Screen Rant » superman

James McTeigue: Superman in “Weird Place at the Moment”

Rob Frappier — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:26:35 +0000

A few months back, our resident comic book movie expert (and newly crowned Game Rant editor), Rob Keyes put together an excellent report on the future of the Superman film franchise, confirming rumors that The Wachowski Brothers’ protegé, James McTeigue, was in talks to helm a reboot. Then, in August, with McTeigue still denying any firm involvement in the movie, we learned the director’s dark vision for the film.

Despite the fact that McTeigue hadn’t officially joined the film, it was beginning to feel inevitable that Superman would enter production relatively soon. Then, faster than a speeding bullet, we found out that DC Entertainment didn’t even have plans for a Superman reboot, in part due to complicated legal disputes over the franchise. Now, we have even more confirmation that Superman has stalled out thanks to an interview James McTeigue gave to MTV.

While promoting his upcoming action flick, Ninja Assassin, McTeigue talked about Superman’s progress, saying:

“It’s in a weird place at the moment…They’re trying to work out what they’re doing. Warner Brothers is trying to figure out their next move on it. There’s some things you can do with the ‘Superman’ franchise, there’s other things you can’t do. So it hasn’t gone anywhere.”

Despite the movie’s current situation, McTeigue reiterated his desire to be involved, saying:

“I think it’s ripe for a retooling…I would love to — if it happened, I would at least start a conversation about it.”

If you’re interested, here are those excerpts in video form from the man himself:

To me, this isn’t a huge disappointment. I’m not the biggest Superman fan in the world anyway, and I’m actually more interested in seeing other DC characters – like Jonah Hex and Green Lantern – hit the big screen. Still, I know that the Man of Steel has a fairly loyal fanbase, so allow me to propose this question: What do YOU think of this news? Are you bummed that Superman won’t be hitting the big screen anytime soon?

Source: MTV

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Freddy Rorschach Kruger To Play Sinestro?

Paul Young — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:54:02 +0000

Grinding on the rumor mill… Harry over at Ain’t It Cool News is always popping up with some interesting rumors that, more often than not, prove to be true. Last time it was setting the story straight on the next Rambo movie and this time he’s going one better and calling the name of the person Green Lantern director Martin Campbell may be choosing to put on the yellow suit and purple make-up as Sinestro – none other than Jackie Earle Haley!

A few weeks back, Screen Rant’s Kofi Outlaw ran an article fantasy casting Sinestro and based on the feedback from our readers, Hugo Weaving was the favorite. Well, if you ever needed proof that Hollywood rarely pays attention to fans then this would be it. I trolled back through the comments and nowhere did anyone mention Jackie Earle Haley as a possible choice, oddly enough Dakota Fanning and Eric McCormack both made the list though.

Remember, even though Harry is saying his source is “pretty reliable“, he is filing this news under rumor so if it doesn’t turn out to be the case (which would very much surprise me) then all the “tweeting”, emailing, and blogging will have been for naught and we’ll be back in a holding pattern.

It is slightly puzzling that just yesterday we got wind of Warner Bros pulling the Green Lantern production out of Australia due to economic reasons and now we catch a sniff of casting rumors. But maybe it isn’t that puzzling because casting calls were held just a couple of weeks ago and it would be right about now that decisions would start being made on who will play who.

Another rumor Harry got from the same source, audiences may very well see a cameo from Superman in the Green Lantern. This last statement is what has me thinking the whole thing could be snipe hunt. We talked about it last year, but a lot has happened to Supes since then. Brandon Routh’s contract expired; DC lost the rights to Superman’s origins and then announced they had no plans to move forward with a new Superman movie. This makes it difficult to throw in a Clark Kent cameo (rumored last year) if they haven’t figured out who will play the Man of Steel for the next movie.

So, unless the cameo consists only of a name drop or showing Superman from the back, I don’t see what actor they have right now to make the appearance. Either way, it sure does makes for interesting blog-fodder and if it turns out to be true, then I’m sure fanboys across the nation and the world will want to weigh in on the casting choice.

What do you think of the possibility of Jackie Earle Haley playing Sinestro and Superman making a cameo appearance in the Green Lantern movie?

Green Lantern is slated for a summer 2011 release.

Source: Aint It Cool News

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Superman/Batman: Public Enemies DVD Review

Kofi Outlaw — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:07:09 +0000

Superman and Batman have long been the top favorites in the DC Universe – and the only things fans love more than seeing them in their respective adventures is seeing them team up to take on evil. In fact, fans love the Superman/Batman pairing so much that in 2003, DC Comics launched an ongoing Superman/Batman comic book series as a reboot of the historic series World’s Finest Comics, which ran from 1941 to 1986.

The first six issues of the new Superman/Batman featured a story called “Public Enemies”, which was written by Batman scribe Jeph Loeb (The Long Halloween, Hush) and illustrated by Superman artist Ed McGuinness. The story centered on Superman and Batman taking on President Lex Luthor (you read that right) and a whole bunch of DC villains and heroes, who all believe that Superman is responsible for a Kryptonite meteor careening towards Earth. Loeb and McGuinness did such a fantastic job with “Public Enemies” that the DC Universe animation team (once again led by DC guru Bruce Timm) decided to adapt the story for their latest direct-to-DVD (and Blu-ray) animated feature film. I’ll be reviewing the DVD version.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is an almost carbon-copy translation of Loeb and McGuinness’s work on the page. Directed by Sam Liu (Hulk vs. Thor), the animated feature is drawn in the Jack Kirby-meets-anime style that McGuinness is famous for, while the script by Stan Berkowitz smartly preserves a lot of Loeb’s dialogue from the comic. I for one am happy that the filmmakers chose to glue themselves to the source material and not let go.

For those who have read the comic book version of Public Enemies: If you enjoyed what you read then you’ll get the same geektastic thrill I did watching the story come alive, looking oh so gorgeous on the big (TV) screen. For those who didn’t read the comics: You’re in for one of the best Superman/Batman stories ever written, embedded in 67 minutes of non-stop, old-school super hero action and adventure.

This film is literally a start-to-finish series of battles. Superman and Bats take on everyone from Metallo, Gorilla Grodd, Mongul, Major Force and about four different ice-powered villains from around the DCU, to fellow heroes Captain Atom, Hawkman, Captain Marvel, and ultimately, Luthor himself. That’s pretty much the movie. Each battle sequence is a pleasure to watch and highlights the differing styles, tactics, strengths and weaknesses of both Supes and Bat The battles also highlight the bond that makes these two heroes truly equals.

As with any translation, we do lose a few things: Some plot points of the beginning and ending were changed to fit a standalone feature film, and in the middle we lose that great sequence from the comics where the sidekicks and disciples of Supes and Bats (Robin, Supergirl, Nightwing, Superboy, etc…) storm the Oval Office, only to get their butts handed to them by Luthor. The biggest loss, however, is Loeb’s wonderful Supes/Bats dual internal monologue technique, which he employed brilliantly in “Public Enemies” to illustrate the heroes’ comparative/contrasting opinions of one another. It was a highly enjoyable aspect of the comic, but I’m sure we can all understand why it didn’t make it into the movie. Just one more reason to pickup the comic version and read it for yourself.

Speaking of the comic, for fans who might be wondering: Yes, we still get to see the Superman/Batman rocket ship – and yes, Power Girl is still drawn with all her fantastic endowments in place .

Stars of the former Superman and Batman animated TV series – Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown – all return in Public Enemies to voice Supes, Bats and Luthor, respectively. CCH Pounder (The Shield) also returns to voice Luthor’s Government Black ops cohort, Amanda Waller. Hearing the iconic voices of animated Superman and Batman is always a welcome treat, and the actors haven’t lost a step with their characters (Brown especially – he has a good ol’ time with Luthor).

(Continue reading for the DVD Special Features)

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Long Lost Image of Nicolas Cage as Superman?

Rob Frappier — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:34:49 +0000

Back in the halcyon days of 1997, Tim Burton had a dream: To bring Superman to the big screen. The film, entitled Superman Lives, was supposed to star Nicolas Cage as the legendary Man of Steel. Obviously, the movie never panned out, though the rudiments of the project would eventually become 2006’s Superman Returns. For a detailed explanation of why the film never made it past pre-production (aside from the producer’s ludicrous “toy first, plot second” approach to filmmaking) check out the Wikipedia entry on the movie.

In the 10+ years since Superman Lives fizzled out of existence, fanboys across the world have always wondered, “What would Nick Cage have been like as Superman?” Now, we may have a clue. Recently, the obscure Japanese fansite, TimBurton.jp, posted a video featuring some alleged concept art for Superman Lives. Toward the end of the 55 second clip, you get to see a still image of Nicolas Cage in full Superman gear for what appears to be a costume test. We’ve reposted the image for you below. Enjoy.

When I first saw the picture, I immediately thought it was fake. Well, that’s not entirely true. The first thing I thought was, “Oh my God!” and then I laughed for a little while and then I decided it was fake. Honestly, it looks like someone superimposed a picture of Nicolas Cage on a 16-hour bender over top of a Superman action figure. There’s something too plastic-y about the image for me to believe it’s real. The fact that it comes from an obscure foreign website doesn’t boost its credibility much either.

What do you think? Is the photo a fake? If not, how crazy does Nicolas Cage look?

Source: TimBurton.jp

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No Superman Movie Plans For DC Entertainment

Kofi Outlaw — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:18:31 +0000

MTV recently spoke to Diane Nelson, the newly-anointed head of Warner Bros.’ DC Entertainment Inc., and picked her brain about how the new venture will affect the DC films already in the pipeline and which heroes we can expect to see onscreen in the near future. In the midst of all this talk, Nelson let a quiet bomb (no, not that kind) drop: DC Entertainment has no current plans in the works for another Superman movie.

Why is this news such a big deal? It’s a bit of a convoluted story but luckily your friend Outlaw has been keeping his eye on Superman for a minute now. Keep reading to see what Nelson’s words may mean for the cinematic future of the Man of Steel and WB/DCE.

If you haven’t been following, the rights to Superman are currently in dispute. On one side of the courtroom are DC Comics and Warner Bros. – on the other side, the heirs of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The legal conflict started back in 1999, when the heirs of Jerry Siegel launched a lawsuit against DC/WB, claiming that they hadn’t been paid enough in licensing fees for the development of Superman TV shows (Smallville) and movies (Superman Returns). Later the heirs of Joe Shuster joined in the fight and as of this summer, WB has lost the right to use Superman’s origin story in any films or TV shows, and a judge has already ruled that unless the studio gets another Supes film into development by 2011, they will not be able to do so without first having getting the approval of the Shuster/Siegel heirs, who will own the rights to the character (his initial incarnation, at least) come 2013.

That’s a lot to follow, but if you get the jiist of it, then you understand how wild it is to hear that WB/DCE apparently has NO PLANS in the works for the next Superman film! Here’s the quote from Nelson:

“We actually don’t have any current plans for Superman…We’ve obviously done a lot of great things behind the property in our history, and it’s a key part of the family, but we don’t have current plans behind Superman…”

Well, 2009 is almost done and one year is a hell of a short time to get a massive tentpole like a Superman movie underway, so Unless the studio has a rabbit hidden under its hat, it looks like the chances of us seeing another Supes flick in the works before the legal deadline are pretty slim.

But does that mean we won’t EVER see another WB/DCE Superman movie?

I was toying with that very notion recently, when I suggested that the newly-formed Disney/Marvel team could concievably buy Superman – that is, purchase the rights from the Siegel/Shuster heirs in 2013. As was pointed out in our discussion threads, only those aspects of Superman originally created by Siegel and Shuster are being handed over, and at best, Disney/Marvel would own a severely limited version of the character. Now that Warner Bros. has created DCE (partly in order to keep pace with Disney/Marvel, no doubt), it’s looking more and more likely that the studio will invest heavily in their top player and throw the necessary zeroes onto the check they cut for the Siegel/Shuster heirs, in order to keep Superman in-house. Once that legal quagmire has been cleared, I suspect a new Supes film won’t be far behind.

For the meantime, let’s remember that the goal of DCE is to maximize the profitability of the ENTIRE DC brand – not just trying to find new ways of cashing in on the same sacred cow. The studio already has Jonah Hex, Green Lantern, Deadman, The Losers and Lobo – all lesser-known DC heroes – headed to the movies, so why not continue to focus efforts on turning no-names into show-names? Superman will always be king, whenever he should choose to return to the big screen.

However, I’m sure Nelson and DCE are all too aware of this. As I’ve stated: they’ll likely clear up all the legal woes (quietly), secure their hold on Superman, and worry about shelling-out big bucks for another movie later. We’ll keep you posted, though, just in case I’m wrong (gasp!).

Source: MTV News

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DC Entertainment: What’s The Game Plan?

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:19:13 +0000

Yesterday we found out that Warner Bros. has created DC Entertainment Inc. (DCE) to better expand the DC Comics into a multimedia brand of steel . Now comes the inevitable question of “What’s the game plan?”

MTV Splash Page posted a nice piece declaring which DC properties should be put on fast-track under the DCE banner, and this being Friday and all, I thought I’d once again do a little call-and-response on the topic (I now consider Splash Page’s Josh Wigler to be something of a pen-pal).

So in response to the call, here’s my take on the DC Entertainment venture and what paths it should be considering…

BIGGER PICTURE BUSINESS

DC Entertainment Inc. President Diane Nelson has already been grilled by the press and thick-skinned exec has been pretty forthright with her opinions. As she told The Wrap earlier this week:

“…I’m the first one to admit, I’m not by my nature a comic fan. It’s not what I’m bringing to the party. We have so many experts who will remain the cornerstone of DC Entertainment. What I bring to the party is a skill at moving properties and brands through Time Warner as a company… additionally it will be about how invested our content distribution is in the DC library. If our businesses feel that they have greater access and enthusiasm for new characters to incubate.”

Now some people are going to read that quote and worry that Time Warner is going to “corporatize” (read: taint) their favorite DC properties. I’m going to keep in mind that Nelson is the same lady who helped transform Harry Potter from a lucrative book franchise into a multimedia/merchandising empire, loved by both Potter devotees and newcomers who just know the films. Nelson understands how to take what is at the resonating core of a character and/or story and fit it into the bigger profit picture.

For DC Superheroes, I suspect Nelson aims to give us more Dark Knight quality films and Arkham Asylum video games (read: ventures which transform the core appeal of the properties into commercial appeal), and fewer Catwoman disasters (read: failed ventures that tarnish both the core and commercial viability of the properties). And I see no reason at this point why she’d fail at the task.

DOING THINGS THE MARVEL WAY

No, I don’t want DC Entertainment to try to be the second coming of Marvel Studios, however, the latter did set an interesting precedent by linking all their Avengers related films – Captain America, Iron Man, Thor – in one shared continuity, complete with cinematic cameo crossovers.

Should Christopher Nolan’s Batman universe be disrupted for the sake of a Superman cameo? No. Should The Green Lantern maybe feature an appearance from Supes or (better yet) The Flash? Absolutely. And what would be the reasoning behind doing so? Remember a little project called Justice League that DC/WB tried and failed and failed and failed to get off the ground awhile back? If you want to expand your brand, getting your heroes onscreen together where everybody can revel in them is a great way to do it.

Click to continue reading about how DC Entertainment can expand its brand…

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Warner Bros. Creates DC Entertainment Inc.

Kofi Outlaw — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:49:39 +0000

After the Disney/Marvel merger DC Comics and longtime-partner Warner Bros. had to be shaking in their boots. “The House of the Mouse” is already looking like a force that few will likely be able to reckon with.

Well, in an effort to become one of those few forces able to take on Disney/Marvel, Nikke Finke reports that Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. has launched a new division, DC Entertainment Inc., in order to better expand the DC Brand.

Marvel fanboys have already been having heart palpitations wondering what the fate of their favorite characters will be in the hands of Disney. Now DC fans can officially share in that anxiety.

Diane Nelson will be the lady in charge of DC Entertainment Inc., as announced yesterday by Warner Bros. CEO Barry Meyer, and COO, Alan Horn. The mission statement of DC Entertainment Inc. will be to “strategically integrate the DC Comics business, brand and characters deeply into Warner Bros. Entertainment and all its content and distribution businesses.” Basically that constitutes Warner Bros. taking a more hands-on approach to developing DC Comic properties into successful film and TV franchises, interactive and new platform media, etc. In the midst of all this, DC Comics will remain as is for the most part, serving as the creative cornerstone of DC Entertainment Inc.

Of course this new structure means that DC’s comic book division has officially become a limb on a much larger body. As a result, Paul Levitz, President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will vacate his exec post and return to a writing position, lending his three decades of experience to the “new DC” as a contributing editor and consultant.

Said Levitz:

“After so many roles at DC, it’s exciting to look forward to focusing on my writing and being able to remain a part of the company I love as it grows into its next stage. It’s a new golden age for comics and DC’s great characters, and I hope my new position will allow me to contribute to that magic time.”

Diane Nelson (Click Image for Source)

Nelson is leaving her post as President of Warner Premiere to take on the DC Entertainment job. If you’re wondering about her qualifications and experience: in her two decades working in creative brand management, strategic marketing and content development and production, Nelson has most notably had a big hand in adapting and managing the Harry Potter franchise for WB. Taking J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels and turning them into a juggernaut (read: cash cow) movie franchise is no small accomplishment; IMO, it demonstrates that Nelson understands how to maintain the balance between being true to source material, while making the needed changes to create successful multimedia ventures – an area where DC has admittedly had some trouble (See: Superman Returns).

Said Nelson:

“The founding of DC Entertainment fully recognizes our desire to provide both the DC properties and fans the type of content that is only possible through a concerted cross-company, multi-platform effort…DC Entertainment will help us to formally take the great working relationships between DC Comics and various Warner Bros. businesses to the next level in order to maximize every opportunity to bring DC’s unrivalled collection of titles and characters to life.”

For a great in-depth explanation of all this (with more quotes from the players involved) head on over to Deadline Hollywood.

Personally, I’m not at all upset (or surprised, really) about any of this. For better or worse, comic book fans, these are chicks we raised that are coming home to roost. We were the ones who pushed for so long to see our favorite heroes grace the big and small screens; our money fed the box office and gave rise to the “Era of Geek-Chic.” And in that proud era, our favorite comic books and superheroes have had their market value shoot WAY up – they are now worldwide icons and potential cash cows. When you think about it like that, it’s only logical that the big dawgs have come a barkin’ and comic book publishers have had to answer the call by stepping up into the corporate big leagues.

But will the source material – our beloved comic books – survive and flourish under these bright neon corporate banners, or whither and be forever tainted? As the zen master says “We shall see…”

What do you think about the creation of DC Entertainment Inc.? Will it be a good way for DC to catch up to Marvel in the multimedia market, or are you DC fans worrying that this is the end of the age of innocence for your beloved universe?

(And be sure to check our list of tags below to know which DC/WB movies are currently in the pipeline . Will this re-structuring affect them too?)

Source: Deadline Hollywood

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What If Disney-Marvel Buys Superman?

Kofi Outlaw — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:28:09 +0000

Disney has purchased Marvel Comics and we’re all still trying wrap our heads around what it will mean for the future of some of our favorite comic book heroes. Well, I was in the shower last night washing my hair (TMI?) and somewhere in that shampoo veil a question occurred to me: Will Disney-Marvel try to sign Superman in 2013?

If that question has you scratching your head, allow me to catch you up on some of the Screen Rant articles you should’ve been reading(!) and break down for you why this Disney/Marvel grab for Superman is not nearly as implausible as it might seem.

THE SUPERMAN CUSTODY BATTLE

OK, so DC Comics and Warner Bros. have been in a decade-long legal dispute with the heirs of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Recently WB lost the rights to use Superman’s origin story in any films or shows, and a judge has already ruled that in 2013, the rights to the character revert entirely back to the estates of Siegel and Shuster.

This will essentially make Superman a “free agent,” not tied to any comic book company or comic book universe. Of course, anybody with a toddler’s business sense would naturally assume that DC/WB is working out a deal to retain Superman – after all he is their flagship character and still the most beloved superhero in the world (yes, Batman fans, our dark icon still has not surpassed Big Blue).

I’ll tell you up front: I don’t know anybody involved with this lawsuit, personally or professionally; I haven’t gone over all the legal fine print with a microscope; and really, I am nothing in this situation other than an outsider (WAY outsider) looking in. But I can say this: Maybe DC/WB is working out a deal to retain Superman, and maybe they aren’t. After all, there is PLENTY of reason for the Siegel/Shuster heirs to want to part ways with Warner Bros. and never look back. Personally, I’ve already been wondering just how attractive of an option Marvel would be (I even asked Stan Lee about it!) – but now, with Marvel backed by the fat purse of Disney, I don’t even have to wonder: I have only to listen to the one thought in the Siegel/Shuster heirs’ minds: Cha-Ching!

TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE DISNEY WAY

Our own Paul Young spelled it out for you in his Disney/Marvel’s future article: Disney is a pro at making smart buys and developing them into massive success stories (ABC’s Lost and Pixar, for example) – Do you really think the House of the Mouse hasn’t already had Marvel under a microscope, watching what’s worked, what’s been wasted, and what would best maximize their profitability? Do you really think a man as wily as Disney C.E.O. Roger Iger wouldn’t be looking at all the ways (read: angles) that could catapult Marvel into a higher stratosphere of success than it has ever reached?

Let’s just assume that Disney has been doing just that for a moment. What better coup d’état could there be than snagging Superman at what could, conceivably, be the one time in our lifetimes when Big Blue is free to play for another team? And if Disney/Marvel could pull off the deal, how could any other superhero venture even HOPE to rival them?

Remember that the Disney suits aren’t fanboys (most of them at least) and don’t have the same kind of reverence for continuity and comic book mythology and all that great stuff. They don’t care that Superman and Batman are pals; they don’t care if we ever find out what was up with Lois Lane’s son in Superman Returns; and they don’t care if Lex Luthor is going to ever return on Smallville. These guys see opportunity for growth and profit and staying ahead of the competition. They also know (if they’re smart) that they just got a whole bunch of creative comic book guys on payroll who have either worked with Superman before, or have been itching to try him out and (gasp!) maybe even make the character relevant again for the masses.

And would Superman getting a fresh start in a new camp really be such a tragedy? Sure, like any custody battle the transitional period would be a little strange, a little awkward (how DO you write Superman out of the DC Universe and into the Marvel one?) but once the dust has settled just imagine some of the pros:

Continue reading ‘What if Disney-Marvel Buys Superman?’

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Matthew Vaughn Wants to Direct The Avengers

Rob Keyes — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:35:51 +0000

Matthew Vaughn, director and producer of the upcoming rated-R comic book adaptation, Kick-Ass, really wants to helm Marvel Studio’s The Avengers movie.

Vaughn, if you remember, was director of X-Men: The Last Stand… for a short while anyway. After he took over for Bryan Singer, he quickly left which opened to door for Brett Ratner to direct the project which in my mind, is the absolute worst of the four X-Men movies.

Looking forward instead of back though, Vaughn now has directed three feature films: Layer Cake, Stardust and now Kick-Ass (which quickly earned itself an American distributor after premiering footage at San Diego Comic-Con.) Now, he wants to do another superhero flick…

In speaking with MTV, he revealed the following desires of his:

“[I'd] love to do ‘The Avengers,’ and Superman… I think it would be great to reinvent Superman.”

Vaughn was attached to direct the Thor solo movie before his contract expired and Branagh was hired to helm the project. The script he and partner Mark Protosevich had written was apparently loved by Marvel Studios but it demanded an insanely high budget that he needed to cut in half (apparently from $300 Million to $150 million).

As for Superman, the current rumor out there is that James McTeigue may direct with the Wachowski Bros. supporting as producers.

On that note, Vaughn also spoke about another Marvel project that he wanted to direct a few years back.

“I was desperate to do ‘Iron Man’ about 8 years ago, and everyone was like, ‘Iron Man, no one will go watch that,’… Cut to now, and it’s a huge hit.”

“I grew up watching superhero films, so I want to make superhero films,”

I admire his passion for the genre and I’m willing to give him control over one of the major Marvel feature films in development. At least that would give him his chance to finally direct the Thor character and hit on his dream of directing Iron Man.

Would you light Vaughn to direct the Superman reboot or The Avengers?

The Avengers is currently scheduled to open May 4, 2012.

Source: MTV

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James McTeigue Reveals His Superman Reboot Idea

Rob Keyes — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:02:22 +0000

Last week, Screen Rant Editor Kofi reported on the major Superman news where Warner Brothers lost possession of the rights to the Man of Steel’s origins.

The Judge had made another ruling on this decade-long court battle which stated that heirs of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joel Schuster now own most of Superman’s early history. This obviously was another major blow to WB who found out earlier (in another ruling) that they’d be completely losing Superman come 2013.

For the film franchise, the court rulings meant that the studio needed to fast-track production of their Superman reboot plans and we reported on the rumor that James McTeigue and the Wachowski brothers would be put in charge of that task.

McTeigue stopped by the offices of MTV’s Splash Page and spoke with them about his vision for the Superman reboot. Not surprisingly, he didn’t confirm his involvement… or deny it, but he at least explained his idea for what he’d like the movie to be.

“I think if I was ever going to go near Superman, I would do a complete reboot—take it in a direction that you would absolutely not expect, actually… So, that would be my thinking on it, if I was ever going to go near Superman.”

Building on the recent news of Warner Brothers’ recent loss of the rights to Superman’s origins, McTeigue took it in a positive light, using it for his idea for the next film.

“I think it’s good that they just had a court case where, basically, if you make another Superman movie, you can’t touch Superman growing up—that’s part of the story that you can’t touch any more… That wouldn’t be a bad thing. I think everybody’s a bit sick of seeing the origin story.”

Assuming he has the gig as director of Man of Steel, he’s simply defending his employer. Of course he has to make good of the news if he’s helming the project. That being said, I agree with what he’s saying and we don’t need another origin story.

The idea all along was to make the re-boot more action-packed and move on past the same old stuff. That would mean less origins and less (or no) Lex Luthor. We need action, story and a worthy villain.

So, while James McTeigue still hasn’t been officially confirmed to be attached to the project, it certainly sounds like he will be. Check back with Screen Rant for more news and confirmations as they come.

What do you think of McTeigue revealing his potential Superman reboot?

Look out for James McTeigue’s Ninja Assassin which opens November 25, 2009.

Source: MTV

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Warner Bros. Loses Superman’s Past

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:29:43 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, a legal battle between DC/WB and the heirs of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joel Schuster over the copyright to Superman has been raging for going on a decade now. In recent months, a judge ruled that in 2013, the Siegel/Schuster heirs will own the full copyright to Superman – however, many of auxillary elements of character developed by DC Comics after Siegel and Schuster’s initial introduction of the character have remained on the legal battlefield. Until now:

Warner Bros. no longer has access to Superman’s origins.

Variety reports that on Wednesday, Judge Stephen Larson ruled that the Siegels now control a lot of Superman’s early history, including his brief infancy on Krypton, his parents, baby Kal-El and the whole “sent to Earth from a dying planet” storyline. The Siegels also captured ownership of early Superman comic-strips and early Superman/Action Comics issues.

So what does this mean for film fans?

Well, we already reported that DC/WB is facing a ticking clock: Judge Larson has already ruled that unless the two companies get another Supes movie into production by 2011, they will forfeit the opportunity to do so entirely and the full rights to Superman (including any depictions of the character on TV/Film) will pass into the hands of the Siegel/Schuster heirs. With this latest ruling, I guess those of us worried that DC/WB would attempt to do a reboot of Superman for the next film can breathe a bit easier: looks like we won’t have to sit through yet another all-too-familiar origin story.

Won't be seeing this from Warner Bros anymore...

So what CAN another WB Superman flick offer?

Well, the studio still owns the rights to a lot of auxiliary elements of the Superman universe, including Lex Luthor, Superman’s ability to fly, kryptonite (the term), Jimmy Olsen, Superman’s powers and the character’s “expanded origins.” Plenty of stuff left to craft a fresh and original (key word) take on the Man of Steel. Time to get creative.

What do you think – does this latest ruling further hamper the possibilities of the next Superman film, or will it force inspire an injection of much-needed fresh perspective on the character?

Source: Variety

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SDCC ‘09: Roundtable Interview With Stan Lee

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:53:42 +0000

Today marks the completion of a dream for yours truly: I got a chance to sit down at the table with Stan “The Man” Lee and pick his brain about everything from the state of the modern-day comic book industry to his newest project with Disney, a digital motion-comic about a time-jumping hero, appropriately titled Time Jumper.

Oh and I also got to ask the father of the Marvel Universe about the possibility of snagging a certain Man of Steel who’s going to become a “free agent” in the next couple of years…

The roundtable was a follow-up to the Time Jumper panel at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con International, which featured Lee (a producer and voice actor in the series), co-star Natasha Henstridge (Species) along with series writer Omar Ponce and artist Anthony Diecideue.

The quick rundown on Time Jumper is that it tells the story of a brilliant scientist who invents the “Articulus,” which is a time traveling device that is encoded with a DNA lock. When the scientist dies in a tragic accident, only his two sons are able to use the Articulus. The pair of reluctant heroes are recruited by a secret crime fighting organization to use the device in the battle against a super-evil sect, led by a your classic super-evil villainess (Henstridge).

After screening the first “episode” of Time Jumper, I can say that it’s definitely a throwback to Lee’s early work, setting up a pretty basic good guys vs. bad guys superhero story. Other than that…

However, the roundtable interview after the panel was the real highlight. Mr. Lee is older now, bit he sure does still have the spark of a young man with an inexhaustible imagination. And talk about charisma! The guy worked every journalist at the table, including yours truly, I confess.

Check out some of the highlights of the convo:

When asked about what it takes to create a new superhero today, Lee confessed that it’s gotten somewhat harder, “Because everything has been done!”
When asked how felt about making the jump from traditional comic to the digital medium of motion-comics, Lee said that although he’s getting too old to keep up with all the jumps in technology, the motion-comic, to him, was a logical and exciting step forward in telling a superhero story, and that even if the medium becomes a huge draw (which he of course hopes it will) he doesn’t believe it will ever fully be able to replace the traditional comic book.
Lee went on to admit that he’s found the modern-day comic book industry to be quite different from the one he and Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko and Co. started. Since comic books have become big business, according to Lee, the writers and artists involved in it are almost compelled to think far beyond the basic task of good storytelling and imagination – they have to approach their projects with the heavy thought of making big bank.
…Which is the perfect seugway into Stan Lee’s ultimate point, which he made an effort to hammer home again and again during the discussion: The best way to build a new superhero into a success is, and always will be, telling good stories. Before Spider-Man was a universal story about the geek who gets to be a hero; before X-Men was a famous allegory for prejudice and intolerance, the characters were just the fanciful conjurings of Stan Lee’s imagination. And that is where the real magic lies (ok Stan didn’t say that, but I am).

So that was pretty much covers everything that was talked about at the roundtable. Now onto the best part: I got a chance to ask Mr. Lee (you call him MR. Lee) the question that I had been wondering ever since I found out that I would be sitting at this roundtable:

Me: “Just off the top of my head: in 2013 Superman becomes a free agent…the heirs of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster [the creators of Superman] will own the full copyrights to the character. Any plans on snatching him up for the Marvel Universe?”

Stan Lee: “Oooo… have Superman be part of the Marvel Universe? [Pointing at me] I like this guy! I had never really thought of it… See I’m with Marvel but I’m not really part of the Marvel decision making team…I think my title is “Chairman Emeritus,” which…doesn’t really mean much…To prove they haven’t forgotten me I get these cameos in the movies which is kinda nice, and people still come to the movies, but…it’s nice.”

Me: “But you’re still the magic, so…”

Stan Lee: “And don’t you forget it!”

Ok so that’s not really news, perse, but it was still a pretty cool moment for me!

In a way it was kind of sad to hear Stan Lee – the originator – fondly reminisce about the days long fading when he and a few other like-minded visionaries set to create the fantastic worlds we now worship celebrate in all the Hollywood glitz and glamor that is the San Diego Comic-Con…

I feel like I had something more to write but I think I’ll leave it right where it is. It was good to sit in Stan Lee’s presences and I wish him all the best of luck (and fun) with Time Jumper. “‘Nuff Said.”

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Superman To Get New Owners – What About a New Movie?

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:48:29 +0000

This week, a U.S. District Court Judge made yet another ruling in the decade-long legal battle between DC/Warner Bros. and the estate of late Superman co-creator, Jerry Siegel. The latest ruling (in this convoluted case) stated that all was fair (legally at least) regarding the licensing fees WB paid to DC comics in 1999, in order to develop properties like Superman Returns and Smallville.

Here’s the part you’ll care about: while the judge found that the deals between WB and partner DC weren’t illegal, he did state that WB should’ve paid 3-4 times what they did, and that if WB doesn’t produce another Superman film by 2011, the heirs of creators Siegel and Joe Shuster (who will jointly own 100% of the rights to Superman come 2013) will be able to sue the studio to “recover their damages.”

So, will Warner Bros. try to get another Superman film into production by next year?

Here’s what Warner Bros. currently has going for them, as far as a new Superman movie is concenered: No script. No director. No Supes film of any kind in development. No star to play Superman. Bupkis, really. No Man of Steel sequel to Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns; no “dark” Superman Unleashed reboot. Nothing but Bupkis. So much for months and months of rumors…

So what’s the best move now for Warner Bros. and DC?

Understand: in 2013, when the Siegel/Shuster heirs take ownership of the rights to Superman, NOTHING gets done without their approval. DC doesn’t release one issue of the comic book or any animated features; Warner Bros. doesn’t put out any Superman-related movies or TV shows. Unless the Siegels/Shusters give the go-ahead, WE DON’T GET SUPERMAN.

That said, it becomes easy to see why DC/WB might suddenly halt other planned comic book films to focus all their attention on Superman. After all, Supes is the most recognized superhero in the world and anything released with his name slapped on it is automatically going to have a better chance at ma$$ appeal than any other superhero this side of The Dark Knight.

Whatevs, I wasn't too keen on a "dark Superman" movie anyway...

But what can DC/WB do at this point? Developing and producing a Superman film takes a great deal of time and a WHOLE lotta money. And 2011 is NOT far away; we all know how quick time passes as movies crawl their way towards theaters.

So, the big questions: Should DC/WB try to push out one more Superman movie before the legal deadline? Should they try to go live action, or focus on an animated feature like the upcoming Superman/Batman: Public Enimies? Should they be in backrooms right now, trying to beg the Shuster/Siegel heirs to cut them a new deal before Superman ends up playing for team Marvel (it is possible)?

And finally: will this legal stuff effect the rumored Superman cameo in the upcoming Green Lantern live-action film?

Let’s get to the debate. Leave your comments.

(If you want to read more about the current legal battle between the Siegel estate and DC/WB, you can do so here.)

Source: Variety

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David Goyer: Warner Bros. Putting DC Movies On Hold

Carl Lee — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:32:08 +0000

In an IESB interview for The Unborn, director/writer David Goyer says all DC properties are currently on hold for the time being in regards to film development. This comes as confirmation of what we’ve previously suspected.

When probed about Supermax and Justice League, Goyer had this to say.

“A lot of the DC movies at Warner Brothers are all on hold while they figure out, they’re going to come up with some new plan, methodology, things like that so everything has just been pressed pause at the moment.”

Including the two movies mentioned, Superman and Green Lantern would also be on hold. With an across the board freeze, Warner Bros. may be looking to create a cohesive DC Universe.

The follow-up question asked whether or not this was attributed to the success of The Dark Knight and Goyer continued.

“It was the double header of both ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ coming out, so more than ever I think they’ve realized, I think DC was responsible for 15% of Warner Brother’s revenue this year, something crazy like that, so they realized that comic books, it’s become a new genre, one of the most successful genres.”

Because Goyer mentions Iron Man, when he could’ve easily just agreed, Screen Rant is led to believe this decision has something to do with what Marvel has built. Perhaps this new “methodology” means tying the films together, much like the other comic publisher has been able to do.

Although Christopher Nolan has been adamant against other costumed heroes existing in Batman’s Universe, perhaps something has changed. The revealed plan of Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America that eventually leads to an Avergers‘ movie could be mirrored in the same fashion to bring about a movie for the Justice League. If Nolan were included–or dare I say, heading–the new plan, DC could create a stronger foundation than what Marvel has already started.

When porting over comic book characters, DC comics has also had a considerable advantage over Marvel. Because all the DC characters are owned solely by Warner Bros., The WB has complete control of integration between characters and a free range of when to use them. Green Lantern and Superman can easily cameo in each other’s individual films and Wonder Woman can create a presence in another property before leading in her own feature. Whatever this “new plan” or “methodology” is, Warner Bros. could turn its DC property into a cash cow and avoid their recent fiancial problems. So long as their films are on par with The Dark Knight, the 15% of revenue that DC provides could be more than a rare occurrence.

Goyer did not answer the next question about Batman. When asked “so when do you guys start writing the third,” he replied “can’t say.”

Is Warner Bros. taking a holistic approach to the DC Universe?

Source: IESB

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Update On Superman Appearance In ‘Green Lantern’

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:07:11 +0000

So we here at Screen Rant are pretty good at thinking two steps ahead of the suits in Hollywood. That is to say, we can usually predict their next move before even they know what it is.

Screen Rant writer Jamie Williams has been the all-seeing, all-knowing, Oracle of everything Superman related. For proof of his precognitive prowess, just take a look at his early prediction that Superman Returns star Brandon Routh will most likely re-don the red and blue suit for the next supes film (which is still in the pipeline somewhere).

When the rumor mill started churning about a scene in the upcoming Green Lantern movie in which mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent pops up for a look at the new superhero on the block, the blogosphere went wild with speculation about which of the current Supermen (Smallville’s Tom Welling or Superman Returns‘ Brandon Routh) would play Kent in the Green Lantern cameo.

Well, MTV recently caught up with Green Lantern co-writer Marc Guggenhiem, who had a little bit of info to offer on just that very subject. Were Screen Rant’s predictions on the money? Or do we need to get a new crystal ball?

According to Guggenhiem:

“There were rumors that Tom Welling would have a cameo in ‘Batman Begins’ as a young Clark Kent, to meet up with a young Bruce Wayne,” Guggenheim noted. “But you have to be careful when you do things like that, because it sounds great in concept, but when you sit down to watch it, it poses the danger of pulling you out of the film.”

(Hmmmm, it’s a good thing they DIDN’T do that. That kind of tongue-and-cheek moment would’ve been TOTALLY out of place in the dark world of Batman Begins.)

When asked specifically about the GL/Supes cameo, Guggenhiem added:

“…Robert Downey, Jr. in ‘The Hulk’ was awesome. I love that stuff in general, and I think the fans would enjoy it. Brandon Routh or even Tom Welling [in 'Green Lantern'] would be awesome. And anything is possible. The beauty part of being the writer, though, is that I don’t actually have to make that judgment call.”

No, no he does not have to make that judgment call. But you know who probably WILL make that judgment call? That’s right, Warner Bros. Studios. So what call should they make? What call will they make?

To bring this all around in a nice tight circle, I’ll once again defer to the wisdom of Screen Rant’s own Jamie Williams who speculated that it will most likely end up being Routh we see in Green Lantern, since DC/Warner is trying to get Superman on deck after GL hits theaters.

Speaking of GL, Guggenheim let it be known that he and fellow co-writers Michael Green and Greg Berlanti (who is also directing the film) are in the middle of their third studio revision, polishing everything to a fine finish so that Green Lantern will be the very best film it possibly can be.

“[The changes are] nothing that’s affecting the storyline, really,” he said. “It’s pretty well set. But sometimes we’ll move a scene to a different location for budget purposes, perhaps in an already established location instead of a new one. It’s a question of, which locations can we live without? It’s a constant process to streamline what you’re going through, even after the film is shot, when you’re cutting things in the edit. That’s what the rewrite process is like, how you sand down the roughness of the a movie to its smoothest.”

Hollywood politics as usual.

No word yet on if Ryan Gosling (who was rumored to be the top candidate to play GL) will in fact don the emerald ring. (Though they might want to get that figured out fairly soon. Green Lantern is still slated for Spring/Summer 2010.)

Do you think the Green Lantern movie is progressing as it should? And do you believe Screen Rant’s assessment that it will likely be Routh who makes the Clark Kent cameo? (Provided the scene makes it into the finished film, of course.) Sound off on it and let us know.

Source: MTV News

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Sigh… Mark Millar Talks Superman. Again.

Jamie Williams — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:43:05 +0000

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Mark Millar is the comic-book writer who cried wolf.

He’s had quite a reputation for fabricating info for the sole purpose of getting himself (and his comics) press. There were his claims of “knowing” that Jim Caviezel had been cast as Superman/Clark Kent in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns and rapper Eminem “begging” him to star in Wanted. In both cases, he later admitted to making it all up.

Millar was recently chatting it up with Empire Magazine when he revealed details to his dream-project: His Superman trilogy with a “big-Hollywood action director” attached:

“It’s gonna be like Michael Corleone in the Godfather films, the entire story from beginning to end, you see where he starts, how he becomes, and where that takes him. The Dark Knight showed you can take a comic book property and make a serious film, and I think the studios are ready to listen to bigger ideas now.”

“The problem with Superman Returns was like releasing Stars Wars in ‘77, The Empire Strikes Back in ‘80 and then waiting 28 years to release Return of the Jedi, it wasn’t relevant. I understand what Bryan Singer was trying to do, to pay homage to Richard Donner’s original vision, but I think you should pay homage by doing something completely different.”

“I want to start on Krypton, a thousand years ago, and end with Superman along on Planet Earth, the last being left on the planet, as the yellow sun turns red and starts to supernova, and he loses his powers.”

I can almost guarantee the genesis of this interview involved Millar doing press for the currently-filming Kick-Ass! or the soon-to-be-released-on-DVD Wanted.

But I gotta be honest, his ending does sound all-kinds-of-awesome. But that part aside, we’ve literally heard all this before from Millar (Empire even acknowledges that in said article!)

That said, you folks have to realize that if Millar was really in the running to write the screenplay, he would never openly reveal plot-details of his script.

He was basically saying (in his own way): “Look, I’m not getting the gig. But if Warner Brother did hire me, here is what I would do…”

Nothing more, nothing less.

Source: Empire

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What’s Happening With The Superman Sequel?

Jamie Williams — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:33:44 +0000

With the news last month that Warner Brothers planned on rebooting the Superman film franchise, I thought it would be a good time to give an overall status report on everyone’s favorite big blue boy-scout. And let you folks know what’s going on…as of now, at least.

First things first, no director or screenwriter(s) have been hired nor are any in negotiations at this time. Warner Brothers is simply looking at a few candidates as potential “feelers.” Nothing more, nothing less.

If there’s anything the studio learned from Superman Returns, it’s that they’re not going to hand over another blank-check to a “big name” director. So more likely than not, the eventual director will be someone who works well with the material, sees eye-to-eye with the approach they’re taking and (most importantly) can be easily controlled by the studio.

An example of this would be when Peter Jackson was first hired for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bryan Singer for X-Men, Sam Raimi for Spider-Man, etc. You get the idea.

Regarding the big question of casting before anyone asks, the answer is no: Tom Welling will not be Superman. For some of you, take a moment, and let whatever feelings you have about that out of your system.

The studio isn’t going to spend $150-$200 million (if not more) to produce Smallville: The Movie. Like it or lump it, that’s exactly what it’d be if they went with Welling. Additionally, the failure of X-Files: I Want to Believe this past summer further proved that cult following doesn’t equal mainstream audience. So one can’t argue that Welling would bring in “a big audience” during the opening weekend.

I don’t care if you love or hate the idea of him as Superman on the silver screen. He’s not in the running. Sorry, but it ain’t gonna happen. Get over it.

Whoever becomes the next Superman/Clark Kent will be an unknown for obvious reasons. For the studio, it’s easy to nab one down to a multi-picture deal (i.e. cheap) and for the filmmakers there won’t be any “baggage” coming into the project with said actor.

Now what about Wanted and Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar who’ll tell anyone with a set of ears (and more importantly, a camera) that he wants the writing gig? Well, his claims about “being a Marvel guy” as the reason Warner Bros. rejected his pitch last year are 100% Grade-A B.S. Plain and simple, they hated it.

But what of his recent claims of writing an epic Superman trilogy that’s a second away from being greenlit with his phantom “American action director” at the helm? Uh, that would be: no.

I don’t doubt his love for Kal-El, and maybe he’s met with a director in the past. But if he was really in the running, he wouldn’t be talking out loud to the press before being heard (again) by the studio.

Furthermore, he’s had a well-documented history of flat-out fabricating news-items just to get himself press (i.e. his claim of “knowing” Jim Caviezel would play Superman in Returns and Eminem “begging” to star in Wanted – both turned out to be bogus rumors that he started!) Therefore… you can’t honestly take him at his word on the matter – especially since there’s been no one to come out and back-up his claims.

And Millar wasn’t the only comic-book writer the studio heard pitches from. The likes of Grant Morrison, Mark Waid and Geoff Johns also came in with takes on how to properly revive the franchise. And like Millar, they were shot down. So it’s safe to say they’ll begin hearing from screenwriters again.

Quite frankly, I doubt we see Krypton’s last son return to the silver screen for… awhile. They’re currently projecting a 2011 release. The thing is though, Warner Brothers appears to be damn-near booked with arguably the three biggest blockbuster tent-poles for that year: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows – Part II, Batman III and The Hobbit.

They just plain don’t “need” Superman right now. Although it’s definitely a priority to get the Man of Steel back on track. But they can honestly afford to take their sweet time (which they are!).

That, and after the reception of Superman Returns, they want to make damned sure this revival film will be something that everyone (i.e. WB, DC, Legendary Pictures, etc.) is 100% behind.

But rest assured, Superman will return to the silver screen…eventually!

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News Flash: Internet Polls Don’t Influence Movie Casting

Vic Holtreman — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:01:07 +0000

ComicBookMovie is reporting that according to a number of online polls and surveys, Tom Welling “may just be heading to the big screen to portray the role that made him famous on TV.”

To which I say: Bunk.

Their source is a British site called Coventry Telegraph which has gone out and found a bunch of online polls and such where fans are overwhelmingly picking Smallville star Welling as their choice for the man to play Superman in the next movie. One poll has actually gathered 1,482 names voting for Tom Welling as their man to don the blue tights and red cape.

Well, damn, in that case I’d say it’s a lock.

Anyone who knows anything about the way studios really work will tell you that fan preferences have pretty much nothing to do with movie casting decisions. Sometimes they make a good call (Michael Keaton as Batman, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man) and sometimes they don’t (Ben Affleck as Daredevil, George Clooney as Batman).

In each case fan desires had nothing to do with the choice.

These sort of polls really do nothing more than make the people adding their names to them feel like they’ve “done something.” How many polls and campaigns have we seen trying to influence Hollywood that actually succeeded? Besides the classic example of the original Star Trek back in the late 1960’s (which was cancelled after the second season but was brought back for a third after an avalanche of fan mail), and the recent (and short-lived) reprieve for CBS’ Jericho, nothing else comes to mind.

At this point there is no script (despite the noises Mark Millar is out there making), no director and Tom Welling is NOT being considered to play Superman in the followup to Superman Returns.

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Superman Officially Goes ‘Reboot’

Jamie Williams — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:54:41 +0000

After a solid year’s worth of news, rumors and flat-out Internet BS regarding the future of the Superman franchise, Warner Brothers has decided: The Man of Steel is headed for a reboot.

As WB big-cheese Jeff Robinov explained to the Wall-Street Journal:

“‘Superman’ didn’t quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to. It didn’t position the character the way he needed to be positioned. Had ‘Superman’ worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009. But now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman.”

Personally, I was a fan of Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns and was anticipating his sequel (i.e. the oft-titled Superman: The Man of Steel!) Ahhh well! Nothing anyone can do about that.

I’m first and foremost a fan of the character. So let’s just hope that the studio lines up the right talent behind the camera with the right direction for Superman.

But a new concern seems to have arisen from the same article:

“Like the recent Batman sequel — which has become the highest-grossing film of the year thus far — Mr. Robinov wants his next pack of superhero movies to be bathed in the same brooding tone as ‘The Dark Knight.’ Creatively, he sees exploring the evil side to characters as the key to unlocking some of Warner Bros.’ DC properties. ‘We’re going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it,’ he says. That goes for the company’s Superman franchise as well.”

I wouldn’t worry (if at all, to be honest) towards the “dark” remarks from Robinov. They’re coming from a real high at the moment with The Dark Knight kicking so much butt at the box-office. He’s basically just talking out loud throwing out ideas.

Nothing more, nothing less.

And prepare yourself for months of 100% Grade-A B.S., folks. At the moment, there is no director nor screenwriter(s) currently working on the new Superman revival film. Nor is there a storyline or approach that everyone at WB has agreed upon.

It basically boils down to this, boys and girls. The studio knows exactly what they don’t want, and they’re working from there.

Regardless of what ultimately goes down, Superman will return to the silver screen again… eventually.

Source: The Wall-Street Journal

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Superman: Doomsday DVD Review

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:28:51 +0000

Superman: Doomsday is NOT a Superman cartoon for the kiddies. On the contrary, this straight-to-DVD feature is pretty adult, a fact quickly established in the first ten minutes when Doomsday, the unstoppable devastator from the early 90’s “Death Of Superman” story-arc, brutally murders a team of Lexcorp researchers who unwittingly unearth him, while Lex Luthor himself puts a pistol to the head of a female assistant and blows her brains out.

Even Superman’s character gets bumped up from PG to PG-13 status in this flick. His relationship with Lois gets a modern, adult rendering, best illustrated in an early scene where the pair of them are alone in the Fortress of Solitude, swapping innuendo about the best way to do the horizontal tango without inflicting too much bodily harm to Lois. (What fanboy hasn’t pondered the physical mechanics of super-sex?)

But hey, sometimes a more adult tone is necessary for a story to be properly told. Even if it is a cartoon story.

Utilizing their extra length of chain, DC animations guru Bruce W. Timm, along with co-writer Duane Capizzi and co-director Lauren Montgomery, let their freak flags fly, spending a good fifteen minutes on Doomsday’s swath of destruction and Superman’s lovin’ troubles, before placing Supes and Supes-killer center stage in Metropolis for their legendary showdown.

And what a showdown it is. If nothing else, I would say that the 10+ minute slam-fest between Superman and Doomsday alone is worth watching. Forget The Incredible Hulk vs. The Abomination; Supes vs. Doomsday is the real clash of the titans. In just three punches it becomes apparent that Timm and Montgomery totally get the characters they’re playing with. Cars, skyscrapers, moving trains, the very ground underfoot, all become party favors for Superman and Doomsday to knock each other through, bash each other with, or crush one another with. This is everything that Superman fans WANT to see: two guys who can’t be hurt going to ridiculous lengths to hurt one another.

Of course by now we all know how the Superman death saga plays out: trading one last, epic, final blow, Supes takes out Doomsday at the cost of his own life. But it’s at this point that Superman: Doomsday stumbles. Unlike the comic books, where various DC heroes tried to fill Superman’s shoes until four mysterious “Supermen” hit the scene, the movie opts for an abridged story involving Lex Luthor, The Fortress of Solitude, super-clones, and, of course, Superman’s J.C.-like resurrection. None of the latter half of the movie is too atrocious; but at the same time, the story is never quite as thrilling as those initial forty minutes of action. Lucky for the film, those first forty minutes are enough to carry the rest.

The only two major gripes I have with this flick are that 1) Not one other DC Universe hero ever makes an appearance, and 2) The idiotic sub-plot explaining Clark Kent’s absence while Superman is dead.

Apparently, Superman: Doomsday takes place in an alternate reality where Supes is the lone superhero on Earth, because once he’s gone, Metropolis is overrun with emboldened criminals in the blink of an eye. No Batman, no Wonder Woman, no Justice League. Just Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson, holding down the fort. Unacceptable.

Even worse, to explain where Clark is while Superman is dead, the filmmakers chose to go with a half-baked sub-plot about Clark Kent going on assignment in Afghanistan to do some war reporting. When Superman dies, and Clark is never heard from, they figure he is just another victim of an unjust war. Yawn. (I watch animated films to forget reality, Mr. Timm, not to be preached to.)

VERDICT: If you were a fan of Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited, or any of the other DC animated series masterminded by Bruce Timm, then Superman: Doomsday is definitely worth your while. If you are a fan of pro-wrestling, and feel like that industry hasn’t been delivering a fair quotient of body-slamming mayhem lately, this flick will be up your alley, too.

DVD EXTRAS: None to really write home about. Commentary, trailers, the usual.

(Release date: September 17, 2007. Featuring the voices of Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, James Marsters, John Di Maggio, Ray Wise, and Adam Wylie.)

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