![Batman v Superman - Premiere in Mexico City Director Zach Snyder during the "Batman Vs. Superman" premiere on March 19, 2016 in Mexico City, Mexico.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/batman-superman-joker.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder said two well-known Batman villains almost made it into the script of the upcoming movie that pits the two superheroes against each other.
“The Joker and The Riddler both came kind of close to being in this movie,” Snyder told Collider. “We talked about the possibility of putting them in.”
The epic battle ended up being scrapped because Snyder and screenwriter Chris Terrio decided against it, the film’s director said. “Their mythological presence is felt in the movie, and I think that that’s cool,” he added. “But I didn’t want to like, you know, get my eye too far off the ball because I really needed to spend the time, frankly, with Batman and Superman to understand the conflict.”
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com