DISQUS

/Film: Superman Reboot Confirmed

  • Christopher Edwards · 1 year ago
    I think a re-boot or even another film is a bad idea for Superman leave it alone for a few years, but Jonathan Nolan could get a good screenplay but would need some like Chris to help with creating the univerese.

    Try some new franchises, how many do they own
  • SCOTT DOWDY · 11 months ago
    LOOK IT IS NOT HARD ! all these years to do this movie right . Have superman be more up to date like he is in all the comics and justice league unlimited shows, and give him a fight. People are tired of seeing lex luthor trying to turn the world into kryptonite or blow up countries with rouge nuc missles. You can have lex but put in Braniac ,Parasite,Massacare hell even Toyman would be a change instead of always having lex flippin luthor. I KNOW I AM A NERD.
  • Reason · 1 year ago
    A gotham like Superman probably will not work, especially if it feels like Superman is out of his element. What they need is a Superman with a free storyline and a Lex Luther who's more of a genius criminal mastermind / corrupt politician and not the weak willed, island building nonsense Superman Returns graced us with.
  • JShaps · 1 year ago
    Uh-oh...I guess they couldn't work Superman Jr. into the script at all...

    I hope Brandon Routh still does Superman. He's awesome.

    KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!
  • J.D. · 1 year ago
    The Russians aren't going to be happy with a "Red Son" adaptation... (not that it matters).

    But hell, they got their panties in a knot about Indiana Jones fighting the Soviets in 1957.

    "We weren't in the U.S. looking for magic skulls!" etc., etc.

    On second thought, they probably would be happy to see the U.S. attacked by a commie superman.
  • andy · 1 year ago
    I'm getting so tired of the studios just reintroducing old franchises and making them 'darker' to freshen them up. Yeah, for the most part, the movies are turning out to be decent, but it's getting so repetitive. They'd probably introduce the Three Stooges as 'three dark and edgy crack addicts', if there were a dime in it.
  • Andrew · 1 year ago
    I hope they don't just dive head on into the "dark side of superman" just because it worked with "Dark Knight". Batman's character has always been darker which is why it worked so well. Superman's personality has always been one of a continual optimism about the world.

    That said, a hero's optimism has to be challenged to make a good story. I'd love to see a truly twisted Lex Luthor. With any luck Doomsday is being thrown around aswell.

    We'll see.
  • gryffin12345 · 1 year ago
    I liked the look and the style of superman returns, but the story was a huge fail. Krypton on Earth...booo. Anyways...a revamp would be good move. Hopefully a superman batman movie would be on the way
  • Albert Brodsky · 1 year ago
    My guess is that they will distance themselves from Routh/Singer completely.

    I'd like to see a 40 year old superman myself, something that give homage back to the days of George Reeves.

    I'd also like to see a new vision of Krypton, maybe with just a set up for a villian. I don't want to see him grow up like in the original. Just have Superman fighting some serious stuff from the moment he appears on screen.

    What's Kerry Conran doing these days? Even if you didn't like Sky Captain, it's hard to argue that his sense of design isn't amazing and a perfect fit for Superman. I'd love to see that guy get some redemption.
  • jimbo stewart · 1 year ago
    @ andy

    Exactly. Superman just isn't a dark character. He's everything that's good about humanity.

    If they were smart they'd go in a completely different direction that doesn't shit on the previous movies (the good ones at least). Maybe a little more stylized and a bit more like the Max Fleischer cartoons.

    Make Clark Kent into the hard-nosed reporter he was meant to be instead of the goofball dork they've portrayed him as since the Donner era.

    You know who would be perfect to adapt it?

    Bruce Timm.

    The end.
  • Mr. Comedian · 1 year ago
    Keep the Nolans the %$#* away from Superman.

    Tired of them being worshipped as if they are somehow the reinvention of all that is cinema.

    That is all.
  • A Better Class of Criminal · 1 year ago
    I think it's probably a good idea to re-boot the series... again. But, they could have done the same with a sequel by Singer.
    I like the idea of Nolan writing, I don't think he's a one trick pony. He could do justice to Superman. However, I don't think a Batman V. Superman movie would be a good idea. The two don't belong in the same world, and ultimately it would only be good for the box office.
  • poormovietaste · 1 year ago
    There's just no way in hell this whole "dark" thing will work. They need to leave the Superman franchise alone. If Superman Returns told us anything it was that the world doesn't care about the Man of Steel anymore.
  • Chadwick · 1 year ago
    YES! Red Son would be a great spin-off... what I would like to see is a Grant Morrison 'All Star Superman' spin-off/series/animated series/anything. The Nolans used Loebs 'Long Halloween' as their 'source material', Warner bros should use Loebs 'Superman for all Seasons' as their 'source material' for the new superman film? Just a suggestion...
  • Danny Bell · 1 year ago
    to be fair, this would in fact be a good way to go.

    however, there are many story elements and visual aspects that i would love to see carried on from the richard donner films, ie the introduction of general zod and the crystalline krypton technology and setting.

    tbh, id even like to see the way clark would learn to cope with his powers within a "cardboard" world.

    but as for a story, i think jonothan nolan would be an excellent writer. his work on the dark knight was simply fantastic. but in this, i dont think it should be set in an uber-realistic environment as has been done with the batman franchise.

    ;-D
  • A Better Class of Criminal · 1 year ago
    @ Mr. Comedian

    Why So Serious? Nolan is a great writer, especially at adapting comic-book superhero's. How is wanting him to write another adaptation "worshipping" him. If you do something good, you're going to be wanted to do more of it.

    By the Way... Batman 3 in three years? I am already getting exciited (if Nolan agees that is).
  • sideshowRaheem · 1 year ago
    Although I'm happy to hear about the much needed reboot Superman souldn't be done dark it just doesn't jive at all with the history of the character. Ironman managed to find the happy medium between the super-fantastical world of Spiderman 3 and the dark and depressing Nolan Batman universe Superman should be done along the same lines.
  • Dr Malo · 1 year ago
    Red Son sucks for a movie. It's a ELSEWORLD.
  • Pill · 1 year ago
    Nolan already sucked all of the fun out of Batman, why let him do the same to Superman?
  • South Texas Terror · 1 year ago
    What makes superman is the type of villian he faces. If the villians are weak, it is going to be a weak movie.
  • Superman · 1 year ago
    Bring back Dean Cain!
  • Go Goya · 1 year ago
    The one off idea is a good one, though I don't see it really taking off in the film industry. It works with comics beacuse the audiences are more prepared for that sort of thing.

    My own personal observations tell me that moviegoers are too dumb for this to work. I can just picture one of those old ladies that always talks throught he movies completely freaking out...

    "What do you mean he's a soviet? Why does his suit look different? Why doesn't Jimmy have a camera?"

    I feel like studio execs just aren't getting what it was that made The Dark Knight so relatable and that it simply isn't going to work for everything. Superman himself simply isn't a very relatable character because of how not human he is. We can only relate to him when we see his more human traits. Using "Returns" as an example: his conflict about Lois being married and having a child, that he would spend years away just trying to find a piece of his homeworld...those are things we can relate to because they reflect some part of humanity.

    A movie focusing too much on that side of the character would ultimatley fail because at the end of the day he is Superman people simply can't relate to a dude that can take a bullet to the eye or fly.
  • Jeff · 1 year ago
    2 words. Kingdom Come.

    Too bad that doesn't leave it open for sequels, but perhaps something along those lines, the back story even.

    Personally, I DONT want to see an origins story at all. We know who he is. We know how he got there. If you have to - use the opening credits for backstory. Start off after he spent years in the fortress - involve someone other than Lex as his enemy.

    I would still love to see the ENTIRE doomsday/funeral for a friend/return of superman arc and do it with ALL the supporting cast. If they can make hobbits come alive damnit, they can make the flash. Do it in 3 movies, it would be epic.
  • Steelo · 1 year ago
    “We’re going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it,” he said."

    That statement is scary as hell.
  • 88 · 1 year ago
    Batman is a dark character. Superman is not a dark character. Making Superman dark is as stupid as making Batman light. Superman should be a rocking good time. Superman represents everything that is decent and hopeful about America and the immigrant dream. Batman is about the tragedies of post-industrial American life. This is not rocket science.

    Look to the Grant Morrison All Star Superman stories for a guide.

    HELL, GET GRANT MORRISON TO WRITE THE FREAKING THING.

    Those stories are full of drama and pathos but they don't try to darken the character.

    And don't get some scrawny soap opera actor to play Superman. Superman should be a big dude. It's too bad they can't clone Christopher Reeve.

    You know who they should get to play Superman?

    PATRICK WARBURTON.
  • REAL6 · 1 year ago
    DOOMSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Jeff · 1 year ago
    Want to see a "dark" superman? Read Speeding Bullets

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_Speeding...
  • Justin · 1 year ago
    The only thing dark that should be involved in a Superman flick is a gentleman named Darkseid. A dark villain and dark stretches of jeopardy or peril for Superman makes sense. A dark Superman does not.
  • Matt · 1 year ago
    As much as I'd like to see the Superman franchise rooted in Chris and Jon Nolan's Batman universe, I don't think anyone has the will (or the capacity) to pull it off.
    In the grim and desolate world of 'real' Metropolis, won't people immediately recognize that Superman is really Clark Kent without glasses? How would they get around that?
    I just can't see them making the jump from 'Family-Superman' to 'Dark-Superman'. I think the only reason that Batman's reboot was successful was because Batman's heroics were plausible in reality. He didn't have superpowers so moviegoers could easily judge him from a tangible standpoint.
    If they do make a 'Superman Begins' (followed by a 'The Man of Steel'), it would certainly take an effort much bigger than the Nolan brothers.
  • Guest · 1 year ago
    So…Jeff, how about letting Spike Jonze keep Where the Wild Things Are dark?
  • 88 · 1 year ago
    Superman can easily exist in the same reality as Batman -- just keep in mind that THEY LIVE IN DIFFERENT CITIES.

    I live in Detroit. Detroit is a pretty ugly place. When I go to other cities, healthy cities (like New York, Chicago, etc.) it is a total culture shock because those towns are a totally different deal. They are not scary places. Detroit is a scary place.

    Yet Detroit exists in the same "reality" as Chicago. I realize this -- much to my disappointment -- every time I pull off I-94 coming home.

    So, think of Gotham City as a very large version of Detroit... and think of Metropolis as a fictional equivalent of Chicago or Manhattan.

    Batman is appropriate for Gotham City.

    Superman is appropriate for Metropolis.

    Again, this is not necessarily rocket science.

    Same reality, different characters, different cities, different vibes, different types of stories.
  • Brian · 1 year ago
    How about we stop making Superman movies and/or shows. It's getting real fucking old...how many times are they going to tell the same fucking story with a different "twist"?
  • Harrison and Steve · 1 year ago
    historic news. i cannot contain my excitement.

    pssst... warner bros.

    Kerry Conran is sitting by the phone.
  • Charles · 1 year ago
    This is good news. Returns was Superman vs a big rock.
    I liked Jorel/Brando, I liked the music. I liked the catching the plane. not much else.

    Dark is good as long dark means taking the character seriously. Equally a 'begins' that takes the character back to 30's in style and powers, would be interesting, provided this allows the character to evolve ie become more powerful over time as he did in the comics.

    NB movies are by their nature elseworld stories - what works in the comics over many months even years as a story arc doesn't necessarily translate to a screenplay.

    Things I don't want to see
    1. Costume changes, the suit is the suit, the cape is red not maroon. How about making the stars stripes black and purple, does that work for you?
    2. Lex Luthor as the main villain. the anti-batman - a clever rich guy, doesn't work as a major threat to Superman - without giving him a technological advantage which isn't of this earth. (like a big rock) and we've done that already.
    3. Which brings me to Krypton, be that technology or General Zod type characters - why does everything from Kyrpton that isn't Kal-El have to be evil or a threat, I'm tired of bad things coming to earth from Krypton because Superman is here. It's old and again has been done already.

    The universe is a BIG place, surely some writer can imagine a worthy protagonist for the Man of Steel - Darksied, Mongul.
    Why can't we have star wars - esque style space amarda's - a real extraterrestial attack - say like 911, and Superman goes to war, like the war on terror.
  • Vlad · 1 year ago
    Superman is DC's flagship character and they'll never stop trying to get it right. I think a reboot is the only option. I also think that a reboot puts Brandon Routh out on his ass, which I'm fine with. I agree that we need to see an older, more hardened Superman, probably in his late 30's or early 40's. However, I don't see how you can go dark with the Superman character in a movie and be successful. If they want to intensify the franchise and make it darker, as others have stated, it has to be done via the villain(s). Superman is the light, the ray of hope that shines eternally. He is there to save mankind from the evils that can (and will) befall it.

    Also, for the love of all that is sacred, forgo the unnecessary love interest. A strong story doesn't need it. That's a huge part of what ruined the last movie....

    Besides, a Superman reboot is necessary since we all know DC eventually wants to move ahead with a JLA movie. They have to have an answer to the upcoming Avengers movie, right?
  • Jmoney · 1 year ago
    when i hear reboot i think origin story, and there is no way we need another Superman origin story. We all know he's the last son of krypton blah blah blah. i want to see a Superman movie with a good freaking villian, enough with Lex Luthor, he's been played to death, I want to see a villian who can actually challenged Superman's powers, Superman is no longer relatable to the public, but if they had a villain in the movie who stood a chance physically against his powers then the movie might work.


    and i agree that comment about going dark really scares me. he was bascially saying TDK did fantastic so we are going to copy the shit out of it. Superman is not dark.
  • Jeff · 1 year ago
    I'm fine with Where the wild things are being dark, it isn't exactly a fun place to be last I read the book and can be scary for a kid - but dark to a point. Dark like Pans labyrinth is a bit excessive, dark like harry potter or even narnia (which had its moments) would be appropriate.
  • Mikey M · 1 year ago
    Tom Welling would be great to take the Big Screen version.
    He has earned it.
    No more Origin stories. I think we know where Supes comes from by now.
  • Mr Hollywood · 1 year ago
    On my blog I suggested the reboot franchise could follow-up on Smallville, with Tom Welling in the lead role. I'm sure a lot of you won't agree, but I think this could be really interesting. Also, ties with the Batman films would be awesome.
  • charles · 1 year ago
    Shit man. Superman Returns made $200 million in the US. Fuck man, the movie was good. These fucking studios i swear.
  • .sean · 1 year ago
    I'm over Superman and reboots and remakes.
  • Jeff · 1 year ago
    I like the idea of welling as superman but he said he doesn't want to go theatrical with it. If they ended smallville this year and continued with the story on the big screen, that would be cool.
  • Goobity · 1 year ago
    Superman is the least 'dark character' in comics (besides Captain America perhaps). Why the hell change what has worked for 70 years just for the sake of it? It hasn't worked before, and it won't work this time. Superman should reflect humanity at it's most noble..."Truth, Justice, and all that." If you dilute this archetype, and make it dark and grim you end up with something else. You get Batman.
  • evanz · 1 year ago
    It seems like there was window of opportunity for a big screen Smallville - not necessarily based on the current tv show, of course. I still think it would be a neat idea for a movie given the right script.
  • D.A. · 1 year ago
    see this was the downside of the dark knight being so successful. dumbass movie studios would start to want to imitate it exactly, not knowing that the reason Nolan's Batman is so successful is because Nolan was given free reign on how to bring Batman back to the big screen. Nolan created the whole world of Batman in his garage, he wasn't pigeon holed into making it "dark" and "gritty", he made the Batman that was his vision.

    Now as for Superman. Keep him in the world that was created in the last one. Brandon Routh was great as Superman. Superman Returns was the closure we needed from the previous films, and the ending left it open for so many possibilities.

    Singer was great for Superman, bring him back and since the last one left it open ended it'll give him the freedom to give it the Xmen 2 treatment. If WB knows what worked for the last Batman movies, they are gonna realize that giving the director the freedom to execute their vision is gonna be the key to a phenomenal franchise.

    oh yea and I really hope they dont try to rush Batman 3. Nolan needs his break from it, direct one or 2 other movies that have nothing to do with Batman, then let him get back to working his magic with the Caped Crusader.
  • Jordan2099 · 1 year ago
    Can we please stop with the constant jerking off of The Dark Knight. Superman Returns was a boring and flat film, Supes doesn't need to be tweaked, and Batman is not the perfect template for every character. Superman is not a dark character, and I don't want a "realistic" take on Superman. Here's whats going to happen now thanks to Batman. Source material is going to be constantly ignored and we're going to get comic movies that will be far from the spirit of the comics.
  • Peruvian Idol · 1 year ago
    Who is George Miller? Is he any relation to Peter Chen? Or a combination of George Lucas and Frank Miller? Now there's a Superman I'd pay to see.
  • gobleep · 1 year ago
    I really liked Superman Returns. In tonality, it thrusts a goody-goody Kal-El back to an Earth he didn't leave. Singer DID Gothamize everything around Superman. The thing to do now with Superman is make him more of a political tool for Truth Justice and the American Way, just like Superman in FRANK MILLER's TDK books. Make him a total buffed out Venice Beach genetic freak with beefcake good looks, insane vanity, moral compas , cats out of trees but opens up a can of kryptonian whoop ass. tool to whoever is in the white house. depending on who that is, it gives batman a reason to own a piece of kryptonite.
  • Owend · 1 year ago
    Why the jab at George Miller? I think the guy who arguably reinvented action films with the Mad Max movies and is a genius at casting and creating iconic characters (Mad Max, Master Blaster, Twilight Zone's John Lithgow, Babe and his Farmer). Miller's work has always been top notch--even Babe 2 and Happy Feet are dark and edgy enough to rival anything the somber Nolan Brothers could produce. Give the guy the respect he deserves. I think his take on a superhero movie would certainly not disappoint.
  • orange cinema · 1 year ago
    -i think this is a terrible decision, but if it has to be a reboot, i'd like to hear about this 'groundbreaking superman idea' that mark millar has been dying to do. it's not 'red son', but some other trilogy idea that he has been shopping around recently.

    -jonah nolan is doing the terminator & the inevitable thrid batman - i'd prefer to see him next write a completely original script. allowing him and his brother to take breaks from the superhero genre will keep them happy and also keep their material fresh. they are NOT the answer to every hero film in existence. when raimi did nothing but spider-man, we ended up with SM3, can we not learn from past mistakes people?

    with the over saturation of comic-book/hero films, it's important that filmmakers like the nolans continue to make films outside of this genre whenever they can.
  • jj gonzo · 1 year ago
    OK, a new SUPERMAN reboot
    sounds cool... but please no
    LEX LUTHOR!!! how many fucking
    times are they going to have
    this guy be the villian in the movies???
    don't get me wrong I know Lex
    is SUPERMAN's primary villian but please
    DC spend some CGI cash on
    villians like: BIZZARO, metallo, DARKSEID
    or DOOMSDAY!!!!!
  • jj gonzo · 1 year ago
    P.S. , please hire TOM WELLING as
    SUPERMAN give us fans what we we want DC!!!!
    don't fuck this up again !!!!
  • Mando · 1 year ago
    arrrgh i freaking HATE Warner Brothers they don't ever know what to do with DC characters. If they make money they allow it. I'm really really bummed about this reboot nonsense. We don't need a reboot, and I really wanted to see Singer's sequel.
  • entertainmenttodayandbeyond · 1 year ago
    While I think a re-boot is the way to go I must say I feel bad for Brandon Routh. Lets face it, Superman was his only shot for fame and fortune!
  • Matthew · 1 year ago
    Revision or not, let's have a real villain.
  • The Joka' · 1 year ago
    Look MORONS Jonathan Nolan and chris nolan can't make EVERY fuggin' movie just because they made Batman! Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • DrMalo · 1 year ago
    Three Words:

    ALL STAR SUPERMAN
  • Bruce wayne! · 1 year ago
    Chris Nolan's real world approach to Batman worked because the comic was REAL WORLD ( no super powers). The new Superman's approach shouldn't be exactly the same because Superman has different villains and issues ( and he has super powers) so I just hope warner bros. put thought into it...........and get a new friggin director there is alotta great ones out there.......just don't let superman die off and go out like a HOE...he's the greatest of all super heroes because...well.....HE'S THE 1ST
  • reslipia_au · 1 year ago
    SUPERMAN FUCKING LIVES!!!!!!!!!!! you all like kevin smith yeah? well push it see how far you influence goes it will be sick all 5 superman films were not shit, have you seen "meet the spartans"? thT IS WHAT SHIT IS AND HOW DOES returns compare quite well one would assume
  • Baron Von Cheddar · 1 year ago
    Damn near every Superman movie put Supes against one really big challenge (Lex Luthor) and a few odd bullshit ones (kittens in trees, cat burglars climbing a building). Give him more! Don't be afraid go geek with it. Supes has been around for 60 or 70 years he's so ingrained in western culture the movie going public can pick up on the current state of Superman and his rich history.

    Have him talk about Lex & Parasite & Toyman & Metallo. Maybe even show him have a quick dust-up with one of those guys. Put Daily Planet front pages on the walls with headlines about his past victories and histories. Then toss Braniac at him for the big baddie, saturate the conflict with talk about Krypton/ Kandor/ Supergirl/ Zod. Make nods to the Justice League and the Legion of Superheroes. Put Lois in as his WIFE not the ignorant woman he wants to romance.

    Don't give us an origin or weak "new history". Toss us into the middle of Superman's existence as it is right now. Embrace his stories, don't write around them.
  • 790 · 1 year ago
    Just bring Singer and Routh back for a second chance, ignore the kid and give us the wrath of Supes!

    Fuck Lex Luthor forever,,,,,,
  • Rosario · 1 year ago
    Im all for a reboot, its just this is their last chance to get it right. If they screw up then that's it, no more superman for god knows how long.

    I say bring in Tom Welling as Superman. For the last few seasons the shows been more turning more and more into a movie type thing. What I mean is that for the first few seasons we learned about his powers and all that stuff. Now he has his powers and he actually fighting people who can fight back. I think this would be a great time to have the next season be the final season and turn to makeing movies based from where the show left off. I mean hell you can even set the movies 5 yrs later after the last show eneded. This is what the fans want.
  • 88 · 1 year ago
    ALL STAR SUPERMAN ALL STAR SUPERMAN ALL STAR SUPERMAN
  • 88 · 1 year ago
    If WB wants to make this a little more mature (but not necessarily dark) AND remain faithful to what's great about this character: ALL STAR SUPERMAN
  • Rod Keys · 1 year ago
    We really don't need a new origin story. Richard Donner one was just perfect. The entire first half of that movie was.
  • jph14 · 1 year ago
    A reboot is the best thing. Singer completly screwed up the superman story. I don't even think it was that faithful to Donner's vision either. The Smallville angle is perfect. I think that using clips from the show in the opening sequence to set things up would be great. And for the love of God please make Lex Luthor more than a guy who bases his whole evil agenda on more than freakin realistate! Lex is to Superman what the Joker is to Batman. An enemy who makes you push your limits, not just physically but emotionally and morally. Lex Luthor is as smart as Bruce Wayne and as rich, just the lack of soul. The best source materials would probably be Smallville, Lex Luthor: man of steel, and Superman: Birthright.
    If you want an already established Superman make Lex the background villian. making moves behind the seen while Superman is fighting the physically equal antagonist such as Darkseid, Mongul, etc. You could have Lex sending a team out @ the end of the film to retrieve anything left at the end of the battle. This could be genetic material such as blood from both combatants and leave and opening for the next movie with the birth of Bizarro or Doomsday.
    Smallville `has got Lex Luthor pegged just right. Even in the stories where he is not he main antagonist for Clark he is always in the background planning something and making moves. The best part is that in his mind he is the hero! He believes that an alien threat is immenent and that ma must be ready for it. In his mind Superman can not be trusted or controlled so "make me someone who can be".
    One last thing don't mess up Superman's suit. the one from from returns was so incredibly gay! No jeweled S symbol no color modified costume to show muscles that aren't there. Make a costume that looks like it could actually be worn under Clark's clothes. And Tom Welling would be great as well as Micheal Rosenbaum. Smallville von the big screen!
  • Bruce wayne! · 1 year ago
    You PEOPLE are focusing too much on the approach, the focus should be on the director...the approach is simple they have 70 years worth of material to draw from....now they need the "vision" a good director. You ppl are too nastalgic for the old superman movies and cartoons...it'S 2008 GROW UP!!! Superman returns was too old fashioned. Superman is competeing with Iron man and Batman , and wolverine and Thor and Shazam and Watchmen these days..........................
  • Bob · 1 year ago
    Thank you for rebooting Superman. I wouldn't mind a dark story for Superman, but just don't make it too much like The Dark Knight.

    Hears an idea, why not do Doomsday? For an animated movie I thought it was really good for the Superman franchise. Do something along those lines WB
  • Doonesbury · 1 year ago
    I think when they say "dark" they mean as realistic as possible. Or maybe not as campy. If anyone has read Lex Luthor: Man of Steel I think that's the tone they should be going for. As far as villains go, why not try bizzaro? Superman's counterpart, make him more equal to superman. Kind of like in smallville. I agree that dc will keep trying to get superman right since he is their frontrunner. I would welcome any change in the story because the same one has been told over and over. Hell i'd even welcome that one story where kal-el lands in the wayne farm and gets named Bruce Wayne and becomes a super batman. I forgot what it was called though..
  • Jonesy · 1 year ago
    "...faithfulness to the Richard Donner films..." was NOT the problem.

    It was too much of a soap opera and not enough of an action film. THAT was the problem,.
  • Pete (original) · 1 year ago
    it may not have lived up to certain people's expectations, but I really liked Returns. it was way better than Hulk, so I don't think it needs a reboot this early. Why do they keep doing this!
  • XxA Fat KidxX · 1 year ago
    Just thought I might add this in. In I am Legend, when he is in the mustang driving around, there is a billboard that is advertising some sort of combination of Superman and Batman, or the battle of them.
  • Butterfly · 1 year ago
    *sigh*
    Superman is less interesting to so many people precisely because he is about good, and light, and truth and light and the American dream. His motivation is not trauma, or vengeance, or dysfunctional rage. That's why making movies about him is harder - everyone knows villains are easier and more fun. If they really want to reboot Superman, going dark would be an easy cop-out. It takes a lot of skill and helluva cast and crew to make goodness interesting, BUT THAT's WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH SUPERMAN. He is SUPERMAN for God's sake. I thought Singer and Routh pulled it off, so help me. Taking Superman "as dark as the characters allow" would be like Sinatra's disco album.
  • Harrison and Steve · 1 year ago
    "It takes a lot of skill and helluva cast and crew to make goodness interesting."

    perhaps....not really.

    it just takes casting this guy in the role.

    http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/partypictures... 6/images/royalchie/HSteifel-Matthew-Reeve.jpg

    the goodness of reeve lives on in the son.
    this is how Warner will make Superman #1 again.
  • Anna · 1 year ago
    I loved the art deco metropolis they set up in superman returns. I would love to see the sequel take place in that universe. That's going to be such a bummer if they darken it up because WB thinks that's what sold the dark night.
  • Lars · 1 year ago
    Why the George Miller hatred?
  • Berndog · 1 year ago
    I totally agree with Lars and Owend - what's with the anti George Miller agenda? The guy is a brilliant director - he can do great drama (Lorenzo's Oil) great action (Mad Max) great thriller (Twilight Zone) great animation (lazy Oscar for Happy Feet). I was over the moon when I first heard about Justice League going to him. Did he burn you somehow? You go on about him like you've got him confused with Uwe Boll.
  • Christopher Marc · 1 year ago
    I'm glad they are going a different direction...they really haven't changed much since the Donner films...the things that I dislike about the Superman character have always seemed to become apart of every project...except the TV show... his squeaky clean image, never getting enraged or having humanistic emotions....you'd think he would develop more humanity...that aweful throwback costume, I understood how it could have been appealing in the 40s and 50s...but in present time looks more rediculious than iconic....again the look of these movies has never changed the same way with the villain Lex Luthor has made his way in every single film...he isn't the only villain in the Superman universe and by all rights isn't the best...Doomsday or Bizzaro would have been so much more entertaining if done a little more seriously than in the comics...

    Acting was the biggest problem with Returns the only decent actor hired was Kevin Spacey....people were chosen on looks alone, one of the worst reasons to cast "speaking/acting" roles....I could see that if they were extras or non-speaking roles..why pick an unknown actor without experience to play such important role in your film? A new director with smaller character driven films will have to be looked at...considering all the characters in Superman films feel 2D and you never invest in them, so you could careless if they are in peril...
  • Bat-fan · 1 year ago
    You Idiots who are pointing out that Lex Luthor is in EVERY superman movie STFU! LEX LUTHOR is a reoccuring character in the whole superman series that's why. If you don't read the comic books just STFU...even you idiots who keep saying DOOMSDAY sould be in the next movie. You Obviousy are only familiar w/ the FILMS and not the comics. Braniac, Toyman or DARKSEID should kick it off!
  • Javier · 1 year ago
    Dont go dark on superman, he is very different from batman. Batman has a reason for having a dark image, his parents were kill infront of him when he was a young boy. Superman's parent died because of a dying sun. Superman personality is nothing compare to batmans. Thats why batman does not accept superman.
  • Joe · 1 year ago
    Superman Returns made a whole crapload of money. It made more than the dreadful Fantastic 4, which got one sequel and counting. Calling it a "fanboy version" strikes me as odd, because most of the world knows Superman through the work of Donner and Lester. A "fanboy" movie would probably stay more loyal to one of the comic book incarnations, likely the 1986 comic book reboot (which hit the height of its popularity when they killed him).

    So if they do a SB reboot, it would actually be a reboot of a reboot of a reboot. The decision not to reboot then would seem more revolutionary. Singer had mentioned that there would be more action, less exposition and a super-powered villain in a Superman Returns sequel. I think most viewers would like to see that.

    Further, it's a shame Time Warner would abandon a successful franchise out of greed.
  • absoluteimp · 1 year ago
    I simply cannot accept another actor as Supes. Brandon Routh IS the Supes for this generation, why fix what ain't broken? If they do a reboot, they HAVE to at least keep him the title role. With the right story and tone - he'll blow us away - I guarantee.

    And what the hell? Why do they want to copy Batman and go all dark with Superman? SR was too dark as it was. Batman ain't Superman. They are completely opposite entities. Superman is the light not teh dark!

    If anyone is interested in bringing back Routh for the next installment please go to: http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/showthread.... to see what you can do to help get your voice heard.

    Thanks
  • Drew · 1 year ago
    I'm glad there is going to be a reboot. Warners may finally get it right this time. I just hope they don't screw it up by using anyone from Superman Returns. If they are going to reboot they need a new cast and director.
  • Cory Willis · 1 year ago
    Dark Superman? I dont know about that one. A dark story yes. Superman is meant to be a shining example for all of humanity to follow. He is supposed to be a beacon of hope for all mankind. He is not a dark character, he is supposed to be the light to show us the way.
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    Only in Hollywood could a film that grossed $200,000,000 domestically be deemed a "disappointment".

    A darker reboot? What do Warner Execs exactly mean by that. Sure, they can explore Superman's range of emotions more if they want w/o going "dark", but if they want to turn Superman into Batman, that is foolish. There is no doubt that 'Superman Returns' had various script flaws but in all honesty, Brian Singer has to be given much credit for taking the movie out of Development limbo after so many years and actually got A film made. And he could not be totally blamed for the inflated budget after so much was spent on jump starting another Superman movie. Look how much Nicolas Cage got paid on the "Pay-or-Play" method.

    As a fan of almost all things Superman, I am not thrilled at yet-another-dark-reboot and probably will stay away from it, no out of spite but out of disappointment that SR was not continued in some form. Clearly, there is great potential for an exciting follow-up to SR (example: Superman son could be harmed/killed by any new arch villian introduced, giving Superman the impetus to reevaluate his values on not taking life, etc...) , but because Execs are currently blinded by the huge success of "The Dark Knight" and obsessed w/ the big dollar signs (which is quite understandable-who wants to lose money, right?), that follow-up film may never be made. In any case, Brandon Routh did a good job filling some big shoes and should at least be considered for any reboot.

    Could a reboot be successful? Perhaps yes and perhaps no. Superman is a iconic character and has survived & thrived in many incarnations. But speaking for myself, I am just "rebooted-out" and will stay away from more comic film overkill for a while, which peaked w/ "The Dark Knight" (Btw, it is a excellent film, but I just don't want to see the same approach to every comic movie from now on or more 'darker interpretations of certain iconic characters, like Superman.) Not only that, "The Incredible Hulk" was rebooted and was no more succesful than Ang Lee's take on the Hulk. A reboot as this point is very iffy, but I can't say if it will succed or not. All I know is alot a fans who enjoyed SR won't be looking forward to it.

    Execs should also consider that "Batman Begins" was not necessarily a reboot as it was a reintroduction of Batman, which has existed in comic form for years now (ex. Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Retruns"), and it made about the same amount of money as SR. Then "The Dark Knight" came out, as history was made. Well, consider also that Brian Singer did a fine job w/ X2, and he already knew what was expected from him & at stake for the SR sequel (Recall his going "Wrath of Khan" on the sequel?)

    In any case, whatever will be, will be. I was looking forward to a ramped-up, revved-up, action-packed SR sequel and the entire reboot thing has left me and many people just disappointed. Like I said, the least WB can do is keep Brandon Routh for the reboot.
  • JRR · 1 year ago
    First of all, Superman is an icon that stands for all that is good and he stands for hope. He is a "demi-god." Makes no sense to make him darker. Just like Batman's premise is that he is considered a masked vigilante. He essentially is and that is why we relate well. We can't make Batman into a happy-go-lucky smartmouthing hero. That realm belongs to Spidey.
    However, there is a dark side to being Superman. Superman Returns did touch on great possibilities, but to the action-starved minds that watch these movies, it was boring.
    Think of all the problems you would face as Superman, humanity's Savior. Who to save and who not to? The conflicts of humanity that preclude him from intervening, like wars btwn countries or religious wars. Who is he to judge who to help and who not to. Is he helping the right people? Is he on the right side. The world is wrought with these problems. There is great potential for the Superman's conflict to be gray, and great potential for internal conflicts like sacrificing his own happiness or the happiness of his friends. Superman Returns touched on these concepts like when he chose to try to save Metropolis from an earthquake instead of saving Lois first. He gives up his love interest in the end to uphold his moral standard. As for Luther, they can delve into his character and look for a more than just an evil genius bent on killing Superman. People complain that Superman has no real villain, but maybe if Luther's character wasn't so flat. Maybe give the guy a conscience and make the viewers relate to him more. Ironically it would be harder for Superman to deal with him, because who is he to judge.
  • Rose · 1 year ago
    Stupid Warner Bros!!! Superman doesn't need to go dark, what it needs is a supervillian with super action, whatever happens keep Brandon Routh in the tights, he deserves another shot at it!!
  • ARCANGEL · 1 year ago
    "Stupid Warner Bros!!! Superman doesn’t need to go dark, what it needs is a supervillian with super action, whatever happens keep Brandon Routh in the tights, he deserves another shot at it!!"

    a reboot never consider older actors, or older arguments, so Brandon Routh is aut of the picture . he is so gay to be superman
  • D Block · 1 year ago
    Superman Returns was a piss poor version of Superman. Bryan Singer was in love with the Donner films and not with Superman, that's why it is being redone. Most Superman fans and readers I know saw that more detail was given to making a faithful Donner-esque film than actually making a good Superman movie.

    To everyone saying "Superman Returns made 200 million" as a indicator of it's success, think about this, the movie cost well over a hundred million to make. The movie was disappointing, mostly everyone who saw it came out thinking "was that supposed to be a superman flick?", hence the good opening weekend numbers and then the sharp decline in revenue and ticket sales in subsequent weeks. That's the type of thing that although ticket sales between "HULK" and "The Incredible Hulk" weren't that dramatically different, the impression was overall that the second reiteration was a kick ass action movie that redeemed the franchise and that was the word of mouth that sustained the film in it's theater run.

    Brandon Routh is out, period. No reboot includes any cast member from previous versions of the film. The movie or trilogy (which is what every studio house wants to make these days) is really simple to make, and I think that's why it's so frustrating for fans to see what the WB is doing with this property.
    First movie, no origin, he's the most recognizable comic book superhero in the world. Quick clips are cool, but nothing more than 5 minutes of the entire movie. Physical threat, I am NOT watching another Superman movie with no fight in it with a villain that can actually physically challenge him and make the climax of the movie exciting. No more drawn out romance, or at least make the romantic interest hot. I don't think anyone believed the most powerful man in the world was really fawning over this last version of Lois Lane, her forehead was huge and she had the body of a 12 year old boy.

    I'm all for Superman making hard choices, questioning those choices, even the public questioning his choices and calling into question their faith in him which leads to the always prevalent overlying question, "how can we trust one man/alien, with all this power?". That's the sentiment and deep underlying fear that many in Metropolis feel, even though they may never say it, and what imo Lex Luthor feeds upon. Now Lex being in the movie is cool, but he's got to be a Mogul, he's got to have power. The public on the most part has got to have an overall positive view of him or him being the villain is really one dimensional, i.e. all of Donner's films. Have Luthor always in the background, like funding the creation of Metallo, have Superman fight Metallo and also intergang who Lex is also backing to throw off the man of steel. In the second movie, have Luthor make contact with a probe from Brainiac and then actually make first contact with an alien being aside from Superman. Brainiac could be heralded as a savior and embraced by Earth only to betray them and pacify them for the greater coming threat of Darkseid. Then the third movie, depending on how many years the fist two take, and by that time you would have probably made a few other DC property movies like Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, etc., you could actually tie them into the story to help Superman with the invading Apokolips army and free up the load so Superman could have one epic battle with Darkseid one on one. After that, you could use that as a platform for a JLA movie if you want, or just leave it as is, but at least the option is there.

    See, simple.
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    A new reboot? Why not just makes an action-packed follow-up? While I agree totally in putting more action into the films and introducing new villians (like Braniac, Darkseid, etc.), I just think a reboot is not the way to go at this time. Superman does needs to be challenge to the brink, and Bryan Singer did a fine job of X2, and I am sure he now understands he must deliver an epic for a second follow-up. He could also open it for a Justice League film, as well.

    In regards to "The Incredible Hulk" you can find a lot of people who DISLIKED it as much as liked it. And my understanding is the producers are not going to make a direct sequel to it because it didn't exceed the box office expectations of Ang Lee's "Hulk". So regarding of whether it was a great film or not, the studios don't seem to feel justified to make another direct sequel. Instead they will opt for him returning in an "Avengers" movie.

    "Superman Returns" was a successful film in the same way that "Batman Begins" reintroduced the character, except it drew from Richard Donner's previous films. An important note is that SR was in the red BEFORE Bryan Singer began even filming. While it is true the budget balloned up, Bryan Singer should still be given some credit for actually getting a movie made (which seemed to be in the Studio Development for eternity w/ so many script revisions, directors, etc.)

    I am a fan of Donner's Superman and I understood what Singer was trying to do, but if a new Superman reboot can exceed expectations, that's fine by me. SR was not a perfect film, but it was not a bad one, either; it just didn't have enough punch to sustain an action-oriented audience. If the spirit of the Superman character is left intact, then I am always willing to give a new film a shot if it deserves it. In any event, Brandon Routh should stay. With no offense intended towards anyone in particular, I am not an obsessed fan like so many internet critics and all this venom towards "Superman Returns" is just unnecessary. I imagine if and when the reboot is done of Superman, those very same fans will dispense a fair share of criticism pointing out every flaw (I am even seeing critics popping up against "The Dark Knight" already, despite it being a fine film...)
  • D Block · 1 year ago
    No offense Rich, but I think you're completely mistaken about the success of the Incredible Hulk. It made more than the 2003 film $245.4 million to $254,087,500, and while that's not a huge difference, you still have to remember that a., a lot of people didn't even know another Hulk movie was coming out and b., that they still had a horrible taste in their mouths from the first film and simply thought this was a sequel to the first artsy adventure. It got better reviews overall, it was publicly well received (A CinemaScore poll indicated the majority of viewers were male and graded the film an A-, and 82% of them had seen the 2003 film.) and what most people don't understand is that Marvel and Universal knew they were going to hard time and expected that word of mouth would make them "break even" with the 03' film. If the first film wasn't in play I have no doubt that it would have been even more successful. This is just a classic disconnect case, "critics" liked Superman Returns, and MOST of the public thought it was a snore, while a lot of critics thought The Incredible Hulk wasn't as smart, or thoughtful, or insightful as the first but mostly everyone who saw both knew the second was what the character Hulk was all about. Bottom line, directors and production houses have been scared to make movies for fans. Marvel now understands that while you have to make it digestible to the regular public, the fans and faithful should come first. They'll be the customers that will see the movie repeatedly, they are the ones that will create the hype by standing on the huge lines the night before opening day in the theaters. With this "reboot" of Superman, let's just hope that WB and DC get that fact before they make a darker dud just because TDR was successful.
  • Joe · 1 year ago
    "The movie was disappointing, mostly everyone who saw it came out thinking “was that supposed to be a superman flick?”, hence the good opening weekend numbers and then the sharp decline in revenue and ticket sales in subsequent weeks."

    Yourself and some people you know doesn't mean "everyone." In truth, MOST people seemed to like the movie because the only Superman MOST people know is the Donner/Lester Superman. The movie didn't make 200 mil. It made 390 mil. It also rates a 77% (that's "fresh") on the critic pages. If you didn't like the movie, that's not an issue, but it's best not to just make things up to prove your point that your opinion is king.

    The Incredible Hulk, this summer's crowning example of a "successful" reboot, will not end up grossing much more than its allegedly inferior predecessor. Recent news indicates that Marvel isn't even keen on making a sequel because of its moderate success as compared with other comic book movie franchises. The reboot worked with Batman. The pseudo-continuation worked with Superman for many people. A reboot will likely NOT surpass its gross.
  • D Block · 1 year ago
    Oh I'm sorry Joe, the budget was somewhere between 209 and 250 million (both figures spit out by Singer) and it made 391 million world wide, lol. I'm sorry, please excuse me. That's also not including the money they spent on the huge advertisement blitz that Superman Returns had and the Incredible Hulk did not. And I love how the last post goes to critics accepting the film on Rotten Tomatoes as if it means anything (Plus I mentioned that in my previous post, I guess some people have selective memories). Critics love movies all the time that aren't successful, yes, it can happen. I'll put it really simply so you can understand.....

    STUDIOS DO NOT REBOOT FRANCHISES IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL! IF "MOST" PEOPLE LIKED THE MOVIE THEN IT WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER AND PROMPTED THE STUDIO TO MAKE A DIRECT SEQUEL!

    So what does that mean in the big picture?, I guess me and the people I know were correct. So if that makes you upset, and if you feel my opinion is wrong, then I guess you have to take that up with the WB. Oh, and it wasn't Marvel who said they wouldn't make a sequel to the incredible hulk, it was Letterier the director who said they may not, but he doesn't know, most of the cast is contracted for a sequel. The only reason why it may not happen is because of Marvels' big picture with the Avengers movie. But guess what, it doesn't matter because the overall consensus on the movie was favorable and it redeemed the franchise, the same cannot be said for Superman Returns, no matter what your fanboy mind might suggest.
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    Thanks for your response, Chief. I take no offense and I like a good, healthy debate. We just disagree on some points, is all. All I am saying is Bryan Singer is a good director and could've delivered a great sequel (like he did w/ X2), if he was given the chance. The Superman reboot is NOT motivated by anything more than making more money (which is fine by me, as long as they make a good movie). "Superman Returns" was successful on many levels, but the problem is after "The Dark Knight" now every executive is expecting a box office monster, which is not always possible. Despite it's script flaws and lack of heavy action, SR was still able to recoup and make a reasonable profit. It was ready and primed for an action packed follow-up, just like "Batman Begins" was. But executives are now seeing SR through "Dark Knight" lenses and I can't help but think even if SR had a $300,000,000 domestic if that would've been enough to consider it successful for them. They could still "reboot" Superman with a follow-up to SR and its established continuity and deliver a more action-packed sequences w/ a great screenplay, that combines all the best things about Superman mythology.

    I actually enjoyed the "The Incredible Hulk" very much, but I still know alot of people who did see the first film and also knew that it was in fact a reboot, and simply were not motivated to go see another interpretation so soon after Ang Lee's film came out. It was just too soon to have to take another crack at it, in my humble opinion. I liked that the reboot included nods to the 70's show starring Bill Bixby AND mixed in the essence of the comic book Hulk, as well. I think the producers they could still do a hugely successsful SR follow-up w/o actually completely rebooting, so-to-speak.

    As for fans and source material, people like different approaches to comcis. Just like comics are broken down into different ages and styles, and in the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze, etc., some fans will say "I grew up w/ the Hulk of the 60's and that's the one I like", and others will go w/ the TV show starring Bill Bixby from the 70's, and so on. I am a fan of both the comics, cartoons AND shows because I see them as part of the same mythology; just different interpretations. For example, Adam West's Batman was campy and funny and I like watching them on DVD for fun, but I definitely wouldn't want to see a modern, campy version of the dark knight as a big budget movie. Some comcic fans can't stand the TV Batman of the 60's, which was clearly a spoof of the character. I judge each interpretation based on how it was approached.



    For some, "Superman Returns" was not a perfect film, and I agree, but it had the potential to be great and included some fine moments. These days, eveyone is a critic, and no matter how good (or bad) a film is, it is going to be scrutinized. If SR was judged solely on action, then for some it failed to deliver. Yet despite it's flaws, most people I know enjoyed it. Would I and other people had preferred to see a new action-packed version? Perhaps; I would not mind seeing an "updated" film which still keeps Superman's character intact, but I also enjoyed Richard Donner's interpretation, too. So I was not disappointed in w/ most of Bryan Singer's choices and the idea of a direct lineage to the other movies (like using the "Superman" theme , and Production Design nods to Donner's films...and I can only imagine how "Superman II" would've been done w/ today's technology and CGI effects.) . Did I want to see more knock-out, drag-out action? Definitely. I wanted to see more action, and new villians, like Braniac or Darkseid. This may sound cynical (Iam not a cynic, though) but I just think it is a shame after 20 plus years to revive a Superman film ionly to reboot him again and leave fans of SR who were expecting a action-filled follow-up hanging, just for love of money.
  • D Block · 1 year ago
    Well Rich, I completely understand what you're saying and where you're coming from. It's just the next joker who responded seemed to have had the idea that I make things up out of thin air just because. Hell, I liked Brandon Routh as Superman and I'll actually be sad to see him go as the man of steel, he grew on me and I think he was the best thing about the film, but the fact is, the sequel was not really going anywhere even before the great success of The Dark Knight. After the film, even Singer in interviews didn't seem all that excited about making another one. So I simply disagree that money made from DKR is the impetus for this reboot choice.
    I think the primary reason for the reboot comes from Marvels' overall success (which has been killin' DC and WB) and also what Begins and DKR proved to them. What it proved was that fan friendly super hero movies (which every studio was afraid to make for a while) that take the source material seriously, stays generally faithful to it and doesn't just give fan boy service but also makes the characters understandable and endears the general public to them is the way to go. A director who really likes the character and will do their best to bring a faithful adaptation to the screen is key. That's why when I say Singer was more in love with the idea of making a Richard Donner Superman movie and not making a SUPERMAN movie, I really believe it. While I don't think DKR was incredibly faithful to the source material, because it wasn't, it still had the mood, weight, darkness and meaning that the book has always conveyed, and fans appreciated that and the general public "got it". (As a side note, this is that same thing I think will happen with Watchmen, Snyder knows what that movie needs to be great he'll try his best to do the material proud)
    All of this I think is especially important if you want to bring these characters into the same universe as other franchise characters which is definitely a cue taken directly from Marvel studios. Yea, it may be motivated by dollar signs, but hell, if you get a good Wonder Woman movie, a good Flash and Green Lantern film and then end up with a great JLA movie to boot then that'll only benefits us, the fan.

    Superman Returns IMO was written for an old Superman. The story seemed more appropriate for a retiring hero, not one in his prime. I think it would have been better if framed in a different context and an older Superman portrayed. Then a reboot really would have been not only appropriate, but understood.
    I really loved the airplane scene in the movie, but how was it the only meaningful action scene in a Superman movie? That's what Superman cinematic experience is about, "the feats"! That's why I think the heavy script called for an older cast actually. Anyway, because I wasn't even born when the first Superman movie came out, I don't hold the same nostalgia as some fans might, nor did many of the children, adolescents, teens, and young adults which this movie was very much advertised toward. Maybe it's a generational gap. I love heavy and thoughtful films, just not for a new Superman movie after 20 years of being out of the cinema scene.
  • Sithiel · 1 year ago
    One possible strategy is to create a crossover in a different setting. Since all of the previous settings were on earth, a new setting would make it look like a reboot. The new setting could be deep space wherein superman tries to look for the planet Krypton but instead ends up in another planet with either braniac or darksied and a revived general zod. They should include more action and many fight scenes with alien troopers and different military starships. In the end, he finally sees the remnants of the planet Krypton and makes his way back to earth. In this way, it could still pass as a prequel of superman returns. If this film becomes successful, they could now make sequels to superman returns. One sequel could be about superman's death from the battle with doomsday. And in the end of this movie they could show the reign or rise of the supermen featuring steal, the cyborg, the eradicator, and superboy. Superboy could be superman's son from superman returns, instead of a clone from star labs. This is where they could show the supermen as angry god versions of the original. I also think that Brandon Rought should still play superman's role.
  • j smith · 1 year ago
    Thank god they are rebooting.Returns was so flat.So dull.Lead protagonists lacked any chemistry.No real menace in lex Luthor.Supes mopes and gets kicked by goons and throws a rock in the sky and falls arms wide open and they call that messianic?Singer needs to go read what the term messianic means.Let's not talk of super boring baby Jason.I wanted to see Superman.Waited sooo long and what do I get a hack of a thirty year old movie with no vision.The movie costs was over 200 million US to make...and it limped its way to just over 300 million world wide.Warner Bros are a business and no one wishes for a movie to not do well...if this movie had really grossed then we would have seen a sequel.The indicators based on the response to Returns probably meant a Man of Steel would have made significantly less and not been as anticipated.I know people who were just to indifferent to it and Superman who is normally a draw for kids, well poor kids were so bored.

    Time to put Donner's version to bed cause really in this day and age who wants to see Supes turning time as a climax to a movie?Audiences are well tuned into comic lore and well very clued up and will not indulge mediocrity.Ironman is not even Marvel's top tiered hero and he managed to do what Superman,the ultimate flying guy,could not do.

    Get someone who cares and know about Superman to write it and try and cast people who actually have some chemistry.Some of the best Superman stories are Elseworlds...darker themed...where Supes actually remains the moral compass and beacon of light amidst the darkness.His movies don't have to keep the jokey tone of Donner's to be good.
  • D Block · 1 year ago
    well said...
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    Quote j smith - "Time to put Donner’s version to bed cause really in this day and age who wants to see Supes turning time as a climax to a movie? Audiences are well tuned into comic lore and well very clued up and will not indulge mediocrity.Ironman is not even Marvel’s top tiered hero and he managed to do what Superman,the ultimate flying guy,could not do." I agree with alot of his points earlier on his comment, but what exactly is it about "this day and age" that I find troubling? Here goes: I truly say this with no offense intended, but I'm sorry movie goers were not as 'sophisticated' as today's audiences back-in-the-day. I'm sorry people wanted to feel good about a hero and not be too troubled by the days worries back then. Never mind that "Superman" was one of the biggest box office films when adjusting for gross. Never mind that it ushered in the era of superhero movies as the prototype template. Yes, it's time to move on, but what direction do we go from here? That is the question.

    Again, no offense intended, but this is why such comments have turned me off to the "know-it-all" generation of comic readers (I am not talking about j. smith, but lots of fans I encounter, in general). This is the same kind of rhetoric that purist of "The Lord of the Rings" books use to denegrate Peter Jackson's excellent trilogy. I am a fan of the LOTR books, and saw the movies as a companion. Superman is a character of many incarnations and SR was just another variant on him. It's a companion piece to a part of his history, for some better, for others worse.

    I am not here to defend everything Bryan Singer did with SR. No one is arguing that Bryan Singer made a movie weak in story and action. Superkid is also a lousy idea, btw. But I argue it was the lack of knock-out, drag-out fist-fighting, Metropolis-leveling action that made SR a disappointment, not it's ties to Donner's version. SR actually had some nice art deco-style scenes that suited Metrolpolis very well.

    As for Donner's version, I enjoyed it for what it is & the sense of fun and wonder. Certainly, Richard Donner's films had a healthy dose of camp & humor (and the 'turning back time' was a cope out to a certain extent, but in comics past Superman did do that...), but at least they had a nature of goodwill. And btw, if you go back and watch "Superman", you will note that Lex is tryin' to sink California with nukes, all the while smiling and joking while doing it! For it's time, it was a technical achievement, as well. Back then, there was no CGI like today. Likewise, I like "Smallville" and other things related to Superman to see how others interpret the character. I would also enjoy a totally different version, as well, if the character of Superman remains true. My point is people's tastes vary. Your Superman may not neccessarily by my Superman. The tent is big enough for many ideas, I think.

    Well see how long it takes fans to denegrate Iron Man several years from now. To me a classic is a classic, and regardless of the passing of time, I look at it through the eyes of the era. For example, the original "King Kong" was a milestone of filmmaking, yet today the puppetry of FX guy Willis O'Brien looks like bad claymation. Believe it or not, I am already seeing fans coming down from their summer fan 'high' actually putting down "The Dark Knight"! No joke. Like I said, each person has his/her own tastes. My only point about a reboot is that it is too soon. I like Brandon Routh and would at least keep him. If not, maybe Warner should wait a few years so it will appear fresh and knew.

    Btw, I am NOT trying change people's minds on SR, Bryan Singer, etc. I wasn't trying to give a comic movie history lesson either. All I'm saying is people in general should be objective and fair-minded on all sides. I want a great Superman movie as everyone else, but this constant internet banter on how bad SR was and whatever else is off-putting (not here, but on other blogs I've seen). Let's hope Warner can make a movie that we can agree on and be entertained by. Thanks, and again I don't mean to offend anyone if I did.
  • D Block · 1 year ago
    Good post Rich,

    I would say this, I actually believe people, at the announcing of Superman Returns were looking forward to a lighthearted, clear cut battle between good and evil, without too much nuance and angst and ramped up action sequences with greatly upgraded special effects from it's 20 year predecessor. I think that's what people were excited about, now some including myself, didn't want a product having anything to do with the Donner line of films, but it did not stop me from seeing the movie on opening day and giving it a real chance.
  • Lois Lane · 1 year ago
    For those who liked Brandon Routh's portrayal of Superman, please join our campaign to bring him back.
    http://www.bluetights.net/theplanet/showthread....
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    Thanks, Chief. Btw, I agree totally on what you said. Whether the film followed Donner's imagery or not, I wanted a clear cut, good-ol' fashioned slugfest w/ a good story, as well.
    I still enjoyed "Superman Returns" for it's many fine scenes (some of the more majestic scenes, like hovering over Metropolis "listening" to the city, or when when he explained how the world needed a savior...) but it definitely needed better pacing and more dynamic action.
  • Joe · 1 year ago
    Superman Begins, then Man Of Steen, then Superman : Doomsday Stick with the comics forget the old superman movies, start fresh, let by gones be by gones, New cast new everything more action than any super hero movies, good storyline good director, good writer thats all we need, Superman suppose to be America's Super hero, He has alot of potential.
  • Blue Steel · 1 year ago
    Bring the greatest superhero of our times back with a bang!!!!
  • tyranny_souls · 1 year ago
    If they're going to reboot Superman then why not go all the way.I don't want to see a dark Superman in terms of a Batman type personality,however it would be nice to see his "ultimate boyscout" persona challenged.Just once i'd like to see him frustrated over humanity's shortcomings.Also,i'm sure Lex Luthor would need to be in one of the movies.However,if it's going to be a series then there are other enemies for Warner Bros. to use.I can see John Malkovich as a really twisted Brainiac.Or a computer generated Darkseid with someone like Anthony Hopkins or Christopher Walken as his voice.Or a computer generated Doomsday with an R rating would really give fans something to drool over.
  • maraphalla · 1 year ago
    H Brandon Routh,

    how are you doing today? I want to become a superman just like you. I want you to come to pick me up from my house.

    Thank you

    Sincerely,

    Maraphalla Chan
  • Callen · 11 months ago
    Well I hope the new Superman movie is going to be action packed and he actually goes against super villian's like General Zod, Bizzaro,and Brainac. Because it is getting very boring with Lex Luthor being the bad guy trying to kill superman and the other bad guys famous in the comics not even starring in the movies. Please for the love of god stick with Mark Millar's idea and make a Superman Trilogy with good action in it aswell as super powered bad guys don't just have stupid bad scientist steal the fame. And use the the famous Death of Superman in the new series and have him come back from the grave with the world hating his doubles. That's the kind of crap people like and have the super hero movies come together for a big event like Justice League. Because as much as I like Marvel I hate seeing Dc Films being less popular and less in numbers and let Superman go a little dark in one film but not too dark because he is one of the number one superheroes that you cant go that bad ass on.
  • dre · 8 months ago
    whatever the actors name was who played the recent superman...he did a gerat imitation of Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent. a work of art. And some of the lighting on his face (probably with added AVID touchup was really amazing. So, he gains twenty five pounds...and he'll do fine again.
  • Ida · 6 months ago
    maybe if they make it something like Superman: Birthright (go search for the comic), it should be okay.
  • C Taylor · 6 months ago
    Brandon Routh looked more like a Superboy than a Superman. He was not right for the role and his acting ability is about as broad as the stretching ability of a half inch rubber band. If reboot means doing another origin -- NO!! If it mwans making Superman DARk and EDGY -- DEFINITELY NO!! The reason Batman Begins and Dark Knight worked was because it went back to prior material. Batman was never the Blue clad cape crusader that we got in the 50s-60s. He was originally dark -- so it really didn't stray from source material. If the Studio wants a re-boot they should base it on the current series Smallville. If Welling does do Series 9 & 10, he will be 35 at the end and he can step in and finish the role and be done with the character (1-2 movies topes). It will tie up all the loose ends of Smallville and have a fan base already in place.
  • HaHa · 5 months ago
    Definately keep Superman all about truth and justice and bring in someone to test him and push him to nasty battle. When lives are at stake is when he's the toughest. Do away with kryptonite, lex luthor being the main enemy and don't get too carried away with the lois lane romance. Bring in Darkseid, parasite, metallo, braniac, mongul or doomsday. Once again lex and kryptonite are overdone. Also he is the most powerful hero so make his powers fast and devastating when used at full capacity.
  • HaHa · 5 months ago
    tyranny_souls has some good ideas!!! I hope Warner Bros looks at postings like these before they proceed forward. Also forgot Bizzaro is the perfect choice for a villian if they are wanting to see a dark or twisted version of the man of steel.