First Look at Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel

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Why does a Superman movie have to be called Superman? The most successful Batman movie ever made didn't even have his name in the title.

That was a sequel to Batman Begins with the same actor playing Batman. This is a reboot of with a new actor and everything. It seems pretty risky. It's like if The Amazing Spider-Man was called Webhead or something.
 
Man of Steel is more iconic in name and readily associated with Superman than The Dark Knight is to Batman - Superman was always the Man of Steel in popular culture, I'd put it on the level of, if not above 'Faster than a speeding bullet' in immediately conjuring up the name Superman.

With the addition of the S shield, I doubt it will confuse anyone.
 

Superman's presence in society is bigger than Batman.

Man of Steel is more iconic in name and readily associated with Superman than The Dark Knight is to Batman - Superman was always the Man of Steel in popular culture, I'd put it on the level of, if not above 'Faster than a speeding bullet' in immediately conjuring up the name Superman.

With the addition of the S shield, I doubt it will confuse anyone.

This.
 
Batman, it's probably safe to say, is much more well liked than Superman - but Superman is just that more famous.

Superman is the icon, he's the Mickey Mouse, the Mario except he's actually bigger as the Superman imagery, terminology and motif are far, far more pervasive in western popular culture at every age.

Kryptonite as a term for 'weakness' is everywhere and I'd go as far to say that more people recognise the word Krypton as a planet than as an element.


Edit: As a character Batman has likely been more popular since 1989 - perhaps since the 60s, but Superman as an icon, his imagery and terminology is ever-present. His personal popularity may not be up there, but it's still ingrained in the base of everything associated with superheroes and reaches further than that.

Nolan's movie could have been called The Caped Crusader and I imagine more people would have recognised the title as a Batman thing.
 
"Man of Steel" isn't more well known than Dark Knight in 2012, hell no, but I still support the decision to give the film that name. Also Superman is no longer as popular as Batman, the Nolan films have raised Batman's profile to basically being the world's most popular superhero. Superman was more popular and well known for a long while but right now and for at least four or five more years, Batman will hold that top slot. I don't think America or the world is as focused on the wholesome and pure image as it once was. Batman fits more with the times. Superman will have to get a bit darker and more realistic if he is going to reach his old heights of popularity. The sequel to "Man of Steel" should be "Man of Tomorrow" and finally "The Last Son of Krypton".
 
"Man of Steel" isn't more well known than Dark Knight in 2012, hell no, but I still support the decision to give the film that name. Also Superman is no longer as popular as Batman, the Nolan films have raised Batman's profile to basically being the world's most popular superhero. Superman was more popular and well known for a long while but right now and for at least four or five more years, Batman will hold that top slot. I don't think America or the world is as focused on the wholesome and pure image as it once was. Batman fits more with the times. Superman will have to get a bit darker and more realistic if he is going to reach his old heights of popularity. The sequel to "Man of Steel" should be "Man of Tomorrow" and finally "The Last Son of Krypton".

It's not about who is more popular. Superman will still be the default superhero. When people are asked to describe a superhero, they will respond with being strong, wearing a cape, and flying.
 
Superman's presence in society is bigger than Batman.



This.

Considering The Dark Knight is the highest grossing super hero film of all time, worldwide, and that includes if you add inflation (30 years for the first Superman still puts The Dark Knight ahead). I really don't think so that much anymore.

At the end of the day the big 3 are Spider-man, Superman, and Batman, but the last decade has had both Spider-man and Batman have greater prominence to the public than Superman has.
 
Considering The Dark Knight is the highest grossing super hero film of all time, worldwide, and that includes if you add inflation (30 years for the first Superman still puts The Dark Knight ahead). I really don't think so that much anymore.

At the end of the day the big 3 are Spider-man, Superman, and Batman, but the last decade has had both Spider-man and Batman have greater prominence to the public than Superman has.

It's not really a fair comparison when both Batman and Spiderman have had great movies, and Superman only got a shit movie. Obviously as of today Batman is probably more popular because of that.
But I agree, when it comes to being recognized, Superman is still number one probably.
 
Considering The Dark Knight is the highest grossing super hero film of all time, worldwide, and that includes if you add inflation (30 years for the first Superman still puts The Dark Knight ahead). I really don't think so that much anymore.

At the end of the day the big 3 are Spider-man, Superman, and Batman, but the last decade has had both Spider-man and Batman have greater prominence to the public than Superman has.

Dark Knight isn't even a super-hero film - at least not in a context comparable to most other comic book heroes. The two are completely different characters, different themes, different narratives and arguably a different audience (with the former having a more broader demographic)
 
It's not really a fair comparison when both Batman and Spiderman have had great movies, and Superman only got a shit movie. Obviously as of today Batman is probably more popular because of that.
But I agree, when it comes to being recognized, Superman is still number one probably.

Still, does a person somehow not recognize who Spider-man or Batman is and yet knows Superman only this day an age?

Though note, Spider-man 1 and Batman Begins both were well received, but Spider-man showed how 40 years of pent up demand and knowledge of a popular superhero like Spidey destroyed industry expectations when it was finally released.


Dark Knight isn't even a super-hero film. The two are completely different characters, different themes, different narratives and arguably a different audience (with the former having a more broader demographic)

Well, it's just really semantics regarding what is or is not a superhero, that being said Batman falls right with the other two heroes as the three most popular and well known in all of comicdom.
 
Still, does a person somehow not recognize who Spider-man or Batman is and yet knows Superman only this day an age?

Though note, Spider-man 1 and Batman Begins both were well received, but Spider-man showed how 40 years of pent up demand and knowledge of a popular superhero like Spidey destroyed industry expectations when it was finally released.

Well, it's just really semantics regarding what is or is not a superhero, that being said Batman falls right with the other two heroes as the three most popular and well known in all of comicdom.

No, it's not just that. I can't put it into words at the moment but there is certainly a large and visible difference to movies like Superman Returns and Spiderman compared with Batman Begins/Dark Knight.
 
"Man of Steel" isn't more well known than Dark Knight in 2012, hell no, but I still support the decision to give the film that name. Also Superman is no longer as popular as Batman, the Nolan films have raised Batman's profile to basically being the world's most popular superhero. Superman was more popular and well known for a long while but right now and for at least four or five more years, Batman will hold that top slot. I don't think America or the world is as focused on the wholesome and pure image as it once was. Batman fits more with the times. Superman will have to get a bit darker and more realistic if he is going to reach his old heights of popularity. The sequel to "Man of Steel" should be "Man of Tomorrow" and finally "The Last Son of Krypton".

You're confusing popularity with pop culture saturation. The iconography of the Superman character is more ingrained in popular culture than Batman's, and that can not be undone by one popular movie.
 
No, it's not just that. I can't put it into words at the moment but there is certainly a large and visible difference to movies like Superman Returns and Spiderman compared with Batman Begins/Dark Knight.

Batman is a superhero and Nolan made a superhero film. Yes it was more tied down to realism but really that was a natural direction to go in considering that the comic version of Batman doesn't have superpowers and was always a dark character. The only huge difference is that Nolan's villains don't have any "magical" or supernatural abilities.

It's not about who is more popular. Superman will still be the default superhero. When people are asked to describe a superhero, they will respond with being strong, wearing a cape, and flying.

Yes Superman will always be an icon, but even a decade or two ago most people who knew Superman also knew Batman. They were kind of a duo in that sense, the two big iconic superheroes with Superman being more iconic and representing a wholesome heroism. Superman is also a more traditional superhero and many people are quick to mention him as a superhero because of the "Super" part which Batman doesn't have. In this day and age though Batman has clearly gone ahead and each year Superman keeps being less of a presence in the public consciousness.

You're confusing popularity with pop culture saturation. The iconography of the Superman character is more ingrained in popular culture than Batman's, and that can not be undone by one popular movie.

I think the passage of time and change in culture is doing that more than anything Nolan has done, but Nolan's films will have a long term effect on the perception of Batman.
 
Anyone in this thread who thinks there are a substantial number of people who know Batman and do NOT know Superman is deluding themselves. You're letting your preference for the character color your view of the overall popularity of the character.
 
Batman is a superhero and Nolan made a superhero film. Yes it was more tied down to realism but really that was a natural direction to go in considering that the comic version of Batman doesn't have superpowers and was always a dark character. The only huge difference is that Nolan's villains don't have any "magical" or supernatural abilities.



Yes Superman will always be an icon, but even a decade or two ago most people who knew Superman also knew Batman. They were kind of a duo in that sense, the two big iconic superheroes with Superman being more iconic and representing a wholesome heroism. Superman is also a more traditional superhero and many people are quick to mention him as a superhero because of the "Super" part which Batman doesn't have. In this day and age though Batman has clearly gone ahead and each year Superman keeps being less of a presence in the public consciousness.



I think the passage of time and change in culture is doing that more than anything Nolan has done, but Nolan's films will have a long term effect on the perception of Batman.


once the last Batman film comes out and a couple of years passes, people generally won't remember as much. Batman is just a hot property right now only because of those movies. but Superman will always endure. always.
 
Anyone in this thread who thinks there are a substantial number of people who know Batman and do NOT know who Superman is deluding themselves. You're letting your preference for the character color your view of the overall popularity of the character.

I'm not saying that. I'm saying this idea that there's a substantial number of people who know who Superman is but do not know who Batman is are deluding themselves, which is where my "it's 2012, not 1982" comment is coming from.
 
I'm not saying that. I'm saying this idea that there's a substantial number of people who know who Superman is but do not know who Batman is are deluding themselves, which is where my "it's 2012, not 1982" comment is coming from.

This whole thing started with the idea that it was somehow more "risky" for this movie to be called just Man of Steel, than it was for the last Batman movie to be called the Dark Knight.
 
Anyone in this thread who thinks there are a substantial number of people who know Batman and do NOT know who Superman is deluding themselves. You're letting your preference for the character color your view of the overall popularity of the character.

I thought it was being argued the other way around.

once the last Batman film comes out and a couple of years passes, people generally won't remember as much. Batman is just a hot property right now only because of those movies. but Superman will always endure. always.

Honestly I see both of these characters lasting for a very long time and having ups and downs.
 
This whole thing started with the idea that it was somehow more "risky" for this movie to be called just Man of Steel, than it was for the last Batman movie to be called the Dark Knight.

Which is funny, because I remember we had this same argument when The Dark Knight was revealed. People were like "I'm sure they'll put Batman: The Dark Knight when it's finally released. No way they will keep this title! The mainstream public is too stupid, they won't understand that it's a Batman movie. The studio won't let Nolan do it."

Now we have people questioning if the studio forced Nolan to put The Dark Knight in the sequel's title. lol.
 
I'd say the most universal superhero is Spider-man

Superman and Bats are on par.

No.

It's Superman, then Batman, then Spider-Man, then probably a three-way tie with Wolverine and Hulk and Wonder Woman, then a tier with the Flash, Captain America and (after the last movies) Iron Man.
 
No.

It's Superman, then Batman, then Spider-Man, then probably a three-way tie with Wolverine and Hulk and Wonder Woman, then a tier with the Flash, Captain America and (after the last movies) Iron Man.

I agree with this (even as a huge Batman and Spider-man fan.)
 
of course but the only thing is that Superman hasn't had a game or movie in a while so that's why he's not as hot right now.

Well there was Superman Returns. I think the real problem is that no one had a good idea for how to capture Superman's essence on screen in a way that was relevant to people in modern day society. Hopefully Nolan and Goyer thought up something brilliant and Snyder can execute properly. I have a feeling this will be a much more realistic Superman in the sense that he is not a comic book hero, he is an alien with super powers learning how to use those powers. Maybe he won't even be an alien, I've always thought it would be kind of neat if the civilization on Krypton was actually started by a group of colonists who left Earth, and Kal-El was accidentally or purposefully sent back in time in order to prevent the destruction of Earth from occuring.
 
I would've asked for a hug.
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