History Film / BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice

* SigilSpam: Much is made of the promotional material showing just the "S" shield and the Bat symbol [[note]]Something of a MythologyGag, the '89 ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'' movie did the same thing with a poster that had no title but just the Batman symbol. It was revolutionary in that regard. The '78 ''Film/{{Superman}}'' had a similar poster, but still listed the movie name.[[/note]]..

''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' is a 2016 {{superhero}} film directed by Creator/ZackSnyder; it is the sequel to Snyder's ''Film/ManOfSteel'' and the second film in the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. It was written by Creator/ChrisTerrio and based on a story by David S. Goyer and Zack Snyder.

The story is continued in both 2017's ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' and 2021's ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', the latter being the true sequel that was envisioned by the crew that made ''Man of Steel'' and ''Batman v. Superman''.

* BladeOnAStick: Batman fashions a spear with a Kryptonite blade in order to fight Superman. [[spoiler:It's used by Superman at the end of the movie to kill Doomsday]].

* YouGotSpunk: Luthor to Lois.
-->'''Lex Luthor:''' ''Well'' you're feisty! ...Unfortunately, that will blow away...like the sand in the desert.

** Averted by the thugs in the warehouse; They have no qualms with rushing Batman from every direction at once with combat knives. Batman can manage just fine anyways.

* CoolVersusAwesome: It's '''Batman ''' versus '''Superman'''! What else would you expect?
** Somewhat deconstructed in that it has been done more like a tragedy with a build-up to it and long term consequences on that universe than simply a duel [[RuleOfCool for the sake of "Cool and Awesome"]].

* DifferentlyPoweredIndividual: Lex brings up something he called the "Metahuman Thesis," which is an all-encompassing term for people with superpowers. He's revealed to be keeping files on such people. In the comics "Metahuman" was in reference to humans with a inherent gene that would manifest as superpowers (similar to the X-gene being the root cause of mutants in ComicBook/XMen and Marvel universe). In the film (and [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes in the comics as well]]) it's a general designation for anyone with unusual powers regardless of the origin, as [[spoiler: Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash]] are not considered metahumans in that sense in the DCU.

* TheDragon: [[spoiler: Doomsday]] is the final obstacle the heroes must overcome before taking down BigBad Lex Luthor.

* EvilLearnsOfOutsideContext: Corrupt and sociopathic businessman Lex Luthor uses Kryptonian technology and General Zod's corpse to create a monstrous abomination whose sole purpose is to kill Superman; unfortunately (and made clearer in a deleted scene), he also inadvertantly attracts Darkseid's attention to Earth, leading to the events of ''Film/JusticeLeague.''

** One major point of the movie was addressing this trope. The opening sequence retells the destruction from [[Film/ManOfSteel the Battle of Metropolis]], making it clear that thousands of people were killed and many are holding Superman responsible. Throughout the film any deaths even remotely related to Superman's actions cause debate on his accountability. Batman himself is shown killing several bad guys (he does so when [[PragmaticHero they are shooting at him with high powered weapons or threatening innocents]]). There is some destruction in the climactic fight (Superman is thrown through a skyscraper and [[spoiler: Doomsday would emit energy pulses that cause damage to the skyline]]), but character dialogue, news broadcasts and military reports are clear that any collateral deaths were kept to a minimum.

** Wayne Manor is a burnt out ruin, with Bruce and Alfred living in a newer, smaller, more modern house built on the grounds of the estate. How this state of affairs came about is never explained.

** [[spoiler: Lois' investigation into the bullet involves Creator/JenaMalone's character Jenet as a Star Labs scientist, indicating it was an experimental bullet using advanced metals and that the developer was interested in seeing how it fared in a real world setting. This is what leads her to Secretary Swanwick and learning of Lex Corp's involvement in arming the rebels, which is political suicide to confront since the CIA was illegally involved there. Later, after the Senate bombing, Lois finds that the bomb utilized the same mystery metal as the bullets and was lined with lead, which would block Superman's X-ray vision. On top of that, she deduces that Wallace Keefe did not make the bomb as he bought groceries earlier that day]].

* SamaritanSyndrome: Superman starts feeling the weight of helping people but being blamed when his intervention results in the death of others. After the [[spoiler: Senate hearing is bombed]], he starts second guessing himself as to why he wasn't able to see it coming.

* SteppingOutForAQuickCupOfCoffee: A MPD officer guarding Wallace Keefe's crime-scene-cordoned apartment lets Lois in to investigate herself, enabling her to determine that Keefe did not even know he was sitting on the Capitol Building bomb in his wheel chair.

* SupermanStaysOutOfGotham: Averted, for more than just the UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny reasons. In this continuity Gotham is an actual sister city to Metropolis, separated by a bay. It was compared to San Francisco and Oakland, or New York City and Jersey City. That means in all practical sense they are operating in the same metropolitan area from the start. In previous continuities Metropolis and Gotham were either within a few hours drive or even a few hours ''by plane''.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Similar to what Lois did in ''Man of Steel'', [[spoiler:Lex Luthor is smart enough to follow the chain of clues to figure out Superman was Clark Kent long ago. The smartest man in the world is NOT fooled by ClarkKenting. Neither was he fooled by Bruce Wayne being a RichIdiotWithNoDayJob]].

* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob:
** Bruce Wayne, per usual, is this, though he makes up for it by also serving as a philanthropist. He clocks in at night, so to speak. Amusingly, when Clark confronts him as a ''Daily Planet'' reporter, Bruce tries to remember if he owns THAT particular paper.
** Diana Prince/Wonder Woman is officially an "antiques dealer" but mostly appears terribly rich.
** Lex leans into his foppish and silly persona to push this idea so that people underestimate him while he plots behind the scenes.

* SmugSnake: Part of Affleck's Bruce Wayne RichIdiotWithNoDayJob side is the smugness that is practically dripping of him when talking to Clark at Lex's party, such as when he says Clark criticizing Batman is "a little...rich."

* NotSoDifferentRemark: Twice between Batman and Superman. The first is when Clark Kent condemns Batman's violent vigilantism and Bruce Wayne points out that Superman, too, has been responsible for a great deal of damage. The second is when [[spoiler:Superman, about to be killed by Batman, pleads with him to save his mother, ''[[NamesTheSame Martha]]'', from Lex's goons, which strikes a chord with Bruce, (who is hinted via flashbacks and symbolism to be haunted by Martha Wayne's death even more than Thomas Wayne's). This gets him to snap out of his UnstoppableRage and stop fighting Superman.]]

* NotSoDifferentRemark: Twice between Batman and Superman. The first is when Clark Kent condemns Batman's violent vigilantism and Bruce Wayne points out that Superman, too, has been responsible for a great deal of damage. The second is when [[spoiler: Superman, about to be killed by Batman, pleads with him to save his mother, ''[[NamesTheSame Martha]]'', from Lex's goons, which strikes a chord with Bruce, (who is hinted via flashbacks and symbolism to be haunted by Martha Wayne's death even more than Thomas Wayne's). This gets him to snap out of his UnstoppableRage and stop fighting Superman.]]

* ThematicSequelLogoChange: The logo is changed to combine both protagonist's symbols, representing their equal role in the plot.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Lex has a tendency to be a twitchy in personal conversations and mutter to himself in fragmented sentences. During a social function he manages to hold the audience's attention for about 30 seconds until he gets distracted and goes on an awkward tangent.

* PyrrhicVillainy: On paper, [[spoiler:Luthor succeeds in getting Superman killed thanks to Doomsday]]. However, [[spoiler:he ends up in jail as a result, Batman is keeping an eye on him and will work with Wonder Woman on starting the Justice League, Superman is now remembered by everyone as a hero and appears to be OnlyMostlyDead. [[ArsonMurderandJaywalking Finally, his head was shaved bald when he entered prison.]]]]

* DarkestHour: [[spoiler: After Doomsday takes a nuke and is not only alive but seemingly stronger for it, Secretary Swanwick makes it very clear that it is unkillable by any of their weapons. This sets the stage that Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman are the only ones who have a shot at stopping it]].

* {{Deconstruction}}: Similar to what Lois did in ''Man of Steel'', [[spoiler: Lex Luthor is smart enough to follow the chain of clues to figure out Superman was Clark Kent long ago. The smartest man in the world is NOT fooled by ClarkKenting. Neither was he fooled by Bruce Wayne being a RichIdiotWithNoDayJob]].

** The concept of the [[LetsYouAndHimFight superhero vs superhero fight]] gets examined and deconstructed as well, shown as how it would theoretically happen in reality rather than glorifying it. it's ugly and brutal, and it's made clear neither participant is enjoying having to battle each other, [[FallenHero Batman]] deems it necessary (even if for misguided reasons) to kill Superman before he gets the chance to snap and kill the entirety of humanity, while Superman comes to apologize for his own misdeeds and arrogance in their costumed first face-to-face meeting, as well as ask Batman for help in saving his mother.

* PowerfulAndHelpless: Towards the end of the film, Lex has had Martha Kent abducted and held hostage and she will be killed if Clark refuses to fight Bruce. He also makes sure his men don't tell him where they stashed Martha so Supes can't beat the information out of him. Clark's eyes are glowing red and he's ready to burn Lex alive, but knows his mother will die unless he gives in. At that moment, despite all Superman's powers, Lex Luthor has effectively nullified him.

* TooDumbToLive: The mercenary who decided to use a grenade against Batman. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis In a confined space. Surrounded by his allies]]. Taken up to eleven when he tries to grab it after Batman knocks it out of his hand.
* TookALevelInJerkass: In-Universe, Batman himself. When he begins ''branding'' the criminals he catches, Alfred wastes no time in pointing out to Bruce that he's gotten worse ever since Metropolis, and he's begun to become outright ''cruel'' beyond vengeful. [[spoiler: This is thankfully reverted by the film's end, when Batman has Luthor cornered in his cell and refuses to mark him with the brand even after Superman's death.]]
* TragicKeepsake: [[spoiler: At Clark's funeral, Martha Kent gives Lois a package that Clark had previously sent to Smallville, hoping to surprise her. The package contains a diamond solitaire engagement ring. Lois is seen wearing the ring at the very end of the movie.]]

* TrainingFromHell: Batman demonstrates how he keeps himself in top physical condition. Arguably, no other depiction of batman training (barring the comics) has really conveyed both the intensity of his training and the focus he has towards it like this movie. While short in duration, the scenes show Batman doing standard exercises on only to an insane degree by using massive weight to increase the intensity like chaining weight plates to his waist while doing pull ups.

* TooDumbToLive: The mercenary who decided to use a grenade against Batman. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis In a confined space. Surrounded by his allies]]. Taken UpToEleven when he tries to grab it after Batman knocks it out of his hand.

* TrainingFromHell: Batman demonstrates how he keeps himself in top physical condition. Arguably, no other depiction of batman training (barring the comics) has really conveyed both the intensity of his training and the focus he has towards it like this movie. While short in duration, the scenes show Batman doing standard exercises on [[UpToEleven only to an insane degree]] by using massive weight to increase the intensity like chaining weight plates to his waist while doing pull ups.

Two years after saving humanity from destruction, [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Clark Kent/Superman]] (Creator/HenryCavill) has taken his place as an [[TheCape icon and hero that makes the planet a safer place to live]]. However, many still distrust the "Man of Steel" after the damage his battle with General Zod wrought on Metropolis. Fearing the destruction a godlike and now unrivaled superhuman could cause if he ever [[BewareTheSuperman turned against those he protects]], billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Creator/BenAffleck), who fights crime as the vigilante Franchise/{{Batman}}, focuses on one goal: destroy Superman and his [[TheConspiracy apparent hidden schemes]], whatever the cost.

* MotifMerger: Just look at the page image, then look at the trope image. [[MythologyGag It's is the logo]] for DC's Comicbook/SupermanBatman series, albeit with more of an influence from the Superman logo from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks and the Batman logo from ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''.

* TrainingFromHell: Batman demonstrates how he keeps himself in top physical condition. Arguably, no other depiction of batman training (barring the comics) has really conveyed both the intensity of his training and the focus he has towards it like this movie. While short in duration, the scenes show batman doing standard exercises on [[UpToEleven only to an insane degree]] by using massive weight to increase the intensity like chaining weight plates to his waist while doing pull ups.

* CallingParentsByTheirName: Superman isn't shown to do this regularly, but he does happen to do so once, right before Batman kills him, and his plea to 'save Martha' just so happens to echo Thomas Wayne's last words, deeply resonating with Bruce, who then spares Superman. Good thing Supes happened to say that instead of the much more realistic and in-character request to 'save my mom'. Especially considering him saying 'save my mom' to the crazed man a moment away from stabbing the alien dead has a high likelihood of leading to the crazed man going '"Mom"? So there ARE more aliens! I knew you were up to something!' and then stabbing him dead.

''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' is a {{superhero}} film, the 2016 sequel to ''Film/ManOfSteel'' directed by Creator/ZackSnyder, and the second film in the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. It was written by Creator/ChrisTerrio and based on a story by David S. Goyer and Zack Snyder.

Two years after saving humanity from destruction, [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Clark Kent/Superman]] (Creator/HenryCavill) has taken his place as an [[TheCape icon and hero that makes the planet a safer place to live]]. But many still distrust the "Man of Steel", after the damage his battle with General Zod wrought on Metropolis. Fearing the destruction a godlike and now unrivaled superhuman could cause if he ever [[BewareTheSuperman turned against those he protects]], billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Creator/BenAffleck), who fights crime as the vigilante Franchise/{{Batman}}, has focus on preparing. His goal: destroy Superman and his [[TheConspiracy apparent hidden schemes]], whatever the cost.

Before the film was released it was announced that there would be a DirectorsCut called the "Ultimate Edition", as the theatrical version was trimmed from an R-rating for some sequences of violence that were deemed too harsh for a PG-13 rating (which is what Zack Snyder was aiming for; he was actually [[DidntSeeThatComing surprised]] when the MPAA re-rated the longer version of the film). The Ultimate Edition is over half an hour longer, features an expanded story and includes Creator/JenaMalone after her character Jenet Klyburn was [[DeletedRole cut]] from the theatrical version.

But not all is as it seems, as corporate mogul and prominent Metropolis citizen ComicBook/LexLuthor (Creator/JesseEisenberg) secretely engineers a war between Metropolis' Man of Steel and Gotham's Dark Knight.