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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

2016 film directed by Zack Snyder

Manuscripts, fine bindings, an engraving plate and preserved performance ephemera
Arts and lettersInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 16, 2026
Entity authorityQ14772351 ↗
Source-derived summary

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film based on the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman. Directed by Zack Snyder and written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, it is a follow-up to Man of Steel (2013) and the second film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film stars Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, alongside a cast including Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the first live-action film to feature Batman and Superman together, as well as the first live-action cinematic portrayal of Wonder Woman. In the film, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a preemptive battle with Superman, whom Luthor is obsessed with destroying.

The film was announced at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con after the release of Man of Steel. Snyder stated that the film would take inspiration from the Batman comic book series The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, but clarified that it would follow an original premise. The incarnation of Batman in the film is different from the character's previous portrayal by Christian Bale in The Dark Knight trilogy, serving as a cinematic reboot of the character. The film is also inspired by narrative elements from the Superman comic book series The Death of Superman. Pre-production began at East Los Angeles College in October 2013, and principal photography started in May 2014 in Detroit.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” as 2016 film directed by Zack Snyder. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Batman, Superman and Dawn.

Editorial reviewA productive route into publication, performance and collection histories when the underlying object or edition remains clearly identified. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—2016, 2013, 2014—that can be checked directly. The authority record carries competing date values—2016-03-24, 2016-03-25, 2016-03-23—which should remain separate until their references and qualifiers are resolved. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Batman, Superman and Dawn providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, the useful work is to connect “2016 film directed by Zack Snyder” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q14772351. VIAF identifies the subject as 53146332846018730650. The Library of Congress control number is no2016015319. 6 of 7 selected statements include explicit references; 5 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2016, 2013 and 2014.

Critical limits

Titles can refer to several editions, objects or performances, making precise identification essential before interpretation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.

Best used for
  • Identifying works and editions
  • Tracing reception history
  • Finding collection records
Verify next

The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice primary sources, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice archive and Batman research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”?
  2. Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
  3. How did later circulation or interpretation alter the work’s reception?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.