No Superman/Batman Crossover!

With Christopher Nolan having a small part in reigniting the Superman franchise, many fans wondered if the Man of Steel would ever crossover with the current Batman movies.  And today, Superman's producer put and end to such speculation by confirming that Batman and Superman would not be crossing over.  At least not any time soon.

This doesn't come as any surprise to me.  From day one, it's been very clear that Nolan's Batman exists in a world with no superpowers or anything too outlandish.  After all, what was the point of a man dressed as a bat when you have someone with godlike powers right down the road?  Superman just has no place anywhere near Nolan's Gotham.

However, that doesn't mean Superman should never crossover with other DC heroes.  Superman fits in perfectly well with characters like Green Lantern or the Flash since they all share sci-fi origins and extraordinary abilities.  The question at that point is whether or not a shared universe is in the best interest of the story.

Now, it's tempting to say go for the crossover without doubt.  Personally, I love the interconnectivity between all the Marvel characters and how it will eventually build up to the Avengers.  And sharing that universe doesn't detract from any character's story.  Captain America only becomes more interesting when he's in a world of modern heroes and can have a legacy as an Avenger.  It gives him purpose.  Even outside of the Avenger movie, giving these stories context definitely offers new possibilities.  Can DC say the same?

Maybe not.  Does Superman become more interesting when he's a in a world full of other heroes?  Or is Superman at his best when he's the lone, shining figure in his world?  It's a simple question of direction.  I certainly think some franchises are better without a shared universe, like the X-Men and Spider-Man.  While Superman crossing over with the rest of the Justice League is still possible, we still have to ask whether or not it's for the best.