Batman v Superman Ultimate Edition: The Batman Featurette Released

As part of the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition, which is the superior cut of Zack Snyder's film, Warner Bros. included a featurette about the comic book evolution of The Dark Knight.

"In his debut in 1939, Batman was portrayed as an agent of darkness; He wore black, worked alone, and even carried a gun," Jason Inman of DC All Access explains. "The edges were gradually sanded off the original gritty version of Batman, as he donned a bright blue costume, traded the gun for a multitude of gadgets, adopted a crime-fighting family, and engaged in a series of lighthearted, colorful adventures for decades.

"A turning point for Batman came in 1986 with the debut of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. This seminal graphic novel blew the lid off the public's current image of Batman, embracing the darkness and flawed humanity that made the character unique. This was followed by The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, which introduced a terrifying take on Batman's classic villain, The Joker, grounding both he and Batman in psychological realism. The modern Batman era stems from these roots, even as more current stories like Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's Hush and Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Court of Owls re-introduce a new sense of adventure to Batman's gothic existence. The Batman of BvS pulls from all of these sources to create the most iconic cinematic Batman yet."

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis's most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it's ever known before.

Directed by Zack Snyder, the film also stars Oscar nominees Amy Adams ("American Hustle," "Man of Steel") as Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network") as Lex Luthor, Diane Lane ("Unfaithful," "Man of Steel") as Martha Kent, and Laurence Fishburne ("What's Love Got to Do with It," "Man of Steel") as Perry White; Oscar winners Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune") as Alfred, and Holly Hunter ("The Piano") as Senator Finch; and Gal Gadot (the "Fast and Furious" films) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition is now available on Digital HD and will be available on Blu-Ray on Tuesday, July 19.