Sequels Details for the Superman Returns Sequel That Never Was (From Michael Dougherty)

[BH/HHH]

I'm sure I'd have wanted it but now I'm glad we didn't sounds awfully depressing to me.

I do like that Superman kicked some ass but mostly it just sounds awful.

Would have been great to see Routh again though

 

[Superark]

I agree for the most part, I just can't see Superman killing his own son. That's just totally wrong/too dark for a Superman film. I'm pretty sure a similar storyline could work but without killing a child. Superman is hope after all, he should be able to find a way to save his son and the world at the same time.

But yeah, I would have loved a sequel like that, and most of all, I just really wanted Brandon back as Superman in another film because he's perfect in the part.

That part I do have a problem with, although I understand the connection they were trying to get at with it (Jesus/God).
But the rest of it sounds pretty great. We have to remember, it was just an outline. Ideas and storylines radically change in the script writing phase.

 

[BH/HHH]

I personally think it sounds messy and again it seems like Superman is a supporting character rather than the main attraction something I hope they put right in the Man of Steel.

 

[titansupes]

I dig aspects of this treatment. A Kryptonian/group of Kryptonians coming to Earth, without being outright evil (at least at first or whatever) is really interesting. It reminds me of All-Star Superman with Bar-El and Lilo.

A non-Alien or robo Brainiac? Nah.

Superman killing? And killing his own son, no less? Yeah, uh...nah.

 

[sepharih]

I think i'm with the general consensus on this one.

There are elements of this script that actually sound really cool. The thing I REALLY like the most about it is, like the Dark Knight, it really stops skirting around some of the things you kind of just take for granted in most superman stories and really charges right into them.
Why can't Superman "interfere" considering he's already interfering somewhat everyday he puts on the tights? Why can't he just stop all armed conflict all over the globe and make sure everybody plays nice? Really really tough and interesting questions that would make for a pretty poignant story.

Things really start getting really weird around the third act though...and by the end it lost me. It's the same problem I had with the "why the world doesn't need superman" subplot in returns that never actually went anywhere. You charge right into some pretty serious questions about the nature of Superman.....and then you don't really answer any of them. Having this new kryptonian turn out to be Brainiac feels less like a plot twist and more like a cop-out because 1) it kind of leaves me confused on Brainiacs motivations for saving the earth before destroying it. 2)If the only negative consequences of interference wind up being that the saviour turns out to be an evil lying pschopath...that still doesn't answer why Superman wouldn't do it.

Oh yeah...and the whole Supes killing his son....not buying it. That was definitely a rewrite waiting to happen where Brainiac realizes his super aging process has gone to far and Jason distingrates in front of Superman after relishing in the fact that even to save earth, Supes won't cross that line.

All in all, I won't miss this one too much.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

I don't think it sounded too bad. I'd rather Brainiac would have just killed Jason through spite but, meh, better than Returns.

 

[Superknight]

I think i'm with the general consensus on this one.

There are elements of this script that actually sound really cool. The thing I REALLY like the most about it is, like the Dark Knight, it really stops skirting around some of the things you kind of just take for granted in most superman stories and really charges right into them.
Why can't Superman "interfere" considering he's already interfering somewhat everyday he puts on the tights? Why can't he just stop all armed conflict all over the globe and make sure everybody plays nice? Really really tough and interesting questions that would make for a pretty poignant story.



.

This was actually already done in Superman IV when Supes began collecting all the nuclear weapons and threw them into the sun....

 

[Blue Hero]

Yeah, there are elements I like as sepharih said. I'd have liked them to actually answer the question of why Superman can't do what Brainiac did--because to do that he would have to end freedom, he would have to become a tyrant. What's wrong with telling a story that has that kind of freedom vs tyranny message?

But overall the story sounds rather heady, depressing, contemplative and self important like the last one. You need to have an element of "fun" and "cool" with Superman--not just dramatic and action-packed. Anyway, I think Zack Snyder's Superman will fix that.

 

[The Eradicator]

Now that MoS is out, I have to say that I would have much preferred Singer's sequel to SR, albeit with some modifications. And given Singer's track record with sequels, I really think going forward with the reboot was utterly pointless. To be honest, SR did decent BO - WB should have just kept their expectations in check. I think the real reason they didn't go through with the sequel to SR was because they wanted to make Superman dark, hip, and modern, and therefore favored a reboot.

This plotline potentially could have gone into Dark Knight territory without actually dumbing down the character - too bad we'll never see it though (unless the MoS series ends up going down the crapper and some other director decides to revive the Donnerverse years later).

One thing I would have liked is Brainiac also bringing the Eradicator program to Earth (yes, I'm biased), and at the end of the film, the Eradicator turns on Brainiac and decides to help Kal-El. The Eradicator manages to get Brainiac out of Jason's body, but in the process, ends up taking over Jason's body permanently. In other words, Jason becomes the Eradicator's bodily host.

Edit: I think the original link at IESB was taken down - for anyone who is interested, that plot outline can still be accessed here: http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=133489

 

[death-lord]

That plot line sounds fake I mean they said that they didn't even have a plan that and the fact the supes would do that TO HIS OWN SON is freaking disgusting

 

[death-lord]

Now that MoS is out, I have to say that I would have much preferred Singer's sequel to SR, albeit with some modifications. And given Singer's track record with sequels, I really think going forward with the reboot was utterly pointless. To be honest, SR did decent BO - WB should have just kept their expectations in check. I think the real reason they didn't go through with the sequel to SR was because they wanted to make Superman dark, hip, and modern, and therefore favored a reboot.

This plotline potentially could have gone into Dark Knight territory without actually dumbing down the character - too bad we'll never see it though (unless the MoS series ends up going down the crapper and some other director decides to revive the Donnerverse years later).

One thing I would have liked is Brainiac also bringing the Eradicator program to Earth (yes, I'm biased), and at the end of the film, the Eradicator turns on Brainiac and decides to help Kal-El. The Eradicator manages to get Brainiac out of Jason's body, but in the process, ends up taking over Jason's body permanently. In other words, Jason becomes the Eradicator's bodily host.

Edit: I think the original link at IESB was taken down - for anyone who is interested, that plot outline can still be accessed here: http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=133489

That sir is stupid it makes supermans efforts pointless Jason is still dead

 

[The Eradicator]

That sir is stupid it makes supermans efforts pointless Jason is still dead

It's way better, and more sensible, than Superman killing his own son. That would have been way too dark and depressing for the Superman franchise.

Anyway, what you read was just a basic plot outline - it's what Singer had pitched to WB. There was no script yet at that point, and I am confident that if the film had gotten to script stage, many changes would have been made to that initial outline anyway.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I'm so glad that Bryan Singer was never permitted to go near Superman again, and that I never have to worry about Routh's blank-faced, emotionless character boring audiences in another movie.