Mark Millar to Pitch Superman Sequel

Posted on Monday, October 22nd, 2007 by Peter Sciretta

Mark Millar Superman

Last night we reported that Superman Returns scribes Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris are not coming back for the planned sequel, and that Warner Bros is now taking pitches for The Man of Steel. It will be interesting to see what writers come to Warner with story ideas. The first notable is Scottish-born comic book writer Mark Millar, who is best known for his work on Ultimate X-Men, Wanted, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, The Ultimates, and Civil War.

“My guys at CAA get into the office in about seven hours and my call will be waiting for them to talk about this. I want to revamp Superman like Hillary wants thin ankles. Revamping this franchise is what I as given fingers for and so, invited or not, I’m putting my plan together now. I’ve been asked to work on half a dozen screenplays lately, but this is the only one I have ever truly wanted. I have literally hundreds of pages of notes and sketches just waiting for this opportunity. This would be my dream gig and, as a fan, I know exactly what this project needs to work. This has to be Superman for the 21st Century, keeping everything we adore, but starting from scratch and making the kids love it as much as the 30-somethings. I would honestly write this thing for free. Anyway, my treatment is being polished as we type. Wish me luck. I want to do that Superman movie we all want to see.”

The revamp comment is reference to the Hollywood rumors that the studio wants to make a sequel which totally negates Superman Returns, much like Universal is doing with The Incredible Hulk. Warner Bros has denied this publicly, however, many believe that it is only a matter of time before director Bryan Singer leaves the project, which might allow the studio to begin from scratch.

Millar has been very public about wanting to write a Superman comic for DC for a long time now, however it is believed that his continued working relationship with Marvel and controversial comments about DC may have stalled this possibility from happening.

According to Wikipedia, Mark Millar is one of the most popular writers in modern comics, though he remains a controversial figure. His fans praise him for clever, provocative and edgy plots, which often have a social undercurrent, while his detractors point to an overuse of shock tactics and a tendency towards polemicism. He has been praised for his ability to inject new life into pre-existing characters, such as The Avengers, although he has also been criticized for his habit of always cherry-picking high-profile, big money projects.

I’m a casual comic book fan, and have not read much of Millar’s work. However, I found Civil War to be a huge disappointment, but that might be attributed to writing a comic by committee. His 2003-2004 comic book mini-series Wanted is being adapted to the big screen with James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie. The movie is set to hit theaters on March 28, 2008.

Hat Tip to Mel V
source: Millar

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  • Oh God... not Millar. I can just see it: "a 21st century take on Superman."

    Right, coming from him that means "cynical and dark."

    Although I'd LOVE to see "Superman Returns" wiped from movie continuity history, I don't think I'd like Millar to be the one to do it.

    Vic
  • mackeral1964
    Apparently, no one writing or responding so far read his very entertaining run on Superman Adventures. Self contained, single issue stories, accessible to anyone, with a clear respect for the character and mythos, and a sense of fun.
  • Def Man
    Ugh! Revamp Superman, and start from scratch like "Superman Returns" didn't happen!!!??? Why? "Superman Returns" was a great film, and why fix it if it aint broke? Warner Brothers is going to ruin Superman if they allow the same thing to happen as what happened with Batman...turning the movies into a "teen-like" movie joke!

    If you hated "Superman Returns", fine, avoid the next movie, but I really hope Bryan Singer doesn't leave the project, and actually has some say it what direction Superman should go in.

    I do agree though that maybe the idea of giving Superman a son could've been left out of "Superman Returns", and saved for when they want to step away from the series again...after doing say 3 -4 movies...till they want to revisit it again in 10 years, or whatever.
  • dan
    I think miller gets superman if you've actually read his Superman Adventures work. I say: WB give millar a chance, do the reboot, keep Routh, and lets see supes on the screen again soon.
  • KEL
    awww DUDE!!! This is AWESOME!!!!! Millar knows Superman inside AND out!!! i have total faith in him,he wrote some of the greatest Superman comics of all time back when he was writing the Superman Adventures comic that was based on the Superman animated series. Great choice,WB!!
  • I'll freely admit I haven't read his Superman Adventures work. I'm basing my opinion strictly on what he's done over at Marvel in both the Ultimate Universe and with Civil War.

    Vic
  • Mackeral
    'preciate your honesty there, Vic. Your loss :-)
  • KEL
    Vic! What brings your awesomeness here? Good ta see ya,bud :-) millar did a lot of dumb stuff in Civil War,but his work on the Superman Adventures comics are nothing short of SUPERB. I've got total faith in him.....he'd better not try anything stupid though. '.-)
  • Hey Kel, small world. Peter is a friend of mine. :-)

    BTW, can someone give me the issue numbers for Adventures of Superman that Millar was involved with?

    Thanks,

    Vic
  • Mackeral
    Superman Adventures # 16, 19, 22-38, 41 & 52

    Courtesy Wikipedia's entry on Mark Millar and the stack of Superman Adventures I have in my collection.
  • Pete
    i made it to three superman returns showtimes in the first two weeks. it already feels darker than the old superman movies, how dark do you want it? every comic movie needs to be dark now, what gives? although the fantastic four can die.
  • You know, I have no idea why people would consider "Superman Returns" bad enough to negate. Sure, I'll admit that the "superkid" idea wasn't necessary, but I kind of liked it. As long as they don't turn it into him putting on tights and a cape, and keep Superman the hero, I think it's a cool plot idea. I always wondered what would happen if Superman had a kid!

    The rest of the film was fantastic in my opinion. It was dark enough, and it brought back the magic of the first film. All it needed, maybe, was a little more action.

    Revamping the franchise, particularly so soon after the making of "Superman Returns," is a lousy idea. Keep the continuity, and if you must, write the son out of the story, giving Superman more character development. Think about it: If his son somehow dies, imagine how Superman would feel, knowing that even he, the Man of Steel, couldn't save him.
  • JCP
    One reason WB would want to reboot Superman is that Superman Returns was BARELY a box office success (I don't even know if it made a profit after all the publicity money is counted).

    There was also a significant amount of vocal animosity on blogs (and from critics) about how the film was sorta-kinda a remake of and also a sequel to Superman II, and how misguided it was of Singer to do a quasi-sequel to a movie that was released nearly 30 years ago. I think those voices wouldn't have traction if the movie had been a box-office bonanza, but it wasn't.

    I was hugely disappointed by Superman Returns, not simply because it tread so much ground already tread by Donner, Reeve & Co., but because it had massive plot problems. For instance, most of the dramatic tension was premised on something we didn't SEE and which was only alluded to obliquely - Supes and Lois having sex, and then him bagging out on her. To build all your tension on an event that takes place before the film starts - WAY, WAY before - and then never flash back to it, and never even really talk about it - and to make that event the unwedded boning of a couple that produced an illegitimate child was, to put it bluntly, stupid on at least a couple of levels. Try taking a 7 year old kid to the movie and explaining what the hell was going on without getting into a sex talk. And also try to keep the 7 year old kid awake during the long turgid parts of the plot. I tried, and it wasn't fun.

    And then Singer chose to use his pal Spacey to revise Lex...instead of picking a new villain from the large array of great choices in the cannon. And didn't make him the titan of industry Lex from the comics (the one who eventually became president of the USA) but made him much closer to the wackier criminal/con man Lex that Hackman gave us.

    Millar is, first and foremost, a comics guy. He understands the interlocking relationships between plot and character and powers and psychology and identity. Getting a strong comics voice involved made Hellboy and Batman Begins not only admired by the general populace but well-respected by the fanboy base. AND those movies were actual hits.
  • I agree that the film didn't make that much of a profit, but its production budget was ridiculous anyway. Besides, a film doesn't need to make a huge amount of money to be considered a great film. Maybe it wasn't a sucess at the box office, although it would've been accepted as a success if they didn't spend so much money making it.

    I didn't have a problem with the plot of Lois and Superman having sex. I assumed that's what happened in Superman II when they were at his fortress of solitude. So I didn't need a flash back to remember everything. And as far as him leaving, it just worked for me.

    As far as Spacey playing Lex, I agree they could've gotten another villain. However, I loved how Spacey made Lex much more sinister and evil. Hackman seemed like sort of a hack.

    I don't mind a sequel that takes what was done in the previous film and make it better for the sequel. I don't like the idea of negating a film that came out only a couple years ago (by the release time of the sequel).
  • KEL
    Look,guys,you don't mess with Superman's costume.....ever. No matter what you think of it. Guys like Spider-Man,Superman,and Batman's suits need to be left the way they are. The Superman suit doesn't need to be changed,everyone knows what Superman is supposed to look like so there wouldn't really be a point in doing that anyway. The Batman suit is just as iconic as the Superman or Spider-Man suit (which is the most faithful to the comics in the movies,yet has the most modernistic take on any superhero's suit to date,IMO),and why they're always changing it in the movies really PISSES me off!! batman should be in his comix gear,IMO,on film,with the gray shirt and pants,black cape,cowl,boots,gloves and leotard,with his yellow/gold/bronze utility belt and black bat logo with or without the yellow/gold/bronze elipse around it on his chest. His suit shouldn't be peter pan tights,but not a plastic/rubber muscle suit,either. It should be made out of the more flexible material that the F4's and Spider-Man's movie suits were made of. The batsuit inthe comics was bullet,fire,and shock proof to a degree,but didn't look like he was wearing a tank,more like a flexible bullet proof vest. Hopefully someday someone will get it right. Now,back to Superman,his suit is fine the way it is,it doesn' need "improvements" or "updates" at all. It's timeless,and his maintaned popularity over the years have proved that. So it doesn't need change at all.
  • KEL
    Sorry about that last post,guys. I thought I was responding to a pithy comment someone made about the Superman suit here,but apparently that was in another news post on this site. My bad.
  • JCP
    Dan, I hear you about the cost of production vs. box office receipts - and now question Superman Returns went grossly over budget. But that was Bryan Singer's doing - the buck stops with him. And like it or not, the studios don't care about making great films if the films don't make great amounts of money.

    I understand you're point about the sex - but you're obviously a lot more familiar with the Donner/Lester films than most viewers.

    I agree with you that doing a reboot this soon after Superman Returns is ill-considered, and that Superman Returns was far from the dramaturgical fiasco that was Ang Lee's Hulk.
  • Yeah, I mean in my opinion Superman Returns was the redemption the franchise needed after Superman III and IV. Even "Hulk" was better than those films. Superman III was the worst. Re-watch III, and you'll be grateful for Superman Returns. :) Superman III was honestly the worst movie ever made.

    Maybe SR wasn't absolutely everything it needed to be. But I think the next Superman film can be made where perhaps you can ignore Superman Returns if you'd like, or consider it a sequel.

    But like I said, I like the idea of killing his son. Great opportunity for character development for Superman. I really want a sequel to SR, where the son dies, perhaps because of a new awesome villain, and Superman gets pissed and goes ballistic.
  • clark kent
    their first mistake was hiring a homosexual to direct the movie. fire bryan singer! LOL he had super man lift an island full of kryptonite! i have nothing more to say. the movie was so disappointing. if they would let me i would help out for free on the next movie.
  • Uh, the kryptonite was not yet fully formed through the island that he lifted. That's why he went so far into the ground to dig it out. The kryptonite eventually reached him, as it kept growing, but by that time he had already gotten the island out of the atmosphere, and it almost killed him then, remember?
  • mike
    mark should just stop now i mean look at WANTED it was bad-ass now its a faggy fuckin hero story about upholding justice... jesus fuckin christ thats some bullshit!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Cassy
    Please reboot Superman! Superman returns was a bad bad bad movie!
    Don't change the original custom colors, Newer villains maybe Darkseid!
    Routh was OK, just the script! Free Superman from Singer! Look what he did to X-Men! X-Men should be wearing their original custom! but I like Professor X! Right choice!
  • My simple opinion...

    If they decide to start over with a new idea, a fresh darker approach ... they should really consider finding a new superman. Brandon Routh seems like a nice guy and all, but he is little cheesy and bland. Same with Spacy and Kate. Why cannot the producers, writers, and director go with an Alex Ross approach. Make our beloved character an actual superhero. Give him large broad shoulders ... Hell, why not find a body builder at a random gym and see if he can act. Please do not go with another silly television heart throb for little girls to sell tickets. Get a brute, a man with a jaw, with structure. Someone that resembles strength and enables us to believe that he could actually be able to punch through a wall, to handle himself in situation involving incredible powers that could easily destroy Metropolis.

    Please let us take this DC universe in the proper direction. Again, let's have a hero that appears to be bold, powerful, and visually strong. We should really consider staying away from Brian's flamboyant soap opera.

    The Man of Steel should represent the inner strength in all of us. I feel that the next installment of Superman should be a type of hero that we all want to be, down deep inside. A figure that demonstrates self-sacrifice, reaching out to help the less fortunate and humbly does so without expecting anything in return. Do not bring back his child, do not make another love story between Lane and Kent. "Been there done that". In fact, no Lex ... maybe a cameo, but do not center the story around an stale conflict that everyone is bored of. Instead, please consider directing a movie about Superman that produces a figure that children and even older alike could look up to and be inspired by. I think Donner came close, but we need more suspense, action, and a factor consisting of FEAR. We need a threat that, perhaps touches us in reality. No simple cliches dealing with large Robots with green kryptonite. Why not introduce a new threat. Bring in an alien agenda that has thirst for aggression. Something that overwhelms Supes to the point of his demise. Not Doomsday, Darkseid ... let's get a new visitor, or should I say visitors. "Something original".. Something the fans will be excited about.

    Bring in a 'War of the Worlds' scenario. An alien invasion with huge ships destroying our planet. Make it so disastrous that it consumes the viewers inner fear to the point of suffocation, which in turn relies on our appreciation of The Man of Steel. Show death, show destruction, make people feel uneasy about it. Scare people ... I think this will enable the viewers to seek help from a godlike figure, a higher being.


    "Our Superman"
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