Claim: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the first live action film portrayal of Aquaman.

Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film featuring the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman . Directed by Zack Snyder and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures , the film is the second installment in the DC Extended Universe following 2013 's Man of Steel . It was written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer , and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , 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 , Aquaman , The Flash and Cyborg . In the film , criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a preemptive battle with Superman , whom Luthor is obsessed with defeating .   The film was announced at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con International , 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 would also be different from the character 's previous portrayal in The Dark Knight Trilogy , serving as a cinematic reboot of the character . The film is also inspired by narrative elements from the `` Death of Superman '' story arc . Pre-production began at East Los Angeles College in October 2013 , with principal photography starting in May 2014 in Detroit , Michigan . Additional filming also took place in Chicago .   Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice premiered at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City on March 19 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on March 25 , 2016 , in 2D , 3D , IMAX 3D , 4DX , premium large formats and 70 mm prints . Following a strong debut that set new box office records , the film experienced a historic drop in its second weekend and never recovered . Despite turning a profit , it was deemed a box office disappointment and received generally unfavorable reviews from critics for its tone , screenplay and pacing , though some praised the visual style and acting performances . A director 's cut , dubbed the `` Ultimate Edition '' and features 30 minutes of additional footage , was released digitally on June 28 , 2016 , and on Blu-ray and DVD on July 19 , 2016 . A follow-up , Justice League , is set to be released in November 2017 , and a standalone Superman sequel is currently in development .