Superman and Batman united in Smallville to promote Batman Begins

by Staff, Brand Republic 20-Apr-05, 11:00

LONDON - Warner Brothers is uniting the young Superman and Batman in its hit show 'Smallville' to promote the summer release of the new superhero movie 'Batman Begins'.

The 'Smallville' season finale, which will air in the US on May 18, will feature an exclusive eight-minute preview of 'Batman Begins', which stars Christian Bale as the new Batman.

The eight minutes of footage will air within the 90-minute season finale of 'Smallville'. The two have always been linked in comic book fiction and bringing the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight together is designed to further explore the relationship on the screen of two most popular superheroes in the history of American pop culture.

'Batman Begins', directed by 'Momento' director Christopher Nolan, opens on June 17 and explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force of good in Gotham City.

The film, which stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, and Morgan Freeman, resets the clock in movie terms ignoring the four previous Batman movies, which were seen as more miss than hit by fans.

Dawn Taubin, president of domestic marketing at Warner Bros Pictures, said: "Not only does this special event bring together two seminal American superheroes, but both 'Smallville' and 'Batman Begins' give fans the opportunity to delve deeper into the mythology behind their heroes."

'Smallville''s 90-minute season finale is packed with murder, betrayal and an unforgettable graduation day for all.

"Superman and Batman have always been inextricably linked to each other, so it seems fitting that a show chronicling the Man of Steel's youth give you the first look at the birth of the Dark Knight," Al Gough, 'Smallville' executive producer, said.

'Smallville' has become a hit show for Warner in the US and has done well in the UK, telling the story of Clark Kent's early years as a high school student before he took on his superhero persona.

A new Superman movie directed by 'X-men' director Bryan Singer, called 'Superman Returns', is also in production.

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