In Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel," Superman tries to save the world from powerful villains. His real-life task is no cakewalk either: Turn the studio's DC Comics into a hit factory like Walt Disney Co.'s Marvel.
Warner spent an estimated $225 million making the film in a bet that "Man of Steel," starring British actor Henry Cavill, can make a profit and be the start of a new Superman franchise. That could pave the way to movies based on the "Justice League" comics that bring DC heroes like "Batman" and "Wonder Woman" together to fight a common enemy.
Marvel used the "Iron Man" films, starring Robert Downey Jr., to introduce "The Avengers," which became the third- highest grossing movie of all time. In "Man of Steel," Time Warner Inc.'s studio is taking a chance with the lesser-known Cavill and a brooding take on Superman — who projected an earnest, wholesome image in earlier films — from producer Christopher Nolan and director Zack Snyder.