One of the first pieces of online film journalism to truly legitimize the profession was Drew McWeeny’s September 2002 evisceration of a J.J. Abrams script for a film eventually referred to as Superman: Flyby. McWeeny, then working for Ain’t It Cool News under the name “Moriarty,” ripped apart Abrams’ script so completely, and in such a public forum, that he is widely credited for killing the film. To this day, the piece is a fantastic read.
This was before Superman returned and before Batman began. At the time, Warner Brothers was hoping to reinvent their superhero franchises with filmmakers like McG and Brett Ratner. They couldn’t know that the man who would eventually revitalize Batman was already working for them or that their Superman screenwriter would do the same for Paramount and Star Trek years later. This wasn’t the J.J. Abrams of Mission: Impossible or Lost. This was the Alias and Felicity J.J. Abrams.
Years later, we’ve got a tiny glimpse at what might have been if Abrams’ script got made, as well as another huge “almost” in Superman movie lore. Special effects guru Steve Johnson, who was responsible for revealing the Tim Burton costume tests for a failed late Nineties Superman reboot, posted a gallery on his Facebook with concept art for different Superman costumes as well as some sketches of Doomsday, who apparently was being considered as a villain if director Bryan Singer got a second crack at the Man of Steel after Superman Returns. Check them out and more after the break. Read More »
Marvel seems to be getting all the attention as of late, but what about the DC Comics film adaptations? Where’s the love?! With the recent buzz ramping up for the now-in-production big screen adaptation of Green Lantern, I thought this video might be in order. Videoprototype has created a eight and a half minute video tribute to the movies which have been produced from DC Comics/Vertigo Comics, which includes everything from V for Vendetta to Catwoman, Watchmen to Constantine and Superman Returns to The Dark Knight.
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Superman Returns is not a film known for being butchered at the hands of the studio. Indeed, to the best of my knowledge, the theatrical release actually was a Bryan Singer-approved cut and absolutely free of any controversy (well, this kind of controversy at least). This hasn’t stopped some dedicated fans from launching a campaign to get a new cut of the film released on DVD and Blu-ray.
They’ve even gone so far as to cut a trailer for this non-existent release, which you can see embedded below the break, as well as dream up a whole set of special features they’d like to see on the disc.
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Yet another rusty nail has been driven into my hopes and dreams the coffin of a potential Brian Singer Superman Returns sequel. Talking to Omelete during a Scott Pilgrim set visit, Brandon Routh has admitted that his multi-movie contract with Warners Superman franchise has lapsed. Their original story is in Portuguese, but my IT-abetted attempt at a translation will follow after the break… with a little bonus ‘good news’ about Routh’s upcoming picture Dead of Night.
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/Film reader Alex Litel just sent me a link to a password protected page from the official Legendary Pictures website that lists “Superman Unleashed” as one of their upcoming films in development. The temporary plot synopsis included follows:
“Ramping up the action of its esteemed predecessor, the sequel to ‘Superman Returns’ promises to raise the stakes and take the audience to heights of action that no other superhero movie can achieve.”
So there you have it… Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros and DC are still working on a Superman Returns sequel, and not a complete reboot. The film will not be titled The Man of Steel, but instead Superman Unleashed.
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Okay so Superman Returns didn’t make Dark Knight money and Clark is rightfully pissed off. But that wasn’t enough cause for Supes to tamper with The Dark Knight’s Bat Symbol…
I’m not sure the origin of this picture. We found it on Superpunch, who found it on Say it Backwards, who found it on a random message board. Someone points out a visable mistake: that the superman symbol would project backwards into the clouds. Or could it be Bizarro who was the one who was behind the shenanigans?
Variety’s Anne Thompson posted another update on the status of the next Superman film. Basically, no one knows. Warner Bros wants to make another movie, but weren’t happy with the last film. Bryan Singer is still technically attached, and has promised to go “Wrath of Khan” with the sequel, but I don’t think Warner wants a sequel. And a unnamed executive admitted that “it might be better to start from scratch.” It seems to me that we’re looking at the equivalent of a game of chicken, with neither the studio or Singer willing to move out of the way. The interesting sentence in Thompson’s update is this one: “Today I was told that it is a priority at the studio to find the right direction and if Bryan Singer is willing to do that, fine, but if he gets in the way, he may not stay on the project.”
Some have told me that Singer’s deal is that if he wasn’t brought back for the sequel, he would be paid for the work he would have done. I’m not sure if that is the case or not, and even if so, I’m not sure why Warner Bros is hesitating. Comic Book movies are hot right now, and they need to strike before the inevitable downward turn hits. I was one of the few who liked Singer’s Superman Returns despite the flaws. However, It seems clear to me that people don’t want a sequel to Superman Returns, but they do want a Superman movie. It seems to me like the best thing to do is to hire a new director, and let Singer save face by bringing him on board as a producer. The new director can’t be George Miller, but someone young who will have a new take on the classic superhero. Hire Jonathan Nolan to write a script. Try to recapture the magic of The Dark Knight. After all, what would Superman look like in the Nolanverse?
Let’s hope Mark Millar sticks around the movie business for many years, and not only because the guy gives great quotes. With the adaptation of his Wanted comics raking in considerable bank and an adaptation of Kick-Ass on the way from director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake), Millar is not allowing a Superman Returns revamp to vanish from his broadening Hollywood map. In fact, in this latest candid interview with the Daily Record, Millar sounds as if he’s setting a dunkirk into action that would see Bryan Singer relieved of his directorial duties…
“Since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to reinvent Superman for the 21st century,” said Millar. “I’ve been planning this my entire life. I’ve got my director and producer set up, and it’ll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think. The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost [a good chunk of change], but in 2011 we’re hoping to restart it. Sadly I can’t say who the director is, but we may make it official by Christmas.”
Ding Ding. Just back in March, Singer confirmed he was meeting with writers with the intention to direct a more action-oriented and less nostalgic sequel. In April, Legendary Pictures chairman, Thomas Tull, cryptically pitched the sequel, tentatively entitled, Superman: The Man of Steel, as “Superman as more of an angry god.”
We speculated then that Tull wasn’t referring to an adaptation of Millar’s Superman: Red Son, his celebrated 2003 comic book that reimagined Supes originally landing to Earth in the Soviet Union rather than in America. “Superman meets Stalin Summer 2011,” yeah, that would pack in the U.S. Crocs set. But Millar seems to have a “detox” vision all worked out. Also, note that while his latest announcement seems incredibly assured, he added…
“But fingers crossed [a Superman revamp] could work out, that would be my lifetime’s dream.”
Did the guy speak too soon about announcing a director then? Before he could convert Wanted‘s success into industry muscle, Millar was making similar comments in 2007, when he announced his Superman “remake” pitch to Warner Bros…
“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.”
Personally, I hope Millar gets his wish from the Zoltar machine. Take for instance, the The Incredible Hulk, which has come to be viewed as a success in the eyes of most geeks, but didn’t rack up enough grosses or pop culture clout to overshadow Ang Lee’s prior film. In the end, the new Hulk was not an obvious-enough departure. They didn’t exploit the fact, directly or indirectly, that most people felt burned by the earlier version. There was never an “oh shit!” defining moment in the many trailers, so Web attention once again diverted to the Hulk’s tweaked CGI. A new Superman is even trickier.
Bryan Singer was allowed to make his dreamy passion project using one of the most commercial characters ever. That overpriced mush just didn’t fly. Let’s move on. Singer and another $250 millon isn’t going to solve the problem. That’s like Ang Lee remaking Hulk at the demands of fans. To be frank, Millar knows a lot about “oh shit!” moments and what gets people chattering in this day and age, and he clearly loves the character’s mythology as much as Singer. Why not have him in the driver’s seat for the entire process? More on this as it develops—somebody from WB has to refute/confirm Millar’s latest info, right? Man, what do you think Brandon Routh is thinking about all of this back and forth? It’s neverending.
Oh and you gotta love Millar’s fight for his right to live in Scotland and not relocate to Los Angeles….
“If I lived in LA I’d just write like everyone else. My pals over there are all on their second wives and do drugs. It’s a world I don’t want my kid to grow up in. I’ve been married since I was 23. I have a really normal set up.”
UPLATE UPDATE: Monster post! Millar posted an update regarding his comments above on his site’s message boards (a thanks to Obsessed with Film)…
“PS: That Superman news is interesting, isn’t it? In the interests of clarity (because I’m sure this will be picked up somewhere) a very well known American action director heard about my love of Superman, approached my and asked me to team up with he and his producer to make a pitch for this. We’ve been talking for several weeks now and, if this is going to happen, we’ll know by Christmas. He has huge pull at WB so fingers crossed. But this is nothing more than a huge US name pulling me into his fold and making me part of a package.”
Hmmm, a big name American action director with conecs at Warner Bros. George Miller is a no. I think we can mark through Michael Bay, Gore Verbinski, James Cameron, Robert Rodriguez and Brett Ratner. Tony Scott’s British.
Discuss: Any guesses as to what director Millar is referring to? Should Millar get a shot at a Superman Returns “detox” or would you rather see Singer fired up for a sequel? Who’s your ideal choice, if not Singer? Purely hypothetical: would you like to see Timur Bekmambetov’s take on the iconic ‘S’ after Wanted? We’re not endorsing, but it would be interesting.
