At the moment, Superman is dead in the DC Extended Universe. This happened in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice when the final confrontation between Superman and Doomsday resulted in a mutual kill. However, it is interesting to note that Superman is expected to make a return in Justice League, which raises the issue of how that will happen.
How Will Superman Return to the DC Extended Universe?
Some people have suggested that Superman didn’t die in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Instead, he became convinced that his presence posed a serious risk to the people of planet Earth, with the result that he chose to feign his death with some help from Batman. Something that would fit well with Alfred’s statement to an off-screen figure that said individual was expected. However, considering the sheer number of people who were seen mourning Superman at his funeral, this seems like a rather hurtful choice on his part. As a result, some people have suggested that Superman was wounded to the point of seeming like he was dead in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice but possesses superhuman regeneration that will restore him in time for the throwdown with Steppenwolf in Justice League.
Speaking of Steppenwolf, another option would be Superman having been resurrected as a puppet for Darkseid, which would provide the filmmakers with the chance to film some superhero-on-superhero fight scenes before the narrative lets Superman break the mind control before teaming up with the rest of the Justice League to face the villain of the narrative. This would be a bit cliched, but to be honest, cliched plot beats can be received well provided that they are handled in a competent manner. Furthermore, the superhuman capabilities of the New Gods would be a neat hand-wave for why Superman has returned in Justice League in spite of his funeral in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice while avoiding some of the complications that go hand-in-hand with some of the other explanations.
Of course, there are stranger theories than these. For example, the Flash is capable of time travel. As a result, it is not unimaginable for Superman to return via time travel in some manner, whether by being saved at the moment of his death or by being brought forward into the future from his perspective. Granted, time travel is something that can tangle up a plot with surprising speed, but it would not exactly be the first time that it has shown up in a superhero movie. For that matter, if some of the rumors surrounding the DC Extended Universe, it would not be the last time either.
Further Considerations
Regardless, there is not enough information at this point in time to say for sure how Superman will be making a return to the DC Extended Universe. As the release date for Justice League approaches, more information will come out, which will enable interested individuals to piece together more and more about what they can expect. This means that said individuals should continue paying attention to the latest media news, which should enable them to start speculating on a solid basis sooner rather than later.
Follow Us
