ComicBookMovie:5 things that need to be done to make a good Superman movie. (long read)

[blue collar]

www.comicbookmovie.com/news/?a=22182

I agree with just everything he said. I definitely believe that Nolan and company need to forget the Donner movies and start from the beginning.

[FINatic 13]

I actually liked Spacey as Lex. It wasnt his fault the script was shotty.

Superman is really tough to do though. He's my favorite character too though

[SkinsTerps26]

how about not do another one?

[hp703]

No.

DC < Marvel

[blue collar]

Superman is really tough to do though. He's my favorite character too though

Mine too, but you're right. He's a very tough character to do.

[rincewind]

The 3rd point is correct. This character is boringly powerful beyond the point of anything Hollywood should touch. I would love to see the Silver Surfer fly in and just kick his ass.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

The problem with Superman is that there is only one real plot.

The world is going to blow up because of some McGuffin....and Superman needs to stop it...but the bad guy has Kryptonite.

You can't do a small-scale story (which, in reality, is what The Dark Knight had), because anything short of the world blowing up is 15 minutes work for Superman.

You can't find new and interesting ways of making him vulnerable...because his mythology is frozen in Amber.

And, you really can't build the film around a villian, because his rogue's gallery is rather weak.

Here's an idea for tv show. I don't think it could work for a movie.

"Luthor." Make the show about Luthor and have Superman be a bit character.

(I will say that the first two movies were pretty damn good. I just think they took the character as far as you could).

The only other thing that could really work is to have Superman married and - I don't know - be blackmailed into leaving Earth or something. That was basically the Dr. Manhattan plot in The Watchmen though.

[Mr. Sinister]

Superman is to bland a character to garner a huge following/succesful film nowadays, I view him and Captain America as one in the same. There is simply not enough substance with his character.

[ECU-ALUM]

This exchange in the first film is how Lex Luthor should be characterized.

Superman: Is that how a warped brain like yours gets the kicks by planning the death of innocent people?

Luthor: No by causing the death of innocent people.

That's it right there! Have that be Lex's credo and that is a great villian.

Not to mention the most challenging thing is finding someone who is not only willing to play such an iconic character but have to deal with endless comparisions to Christopher Revee.

The last challenge (IMO) trying to come up with a new theme for him. The John Williams fanfare is so recognizible.

[MumboSauce]

I never understood the amount of hatred toward supes, I guess people like under dogs and tragedy ie batman. I love Bruce don't get me wrong(peak of human intellect, physicality, no powers), but I like Clark too..I think they both have their place.

I'd definitely like to see a Superman movie on the silver screen done right and I agree with some of the points but not all. It's the same stuff writers run into ie, how to make a superman book be interesting and last longer than 2 pages because he's so powerful most fights should be over in a page or two lol. I don't know if de-powering him is the answer, but the level of his opposition, needing a larger threat ie Doomsday, Darkseid etc. need to be tougher instead of environmental crap and petty criminals. Hurt those close to him(been done) introduce Kara maybe Idk. Instead of scaling it back I think you make it more over the top a threat from space, aliens anything. I think making the story or the man too basic and simple and depowered would kill it more.

[Burgold]

I might go the complete opposite way. What if you traveled back to the 30's when Superman was first introduced. He's Hercules. He can jump pretty far, but can't fly. He's got no x-ray vision or heat vision. Bullets bounce off of him, but he can get clobbered by one of Luther's robots.

Set it in that world, in a simpler more black and white time. Put him in a world without jets and computers and lasers, but in a world in which something simpler would be far more explosive. Have Superman be in reality that really naive Kansas kid who grew up on idealism and had no access to the world through tv or the internet because it doesn't exist. Let him be exposed to the city and man's ugliness and reject it because he believes in a really pure and really simple truth... the American way of justice for all.

[Pick6]

I think to give it edge like The Dark Knight or that Hollywood appeal, someone should model a screenplay after The Death of Superman novel.

[Spartacus87]

Not to mention the most challenging thing is finding someone who is not only willing to play such an iconic character but have to deal with endless comparisions to Christopher Revee.

The last challenge (IMO) trying to come up with a new theme for him. The John Williams fanfare is so recognizible.

The Christopher Reeve comparisons need to stop on their own.

He was great for those Donner films, but it's time to let that go. Part of the problem with Bryan Singer's Superman Returns was that they casted Brandon Routh largely because he closely resembled Christopher Reeve.

Reeve isn't the blueprint for the character. The blueprint is in the graphic novels and comic books. Just base it off of that.

They also need to stop using Lex Luthor. That's completely played out and Luthor really can't do anything at this point that we haven't seen already. He can be in the movie just fine, but not as the main villain or some sniveling side villain played light heartedly.

I also don't think you'll hear the John Williams theme used in the new Superman film. Chris Nolan didn't want to use the Danny Elfman Batman theme for the same reason that he didn't want his Batman films connected to the old ones.

Anyone who thinks Superman is played out or done or can't be made into a legitimate big time film is really sleeping on Chris Nolan.

I would bet everything I own that his Superman film will be pretty good, and a lot different than what most of us are thinking.

[skinsfan07]

I might go the complete opposite way. What if you traveled back to the 30's when Superman was first introduced. He's Hercules. He can jump pretty far, but can't fly. He's got no x-ray vision or heat vision. Bullets bounce off of him, but he can get clobbered by one of Luther's robots.

Set it in that world, in a simpler more black and white time. Put him in a world without jets and computers and lasers, but in a world in which something simpler would be far more explosive. Have Superman be in reality that really naive Kansas kid who grew up on idealism and had no access to the world through tv or the internet because it doesn't exist. Let him be exposed to the city and man's ugliness and reject it because he believes in a really pure and really simple truth... the American way of justice for all.

That actually sounds like fantastic idea for a Superman movie.

[19Skins72]

#3 is the key imo.

If it were up to me toss out the xray vision. Toss out the freeze breath. Toss out the super running speed. Tone down his physical strength by half or more. Tone down his invulnerability by two thirds or more. And for the love of god, never allow him to reverse the earths rotation to travel through time...

You'd be left with a super hero that can fly, shoot lasers out of his eyes, is strong enough to (barely) lift a school bus, and can survive bullets but would rather avoid being shot as to him it would feel like a punch does to us.

Writers could skip the same old story lines with Kryptonite or galaxy wide threats, and concentrate on making good stores where Superman has to struggle to save the day against more compelling villians and situations.

[Spartacus87]

http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/zack-snyder-directing-superman/

UPDATE & EXCLUSIVE: I just spoke with Zack Snyder, who confirms that as soon as he completes post on Sucker Punch, he'll move right into Warner Bros' long awaited next Man of Steel movie in development with Chris Nolan and David Goyer. "I've been a big fan of the character for a long time, he's definitely the king of all superheroes, he's the one," Snyder, who directed Watchmen and 300, told me. "It's early yet, but I can tell you that what David and Chris have done with the story so far definitely has given me a great insight into a way to make him feel modern. I've always felt he was kind of awesome. I'll finish Sucker Punch and get right at it."

Hell. Yes.