All Things Superman: An Open Discussion

[KalMart]

You must be talking about the X-Men movies or DareDevil.

You can group all three.............in this one post. Done.

 

[sithgoblin]

Here is how I would reintroduce Superman:

It would be a non-origin reboot.

I would cover his background - leaving Krypton, arriving on Earth, being raised by the Kents, discovering his powers, leaving home, exploring the world, seeing the problems with the world, creating the costume, moving to Metropolis and establishing himself - in an extended opening montage. I'm not talking opening credits here, I'm talking a five to ten minute sequence, no dialogue, just visuals and music.

After that, the movie begins. I don't know what the plot would be, but it would center on Superman and Clark. I would want the main plot to involve Superman saving us from some sort of threat, and the main subplot to be Lois and Clark using their investigative powers to solve a mystery that is connected to that threat.

One of my many problems with SR was I did not think Clark seemed like a real journalist. They played him as a fool, and I found it completely unbelievable that such a man would be able to waltz right into such a competitive job at a major newspaper. So I would want to show off his skills. Despite Singer's extreme love for Donner's universe, he forgot the verisimilitude.

My approach to Clark would be thus: he would be shy and introverted, but not a clutz. He is not the type of person to speak up, but rather you have to ask his opinion. But by keeping quiet and studying what is going on around him, his observation skills are second to none (of course this is helped by his superpowers but his peers don't know that). He is also an incredible writer, and when you talk to him he is very polite. He is the type of person to shy away from a confrontation, so despite being tall and large framed, people think he is a pushover.

Lois is a likeable ********. She is Princess Leia - a "my way or no way" attitude. But she has enough charisma that you like her anyway and do what she says.

Luthor is Bill Gates and Steve Jobs gone wrong. He started out as a technology pioneer and when his innovations took off he developed an empire around them. He is a businessman but also a genius and he takes a personal interest in all areas of his company. I imagine they would be something akin to Lockheed-Martin, a government weapons manufacturer who also perhaps have a commercial division that makes popular consumer products. Something like how Stark's company was presented in Iron Man. He is a powerful figure in the film but is not the direct threat. Most people regard him as the do Gates and Jobs. Over the course of several films would his true colors come to light.

I would want a new musical score. John William's theme is fantastic, of course. But there are other melodies that could be just as fitting. I want to explore them.

I would want the effects to be a man on wires wherever possible. No closeups of a CGI Superman under any circumstances.

And finally the costume: I wouldn't want to re-invent the wheel. It would have the same elements from the classic costume - blue tights, red cape, briefs and boots and a yellow belt. I wouldn't want the colours to be bright primary like Reeve's, but I wouldn't want them to be as dark as Singer's. I also hated Singer's leather cape and rubber \S/. I would want the cape to be more like Batman's cape in BB - velvety and flowing. I'm not sure about the \S/. I'm tempted to say metallic, but I'm not completely sold on that. I would want the costume designer to explore the various possibilities.

I would want to call it either simply "Superman" or "The Man of Steel".

 

[Christmas]

I definitely love the idea of playing up Clark's skills as a journalist. A good writer would be able to tie that aspect into the plot.

 

[GreenKToo]

Call me crazy, but If the costume design comes down to two or three choices, why not let the online fans/nonfans decide the final choice. Set up a website and let em' vote.
I'm sure whatever we picked would be a hit with the GP.
I can't think of a better way to get the fans, and nonfans, involved.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

You can group all three.............in this one post. Done.

As long as I can add all the Superman movies and Batman Begins.

 

[FaT_tONle]

At this point I doubt Spidey 4 is happening in 2011 and when it does happen I don't think that it will be a true sequel and it will star different actors and be directed by someone not named Sam Raimi.

SM4 is happening. We will probably get casting this October or November, or early next year latest. It is on the same footing as GL except they have their shooting locations down and GL may not. I'd take script problems over shooting problems any day of the week. The movie that worries me, or movies I should say, are Cap and Avengers, as they don't even start prep on Cap until October, with filming in June of 2010. That's tight. By the time they finish that it will be Fall 2010 and they will have to wrap up post while prepping Avengers. That's ambitious as hell.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

SM4 is happening. We will probably get casting this October or November, or early next year latest. It is on the same footing as GL except they have their shooting locations down and GL may not. I'd take script problems over shooting problems any day of the week. The movie that worries me, or movies I should say, are Cap and Avengers, as they don't even start prep on Cap until October, with filming in June of 2010. That's tight. By the time they finish that it will be Fall 2010 and they will have to wrap up post while prepping Avengers. That's ambitious as hell.

I hope you are right but I'm still having huge doubts.

As for the Cap and Avengers thing:

I honestly don't see Avengers coming out anytime soon and something is telling me that Cap will be delayed.

 

[solidsnake86]

I don't think spidey will meet its release date, but it depends how bad sony wants this film out. All these films are expensive and when a character like GL has a budget of close to 200 million you can see why WB is scrambling to save money for a property that might be a one shot deal. It still amazes me how some directors can keep there budget down, just look at hellboy 2.

If anything the new director for superman is probably going to be someone who can keep it under 200 million.

 

[FaT_tONle]

If GL ends up costing 200 mil and the film basically does SR numbers, which I don't know how anyone can say is below average or an underacheiving number for a character like GL, what does that really do for the franchise? Enough to launch sequels? Wasn't the case for Superman. Even with inflation, it's imperative for WB to cut their budget.

 

[KalMart]

As long as I can add all the Superman movies and Batman Begins.

Every funny-pages movie ever made....

 

[BestGirl]

If GL ends up costing 200 mil and the film basically does SR numbers, which I don't know how anyone can say is below average or an underacheiving number for a character like GL, what does that really do for the franchise? Enough to launch sequels? Wasn't the case for Superman. Even with inflation, it's imperative for WB to cut their budget.

If WOM is good then an SR-level BO take ought to be more than enough.

 

[Webhead2006]

Here is how I would reintroduce Superman:

It would be a non-origin reboot.

I would cover his background - leaving Krypton, arriving on Earth, being raised by the Kents, discovering his powers, leaving home, exploring the world, seeing the problems with the world, creating the costume, moving to Metropolis and establishing himself - in an extended opening montage. I'm not talking opening credits here, I'm talking a five to ten minute sequence, no dialogue, just visuals and music.

After that, the movie begins. I don't know what the plot would be, but it would center on Superman and Clark. I would want the main plot to involve Superman saving us from some sort of threat, and the main subplot to be Lois and Clark using their investigative powers to solve a mystery that is connected to that threat.

One of my many problems with SR was I did not think Clark seemed like a real journalist. They played him as a fool, and I found it completely unbelievable that such a man would be able to waltz right into such a competitive job at a major newspaper. So I would want to show off his skills. Despite Singer's extreme love for Donner's universe, he forgot the verisimilitude.

My approach to Clark would be thus: he would be shy and introverted, but not a clutz. He is not the type of person to speak up, but rather you have to ask his opinion. But by keeping quiet and studying what is going on around him, his observation skills are second to none (of course this is helped by his superpowers but his peers don't know that). He is also an incredible writer, and when you talk to him he is very polite. He is the type of person to shy away from a confrontation, so despite being tall and large framed, people think he is a pushover.

Lois is a likeable ********. She is Princess Leia - a "my way or no way" attitude. But she has enough charisma that you like her anyway and do what she says.

Luthor is Bill Gates and Steve Jobs gone wrong. He started out as a technology pioneer and when his innovations took off he developed an empire around them. He is a businessman but also a genius and he takes a personal interest in all areas of his company. I imagine they would be something akin to Lockheed-Martin, a government weapons manufacturer who also perhaps have a commercial division that makes popular consumer products. Something like how Stark's company was presented in Iron Man. He is a powerful figure in the film but is not the direct threat. Most people regard him as the do Gates and Jobs. Over the course of several films would his true colors come to light.

I would want a new musical score. John William's theme is fantastic, of course. But there are other melodies that could be just as fitting. I want to explore them.

I would want the effects to be a man on wires wherever possible. No closeups of a CGI Superman under any circumstances.

And finally the costume: I wouldn't want to re-invent the wheel. It would have the same elements from the classic costume - blue tights, red cape, briefs and boots and a yellow belt. I wouldn't want the colours to be bright primary like Reeve's, but I wouldn't want them to be as dark as Singer's. I also hated Singer's leather cape and rubber \S/. I would want the cape to be more like Batman's cape in BB - velvety and flowing. I'm not sure about the \S/. I'm tempted to say metallic, but I'm not completely sold on that. I would want the costume designer to explore the various possibilities.

I would want to call it either simply "Superman" or "The Man of Steel".

I do like some of what you are saying their. Some solid ideas. As for gl lets all hope it works out and is a smash hit. As for Superman, i really hope wb can get this project moving. Find the right people to take the reigns, get some solid casting and promote the film like hell to get people to see this is new and different this isnt donner's/singer's superman and all that.

 

[dark_b]

a WB movie that made a lot of money
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hangover.htm

it just shows that a movie needs to click with the GP.i was suprised that it made so much money since it is a R rated movie.

 

[Webhead2006]

Yup with the right story, crew, cast, and promoted like crazy, and if it gets a good buzz and word of mouth wb could have another huge hit with superman. If batman can do it i am sure superman can too.

 

[dark_b]

but batman begins didnt click like TDK did.
i think we can be happy if it makes IM numbers.

 

[Dark Knight]

Call me crazy, but If the costume design comes down to two or three choices, why not let the online fans/nonfans decide the final choice. Set up a website and let em' vote.
I'm sure whatever we picked would be a hit with the GP.
I can't think of a better way to get the fans, and nonfans, involved.

Brilliant idea!! Simply BRILLIANT!!

Then after we can have a nice Guinness to celebrate.....

 

[KalMart]

I don't think so. Let the filmmakers decide, and audiences can either take it or leave it......just like it is with every other movie made. Hopefully, the decision will be one that sits well with more folks than not.

 

[Webhead2006]

well that would be a nice way to do some early promoting on the film and guage fans reaction on some things.

 

[markstrange]

The problem most directors/writers have when doing a superhero script is that they approach it as if they are writing a superhero film when they should be approaching it as if they are writing any other epic adult movie. Chris Nolan did this and it is why Batman was so great.

 

[Webhead2006]

Yea it will be great if we dont get a campy/kiddy type of film, make it more mature/adult in tone but still have th stuff in their for kids and make that pg 13 rating the studio would want. So kids/teens can go to the pic.

 

[KalMart]

well that would be a nice way to do some early promoting on the film and guage fans reaction on some things.

But other movies didn't have to do that...a Superman film shouldn't have to. Of course, you'd like the marketing/buzz to seem involving and exciting, etc once the films done and getting ready for release...like with any film. But in no way should it be used to influence/affect the creative decision-making processes.

Plus, let's say you hold a poll...45% choose suit A, 30% choose Suit B, and 25% choose suit C. Naturally, you'd say suit A wins because it had the highest % of votes out of the three at 45....but how would the other 55% who chose other suits feel about it?

 

[Webhead2006]

i see your point but doing some fan things like that or other thing would be a great thing to build the buzz.

 

[KalMart]

i see your point but doing some fan things like that or other thing would be a great thing to build the buzz.

Sure, as long as you're not asking them to influence the production. Have fans log into an official site and pick the movie poster, or the like.

 

[Webhead2006]

yea that would be nice, and then maybe video blogs like some directors do these days, and maybe some web games or something.

 

[KalMart]

yea that would be nice, and then maybe video blogs like some directors do these days, and maybe some web games or something.

I would keep the 'behind-the-scenes' stuff to a minimum this time, though. Actually, I prefer that all movies keep that kind of stuff under wraps before release, but hopefully the new Supes movie will have enough stuff in it that the big stuff won't be given away in just two scenes like with SR. They need to tease more, and that only works if you can entice but still keep the majority of good stuff under cover.