Superman Returning Christmas 2012, DC Universe is GrowingThere's already so much to be excited about for Superman's return to the big screen with Chris Nolan, his brother Jonah Nolan, and David Goyer working together on The Man of Steel. Today we heard about a massive Warner Bros deal to bring 20 movies to IMAX theaters, and while Superman's new beginning was listed, no release date was mentioned. But IESB went ahead and found out that WB and Legendary Pictures are planning to release The Man of Steel at Christmas 2012, and apparently DC Entertainment has started to figure out the logistics and chronology of their cinematic universe to lead into a Justice League movie.IESB's sources don't have any real specifics on The Man of Steel or even the Justice League movie yet, but the information they have apparently heard is evidence of a path towards such a venture. In order to better explain, first we need to call back to something Christopher Nolan said to Hero Complex when referring to the characters in the DC Universe and how they live in separate cinematic worlds:"A lot of people have approached Superman in a lot of different ways. I only know the way that has worked for us that’s what I know how to do,” Nolan said, emphasizing the idea that Batman exists in a world where he is the only superhero and a similar approach to the Man of Steel would assure the integrity needed for the film. “Each serves to the internal logic of the story. They have nothing to do with each other."Apparently DC Entertainment begs to differ, at least somewhat, as they are already building the chronology of their heroes individual storylines towards ultimately bringing them together sometime later. For example, Batman Begins is being referred to as Action Comics #1 where Batman is the only superhero around at that time, and the same goes for The Dark Knight, or rather Action Comics #2. And so coming down the line would be Green Lantern as Action Comics #3, and it is in this installment that there are apparently talks happening to make reference to Gotham City, and maybe even Batman himself. As far as Superman, he's around, but in this chronology he would still only be a young Clark Kent in the town of Smallville. Apparently that's where the timeline stops right now. The Man of Steel would then pick up down the line.At first I was thinking that DC Entertainment's lunge towards a Justice League movie would feel a little late with Marvel's The Avengers already leaps and bounds ahead in the development stages, but this seems like it could potentially be pretty damn awesome. I actually like the idea that they don't all exist at the same time and their paths will eventually cross. Anybody else like the sound of this lead up to Justice League?