Superman Reboot (Man of Steel)

Rico · October 04, 2010, 04:31:19 PM

Well, it looks like they now have a director and a pretty solid creative team. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Zack Snyder has been chosen to direct the new Superman movie, which Christopher Nolan is producing for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.

Snyder had been on the list of filmmakers ensconced in meetings with Nolan and Warners executives, who in recent weeks have talked to Darren Aronofsky, Ben Affleck, Matt Reeves and Tony Scott.

The job was so coveted that even Robert Zemeckis, retired to the world of performance-capture animation, considered returning to live-action filmmaking in order to nab the gig.

The Superman movie is one of the studio's top priorities, not only because it serves as the linchpin for its line of films based on DC Comics superheros, but because Warners needs to be in production on a new Superman movie by 2011 or risk losing certain copyrights to the heirs of creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Seigel. (That litigation is still pending.)

Nolan, who revived Batman for the big screen with 2005's "Batman Begins" and the 2008 hit "The Dark Knight," teamed up with David Goyer for a new a way to revive the last son of Krypton. Despite grossing $200 million domestically, the last movie about the Man of Steel, 2006's "Superman Returns," was considered a disappointment, and a hoped-for franchise launch never flew off.

Part of the problem stems from Superman's origins: The character for decades was a beacon of positive qualities, and his stories usually were painted in black-and-white. So from the point of view of a certain audience segment, Superman isn't hip enough for a time that prefers its heroes more morally ambiguous.

Goyer is writing the script, which is rumored to have, like "Superman Returns," a connection to Richard Donner's Superman films of 30-odd years ago. In this movie's case, it's a villain connection: General Zod, who was played by Terence Stamp in "Superman" (1978) and "Superman II" (1980).

Snyder has become one of Warner Bros.' favorite filmmakers since he directed the surprise smash "300," the adaptation of the Frank Miller comic book. He followed that with "Watchmen," the adaptation of the seminal Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons miniseries, and is now putting the final touches on his original work "Suckerpunch," which is slated to open March 25.

Snyder just made his animated feature debut with "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole." The movie opened softly but is generating strong word-of-mouth, with box-office receipts having fallen only 32 percent in its second week.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6935XZ20101004

loutzee · October 04, 2010, 06:22:57 PM

Superman return(was this classed as a reboot) was for me lacking in interest ,Brandon Routh was fine as the
man of steel but the story just didn't do it for me the world dull spring to mind.

Dangelus · October 04, 2010, 07:16:38 PM

Smallville is coming to an end this year. Wouldn't this be a great opportunity to base a movie on that version of Superman?

Ktrek · October 04, 2010, 08:48:35 PM

I think Snyder may be a good choice but the success will really ride on the selection for Superman. Brandon Routh was just not the strong heroic type we have come to expect in Superman. We need someone that is strong looking when in the suit and weak when not and that is a hard role to fill. George Reeves is still the best in my book but Christopher pulled it off pretty well also. Let's hope for the best. I'm just glad Routh won't be returning or Bryan Singer for that matter.

Kevin

X · October 04, 2010, 09:05:02 PM

I think Routh was fantastic as superman. I don't think the script was there, but he was by far my favorite Superman.

Meds · October 05, 2010, 03:07:31 AM

The last film crushed me. A life long Suoerman fan both in comics and film I came out of the cinema crest fallen. Script was terrible, supermans costume just awful and in general bad actor choices all around. It had some good points but it was nowhere near the quality it should have been. Ok I'm aware my live for the comics and especially Superman 2 may cloud my judgement on such things but I sooooo hope this new film will deliver the goods.

I would like to see a smallville movie, the magic is there.

Rico · October 05, 2010, 05:08:42 AM

I liked Brandon in "Superman Returns." But the movie needed to be tighter and the script needed some work. I think they spent too much time paying homage to what had come before.

My idea for a new Superman film would be to actually try something different. Pick a mid to late 30's actor for Superman. Skip the origin story (maybe just do some stuff during the opening credits) and just get right into the action & story. And I'd be daring a pick maybe a 40's actress for Lois. Perhaps deal with how Clark feels he can never have a normal life, etc. I just think to go back to the same old, young side of things all the time has been done to death.

P.S. I'd like to see an older Batman movie sometime too! :)

Ktrek · October 05, 2010, 02:13:57 PM

Quote from: Rico on October 05, 2010, 05:08:42 AM

P.S. I'd like to see an older Batman movie sometime too! :)

Yea! They could call it Batman Retired! :batman

Kevin

Rico · October 05, 2010, 02:28:53 PM

Quote from: Ktrek on October 05, 2010, 02:13:57 PM
Quote from: Rico on October 05, 2010, 05:08:42 AM

P.S. I'd like to see an older Batman movie sometime too! :)

Yea! They could call it Batman Retired! :batman

Kevin

Or, "The Dark Knight Returns" based on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Returns

loutzee · October 05, 2010, 03:14:31 PM

Quote from: Rico on October 05, 2010, 05:08:42 AM

P.S. I'd like to see an older Batman movie sometime too! :)

Well I with you Rico when you say bring back Adam West as Batman (just reading between the lines)

Geekyfanboy · October 05, 2010, 03:17:24 PM

I'm all for a new Superman.. loved all the incarnations of this story. I don't really care who directs it as long as the story is good.. that's the most important to me. And I'm with Rico they need to get away from the origin story and tell a completely different story.

Meds · October 06, 2010, 03:34:54 AM

Oh the comic Dark Knight Returns is awesome. I remember they suggested Clint Eastwood when it first came out. He's a bit too crumbly now though lol

wraith1701 · October 06, 2010, 10:10:56 PM

I'm up for a good superman movie. :)

I'd like to see it done as more a continuation than a reboot; pretend that Superman Returns never happened and continue from the Christopher Reeve films. And unlike Superman Returns, the film should acknowledge that at least a little time has passed since the events of the last Reeve film. Whoever they cast as Lois and Clark/Supes should NOT look younger than Reeve & Kidder did in Superman 2.

X · October 07, 2010, 06:13:48 AM

Quote from: wraith1701 on October 06, 2010, 10:10:56 PM
I'm up for a good superman movie. :)

I'd like to see it done as more a continuation than a reboot; pretend that Superman Returns never happened and continue from the Christopher Reeve films. And unlike Superman Returns, the film should acknowledge that at least a little time has passed since the events of the last Reeve film. Whoever they cast as Lois and Clark/Supes should NOT look younger than Reeve & Kidder did in Superman 2.

Gonna have to disagree with you here big man. The reason the last movie failed is because it was too connected to the CR Superman movies.

As fans we like to put on blinders when it comes to Christopher Reeves, but the follow up movies that were done with him in the role killed the franchise for decades. It would be nice to pretend all that didn't happen, but we can't pick and choose what we pretend. We also have to remember that most of the people that will come to see the new film won't have nostalgia to get them over the hump that is the first movies.

The Reeves movies are very dated and it's like asking for the next Spiderman movie to pick up where the Electric Company shorts left off.

We should start fresh because that's what the next generation deserves in a superman movie. If you still want to see the Reeves films, they are there, but I think that's part of the reason for the failure of the last film. There are adults that were not born when Superman was released. To continue that story is asking for trouble and Superman Returns learned that lesson well. As bad as some people think Returns was, surely you remember Quest of Peace.

Rico · October 07, 2010, 06:47:37 AM

I just want to see them get right into it. No need to do another origin story. People know who Superman is, where he came from, etc. Really no need to do that again. Just get a good story and script and some solid actors. It's kind of too bad Ryan Reynolds is playing Green Lantern, Deadpool and so on. I could have seen him playing Supes and Clark. And one with a little more experience behind him.