Albert L. Ortega/Getty ImagesBatman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice won't be in theaters until next year.
Luckily, to tide fans over, director Zack Snyder talked at length about the upcoming flick with E! News Wednesday. He also addressed critics who have said they're experiencing "superhero fatigue" and even offered advice for young artists.
Because Snyder didn't want to spoil the film, he didn't divulge plot points. However, he teased that "it's just going to be interesting" to see how people react to the movie. "Everyone is questioning, 'Well, how does this work? How do you have Batman and Superman fight?'" he said.
Recently, Steven Spielberg argued that superhero movies will one day wane in popularity. "People were saying Spielberg was quoted the other day saying the genre is going to teeter out like a Western—and by the way, he might not be wrong—but I guess the thing I feel is that they're transcendent in that they are mythological," Snyder said. "They exist in pop culture outside of the genre, in a way."
"I loved that aspect of it," the Man of Steel director said. "It's pure American mythology; it's fun in that way."
Snyder's team has been working on the film for the past three years, but he didn't feel nervous until recently. Snyder admitted, "I feel the pressure more as the date sort of looms closer. You think, 'Wow, it's really going to happen. It's going to go out in the world, and it's going to be crazy.'"
Regarding Ben Affleck's take on Batman, Snyder said the first day he heard him speak in character was pretty crazy. "It was cool," he said. "I won't say what it was, but he said a really iconic Batman thing, and we were like, 'OK, that was cool! Good! So, we're going to be fine!'"
With the release date of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice looming, actors like Emma Thompson have been quite vocal about the saturation of superhero flicks. To that end, Snyder said, "I can understand maybe the idea if she's having 'superhero fatigue' or whatever you want to call it. I don't know if that's an actual thing, but my feeling is, if it's a compelling and real human story, that really makes you feel. If those characters happen to have capes on, I think that is besides the point."
The 300 director added, "I would also argue that for me it's not about that. I don't really look at it in the same way. I don't lump the movies together. I sort of take them as they are. I think what we've done in the Batman v Superman movie, it's really all about that."
Snyder's career began with commercials, and he's returning to his roots by helping Doritos with its final Crash the Super Bowl contest. The contest gives filmmakers the opportunity for their commercial to be shown during the Super Bowl, as well as be awarded a $1 million prize and an opportunity to work with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment.
"I made commercials while I was in college with me and my friends. Those commercials, I showed those around to production companies to get my start in advertising, and this is the turbocharged version of that. Not only do you show your spot around, it plays on the Super Bowl, you win $1 million, and I'm standing there to say, 'OK, what do you want to do?'" he said. "I think there's a cool opportunity."
It's evident that life will change drastically for whoever wins the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest. "I always say, the whole thing is be true to the voice that is you," he said.
"I really think the best movies, the most creative and fun stuff is the stuff that comes out of the individual, of the personality. Those are my favorite movies, the ones where I feel like I can feel the filmmaker. I think that's what it's about. To me, it's about finding that individual voice that's transcendent," he said. "That's what I would say to someone who wants to do it. Find out that thing in you that's driving you to want to do it, and just really try and focus on that, and make that your prism you sort of put everything through."
The contest runs now until Nov. 15.