If you believe Nikki Finke (and really, she’s right more than she’s not), then we may see a Christopher Nolan Superman film before we see a Batman 3 flick. Finke’s Deadline Hollywood is running a story saying that Nolan has been brought on board to resurrect the franchise that took a bit of a downturn following the Superman Returns release. If Finke’s inside contact it to be believed, the next Superman film won’t be a followup to Returns, but rather something completely different.
I wonder if Warner Bros. really knows what they want from a Superman film? Sure there are some fantastic stories to draw from, and with a lot of influence from the four color pages found in The Dark Knight, Nolan should be able to cobble something together that would work for Superman, too – What Ever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? anyone?
The bigger question that isn’t answered in the Finke piece is, “will Nolan direct?” At this point it doesn’t look like he will be, but throw enough money at someone, and if they have a vision that only they can carry out, I’m sure he would come on board. Even if Nolan doesn’t direct, there are plenty of fine directors who understand the comic book medium and how it works or doesn’t work on screen. Heck, I could see Kevin Smith giving a go and making it work if given the right story.
Who do you want to see direct the next Superman film?
19 Comments
The Kevin Smith Superman Lives script from way back when was actually very good in my opinion.
My question is, can we just have an origin montage or flash back and have a real Superman story, with someone other than Lex Luthor as the villian?
Goverment Conspiracy story of Superman vs Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad, anyone?
Superman Returns suffered from, in my opinion, the wrong director (as well as a sub-par story). Singer was the right man for the x-men films, based on his orientation and the x-men’s status as the persecuted minority of the Marvel U.
I find Singer a great director for the right stories. (The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite films). He was simply all wrong for Superman.
In addition to the right script, a Superman film needs a director who can approach the story from the proper life experience, mindset. He needs to be someone who can envision himself as the invincible, invulnerable Christ-figure that Superman often is.
May I suggest… Mel Gibson?
WOW. You really caught me off guard with Mel Gibson. lol
Did we really just suggest that Singer was good at X-Men but not at superman because he’s gay? That’s a dangerous route to go down.
Its definitely an ignorant route to go down.
“Superman Returns” was simply a bad script. Portraying the “Worlds Greatest Superhero” as just a guy in tights who doesn’t have the balls to be a father or make a commitment turned him into a whiny dip-sh&t and made the focus on the movie more “Is the kid his or not?” Superman on Maury Povitch being told “You ARE the baby’s daddy!” was simply a bad story.
I’m not very “hip” on movie directors. However, I think that people would relate more to the character with some tie-in to the “Smallville” series, since it has a fan-base already. I agree that a “reboot” of the origin should NOT be a part of it. Have the movie pick up the point where “The Blur” (Lord that gimmick SUCKS!!) puts on the tights and red cape and simply kicks ass a’la Iron Man and “The Dark Knight”. Don’t bog the story down with some pseudo-psychological babble or having him knock Lois up and make it a movie where at the end the viewer says “DAMN! Now THAT’S what a super-hero should be!” Take the Supes v. Doomsday animated movie and adapt it to the “big screen” and I’d love it.
And as an old “Worlds Finest” reader, I like the photo!
Kevin Smith? Yeah that would be so much better than “Superman Returns”. We could always do with more talking and exposition because Smith sure is a visual director. Lets hope that never happens. Smith to me is better left at his dick jokes and not doing comics. And yes I read his modest attempt at a Superman script.
I’d prefer a visual director and one that’s not American like Alex Proyas. The script is ok if Kevin Smith gives it a polish but not on the director’s chair.
All I have to say is Jon Hamm as Kal-El!
This is fantastic news if true.
Frank Miller directs an Alan Moore script. No one knows what’s going on, but it looks so cool.
A lot of people hammered Miller for “The Spirit,” but I like it and still enjoy his directorial style. At the very least, he wouldn’t deliver the touchy-feely wimp we’ve been getting in the past films.
agreed, the spirit really wasn’t as bad as people make it out to be, I think people had been itching for the opportunity to yell at Miller for Millerizing Eisner’s spirit.
That said, I hear Sam Raimy’s not doing anything.
I happened to like Superman Returns, I may be the only one. I always viewed the Superman franchise as a bit ‘flamboyant’…at least when compared to Batman (obviously), so Singer was spot on in my opinion. I believe Nolan…or even Proyas, as mentioned, might make Supe much darker than he should be. Its my own ignorance…but I will forever instantly associate Nolan with Bats, and Proyas with Dark City. Would either one of these guys get me into a theater to see a Superman film YES!…might I be a bit disappointed when I left…maybe.
In my humble batman incensed opinion, Superman films will always be equal to a Batman movie directed by Joel Schumacher, no matter who directs.
I liked Superman returns as well, Bryan singer is a good director, just wasn’t a good writer for the movie..
There were some amazing scenes in the movie..such as superman flying off to the clouds, the silloutte image of him against the glowing sun background..bursting through the clouds with a ray of light..iconic shots, and Bryan got these right
I feel Bryan tried to do what we all feel when we think of superman, or atleast what we should be feeling..which is the realisation of HOPE… Superman gives everyone Hope, he’s the penultimate symbol of it..we need a story that captures this..
No need for a origin story anymore, superman is one of the world’s most known superheroes, let’s drive straight into the story..there was a great premise in superman returns which i wish they explored more..which is to have superman leave earth and come back to a world that has moved on..if only they went with that, and showed how much we do need him, and how much of a ray of light he is in our dark world..
And speaking of Alex Proyas, i think he would make a great director.. (not writer) but a director for the superman movie..he knows how to capture some iconic visuals in his movie and superman is all about these shots
i would like a movie where it questions superman and his views, he’s like a god who has human qualities..it would be interesting to have a movie set in the modern world where the world comes to see superman as a threat, they fear his power and how he hides in the pole with alien technology and kandor..
Why does superman still help us? though the world shuns him away? have brainiac the mastermind, or luther working with brainiac..and show how much we do need him etc..
or another idea would be how superman is compared to christ..christ made the greatest sacrifice for us, superman does this as well..and that played out as one heck of a story, make that a movie!! again, going by the route..why he continues to fight for us, is that what makes him human?
We need to go back to the previous posting of indomitable in reference to the orientation. So gay people can not relate to something because it may not be or is not a parallel to gay persecution? I really think there needs to be some clarification here. Over the years Marvel has stated that the Xmen are not a direct reference to gay people or the gay culture. The group is more in reference to anyone that is persecuted or discriminated against. I am a gay male that loves comics. The Xmen lost me a long time ago, but to blame Singer and his preferences or how he lives his life as to how he may or may not be able to direct a movie is a bad comparison. This blatantly strikes of either homophobia or ignorance. I wish that you would clarify your posting or at least apologize for this posting. I guess heterosexual directors only need to direct movies that are of a love interest between a man and a woman. Love is only relevant to that group and can not be portrayed or envisioned by anyone else that is not heterosexual.
As far as a Superman movie is concerned, I just dont think the viewing audience is in the right mind frame for a Superman movie. The movie was darker because of the times we are in. Superman has always been this uplifting, sunshiny experience. I appreciate Superman being tarnished some, but there are lots of Superman movies out there that can be told without an origin backdrop and just drop right into the action. How about Superman dies as the next movie. Great action, great emotion and leave the bitches wondering.
So since we are all doing our wish-lists…
What I don’t want.
-Smallville tie-in … *gag-reflex*
-Relation to the old continuity…*No make it fresh*
-Gritty Superman … *Do the character justice or do Lobo*
What I do want.
-Nolan actively producing … *fuck yeah*
-Origin movie … *I’m serious, I’m not saying: make it all origins and beginnings. But start when the ship crashes or maybe even start on Krypton*
-Have Luthor be the villain(or feature him anyway) and make the movie as much about his growth ad as Kal-El’s *If you really want to make’ the movie its going to be all about who Supes IS. Juxtapose the two… All-Star is a perfect example.
Superman returns suffered from having the wrong actors- they didn’t really look like Superman and Lois Lane, they looked like two high school kids dressed up as Superman and Lois Lane.
And I also found the film to be flat out boring. I never felt like anything really happened in and it really bugged me that Luthor didn’t get any form of comeuppance in the conclusion.
In regards to Luthor, I agree totally. We have had 3 or more movies where Luthor was the villian, a 2 TV series where he is the antagonist, and several cartoons which reguarly featured Luthor as the villian.
No wonder few people outside of comic fans can name any Superman villians. Heck, have Luthor in it, but in jail and as a red herring. “I KNOW you are behind this Luthor! Only you would be so deranged as to….” yadda-yadda-yadda… reveal real bad guy in the third act.
PLEASE NO MORE LUTHOR!
Personally I enjoyed the Superman Returns movie very much. I was able to see it in Imax with 20+ minutes in 3D. Excellent. But I agree that it’s time for a reboot. Let that be the closing chapter on the “Christopher Reeve” Superman films.
As for who should direct, definitely not Kevin Smith or Frank Miller. Christopher Nolan would definitely be a candidate, but the studio should really search for the right director. Maybe someone completely new.
Lex Luthor has also been overdone. Maybe use him but only as a launching vehicle for Metallo and the Parasite; not just as the only villain. Brainiac would be great also.
Obviously Superman is a character that alot of people care about given the large number of comments posted.
Naw man Luthor is almost just a name in the movies …
And just cause the name has been used doesn’t mean the character has been used properly. And the first movie builds the character. We have to watch Lex get smacked around in Smallville at a time when Clark is sitting down to dinner with ma and pa Kent. Because we need to see the jouney to metropolis for Clark and this includes Lex. And we do need the origin, if Superman starts out self assured he could as well be a giant douchebag..has he questioned himself, learned something for himself..been taught anything of value? Or is he just arrogant..why is he flying around all colourful and eager to intervene? Besides we need an origin to clean the slate… there’s been too much reboot’ery. Not saying it should take up all the movie and is 45 minutes of 3 hours really that much?
But yeah we really need to get some Metallo, Parasite, giant spider in there..I want a fight scene dammit!
My ideal treatment of Superman would be an adaptation of Tom De Haven’s novel IT’S SUPERMAN, which recasts the whole story during the Great Depression (i.e, when Superman was actually created). Clark Kent is a kid from Kansas who ends up hitching across the country (and gets the costume from a short-lived Hollywood career, when he plays a man from Saturn in some Z-grade movie), Lex Luthor is a corrupt New York City alderman (there’s no Metropolis), and Lois Lane is a real “fast broad”.
I love the novel because it mixes in the real social problems of the era (racism, poverty, et cetera – remember that the original Superman beat up slumlords) with crazy action and killer robots.