DC Extended Universe architect Zack Snyder threw a watch party for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on its fourth anniversary, providing a live director's commentary for the film. Here are some of the most interesting tidbits from the track, which you can listen to here.
Batman's Knightmare Sequence
About a third of the way into the movie, there's a fantastical sequence where Bruce Wayne dreams of a future in which Superman has turned evil. The hero kills with wanton abandon, and even has a paramilitary force that Snyder refers to as "Superman Stormtroopers." Although the scene plays like an insight into Bruce Wayne's mind to show his fears of what Superman might become if left unchecked, it turns out that this wasn't just a dream; it was a vision of a possible future. In this future, Superman has "succumbed to the Anti-Life Equation" after Lois Lane is killed. While it's simply confirming a possible interpretation of that scene, it does cast a new light on the Knightmare sequence.
Snyder also provided some details on Barry Allen/Flash coming from the future to warn Bruce. The machine Flash uses to travel back is the Cosmic Treadmill (a device well known in the comics for allowing speedsters to travel through time), being operated by Cyborg. According to Snyder, this was only the first of two points where Flash warns Bruce. The second would have been much further in the future, and closer to the event that caused Flash to be sent back, though we don't learn what that event is.
The Dark Knight Returns
During his director's commentary, Snyder talked at length about his creative process, and the meaning behind different shots or motifs. One thing he repeated multiple times was being inspired by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson's The Dark Knight Returns, which he stated was "one of the best comic books ever written." It's no surprise Snyder is a fan of The Dark Knight Returns, since he also adapted Miller's 300 into a movie of the same name.
Snyder specifically stated Batman's armoured look was inspired by Miller's comic, although his spear has a different source: The Spear of Destiny. Also known as the Lance of Longinus, the Spear of Destiny is said to be the weapon that pierced the side of Christ on the cross. The weapon has played a role in several other DC properties, including Legends of Tomorrow. Snyder explained they picked a spear since Batman would have to viscerally drive it into Superman, in addition to the Christ analogy. This adds to Snyder's litany of Christ references throughout Batman v Superman as well as its predecessor, Man of Steel.
Snyder also added that he didn't think Batman v Superman was "the Dark Knight Returns movie," and that someone could still go on to make a movie specifically adapted from the comic.
The Fortress of Solitude
Before the third act of the movie, Superman travels to a distant mountain, atop of which awaits a representation of his father, Jonathan Kent. Snyder states this the movie's version of "The Fortress of Solitude," Superman's base in the Arctic. While the normal Fortress of Solitude is a towering structure made of ice, this one is a small ramshackle pile of sticks and stones. This version also sub outs a holographic version of Superman's Kryptonian father, Jor-El, for Jonathan. Snyder describes this Fortress of Solitude as an "organic version" of Superman's classic hideout.
Other Revelations
Although those are the biggest revelations from Snyder's commentary, the director does add even more information about the film, explaining the movie's derided Martha moment, why Superman was so much darker than in Man of Steel, that Superman's death awakened the Mother Boxes that led to the events of Justice League, Wonder Woman took the lead, why against Doomsday, that General Swanwick/Martian Manhunter knew Superman's secret identity, his choice to kill Jimmy Olsen and various parallels between Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne.
Snyder notes that what he talks about in this director's commentary is "just the tip of the iceberg of every single scene and every single setup," showing there might still be even more revelations to come about Batman v Superman.
Directed by Zack Snyder and written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot. The film is available on Digital HD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD.