…Only to tell us more of the same.
In a recent interview, Superman Returns star Brandon Routh said that the next chapter in the Superman-reboot will indeed start filming in 2009, and that a script is still being worked on as we speak (thank you WGA strike.) Let’s pray that if the filmmakers choose to dive back into the continuity established by Superman Returns, they spend the very first scene of Man Of Steel killing off that stupid ‘Son of Superman’ character. I’m seeing a Kryptonite canister placed in a child’s inhaler… (cue the sinister laughter.)
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However, there was one interesting tidbit from the interview with Routh: when asked which film Warner Bros. was planning on completing first, Man Of Steel or the much-hyped Justice League, Routh had this to say:
“I think it seems as though [the 'Justice League' movie is] not happening, it’s on the back burner right now so it’s just ‘Man of Steel’ now, I know, they’re busy writing a script and then I trust we’ll be starting next year, early next year. That’s my timeline anyway.”
Guess that quote pretty much puts a fork in any lingering rumors that Justice League will be coming to a theater near you any time soon. (R.I.P. Justice League, we hardly knew ye.) For super-group afficionados everywhere, this means their eggs of joy will now have to be placed in the basket of Marvel’s Avengers flick–or, to a lesser extent, with G.I. Joe.
Hit us back and let us know YOUR best recommendations for what the Man Of Steel script should entail. And don’t be shy: any idea you come up with can’t possibly be worse than Superman Returns.
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79 Comments
About Supe lossing a little temper, I’m reminded of Dragonballs.Watch that San guko outrage, yet kids in their amazement around the world never gave a damn in the end. ’bout Supe almost kissing lois,they shouldn’t have done it as if they didn’t had enough negative impression to what they did in Superman 2.
Just want to give Singer credit where credit is due because the movie wasn’t all bad. That’s not what I’m saying.
-The airplane rescue was one of the most realistic feeling action scenes I’ve ever seen. Though I wish they would have shown Superman actually fully change when he came out of the bar and show the innitial takeoff and hit “super flight speed” would have been a little more of an adrenalin rush.
-The Clark/Superman change going up the elevator shaft was great.
-The Superman flying up slowly and gaining strength from the sun was also very moving.
Negatives…I’ve mentioned a few of what I didn’t like already but here’s more:
-Movie could have been tighter in its story telling. The story didn’t quite gel right. Too much unnecessary emphasis on the bad guys.
-Leads me to my next beef. Not enough Clark or Superman dialogue. We don’t know if Routh is good enough for this role because he didn’t have a whole lot of time to speak. I felt there was a lot more focus than necessary on Lex’s side of the plot. When we saw Clark/Superman he was either not speaking or peeping in and feeling sorry for himself. I really was disappointed when Superman didn’t sound angry at Lex when he landed on new Krypton. He was TOO calm when speaking to Lex. Though I did get broken up a bit when Lex and his crew were beating up on Supe. But Singer gave no payoff for us seeing him hurt like that. OK so he moved an island and I don’t have the issue some people had with him moving the island even if it had Kryptonite on it. He drilled through a barrier underneath all of it to shield him from it and it eventually broke down and Kryptonite finally broke through it. He also just got a big dose of energy from the sun to be able to do that (Superman on steroids I guess).
I got to rambling some there but I can’t help it. I’m in need of more Superman on the big screen and I guess you guys are too or you wouldn’t be here right?
I don’t want to come off as elitist so please tell me if you think I’m off base..
When all complexity, multi-sidedness and ambiguity is stripped from an authentic product what you have left is Kitsch- the last degenerate form of an art. Kitsch is free from all difficulties of consumption and believes in it’s own perfection. This isn’t a good thing for art, and cinema is suppose to be art, not just the work of journeymen. If something is explored in cinema concomitantly something needs to be left un-shown. Of course with the internet the audience has been given another avenue to say what that is. My point is it should be something, if for no other reason than preservation of intellectual curiosity and personal creativity.
I recently re-watched Superman Returns and finally got what Singer was trying to do with the majority of the film. I don’t share the gripe the sentiment that the kid was some kind of afront, rather it didn’t really work with the story. It was sort of distracting.
I don’t like the idea of a “super” slugfest Superman movie. Leave the extended action scenes to James Bond, TDK, etc..
They could do a neat Brainiac story, possibly. Perhaps a fortress crystal is still around containing a fragmented knowledge of Krypton. Through some turn of events it begins to infect the Internet and Earth’s computers, trying to turn Earth into a new Krypton. It gains sentience and for the “big fight” Brainiac builds himself a body.
Honestly though the villains aren’t like Batman’s; they aren’t interesting individuals much of the time. They’re merely a way of throwing something at Superman he has to work through, almost as a distraction of simply trying to be “normal”.
Skin effect (presence of loose electrons around a live solid electric wire) can be an example of Supe’s electromagnetic shield surrounding his costume making it invulnerable. Skin effect disappears when elec. power is cut off, similar also to Supe’s shield. It vanished when he landed unconscious in the metropolis hospital. Notice how the doctors easily removed his costume.
I’ve been hoping for this sixty-second montage at the beginning of a movie where Clark reaches for his cup of coffee and then showing Superman save the cat from the tree, raise the sinking ocean liner, catch the falling woman, foil the bank robbers, and saving the commuter trapped on the train tracks, only to return to the same scene of Clark taking a sip of still steaming coffee. That and a less Superman costume-centric movie. Let’s have “Heat” with Superman as one of the characters. Concentrate on Clark the reporter rather than a slugfest. A lot could be done with a great story and a mystery to solve while throwing in amazing feats of strength, demonstration of bulletproofosity
and, of course, saving… Lana Lang. Lose the kid and the current Lois Lane.
I like the last line very much: losing the kid and the current lois lane.
Hello Everyone:
This is the first time I comment on a Superman post, so please forgive my two-finger typing style. After reading about another reboot of Superpman, I had to say something. I just hope producers can at least keep Brandon Routh on, regardless of what they do. He truly personified the character of Superman well and should not be “punished” needlessly. Brian Singer did a good job oeverall, but I think all of “Superman Returns” flaws would’ve been overlooked had the film had more action, like everyone commented. As a Superman fan (of the comics, cartoons, old George Reeves series, serials, etc.), I just hope they don’t overdo it, because using “The Dark Knight” as a future template when Superman is an entirely different character would be disastrous. Make a new Superman movie, keep Brandon Routh, recast the rest of the characters, ramp up the action 1000%, make us cheer for Superman again and you’ll see big box office numbers. Thanks…
There is a way to make the movie darker and have more edge to it w/o actually making Superman darker. He shouldn’t be a Pansie, or moping around, like he was in SR. But he could still stand for everything that Superman stands for but he needs to do it with more emotion. He is supposed to be raised as a human. He should get angry, sad, etc. He should be on the verge of losing it sometimes. My point is the villain can be very dark and the world around Superman could be very dark. That doesn’t mean the Superman himself should have to be dark.
Also, if you are going to reboot you should reboot. I liked Routh but if you use him, the general audience will think it’s another SR movie. If you want a successful box office movie, which we all do, they need to cast an A-List actor. That gives the movie instant credibility. It worked with Iron Man and it has worked for Batman. Trust me on this one. This is the most important part of redoing the movie.
personally, i think the guy that plays aquaman in the smallville series would make a better superman, or iceman for a future x-men movie.
I do like the superman character but i’m mostly a movie fan. The main thing wrong with superman returns wasn’t that it lacked action, but there were parts of it that were very boring. Why were they boring? Because whoever wrote the script did a horrible job. I’ve seen tons of movies with little action which are still good. Now dont get me wrong, i love action and i think they should add alot to the next superman movie. But the movie flopped when it didn’t show very much emotion. There were only like five characters that said more than two words. And also, superman isn’t a chick flick like singer tried to make it. And now he’s promising endless action in the next film but a good movie needs more than that.
Now i agree with paymon that the show should get some more emotion. Don’t be afraid to show superman getting scared or nervous if he sees . Build a more friendly relationship with loise and clark. Movie producers and directors are smart, they’ll figure it out. But make the movie into something.
P.S. dont forget the action!
My biggest issue with Superman Returns was that it lacked action, 85% of the movie was Superman/Clark Kent stalking Lois Lane. A more interesting aspect would have been first a villain of equal strength such as those in Superman 2. Lex Luthor provides an evil take over the world aspect which is not relevant unless coupled with a terrorist plot which the whole plot of destroying the East Coast was like the destruction of the West Coast in the first Supes film. Superman today would be a cynical character much like he is portrayed on the Justice League cartoon, he could have done that with this re-boot especially with the “Why the world doesn’t need Superman” article that Lois wrote.
I liked the vulnerability that Brandon brought to the character. I hope to see him kick some major a$$ in the next movie.
http://www.petitiononline.com/BRSupes/petition.html
Routh wasn’t the worst thing about Superman Returns and I think he played a great “Reeves-Superman” but he just didn’t have that “WOW, this being is a god” feel that Superman was written to be like. If you look at what the Wachowski’s did with Neo in the Matrix Trilogy, you get an idea of how much adrenaline you get get out of a character with unlimited power/flying/fighting ability. The scene in Matrix Revolutions where Neo saves Morpheus and Key Maker from being caught in the truck fire is EXACTLY the kind of thing I want to see with Superman movies.
So, I think a reboot needs to be a complete reboot with all new cast. We need a Clark Kent who is likable, someone who the audience can relate to and has his fair share of genuine real life problems / dilemma’s (a bit like Peter Parker/Spiderman). It’s the only way this new generation will connect with Clark Kent. Smallville does this very well and looking at the stats/ratings, it proves it’s a hit with today’s market.
On another note, I’d hate for the writers to spend all their time trying to come up with ways to show what Superman can do (we’ve sen it all before) )BUT instead focus on trying to show who Superman IS (his character, depth, emotion, etc). One way of doing this would be to explore the Krypton/Earth connection.
PS – I don’t even mind another origin movie as long as it’s only the 1st part in a trilogy BUT a total reboot of cast or the audience won’t believe it.
Just one man’s opinion: The problem I have w/ creating a Superman for a “new generation” in a reboot is that it dismisses what Superman is about. If the character is changed to suit the “flavor of the moment”, Superman will cease to be who he is at the core. That was my main problem w/ “Supermna Returns”. The total character of Superman/Clark Kent as depicted traditionally is very relatable to today’s audiences, except to those who think everything about the world is dark (even though they live in a $250,000 home, have food on the table, and carry Blackberry’s/iPhones!) I don’t mean to offend anyone, but it is very hard for a person today to hold on to principles and integrity these days, which Superman is all about. That’s what sets him apart from Batman, Spider-Man and other “troubled” characters. I don’t want to see a brooding Superman. I wouldn’t mind seeing a hero w/ problems, but one who endeavors to overcome them and tries to be as optimistic as he can under difficult cicumstances.
I like the fact that Superman/Clark are depicted as very lonely, which is the essence of Superman. For example, there’s no one like him anywhere, and being a role model (and maybe being too hard on himself because of his responsibilities…) can take it’s toll. I just don’t want to see it overdone. I want to cheer for my hero when he takes the villian down. What the heck has happened to cheering for the hero, for goodness sake?
Twenty years from now, I can see a new generation taking stabs at “The Dark Knight” being too dark, not “realistic enough”, “too realistic” or whatever so-called flaws they choose to point out. It’s all relative. Superman should be about being timeless, and not just cater to fanboys or flavor-of-the-moment studios/directors who want to reinterpret who the character is. As for Brandon Routh, I hope he gets a second chance. All I want is bang-up, city-leveling action w/ a good story behind it and respect for Superman lore.
You make a good point Rich. I think the key will be to keep Superman and the values that he stands for there but that doesn’t mean that the world around him can’t be dark. He can be the light in the darkness. At the same time Superman needs to lose his temper and punch a wall or something. He can’t be perfect both physically and emotionally. Anyone who truly cares about something gets very angry when someone is trying to take it away or hurt the ones we care about. He simply can’t be a robot. In Returns, Superman barely showed any emotion other than pouty. I want to feel some adrenaline because Superman is about to kick some serious butt. That’s why we need a stronger and darker baddy other than Lex.
My biggest issue is that the villains on the small screen Superman in Smallville are better than the villains that they put in the movies, Lex Luthor could be the brains behind a super villain but not the only villain in the movie.
Couldn’t agree w/ you more, Paymon and Nick. If the producers could deliver a real villain equal to (if not greater…) than Superman in strength (ex. Braniac or Doomsday), coupled w/ a fun, dramatic, exciting, vibrant and emotional script filled w/ action and great acting (w/ lots of range), and keep the core of Superman true, it will be an epic blockbuster for everyone to enjoy & cheer for. I believe we need a Superman w/ values & a strong (but vulnerable…) character for everyone, especially younger ones, to look up to. I remember seeing Christopher Reeve as Superman as a kid, and the impact was evident, given that I came from a single parent home and a tough neighborhood. ‘Course a Superman movie doesn’t have to be soft or sugary, but it should have core values in a world gone bitter and emotionally cold.
A Brainiac/Kandor movie would be terrific.
I Think, ‘Man Of Steel’ Should Be A Sequel To ‘Superman Returns’, I Really Enjoyed ‘Superman Returns’, And There Was A Nice Little Twist At The End, With The Boy, I Think They Should Focus On The Boy From Now On, Show What Its Like For Him At School With All His Powers, Puttin Kryptonite In His Inahalor Wouldn’t Work On Two Reasons, On Lex Luthors Boat, It Shown Him Having No Troubles With Bein Around Kryptonite, And As He Went To Take His Inhalor, He Realised He Didnt Need It..
Weirdest comment, ever. Almost.
Vic
LOL. Agreed.
Anything new from Man of Steel?
I’ve heard that Mark Millar, the guy behind WANTED the comic book, wants a reboot consisting of an eight-hour trilogy, similar to THE GODFATHER or LORD OF THE RINGS, that chronicles evrything from Superman’s birth to his death. This would be awesome. The only con, obviously, is that it could complicate the Justice League movie. But I’m sure they’ll have a solution for that.
@Jim Java
Ain’t gonna happen. That was just Millar trying to inject himself into the development process.
Vic
“the movie flopped when it didn’t show very much emotion”?
are you kidding me?
Lots of good ideas here..
-I agree that if they plan on incorporating LEx into the movie they need to have him working together with another villain, one of equal or almost equal strength to Superman.
-The kid has to go bad idea fans, and I myself, will never accept it
-This is NOT a love story and the whole Lois and Clark thing need not be overdone; not saying that they shoudln’t have a romance but only to a certain extent.
-More action is needed and not just Superman flying around…we need him duking it out with a villain (Neo vs Agent smith in Matrix 3 for example)
-New cast IS needed…sorry Brandon Ruth…I actually thought Ruth did a fair job and played his part but liek people said we need a character that we can relate and Ruth was really not relatable due to lack of any emotion…Reeves had a vast amount of emotion and he was not afraid to show it…In addition Ruth has been typecasted and so has the chick taht played Lois…Sorry you guys gotta go
-”Darker film with Superman being the light” EXCELLENT way to go.
-MOre of Superman in the Fortress is needed; taking with Jur-El
These all will make for a better movie
Superman returns needed a lot more action,it had many boring scenes.The man of steel needs to have more action and a good enough villan like Bizzaro,Darkseid,or Doomsday.The story should also be dark and superman shouldn’t have a kid unless he dies at the end.
Ok.. all this super hero stuff is getting out of hand, we cant have a justice league movie cause it would spoil and confuse every one, look at what smallville has done!! if they had made a run off movie of that, used the same actors and used the sup returns plot, that would have worked, but now we have 2 supermans,,yes supermans not supermen,,, and if a justice league movie came out we would have 3 supermans, and 2 batmans, it wouldn’t work!! people need to slow down on all the superhero movies, or at least space them out.
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