the city are gearing up and thinking of ways they can play ‘superhero’ for a day! On Saturday, the Chennai Cosplayers community will also be officially launching their website with a grand Batman and Superman cosplay at Crowne Plaza.
We can’t wait to watch the film, and while sharing news about the movie from the US, we took care not to post any spoilers or Easter-egg giveaways (and there are so many). Dawn of Justice is the setting the foundation for other DC movies like Justice League, Wonder Woman and more!” says Gowrishankar Shiva, co-founder of the group.
It’s a great time for fan art as well, with many city-based artists creating amazing sketches and paints. Vineed Vijayan Ritchie, a comic book artist with DI Comics, a concept art and comic book studio, gave us a step-by-step preview of his sketched tribute to the film. “I did this because of the movie, nothing more. I’m a big-time fan of the comics and other media franchise. It’s a short sketch in ink of the superheroes looming over Gotham city,” he explains.
Artist Chan Siva of Souls has another thing planned — catching the show on the 26th, he will be hand painting his fan art on a T-shirt and wearing it to the screening. “Growing up, superheroes were also my inspiration to start sketching and painting, especially Batman’s themes, locations and artworks. So I can’t help but get excited for the movie,” he says before signing off.
