Henry Cavill’s Superman was destined for a massive upgrade before confronting Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s planned Justice League sequels, and it would have come from the perfect source: Batman. Jay Oliva, who worked as a storyboard artist on Man of Steel, revealed what Zack Snyder’s original vision entailed for Superman’s evolution as a fighter. The revelation came during a discussion with fans about Man of Steel and how Superman struggled against the more experienced Kryptonian warriors Zod and Faora. Replying to a fan's comment on X, Olivia wrote:
"MOS Superman is just a plain brawler because Clark is just a regular guy with no training,” Oliva explained. “Eventually I would see Batman training him post JL so he’d be pretty scary by the time he confronts Darkseid."
The comment reveals a fascinating character arc that never made it to screen, one that would have transformed Superman from a raw powerhouse into a tactical combat expert.
Why Superman Needed Combat Training
In Man of Steel, Clark Kent’s fighting style reflected his inexperience. Despite possessing godlike powers, he relied purely on strength and instinct when battling General Zod and his soldiers. Faora-Ul particularly exposed these limitations, using her military training to outmaneuver Superman despite their similar power levels. This gap in combat expertise made narrative sense. Clark grew up as a farmboy in Kansas, not a warrior.
He never trained for battle, never studied fighting techniques, and never faced opponents who could match his abilities until Zod’s arrival forced him into action. Batman, by contrast, spent years mastering virtually every martial art known to humanity. Ben Affleck’s version of the Dark Knight brought decades of combat experience to the table, making him the perfect mentor to refine Superman’s raw abilities into something far more dangerous.
The planned training arc would have addressed one of the most common criticisms of Snyder’s Superman: that he fought like a brawler rather than a skilled combatant. By learning from Batman, Superman would have gained the tactical edge needed to face Darkseid, one of DC’s most formidable villains.
Darkseid represents a threat unlike anything Superman faced in Man of Steel.
The ruler of Apokolips commands vast armies, wields the destructive Omega Beams, and possesses both immense power and strategic genius. Fighting him would require more than brute strength.
Batman’s training would have given Superman the combat discipline to complement his Kryptonian abilities. Imagine Superman combining his speed, strength, and heat vision with Batman’s tactical thinking and fighting techniques. The result would have been a warrior capable of standing toe-to-toe with Darkseid.
This evolution would have created a compelling character journey. The farm boy who stumbled through his first real fight would have grown into a formidable combatant, learning from Earth’s greatest detective to protect both his adopted planet and the entire universe.
Is There Still a Chance for Snyder’s Vision To Come to Life?
The revelation offers another glimpse into the amazing and broad story Snyder mapped out for his DCEU. The director planned a multi-film arc that would have seen the Justice League face increasingly dangerous threats, culminating in a final confrontation with Darkseid.
Snyder recently fueled speculation about a potential Snyderverse return by sharing never-before-seen photos from Justice League on Instagram. The timing coincided with reports of Warner Bros. Discovery exploring potential sales to companies like Netflix, where Snyder has produced films like Rebel Moon and Army of the Dead.
While James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU now charts DC’s cinematic future, the Snyderverse could theoretically continue under the Elseworlds banner. This would allow both universes to coexist, giving Snyder the opportunity to complete the story he started with Man of Steel.
However, if we’re being honest, the chances of such a dynamic happening are extremely slim, considering Henry Cavill is now 42 and Ben Affleck wants nothing to do with the Batman character and superhero films as a whole.
For now, fans can only imagine what might have been: a Superman who combined Kryptonian power with Batman’s combat mastery, standing ready to face Darkseid in an epic final battle that will likely never reach the screen.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
