BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

CAPITOL MONTAGE

“People hate what they don’t understand,” says Martha, echoing Jonathan Kent’s words from Man of Steel: “People are afraid of what they don’t understand.” In that sense, one could say Man of Steel is a story about fear and Batman v Superman is a story about hate.

Wide shot of the Kent farm. Superman (in costume) stands beside his mother, Martha Kent, below the horizon created by the cornfield beneath the starry sky outside their old home together. By placing Superman like this, he is presented in a small, humble position, beneath the stars rather than descending from them, not even the focus of the shot. This establishes Superman as a mere man in a world too big for him, rather than a god above a small world. Here, with his mother, he is simply just a man, yet he is still Superman. This starkly contrasts all the earlier imagery portraying him above the horizon or descending from the sky as we look up at him.

Martha continues, “But they see what you do, and they know who you are.” This line puts some context behind Superman’s lack of excessive dialogue in this film, like a reminder that actions speak louder than words. Superman is defined by his actions, but perhaps that is the problem?

Shoulder shot from Superman on Martha, looking up at her son as she advises him. “You’re not a killer, a threat.” She visibly scoffs at these notions. Samuel Otten pointed out that this might be meta-textual, and how killing Zod to save humanity is not the same as making Superman a bad person.

Clark looks down at her. He takes in every word, but not speaking himself. He only listens. That might also be a theme here, where Clark always listens to others, rather than telling others what to think. Also, since this sequence only has Martha speaking, this puts some extra emphasis on her as a character to amplify the importance of her role, whereas she has been basically ignored until now, save for one brief appearance earlier when Clark calls her.

“I never wanted this world to have you,” continues Clark’s mother. She sighs. “Be their hero, Clark. Be their monument. Be their angel. Be anything they need you to be. Or be none of it. You don’t owe this world a thing. You never did.”

Clark Kent Theme, joined by strings instead of the usual solo piano, giving the moment the additional emotional weight.

“I’ll be happy with whatever decision you make as long as you’re happy making it. Even if you decided that all you wanted was to be the best banjo player in the world. Because I love you, son.”

Martha Kent, Superman: Earth One, 2010

She gives him an encouraging push, and he flashes a grateful smile. This puts him in such a child-like position, further contrasting public perception of Superman when he is getting an encouraging talk from his concerned mother.

Indeed, this visitation is in response to Finch’s request for Superman to defend himself, and he has come to Martha seeking advice and wisdom. Martha has reinforced that he has a choice, which gives weight to his decision to appear at the Capitol.

“He feels a sense of duty, which one would if one has that disparity of power that he possesses compared to everybody else around. But her strength is her honesty with him, and he takes strength from that honesty, and her willingness to say, ‘Hey, you don’t owe these people. It’s not an obligation. You got some soul searching to do as far as what you are and are not willing to do, and that is a personal choice and it is not like some mantle that was placed on you by the gods. You are still an individual and you have these individual choices to make and remember that it’s not an obligation,’ and that’s a tremendous thing to be able to hear at a critical moment of moral dilemma. It doesn’t necessarily make it easier, but it reminds him of who he is.

Diane Lane, ScreenSlam, 18 March 2016

“I always liked the idea that Superman, from a mythological standpoint, his mother is his confidant and moral compass, and it’s cool to see him reconnect with her, whether it be a phone call or in person. She’s able to give him a perspective on the world that he sometimes is missing.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Director’s Commentary, 2021, 1:22:45

Cut to on Kahina Ziri in her bus seat. It is day. The driver says on the announcer, “This is DeNiros. Transfer available to Kane Avenue. Please mind your step.” This is a likely reference to Bob Kane, co-creator of Batman.

The Clark Kent Theme gives way to more eerie strings, playing half of the ticking melody from Half a Man. This carries from here.

Kahina stands as the bus slows, and we follow closely behind her towards the front of the vehicle.

“Please mind your step,” reminds the driver.

Reaching the door, the bus comes to a stop. The doors open when Kahina notices something out the corner of her eye and she turns to look across the street. Outside the dingy apartment, the elderly man Clark met earlier is sitting on a bench, and Knyazev is standing over him in conversation. One of Knyazev’s underlings stands waiting beside their black car.

Kahina is suddenly looking extremely shaken and tense. Immediately we know something is amiss, as she does, implying she recognises Knyazev too. She turns and walks out of frame.

We zoom on Knyazev and the resident. Then the bus starts moving again, and we pan left as we move up the aisle of seats to keep our focus on the scene across the street. For a few frames, Knyazev turns to face the bus before he leaves the frame, subliminally building the paranoia of the scene. Then Kahina comes into view, sitting with her back against the window to conceal her face. As the streets pass by over her shoulders, she looks thoughtful. Wisely, she has correctly assumed that he is here to wrap up loose ends.

A mysterious, droning sound (likely synthesizer) plays a few times, interspersed with the ticking melody.

Cut to Senator Finch at her office desk, in glasses and buried in paperwork. Over her shoulder is a golden horse head bust, another reference to the horse motif. It may also reference Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 crime film The Godfather, where Jack Woltz wakes up to find the severed head of his prized stallion in his bed after refusing to accept an offer from the mob. The comparison would be apt, as Finch has also refused Lex’s offer and now her fate is fast approaching. So multiple layers of a bad omen sit behind her.

“I have to speak to the senator today,” we Kahina say outside the room.

This gets Finch’s attention. She stops writing and raises her head to the commotion outside.

“You cannot see the senator today,” responds the receptionist (Sandra Love Aldridge).

Kahina insists, “I need to speak to her before the hearing! Do you understand how important this is?”

Finch stands, removes her glass, and hurries to the door. We see on the wall behind her desk several photos, including what appears of be two taken at a premier for a Holly Hunter film.

The receptionist repeats, “I cannot let you see the senator.”

Kahina continues, “Please, I need to speak to her. Please, madam. I beg of you! Please, don’t do this! This is so important!”

“Come with me,” says a male, a security officer.

“Don’t touch me!” yells Kahina.

Finally, Finch emerges in the lobby outside, where we see Kahina is surrounded by two security officers and the receptionist.

Kahina sees Finch and begs, “Please!”

The receptionist tells her boss, “I’m sorry, she wouldn’t leave.”

Finch glances at the receptionist and gives Kahina a moment to speak.

Kahina, looking remorseful, says, “I didn’t tell you the truth.”

Wide shot beside Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington DC, a landmark built to symbolise the reunification of the North and the South after the American Civil War. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are visible on the far side, again filling a scene with distinctly American imagery to not only establish the setting, but to associate the United States with the subject of the sequence. In this case, the US government keeping dark secrets sullies the meaning of the iconic landmarks. Lois and Calvin sit together on a bench overlooking the river.

The four note Half A Man melody plays in its full form on low brass.

Calvin says, “CI thinks the desert was a setup. Somebody wanted Superman to look guilty.”

Lois sighs and asks, “The bullet?”

Flashback. Knyazev’s mercenaries shooting the Nairomi rebels. The bullet hitting Lois’ notebook. This is a visual reminder of where she found the bullet that sets up the following exchange.

Present. Calvin discreetly passes Lois the plastic bag containing the bullet. Now in a nondescript casual outfit and cap to stay low-profile, he says, “The metal was developed by a private company.”

Lois shuffles around to put the bag away below frame. Not looking at him, she asks, “What company?”

“LexCorp.”

Lois pauses and turns to him. After a beat, she asks, “Lex Luthor?”

“He also had private security contractors in the desert compound.”

Flashback. Knyazev nods to a subordinate. He fires the first shot of the betrayal.

Present. Focused on Calvin, Lois says quietly after a beat, “Go on record.”

He smiles. “Not a chance. It’s classified.” He stands and walks around beside the bench. “I happen to like my job.”

Lois stands as well, facing him. “It doesn’t make sense. You said that the ambush was arranged to frame Superman, but how could they know that he’ll show up in the…” She gasps, and we hear a sonic boom.

Flashback. Lois held hostage by General Amajagh. Superman crashing through the ceiling. Lois smiling. Superman raising his head.

Fade out into a more high-pitched, uneasy variation of the Krypton Motif, overlaid over a briefly repeating synthesizer figure.

Present. Realising she was used as bait, Lois finishes. “…In the middle of the desert.” She collects her things and says, “Thank you,” before turning and leaving in a hurry.

“Now we see this growing relationship between Lois and Swanwick. When Swanwick comes back to her in Justice League and we find out he’s Martian Manhunter, it makes sense that he realises, of course, what Lois is capable of and the change she’s able to bring to the world as a bringer of truth, realises that she’s needed to change the world in the way that people can not like these Meta-Humans.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Director’s Commentary, 2021, 1:24:21

Cut to Wallace Keefe’s lap, now in a grey suit. Indistinct chatter. A security officer is waving a metal detector across his body, beeping softly. We slowly ascend to see his arms are raised aside in a security checkpoint. The scene is busy with reporters and cameramen to indicate the important event currently unfolding.

A rapidly pulsating low synthesizer is joined by the same synthesizer melody, which is then overlaid by the Half A Man melody. The synthesizer pulses and the melody alternates back and forth. This highlights the shift in the narrative as we speed towards an essential moment.

One cameraman aims his weapon at Soledad O’Brien, a real news anchor with a cameo as herself here. Into her microphone, she explains, “The Senate hearing is expected to get underway any minute now. And, of course, the big unknown in all of this is, will Superman show up? That is what they’re really waiting to see.”

Wallace wheels out from the checkpoint behind O’Brien. He rolls by her.

O’Brien turns to ask him, “Mister Keefe. Mister Keefe. Soledad O’Brien, In The Moment. Quick question for you. You’re heading in to meet with the Senators. What will you tell them?”

Cut to a conference room. Bruce stands beyond the far end of the table, hands in his pockets. An assistant types on a laptop nearby, the centre of Bruce’s focus. An array of screens behind him shows the interview with Keefe playing out. The live report is titled, “Former Wayne employee to testify”.

“I’ve come here to tell them to wake up,” says Keefe on the screens.

This prompts Bruce to turn and watch. A painting of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Thomas Wayne can be seen on the far wall.

Wallace continues, “This is flesh and blood. He has delivered a war here. And this…” The news camera aims down to look at the man’s missing legs. “This is what war looks like. I have nothing.” These are Bruce’s words from earlier: “That son of a bitch brought the war to us two years ago.”

O’Brien responds, “There are plenty of people, sir, who would say he’s their hero.”

“He is not a hero!” responds Keefe, noticeably unhinged.

Bruce looks like he has just seen a ghost. Without looking at her, he says to his aide, “Grace, can you get Greg up here, please? Right now.” Notice, Lex’s assistant is Mercy, whereas Bruce’s assistant is Grace. Lex is about to kill Mercy.

The squealing of a subway train transitions us.

Cut to opening subway train doors. Lois, phone to ear, steps off the train in a hurry to leaves the station, saying, “An anonymous source can verify everything I told you about what happened in Nairomi.”

An unnerving synthesised vibration from the soundtrack.

Cut to Perry, following him through an unknown location lined with wood panelling. He is on the phone asking sceptically, “An anonymous source?”

“Run it,” responds Lois over the phone. She begins ascending the steps out of the subway station. “Luthor engineered the desert. It was an ambush for Superman. Trust your reporter. Think Watergate.”

Over the phone, Perry responds, “Yeah, and you need to think litigate. If you’re wrong, Luthor will sue the paper out of existence.”

As he says this, Lois recognises Kahina walking down the adjacent flight of stairs. She turns to watch her descent, and so fails to notice Knyazev following behind the African woman. He turns his head away from Lois to avoid being recognised. This is a warning that Kahina’s life is in imminent danger, and perfectly sets up her impending murder.

Then Lois continues up the stairs while Perry finishes, “You need proof.”

“No. It needs to run now,” says Lois.

Now Perry is standing in a restaurant’s kitchen to give us some clue as to where he is.

Lois continues over the phone, frantically, “Before the hearing. If Superman knows, it might change what he says.”

Perry responds condescendingly, “I am not going to risk the paper so that you can pass notes in class to the man that rescued you.”

We hear Finch’s aide (John Seibert, credited as McGraw) say, “He paid her?” This carries us back to the Kahina subject and the next sequence.

Cut to Finch and McGraw, walking down a hallway in Capitol Hill. She whispers, “No, not only paid her. He threatened her. Gave her a script to learn. Her parents are alive back home. But the girl’s got a conscience.” Her tone is full of disbelief. “He’s been using the committee as his puppet theatre!”

As she says this, speak of the Devil, Lex appears ahead of the two, accompanied by Mercy. “Senator!” he interrupts. His hands are once again on his hips.

Another unnerving synthesised vibration from the soundtrack. We know Lex’s villainy, but now that Finch does too, this cue highlights the alarm of seeing him again.

Finch and McGraw both come to a sudden stop. Finch has been very composed thus far, but here, that composure has finally fractured slightly and she jumps a little.

“Hi, you,” says the young billionaire, outside the open doors to the hearing room. Then he points at her. “Don’t go anywhere. I want to talk to you.” He turns to Mercy, gestures to the chamber, and says, “Uh, you know what? Mercy, you go in and make sure no one takes my seat.” This is a cruel joke when he never plans to take it himself. It may also have another meaning, as revealed during Lex’s benefit for the Library of Metropolis where he inadvertently blurted out his frustration that, despite all his knowledge, Superman has more power than him, and Lex has orchestrated this event to ensure Superman cannot have what he feels he deserves.

Finch approaches around Lex. “So what you been up to?” she asks, looking sceptical and cautious. McGraw has disappeared, likely skidding along. However, this may be an editing detail, and he might have had an extra purpose that was removed in post-production.

Lex responds, “I’m just here to tell my story. That I was willing to finance a Kryptonian deterrent, but a certain junior Senator from Kentucky decided to block it.” He says this while Finch shoves by him, slowly circling around to the door. “Yes, the Chair of the Committee on Superman is soft on security,” he says with a sneer. He is being extremely passive-aggressive here, criticising Finch for refusing to heed his warnings. He is basically explaining why he has chosen to kill her.

Cut to Bruce looking at the screens in his conference room. He turns to face Greg the accountant (Chris Newman) who enters. Gesturing to the screen, he asks, “Greg, why hasn’t he been getting our checks?” Samuel Otten pointed out that Bruce using the names Jack, Wally, Grace, and Greg puts him on a first-name basis with his employees, further saying a lot about him as an affable employer despite being more formal and traditional in comparison to Lex.

Greg responds, “He is, Mister Wayne. He gets a check from the Victims Fund every month.” He sets some papers down on the table and hands some to Bruce. “He returns them.”

Each one is vandalised with a message written in red ink, the same handwriting and colour on the photos that Clark received anonymously. They read…

“Bruce Wayne: Open your eyes”

“B. WAYNE, I AM YOUR GHOST”

Bruce looks troubled as he sifts through the documents. At the same time, we hear real news anchor Dana Bash making a cameo as herself, explaining, “…an employee of Wayne financial who lost both his legs in those horrific events in Metropolis that happened two years ago.” These words accompany the imagery we are seeing, relating these unstable messages with the man being discussed by Bash and reminding us of the character’s motivations.

Bruce flicks through them faster and mutters, “Jesus.”

“Wayne won’t win”

“Bruce… no truce”

“B. Wayne I haunt you”

“Bruce Wayne = blind”

Bruce is indeed blind to the truth, not realising these messages were written by Lex, who is using them to manipulate Bruce as we speak. He is blind to how his values are lost. He is blind to the humanity in the man he seeks to murder. He was blind to Keefe’s desperate pleas for help.

As if in direct relation to that last message, Bruce turns to Greg and asks, “Why haven’t I seen this?” This is the film asking us a question, meaning the film wants us to think about this. It sets up the later reveal that it was Lex who intercepted these checks and vandalised them.

Bruce throws the papers down on the table as Greg responds, “I’m sorry. I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

Then Bruce turns to look at the screens behind him in response to a chorus of cheers and curses. The news camera outside the Capitol building pans up to see Superman in the sky, cape flowing in the wind.

Dana Bash says, “And there he is. Superman is here. He’s actually at the United States capitol.”

An uneasy variation of the Krypton Motif sounds the god-like superhero’s arrival, carrying through the next sequence.

Wide shot from behind the counter of a humble Kansas diner. On the right frame is Martha Kent, wearing a waiter’s apron, turning to the television. Her Christianity is indicated by her cross necklace. Every customer has their attention on the television too. Their town was saved by Superman, so naturally they especially care about this. In the centre frame is Ayman Hariri, founder of social media platform Vero and personal friend of Zack Snyder, sitting at the counter and wearing a cap for his cameo. A Vero post by Snyder suggests that a shot emphasising Hariri more was cut from the movie. Some Christmas decorations have been set up as Winter approaches.

“This is really a historic moment,” continues Bash, connecting this sequence with the last at Bruce’s conference room.

Shoulder shot from Martha on the television up in the corner, displaying Superman hovering in the sky above the Capitol. Cinematographer Larry Fong (who is also a magician) hides his favourite card, a three of spades, in at least one shot of his films, which can be seen here above the kitchen window in the lower left corner of the television.

“Now, we expect that Superman will give some kind of a statement to the Senate, to the American people, and of course, to the world.” The Nairomi incident should concern the United States only in that the CIA was carrying out an operation there. It was not an American town that was allegedly wiped out by the Nairomi government, nor American soldiers allegedly killed by Superman. Yet, as usual, many Americans think they deserve a say in foreign affairs, and in this case, the incident is being treated as something “the American people” deserve an answer for like some kind of priority more than the rest of humanity — a typical case of Americentrism.

Martha is breathing heavily, looking anxious yet hopeful.

Cut to McGraw, looking down at his phone beside the doors to the hearing chamber. He says, “He’s here. He came. He’s above the Capitol.” He does not say this with much enthusiasm, and there is a hint of trepidation in his tone, but the fact that he emphasises Superman’s arrival so much makes the Man of Steel out to be so much larger than life.

Krypton Motif ends as we return to the unsettling ambience.

As he says this, Finch shoves her way past Lex yet again. “Ah,” he exclaims, still not offended and hands still on his hips. He turns to watch her leave and responds happily, “You are going to be on the hot seat in there, Junebug.” Being on the “hot seat” refers to a position of great responsibility, but of course, this is a cruel joke about Finch’s impending death via bombing. It is also slang for the electric chair method of execution.

Finch confidently slips on her white jacket in the doorway to the chamber. “I grew up on a farm. I know how to wrestle a pig.”

“Do you know the oldest lie in America, Senator?” Lex asks, the same question he never got to answer during their last meeting in his father’s study. Then he stops smiling. “It’s that power can be innocent.” Since Lex knows Finch is about to die, he is essentially telling her his core motivation that he wishes the world to know. Since Capitol Hill is a seat of American power typically attributed some degree of moral authority, Lex might also be rationalising blowing up the building.

Finch finishes straightening out her jacket. She gives Lex a glare before turning to enter the chamber beside McGraw.

Lex waves. “Good luck,” he says enthusiastically. He watches her leave.

Shoulder shot from Knyazev, tracking him through a crowd in the subway station. Ahead of him, on the edge of the platform, is Kahina. Knyazev stops and looks over his shoulder, averting his face just as Kahina turns to glance left. Then he turns back to her when she looks away.

Suspenseful, repeating string texture, gradually building.

Medium shot on Kahina in the left foreground, Knyazev approaching in the right background. He stops over her shoulder and looks both ways, settling on the direction of an approaching train. A horn signals. Kahina turns to see it.

Close-up side shot on Kahina, the lights of the train growing larger in the blurry left background.

Return to medium shot on Kahina. Her expression shows she feels the presence behind her. She turns to look over her shoulder. Knyazev glances between her and the train and they make eye contact for a split second.

Return to side shot to see the train right upon us, rolling up right over Kahina’s shoulder.

Return to medium shot as Knyazev shoves her onto the tracks forcefully.

With a scream, cut to the train rushing by, loud and unstoppable to seal Kahina’s fate. Lex has tied up one of his loose ends.

SCENE OVERVIEW

Clark visits his mother in Smallville looking for advice on whether to attend the hearing. The next morning, fearing for her life, Kahina Ziri returns to Finch and reveals that she lied in her testimony, paid and threatened by Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, Lois’ gamble comes around as Calvin reveals Luthor’s involvement in the Nairomi incident, and she pieces together that she was used as bait to frame Superman. Our characters are now closer to uncovering the extent of Lex’s villainy, giving us a spark of hope that their essential information could turn the tide and undo everything Lex has orchestrated. However, Kahina is murdered, developing an ominous atmosphere as we build to the anticipated moment of truth as Superman arrives at the Capitol hearing, watched closely by Bruce Wayne.

SCENE ANALYSIS

“It’s funny because, as this sequence intensifies, and we start to get to the trial and Superman appearing on Capitol Hill, we realise that, of course he’s going to go because he believes in truth. It’s not that he’s naïve. It’s almost the reporter in him that believes that the truth will be transcended. That’s why I love Superman so much, because even in his darkest moments he has this optimism, even that we don’t have.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Watch Party, 29 March 2020

Every character in the film is represented in this scene, all tied together through connective elements. It has the following structure…

1. At the Kent Farm, Clark seeks advice from his mother, who reinforces that he has a choice.
2. Kahina arrives at her apartment to find Knyazev speaking to a resident. Realising she is in danger, she goes to Washington to reveal the truth to Finch. Presumably, when Lex threatened her,
3. Along the Potomac river, Calvin’s conscience wins out, returning the trust Superman placed in him by making a stand for Superman’s innocence in the hopes of absolving him of what Calvin knows is a crime he never committed.
4. As Keefe arrives for the hearing, Bruce watches from his company’s boardroom, disturbed to see what has become of his employee.
5. Lois exits her subway train on the phone, asking Perry to run her new findings immediately to help inform Superman at the hearing. At the same time, Kahina descends into the subway station, tailed by Knyazev.
6. Outside the hearing chamber, Finch encounters Lex, now aware of his malicious activities.
7. At the boardroom, Bruce learns Wallace has returned all his checks, each vandalised with messages for him. That is when Superman arrives above the Capitol on the television.
8. At the diner where she works, Martha sees her son has made his decision.
9. In the Capitol, Superman’s arrival is acknowledged while Lex gives a final word to Finch, who enters the chamber with an ironic “Good luck!” from Lex.
10. Now waiting for her train, Kahina is murdered by Knyazev.

The restaurant where Martha works is Ralli’s Diner, a location from a story in Superman #9 (1987) named Metropolis 900 Mi. Lex Luthor offers a waitress named Jenny Hubbard a million dollars to live with him for a month, giving her ten minutes to decide, only to leave before then, and he gloats that she will be forever tormented by never knowing what her decision would have been.

Snyder confirmed one motif is the presence of places where people work and life goes on as usual, emphasising the people who keep the world moving in their own smaller ways…

“I also like that this thematic keeps continuing of the kitchen as always a place where they end up. Chris [Terrio] and I were always talking about this idea that the movie has this underlying theme of how the world is kept going, every man and every woman works, the people that make the world turn, and that thematic is constantly being reinforced.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Director’s Commentary, 2021, 1:25:55

The first music track in this scene is Capitol Montage (Part A). This track is not on any commercially-available version of the score.

The second music track in this scene is Capitol Montage (Part B). The sequence where Knyazev pushes Kahina into the path of an oncoming train is accompanied by a suspenseful, repeating string figure never used anywhere else. It cannot be found in any version of the soundtrack, only in the film. The Half A Man melody or “Humanity Theme” serves its greatest purpose at this point: its sceptical, suspicious sound is connected to the public’s scepticism and even rejection of Superman, questioning his motives.

BEHIND THE SCENE

“I love this little scene we shot with Ma Kent at the Kent Farm. We went back to the real Kent Farm. We had held it since Man of Steel, so we shot this in Illinois, and it was cool to go back there again. I don’t know if it’s there now. It might be gone, but I don’t know.”

Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Watch Party, 29 March 2020

The Kent Farm was shot at 5498 Schoolhouse Road, Yorkville, Illinois. The house was constructed for Man of Steel and then demolished after principal photography. In late October 2013, lights were spotted at the location, and on 26 November, the Yorkville Patch confirmed the farm was being reconstructed for the film’s sequel. There are progress photos for November and December 2013, and Heather Westmoreland photographed the finished house. Chicago Tribune reported that filming in Illinois would begin in fall, and Reel Chicago confirmed “winter scenes” would be shot in November for “one to two weeks.” Base camp was set up at the Whitetail Ridge Golf Club during filming. At the time, one resident claimed she was unable to reach her local polling place to cast her vote on election day due to road closures for filming. While there, set photographer Clay Enos photographed this atmospheric tree, set costumer Kate Abraham photographed the farm, and Larry Fong recorded Snyder throwing corn at his camera. By 4 October 2016, the house was sadly demolished yet again, presumably after filming at the site for Justice League.

The rundown Gotham apartment complex was shot at 475 Peterboro Street, Detroit, Michigan. Kahina in her bus was likely shot on 28 October 2014 when the Gotham Transit Authority bus was present at the location. In late October, one base camp was set up in the parking lot behind the Masonic Temple on 500 Temple Street, which can be seen in the foreground of the apartment’s establishing shot. Another base camp was constructed in the parking lot of 3160 2nd Avenue right beside the Peterboro building.

Like the senate committee room, June Finch’s office was filmed in the interestingly named Wayne County Building, 600 Randolph Street, Detroit. The sequences were likely shot on 22 August 2014, as Scoot McNairy in his blue suit was photographed that day in base camp, and an extensive lighting system was rigged up aiming into one of the rooms. That day, set photographer Clay Enos uploaded this atmospheric photo of the sky. Base camp was set up in the parking lot of 700 Randolph Street, just across the road.

The Arlington Bridge sequence was shot beside the MacArthur Bridge, Detroit, Michigan. The bridge connects to Belle Island, which was closed for nine hours on 29 September 2014 while the sequence was filmed. Snyder confirmed in the director’s commentary (1:24:04) that the Bridge was layered with a digital recreation of the Arlington Bridge. The distant Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument on the other side were also digitally added in post-production. Additional second assistant director Ryan J Pezdirc got this photo of the real bridge.

The Wayne Enterprises boardroom was shot in the executive boardroom of the Guardian Building, 500 Griswold Street STE 1600, Detroit, Michigan. Shooting may have occurred around 7 August 2014, when the set’s prop painting of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Thomas Wayne was spotted by Detroit locals. This was also the first indication that Morgan would be in the film. Art director Lorin Flemming designed the set, and you can find detailed photos of the layout and conceptualisation at her website.

The Senate Committee Chambers were filmed in the interestingly named Wayne County Building, 600 Randolph Street, Detroit. The committee sequences were evidently shot on the 18th and 19th of August 2014. Base camp was set up in the parking lot of 700 Randolph Street, just across the road. @RileeChastain watched the base. @Bananadoc snapped multiple photos of Henry Cavill in-costume outside the South entrance with suit partially concealed, and at base camp, plus some photos of Holly Hunter, Scoot McNairy, and Tao Okamoto. Photographer Randy Chiang took countless photos of Henry Cavill, Tao Okamoto, Holly Hunter, Scoot McNairy, and Jesse Eisenberg around the building. Patrick Leahy was also seen arriving for his cameo.

“It has this amazing old-world but government feel to it that they just don’t build anymore.”

Bill Doyle, Production Supervisor, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: The Art of the Film, 29 March 2016, p51

“It was a big, beautiful building that gave us a lot of the interiors… It was a great resource for us, because it was such a large space and gave us so many different shots, and we only had to concentrate on what we had to add to it.”

Patrick Totopoulos, Production Designer, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: The Art of the Film, 29 March 2016, p51

“The room was literally 6 different colours of marble and designated historical, so we could not use a nail or screw. To visually elongate the room, I added blue velvet drapes on the opposite wall.”

Carolyn Loucks, Set Decorators Society of America, 9 May 2016

The Washington subway scene was shot on 6 November 2014 inside the Washington station blue line stop under South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois. The station was retrofitted to resemble Capitol South metro station in Washington, DC. The location was possibly scouted by key second assistant director Misha Bukowski around 24 March. Amy Adams signed autographs and took photos outside. Interior photos of the set were taken by @filming_chicago. Lois ascending the escalator was shot elsewhere at an unknown location.

The Capitol exterior and crowd of protesters was shot on an outdoor green screen set at the late Michigan Motion Picture Studios along Centerpoint Parkway, Pontiac, Michigan. The building was digitally inserted into the scene, but half of the North wing steps were constructed for real for Henry Cavill to ascend. The sequences here were shot in July 2014 when the crew were filming in Pontiac.

Ralli’s diner was shot at the Hygrade Deli, 3640 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, where the owner Stuart Litt and waitress Linda Holmes served as extras, both visible in the scene behind the counter. The humble restaurant was transformed into Ralli’s Diner with a new sign and Kansas-themed interior decoration. The sequences were shot on 28 August 2014 from 2 PM to 2 AM EST. Across the street, Mike’s Famous Ham Place announced on Facebook that they would be closed for the duration of the shoot and supposedly helped feed the crew. After shooting, Litt was asked if he wanted to keep the props, which he did. @D3T0N8R snapped several photos for Twitter, including of the vehicles used to kidnap Martha parked out back.