A single image shared by Zack Snyder has reignited hope that the filmmaker could someday return to Gotham with a full-on adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, and the fandom is absolutely running with it.
This all traces back to 2013, when Snyder walked onto the Hall H stage at San Diego Comic-Con and unveiled plans for a Batman and Superman crossover. Instead of a trailer, he brought out Man of Steel actor Harry Lennix, who delivered a chilling excerpt from Frank Miller’s iconic graphic novel:
“I want you to remember, Clark. In all the years to come. In all your most private moments,” the actor recited. “I want you to remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember the one man who beat you.”
That moment sent the crowd into chaos and three years later it led to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While critics weren’t exactly kind, the film has built a loyal following over time.
Watching Batman stomp into battle wearing armor ripped straight from The Dark Knight Returns pages was undeniably cool, and it remains one of the most talked-about sequences in Snyder’s DC run.
Fast forward to now and Snyder, who remains on friendly terms with DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, has fans convinced lightning might strike again.
In a photo shared from the director’s pottery studio, a copy of The Dark Knight Returns just happens to be sitting in the background. That was all it took. Social media immediately lit up with theories that Snyder was signaling a return to the DC Universe. It’s probably nothing, but Snyder absolutely knows how fans read into these things.
What keeps the idea alive is Snyder’s track record. His strongest comic book movies have been direct adaptations, including 300 and Watchmen. With The Brave and the Bold still moving at a slow pace, the thought of an Elseworlds Batman story set in a bleak future doesn’t sound so far-fetched.
A standalone take on The Dark Knight Returns wouldn’t have to step on current continuity and plenty of fans would happily show up for it.
Snyder has also been clear about his approach. He’s said he’d only tackle The Dark Knight Returns if it could be done as “a true representation of the graphic novel.” Even when talking about Marvel projects, he’s taken the same stance, saying he’d only consider adapting Frank Miller’s Elektra Lives Again under similar conditions.
Frank Miller himself seems more than comfortable with how his work has influenced superhero cinema. He previously reflected on seeing The Dark Knight Returns shape the modern DC landscape:
“A few years have gone by since all this started, okay? And at first, my reaction was to be very territorial and all that,” Miller admitted. “Now I’ve kind of sat back and with a much deeper breath and longer view on the whole thing, and all I can say is: this is great.
“I came in, and I came up with my idea for The Dark Knight Returns, and that basically was the big splash I made, which started my whole career going. And since then, I’ve seen the two fields collaborate back and forth.
“I benefited greatly from Dark Knight Returns, and so have they and continue to. And it can only be looked at as a healthy relationship.”
For now, it’s all speculation fueled by a background detail and a whole lot of wishful thinking. Still, the idea of Snyder cutting loose with a faithful, no-compromises adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns is the kind of thing DC fans would love to see.
Would you like to see Snyder’s take on The Dark Knight Returns?
