Finally.
Warner Bros. debuted an all new, full-length trailer for Zack Snyder's "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" last night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and It. Is. Awesome. (OK, full disclosure, I thought Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor was too over-the-top eccentric. Other than that, loved it). But what did it actually tell us about the movie? Here are a few things that stood out.
1. Bruce Wayne Holds a Grudge
The trailer opens with Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent meeting at a LexCorp event. Ever the dutiful reporter, Clark asks Bruce what he thinks about the Bat vigilante who is trampling civil liberties in Gotham. Bruce doesn't take too kindly to this and fires back with his own shot, criticizing The Daily Planet's worship of Superman. And in an obvious reference to the Joker, Bruce gets in one last barb, noting how Gotham has "a bad history with freaks dressed like clowns."
Shots fired.
2. at the Center: Lex Luthor
Lex is the one throwing this party that brings Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne together. Lex is rumored to be the one who manipulates Batman and fans the flames of his conflict with Superman. Lex is the one experimenting on Zod's body. Lex is the one waxing poetic to U.S. senators about the dangers of Superman.
The megalomaniac genius billionaire has, unsurprisingly, inserted himself directly into the center of the film's major conflicts. He is the catalyst for much of what goes down and will clearly play a huge role in the movie and likely the larger DCEU.
3. Moments of Levity
The DCEU is largely criticized for its overly dark and dour tone, and the studio allegedly cultivated a "no joke" policy for its films. That may no longer be the case, though, as there are a few moments of levity in the trailer. Lex looks like he's good for a couple punchlines ("You should not pick a fight with this person!" and even the Caped Crusader and Man of Steel get in on it a bit ("Is she with you?", "I thought she was with you").
Warner Bros. doesn't need to go full-on Marvel for its films to have a sense of humor. These brief bits will be a welcome respite from the otherwise serious and gritty tone.
4. Doomsday!
This trailer officially confirmed Doomsday as the main physical threat of "Batman V Superman." Admittedly, he looks a bit like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle on steroids or a troll from "Lord of the Rings." But Snyder, for all his flaws, is a master of stylistic action, so we're remaining optimistic.
Doomsday actually killed Superman (sort of) in the comics, so we know he can throw down. Given his immense physical gifts, we're willing to overlook his questionable appearance and bet that he becomes one of the most imposing bad guys in comic book movie history.
5. Wonder Woman is awesome
It's no secret that superhero movies are severely lacking in diversity. That's why it's great to see Wonder Woman not only included in this movie, but put center stage. She saves Batman from what would have been a grisly death and even appears to be leading the Trinity at one point.
"Batman V Superman" will set up Wonder Woman's own solo film, which we are excited for, and it seems like she's much more than a tag-along here. We can't wait to see what else is in store.
"Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" will hit theaters on March 25, 2016.
