Superman to battle Batman in 'Man of Steel' sequel

Nolan's 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises," starring Christian Bale as Batman, has made more than $1 billion at the global box office.

"Superman" has not always seen a success at the box office and 2006's sequel starring Brandon Routh did not perform up to industry expectations.

But Snyder's darker reimagining of the complex superhero in "Man of Steel" grossed $621 million worldwide and with Nolan as executive producer, rumors had been circulating that Batman and Superman could soon appear together on screen.

Cavill will reprise the role of Superman in the sequel, and "Man of Steel" stars Amy Adams, who plays Lois Lane, and Laurence Fishburne will also return, Warner Bros. said.

The film is slated for release in summer 2015, but there has been no word on who will play Batman. Bale has previously shot down rumors that he would play the masked hero again.

Greg Silverman, president of creative development at Warner Bros., said the studio could not think of any director better suited to bringing Superman and Batman together.

"Zach Snyder is an incredibly talented filmmaker, but beyond that, he's a fan first and he utterly gets this genre," he said in a statement.

Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, showcased a number of upcoming films on Saturday at Comic-Con, including "Seventh Son," "300: Rise of an Empire," "Godzilla" and "The Lego Movie," which will bring together Superman and Batman in animated Lego form.