PASS THE SALT: Bats & Supes Together At Last?

At some point in the next two weeks, someone is going to turn to you and say, "Did you hear they're finally making a Batman/Superman movie?"  Trust me, it's going to happen.

However, I think the likelihood of you having that conversation is infinitely higher than the likelihood of this movie actually happening anytime in the appreciable future.  You may recall rumors of a Batman vs. Superman movie a few years back, to be directed by Wolfgang Peterson.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  But Warners/DC has been anxious to get a superhero team movie going for some time and they almost pulled off a George Miller-helmed Justice League movie before the Writers' Guild went on strike.  In light of the impending Avengers, I'm sure it's become an even higher priority over in Burbank, despite the sputtering mess that was Green Lantern.

Think McFly, Think is quoting phantom sources that claim Christian Bale is actually contracted for a team up movie of some kind after Dark Knight Rises and, with Henry Cavill about to make his big debut as the Man Of Steel, Warner Brothers is hoping to entice Bale to done the cowl once more after Christopher Nolan's departure.  There's no script to date, but apparently dual pitches have been developed: if Bale is willing to stick around, then Batman would play a mentor role to Cavill's up-and-coming Superman.  If Bale bails, (wordplay!) then a newly cast Bats, complete with all new continuity, would be the student to Cavill's Supes.

Let's be clear: I have a sneaking suspicion that this is all rumor and conjecture, and even if it wasn't, the powers that be are not gonna make a move until they see how Snyder's Man Of Steel plays in theaters.  Frankly, I'd be shocked if Warners could convince Bale to return without Nolan behind the camera, so using a then-established Superman would probably be the easiest way to quickly and painlessly recast/reboot the Batman franchise.  (And you thought the Spider-Man reboot happened quickly!)  I'm actually okay with the potentially fast turnaround here, which would really just bring the studio closer to the comic book model of having multiple versions of each hero playing out simultaneously.  Besides, if we're spared yet another rehashing of an origin story that every human on earth already knows inside and out, it could be worth it.

But again, this story might as well be living in the Dead Sea.  You know, because of all the salt?  Yay science!