The second trailer for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" showcased the villain Doomsday but now it appears that the big monster and Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) won't be the only villains in the film. The latest photos from Empire Magazine hint that Darkseid will also play a part in the film as one of the main antagonists.
The photo in question showcases Batman (Ben Affleck) staring at an open, desert plain where an Omega symbol is engraved on the ground. Omega symbols are closely related to Darkseid, which may indicate that the villain's presence may be prominent in the film, even if Darkseid himself does not directly attack the heroes.
Looking closely at the photo, it is further confirmed that this takes place in the dream sequence where Batman fights alien-like creatures and is later unmasked by Superman (Henry Cavill). This may hint that Batman will receive a message from Darkseid or perhaps hallucinate and see a possible future where Darkseid invades Earth.
Darkseid's presence may also be confirmation regarding production designer Patrick Tatopoulos's statements that Doomsday wasn't the final act of the film. If this is indeed a referrence to Darkseid, it is possible that the first half of the film will see Lex Luthor pitting Superman and Batman against each other until they have to face Doomsday and Darkseid.
It is possible that Darkseid will be introduced at the tail end of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" before becoming the main focus as the villain in the two-part "Justice League" films that immediately follow.
While the photo does not serve as a direct confirmation, it does hint that the films will be following the same plot beats of the "New 52" reboot of the DC comic books. In the comic series, the Justice League first teamed up together when Darkseid invaded Earth. It was only after their time together that the heroes were given their own separate comic book lines.
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" opens in theaters this March 25.
