Zack Snyder Originally Had a Five-Film Story Arc Planned For Superman
When director Zack Snyder made Man of Steel, he has originally envisioned it as the first film in a five-film story arc for Superman. He had big plans for this character, plans that, at this point, we will never see come to fruition. Whatever Zack Snyder was planning for the character was buried when Warner Bros. replaced him with Joss Whedon on Justice League.
We could obviously see what Snyder was setting up with Man of Steel and expanding on that in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but we didn't really know what the extent of that would be regarding the character Superman. One hint we got regarding that future was when The Flash warned Bruce Wayne that he had to save "her", which is in regards to Lois Lane, and then we got a glimpse a world where Darkseid has taken charge and Superman had joined him.
Now, thanks to Jay Oliva, director of the DC animated films The Flashpoint Paradox and The Dark Knight Returns as well as a storyboard artist on Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, we know that Snyder had planned a five-film story arc for Superman. It would have been incredibly interesting to be able to see how that story would play out, but audiences made it clear that they weren't interested in what Snyder was planning and in response, Snyder scrapped whatever plans he had.
Here's what Oliva had to say:
Man of Steel was never meant to have a sequel because it was supposed to be chapter 1 of a 5 chapter story. Notice how BvS follows exactly after MoS? It’s like book two of Harry Potter.
— Jay Oliva (@jayoliva1) April 22, 2018
Yep
— Jay Oliva (@jayoliva1) April 22, 2018
Okay school is in session... Back in April 2013 (before MoS released in June) I was tasked with doing the Superman 75 short. I met with Zack who was the exec producer on it and he showed me storyboards of BvS with Batman already in it. AND it was a Batman from DKR.
— Jay Oliva (@jayoliva1) April 22, 2018
I know this as fact because I was there and I remember it very clearly because I was sad that I may not get the opportunity to work on a film that used Miller’s DKR as an influence. Because well you know, I kinda did a little film that did just that. :)
— Jay Oliva (@jayoliva1) April 22, 2018
So how could it be revisionist history if the plan for the following films were already planned BEFORE the release the MoS? Now was there a plan to do a sequel when Goyer and Nolan wrote it? I don’t know for sure but you can bet your ass that prior to June there was a plan
— Jay Oliva (@jayoliva1) April 22, 2018
Later that year Zack called me and I flew to Detroit to start work on BvS. This was on thanksgiving and Detroit was cold as heck because the polar vortex. So you can believe what you “heard” or from someone who was there.... revisionist history... yah sure whatevs
— Jay Oliva (@jayoliva1) April 22, 2018
Would you have liked to Snyder realize his full vision for Superman? Or are you happy to see the the studio has made the changes that they have made?