Superman vs. Batman and Avengers: Age of Ultron have been announced for 2015, but you can catch up on iTunes right now!

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Big news from the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) today for superhero movie fans, as Disney and Marvel have announced the sequel to Joss Whedon's smash hit, Avengers, and Zack Snyder's quasi-hit Man of Steel - Avengers: Age of Ultron and Superman vs. Batman respectively. And while we'll have to wait for 2015 to see them, thanks to iTunes we can catch up with all the prequels right now!

First of all, Age of Ultron is an interesting choice. Ultron is a classic Avengers villain, and basically all the Avengers robotic technology gone bad. (Think quasi-indestructable Terminator with the personality of a super villain.) Batman vs. Superman is more odd. Maybe, DC feels like they have to do it? (Check out our Man of Steel podcast for possible reasons why.) It'll reportedly draw from, but not adapt Frank Miller's Dark Night Returns - the best Batman story I've ever read - but who knows what that means.

In the meantime, here's everything that - so far - leads up to those next big blockbusters (though there's already been another Iron Man, and there'll be new Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy on the Marvel side before A2 launches.) I tend to buy and watch on streaming on my Apple TV, but thanks to iTunes in the Cloud, once you buy, you can also download and watch on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and on iTunes on the Mac.

My favorite of the bunch is Avengers, followed by Iron Man, and then Batman Begins. Let me know yours, and if you're a comic movie geek, what you think about the big Avengers: Age of Ultron and Superman vs. Batman announcements!

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

21 Comments
  • I've tried my best best but I really can't subscribe to DC's universe. It always feel like a cheap ripoff of Marvel's rich characters and stories. And I haven't seen yet Man of Steel, even if I'm a huge comic fan, so I'm less than excited by this Batman vs Superman thing. Now to the Avengers: I think the choice of Ultron was obvious. There isn't that much villains that require the full set of Avengers to be wiped. What's strange though, is that Ant-Man is scheduled later, so I'm pretty confused on how they will introduce Hank Pym... The recent Marvel production is quite outstanding, and I eagerly wait for other adaptations like Guardians of the galaxy, All new Spider-man with Miles Morales, The X-Men with the Jean Grey school lead by Wolverine, or maybe even one day a 18+ Deadpool movie would be tremendous...
  • A hard R Deadpool script was leaked two years ago (and confirmed as legit by one of the writers), but reportedly the studio is less interested in it now because Ryan Reynolds has had a string of less-than-stellar rekeases, and its mood does not fit in with the Avengers tone. The studio had the script pulled - as much as you can from the Internet, which is to say you can still find it. I've read it, and think it is fantastic, but I'd be hard pressed to see a studio front the budget necessary to do the movie properly for what is essentially a niche character.
  • Thanks for the heads up ! I was also looking for the console game and even if it's just a cheap beat them all, they seem to be really dead on with the merc. I think I'll buy it used or with a low price, just to enjoy this guy's madness.
  • Just found it again..not posting link, because I dont want to get iMore in trouble. But if you don't mind having the movie (if it ever gets made) spoiled, it's a fun read if you like the character.
  • The major DC characters pre-date the major Marvel characters, by decades. However, Marvel made more flawed characters that were more relatable, so I get what you're saying. Marvel doesn't own Spider-Man or X-Men right now, they've been licensed away. So, I have less hope for those.
  • Yep you're right, and that's what's the strangest here: it "feels" like a ripoff, but it's actually the contrary. This tells how good Marvel were with their comics lately. And for rights and licenses I don't worry too much, these things tend to change hands quite often, so it's just a matter of time and money, and I still think that if the audience is there, there will be some space for such movies, or maybe animated series, or why not a TV series ? Let's see how SHIELD will work, I also have high hopes for this one (a good place to introduce heroes and foes that don't necessary justify an AAA movie).
  • I think it has less to do with what they are doing now than with the history of the characters, and when they were created. Superman, Batman, and WW were products of the 30s and 40s, when audiences hungered for perfection, for icons. Their characterizations are powerful but relatively flat, as they each represent ideals as much as people. By the 1960s, Americans saw more flaws in their leaders and demanded similarly imperfect heroes. Marvel gave them Spider-Man, the X-Men, and most of the Avengers. These flaws allowed filmmakers to create nuances todays filmgoers demand without seeming to betray the original characters, because room for these nuances were part of the character from the beginning. It is no accident that the Marvel film with the one 1940s hero - Captain America - is widely regarded as the weakest entry, because Cap wears the same iconic straight jacket that Supes and Bats wear. Sent from the iMore App
  • Will the Superman/Batman movie have anything to do with Nolan's Batman trilogy?
  • Nolan is producing, but Bale won't be back.
  • I thought Bale did a great Bruce Wayne, but his Batman...not so much. It is hard for me to watch him now without seeing Collegehumor's Badman parodies: http://www.collegehumor.com/badman Some of them play directly off of Nolan trilogy scenes, and some are new. (At least of one of the TDKR ones has NSFW language)
  • Begins over The Dark Knight? Anyone think JGL will be playing Bstman? Also on another note, the imore app won't let post or anything. It keeps asking me to login and then when I do it just beings up my profile and appears that I'm already logged in. Can get past the profile at all to actually use the app right now.
  • JGL is a good choice. As far as the imore app. Happened to me recently. Delete the app and reinstall. Worked for me. Sent from the iMore App
  • Superman and Batman duo will make an awesome movie. I only wish Christian Bale was still the Batman in the much anticipated film. Not a big fan for switching out actors from one movie to the next, unless of course the previous actor did a really horrible job. Christian Bale an excellent job. Sent from the iMore App
  • It's unfortunate that they think the Man of Steel movies needs Batman to be successful. They should stand on their own. Marvel has shown the way.
  • Agreed. I think they fumbled MoS.
  • Superman movie does not need batman, batman needs superman as he is old and boring! The best movie this summer and last was man of steel, the best superhero movie ever!!!!!
  • 2015 is set to be an AMAZING year. Episode VII, Avengers 2, Superman/Batman Wow. Sent from the iMore App
  • Avengers, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Superman, Spiderman, Green Lantern - all just absolutely terrible movies with no plot and dialogue straight from Google Translate (from Farsi to exposition - by my reckoning). Seriously, Thor was easily one of the three worst films I have ever seen and Green Lantern is probably in the worst ten too (though I can see how it might appeal to 5 or 6 yr olds). The Iron Man movies on the other hand are terrific - entirely due to Robert Downey Jr's equally sardonic and egomaniacal portrayal of Tony Stark. And whilst I'm not thrilled with Bale's "method voice acting" of Batman, I've really enjoyed all the latest Batmenses...es. The biggest thing that makes Iron Man and Batman good movies is that there's a real sense jeopardy and vulnerability. They can be hurt, they have suffered injuries and psychological traumas in the past. They can still be overcome, overpowered, and make bad decisions. All these other superhero movies never make you feel as though there's any genuine threat or even a possibility of defeat - drop a nuke on them and there'll be a slo-mo shot of them walking out of the blast unharmed. Land a plane on their face and they'll make a stupid quip and end up with a very aesthetically pleasing 1cm cut on the left cheekbone. Who cares? If they can't be harmed or defeated what's the point of the movie? There's no arc, there's nothing for the audience to be involved in if there's no jeopardy! Without jeopardy it's just gods breaking stuff and collateral damage without repercussions. Boring. As for Superman vs Batman - has anyone told the writers/director/producers etc. that they're both good guys? There is no "vs" when you're on the same side! Now "Batman and Superman vs Sharknado" is something I'd like to see - but only if the Sharks had frickin' laser beams. (Apologies for the long post - but this stuff makes hulk angry.) Sent from the iMore App
  • Most of these movies are free on other services (Amazon/Netflix/etc), you shouldn't be shilling for ultra expensive iTunes.
  • I love the Batman character and will see any movie that features him. However, I don't like Superman. I wish he would just go to the country, take his little cape, his big 'S' and just retire. No matter how they try to re-brand/re-invent him, he is still Superman and way way out dated.
  • Dam u sound like a scared hater, batman is lame , superman was the best movie of the past 10 yrs, gtfoh!! After making over 600milly superman is here to stay HATER!!!!