DC and Sideshow Collectibles have teamed up to bring back Ben Affleck's Knightmare Batman with a grand statue. The Knightmare timeline was crucial to Zack Snyder's DCEU plans, representing an alternate future in which Darkseid killed Amy Adams' Lois Lane and used the Anti-Life Equation to brainwash Henry Cavill's grief-stricken Superman into tyrannically ruling Earth, which had been terraformed into New Apokolips. Blaming himself for failing to save Lois Lane and avert this future, Ben Affleck's Batman led a ragtag insurgency that included Flash, Cyborg, Mera, Deathstroke, and even Joker in this Knightmare reality.
Sideshow Collectibles unveiled a brand new, limited edition "Knightmare Batman" life-size bust from Zack Snyder's Justice League. The 1:1 scale silicone replica is inspired by the SnyderVerse's alternate Knightmare timeline in which Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne "stands as humanity's final beacon" in a hopeless world:
"In a world reduced to sand and ruins, Bruce Wayne stands as humanity’s final beacon— battle-worn, relentless, and unyielding. Inspired by this vision from 'Zack Snyder's Justice League', Infinity Studio presents the 1:1 Scale Knightmare Batman Silicone Life-Size Bust, capturing the lone hero who stands against the end of the world."
In this post-apocalyptic Knightmare timeline, the Caped Crusader has tossed aside his usual Batsuit as he fought and was hunted by Darkseid's Parademons. The costume was recreated for this bust with a silicone skin and silk hair to create "cinematic realism," while Sideshow used "real fabric" for his various apparel.
In place of the Dark Knight's stomach, Sideshow included a fireplace-esque diorama of "Darkseid's silhouette in the Knightmare wasteland," complete with LED lightning and multiple modes for a uniquely customized display. Sadly, as Warner Bros. abandoned its SnyderVerse plans, fans will never get to see the Knightmare storyline unfold with Darkseid in Zack Snyder's Justice League 2.
Still, the most diehard fans of Snyder's work can honor the Justice League sequel that never was with this $4700 statue, limited to just 199 units. It will stand tall in collectors' displays at 102 cm high, 96.9 cm wide, and 55.1 cm deep.
Zack Snyder's Justice League and the other chapters of the SnyderVerse (Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) are streaming now on HBO Max. The trilogy also prominently features Henry Cavill's Superman, Jason Momoa's Aquaman, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher's Cyborg, and Ezra Miller's Flash, while more heroes would have debuted in the planned sequels.
What Was Planned For Zack Snyder's Knightmare Timeline?
Despite Steppenwolf's defeat, Zack Snyder's Justice League made it clear that Darkseid was not done with Earth and his pursuit of the Anti-Life Equation. It seems the sequel would have begun with DC's premier superhero team contending with the Injustice League before Darkseid attacked Earth.
Among the DC villains added to the SnyderVerse would have been the Riddler, under the employ of Lex Luthor, who successfully solved Anti-Life. Ultimately, Darkseid would have come to Earth and killed Lois Lane, leaving Superman vulnerable enough to succumb to Anti-Life and come under the villain's control.
In this post-apocalyptic Knightmare timeline, Superman ruled over Earth while Batman led an insurgency. Beyond resisting the Man of Steel's tyrannical rule and undoing Darkseid's conquest, the insurgency plotted to send the Flash into the past to prevent Lane's death and avert the Knightmare timeline.
Unfortunately, the chances are slim that the SnyderVerse will ever be revived, even after Paramount acquires Warner Bros. and DC Studios. Fans can only hope that Snyder one day gets to complete his DC vision in some format, be it an animated Elseworlds project or even in comic book form.
