"A Number of Superman Movies" Were Originally Planned, Says Man of Steel's Russell Crowe

Man of Steel was one of 2013's biggest movies, and paved the way for Superman's showdown with another of DC's legendary superheroes in this year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. However, this wasn't always the plan, actor Russell Crowe has revealed.

Crowe, who played Superman's father Jor-El in Man of Steel, has suggested that further standalone Superman movies were initially planned by Warner. "I think once they made the decision because originally--I could be completely wrong--there was a number of Superman movies," he told Digital Spy. "But I think they made the decision to jump past those and go to the idea of Batman and Superman in the same film."

Crowe's claim certainly corresponds with what was reported around the time of Man of Steel's release. In June 2013, Deadline stated that the studio was fast-tracking a direct sequel, with director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer on board once more. The site also noted that Warner was planning to make a Justice League movie further down the line, but with no mention of Batman v Superman.

Man of Steel ultimately went on to make $668 million worldwide. Although Dawn of Justice has made more than this to date, the box office take has fallen some way short of the $1 billion that Warner was hoping it would earn. Captain America: Civil War, from superhero rivals Marvel, has already passed the $1 billion mark, in less than a month on release.

Earlier this week, Dawn of Justice actor Jeremy Irons, who plays Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred, offered his own criticism of the film. "It was very muddled," he told the Daily Mail. "It was sort of overstuffed. I think the next one will be simpler."