Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world.

RELEASED 23 Mar 20162h 31m★ 6.0 TMDB★ Essential pick

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

WATCH NOTE

Covers Zack Snyder's 2016 theatrical feature. International theatrical release began March 23; US release followed March 25. BBFC measures standard theatrical 2D and 3D at 151:27, rounded to 151 minutes; 2D IMAX runs 152:39. The Ultimate Edition adds approximately 30 minutes to the same adventure; added footage and packaged supplements are excluded from this theatrical presentation's runtime. Amy Adams's Lois Lane and Jeremy Irons's Alfred resolve the pending Lois and Alfred labels. Ezra Miller's Flash, Jason Momoa's Aquaman, Ray Fisher's Cyborg, Michael Shannon's Zod and Doomsday have independently supported appearances. Martha Kent, Senator Finch, Wallace Keefe, Anatoli Knyazev and Mercy Graves have explicit performer-role credits but unresolved individual official DC profile matches. Complete supporting, archival, photographic, silent/background and edition-specific appearance coverage remains under review.

Why it matters in DC

Bringing Batman into direct conflict with Superman turns the existence of superheroes into a public and moral problem. The film connects Clark's story to a wider world of heroes while making fear of unchecked power a force capable of dividing its potential defenders.

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1 title to watch before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — 2h 23m in total.

Man of SteelStory prerequisite2h 23m★ 6.7
Man of Steel is recorded as a direct predecessor to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in DC Extended Universe, establishing the version of this world carried into the later title.

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How this title is selected

Story prerequisites are curated. Likely prerequisites are inferred from sequel numbering or explicit synopsis references. Recommendations are earlier stories in the same continuity; background picks are separate adaptations. Series lists cover whole shows, not an episode-by-episode watch order.

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Where it fits in the DC universe

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is title 4 of 16 in our DC Extended Universe viewing sequence. Watch Man of Steel before this DCEU feature, which follows the consequences of Superman's battle with Zod. Continue to either Justice League presentation for Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince's team-building story. The Ultimate Edition extends this same adventure; choose either presentation to avoid repeating the film.

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