Man of Steel (2013) relied on a lot of computer-generated imagery but for Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder wanted to “up-the-ante” by utilizing more practical effects and with the introduction of Batman (played by Ben Affleck) he was able to do just that.
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“It has been really fun using Batman as the answer to Superman,” Snyder told Empire, “because he’s not flying around and acting crazy. He’s just driving around in his Batmobile, doing his Batstuff.” The director added with pride, “We were able to do a lot of this practically. Batman brings that back.”
They built a Batmobile and drove it through the streets of Detroit, the Batcave was an enormous set that didn’t come to life with green screen and Ben Affleck actually climbed buildings in that cumbersome-looking Bat-armor. “Figuring out how to mix Batman’s practical approach with Superman has been an awesome experience,” Snyder shared.
However, not everything is as practical as it seems with Batman …and that’s a good thing! “One thing that couldn’t be done before but is finally possible now is to wear the suit without the arms. They put motion sensors on my arms to recreate the rest of the suit in post production,” Affleck told Studio Cinรฉ Live (via batman-news). “And that allowed me to move my arms freely without looking like a robot during fight scenes. I think it was the first time an actor could have all that flexibility and move his head in a Batsuit!”
In Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, 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.
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.