An idea of what next Superman film needs

[Peyton Westlake]

There is ONE thing I have never seen anyone mention or even want to know about Supes. Why he does it. We all know he is Superman & he chooses to because he wants to use his gift for the greater good. It was never really touched on more then a thought or two. What goes on in his head.....his heart. Why an alien in our world cares so much for people he is disconnected with & has no ties to. If a writer can come up with a big time reason & show it in a film,along with showing how 'super' he can be....I think that is a starting point.

[Peyton Westlake]

Like most of you, I have waited close to 20 years for WB to get off their cans and resurrect a well know icon in Superman. He has world wide recognition & can be a cash cow for them if treated right. So, when it was announced he was coming back, I was excited. But after I sat thru a highly anticipated film, I left the theater feeling so empty. I have so many problems with this film but I'll only list 3 major ones for me.

1. In the original Superman (1978) Lex Luthor was planning to sink the west coast and sell off real estate he bought to sell and become a billionaire. In this version he wanted to use part of Superman's past to level a different coast for real estate. in over 20 years, this is the best you can come up with?

2. Superman simply 'returns' after being missing for quite awhile only to discover he has a son from Lois. The most responsible man in the world.........deadbeat dad? Of all the incredibly entertaining ideas you can come up with to make this re-launch fresh........that's it?

3. And the guts of the story was very bland. I had no 'feeling' I was even watching a Superman movie, its almost like they killed a part of me that was rooting for him to save the day. Yes, I know he did that in the airplane scene, but he also DID that in the original Superman & a helicopter scene too. See what I'm getting at? There was nothing NEW ala Batman Begins to it. We saw this 30 years ago!

The best thing to do is totally re-launch the character, but since the movie isn't old at all, its not going to happen. Singer really had no imagination or at least the writers didn't. Superman Returns got up at the plate, took a swing......but struck out.
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[spidermilk]

All a new superman film needs is a decent Enemie like, Brainiac and lots of CARNAGE n CANDY.

[Ryan]

I agree with all your statements Peyton Westlake. First I would recommend they go the Nolan route. No, not go darker. But instead seek out good source material. There's evidence of Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, The Long Halloween and even the a new Morrison take on the Joker in the 2 Nolan films. Comics must have been doing something to right to keep these characters in the media for so long. Unfortunately, I don't know if there are enough classic Superman stories (other then Whatever happened to the Man of tomorrow) for a director to draw upon. If there, hopefully someone will be as so kind to point them out to me.
My personal favourite Supes story is Superman for all Seasons and would suggest that a director makes a film that encompasses both the Smallville and Metropolis worlds, which can be seen as metaphors for the Clark and Superman identities. Meek and mild vs the big and mighty. I'd also return Luthor to some stature and restore him to a Donald Trump type mogul over the swindling weasel verison that has been seen on screen.
Lastly, and I"ve really been wondering about this and would love to hear others thoughts concerns the timeline. I'm really wondering if the Superman stories would be better off told from a 1950's point of view. I just get this feeling that setting the story in recent times, that Superman just doesn't seem so Super anymore. Would taking the story back in time to a simpler era, and making him stand out to the citizens of Metropolis and Smallville restore some of the luster he's been sorely lacking.

[Ryan]

I thought it was a good thread.

[04nbod]

they do the same thing every time, superman and lois and lex and the daily planet. There is so much more to superman and metropolis than that. I think they focus too much on Clark's day job and not enough on him as a superhero. Superman is always used as a conclusion to the crisis and very little more. Doing anything different right now would make the series feel fresh

[bullets]

I just want a villian that can go toe to toe with him in battle

[Peyton Westlake]

The mention of Nolan I think is the best thing I have heard about Superman. Just over seeing it & guiding it along is perfect I think. The Singer re-boot really left me majorly disappoinited.

[LaraLane]

Action and good special effects.Argue that you are above this if you want, but that is the truth.

[Peyton Westlake]

I think those are needed but have to be handled right.

[gdw]

Originally Posted by Peyton Westlake

There is ONE thing I have never seen anyone mention or even want to know about Supes. Why he does it. We all know he is Superman & he chooses to because he wants to use his gift for the greater good. It was never really touched on more then a thought or two. What goes on in his head.....his heart. Why an alien in our world cares so much for people he is disconnected with & has no ties to. If a writer can come up with a big time reason & show it in a film,along with showing how 'super' he can be....I think that is a starting point.

Personally, I always thought the "goodness" of Superman was what was the true "ubermench" aspect of him. That is, it came from the human influence, and his upbringing, and that showcased the best of US, rather than his physical prowess.

In other words, his "motivation" was that it was the right thing to do, and he was brought up in such a wholesome environment that it was all the motivation he needed.
He just had more ability to do it with.

[Peyton Westlake]

Originally Posted by gdw

Personally, I always thought the "goodness" of Superman was what was the true "ubermench" aspect of him. That is, it came from the human influence, and his upbringing, and that showcased the best of US, rather than his physical prowess.

In other words, his "motivation" was that it was the right thing to do, and he was brought up in such a wholesome environment that it was all the motivation he needed.
He just had more ability to do it with.

I guess you can say that, maybe that idea is implied by the Kents who raised him. I was hoping ,even if its due to the Kents, he acknowledges it somehow to someone. Makes you appreciate it more, not that we dont now, just like a touching moment from him casually.

[smoothbody]

The son of Krypton

[misjuevos]

lets see superman go into space more. there are other yellow suns.

[SuperFerret]

Originally Posted by Peyton Westlake

There is ONE thing I have never seen anyone mention or even want to know about Supes. Why he does it. We all know he is Superman & he chooses to because he wants to use his gift for the greater good. It was never really touched on more then a thought or two. What goes on in his head.....his heart. Why an alien in our world cares so much for people he is disconnected with & has no ties to. If a writer can come up with a big time reason & show it in a film,along with showing how 'super' he can be....I think that is a starting point.

He was raised by humans, and he has a very deep connection with us. If they are going this route, I hope someone realizes that despite his alien nature, Superman is one of the most human heroes out there.

[ron bond 007]

I agree misjuevos! Let Superman fly into the far reaches of the galaxy and visit other planets and solar sytems and other galaxies altogether and face enemies like Mongul,Darkseid and Brianiac and the battle station Warworld.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by ron bond 007

I agree misjuevos! Let Superman fly into the far reaches of the galaxy and visit other planets and solar sytems and other galaxies altogether and face enemies like Mongul,Darkseid and Brianiac and the battle station Warworld.

you nailed it for me!!!

The yellow sun radiation thing might present a problem after a while, though.

[Hypestyle]

i'd like to see the expanded super-family.. Connor, Kara, even Krypto.. there should be some way of doing it within the new continuity..

[Hypestyle]

... also Steel (john irons) needs to be in the future sequel, they can base it on the new Grant Morrison interpretation..

[Radioactive1980]

The main thing they need is an enemy who can stand toe to toe with Supes in a fist fight, or who is on a similar power level.
They need immense spectacle.

Brainiac, Darkseid, Doomsday.
Each getting one film each.
Using Zod again was a waste.

And definitely no more Luthor real estate plots, sheesh.

[HighFivingMF]

Originally Posted by Radioactive1980

The main thing they need is an enemy who can stand toe to toe with Supes in a fist fight, or who is on a similar power level.
They need immense spectacle.

Brainiac, Darkseid, Doomsday.
Each getting one film each.
Using Zod again was a waste.

And definitely no more Luthor real estate plots, sheesh.

But Zod is an enemy who can stand toe to toe with Supes in a fist fight, and is on a similar power level...

[combocaz]

Braniac Main Villain.

Lex Luthor

Bruce Wayne - Batman.

[Doc Ock]

Braniac. Its all I need to be happy.

[Hypestyle]

The film needs action/violence, and plenty of it.

[Changeling]

Brainiac Lex Luthor team up in the next one would be perfect.