Making Superman More Than a Superhero Movie

[Frodo]

I think the main thing to move beyond the Donner film and SV. They were good but you can't be bound to them. It's time to move on.

Examine unexplored area's of the mythos. Move Superman beyond the two dimensional boy scout and really give the characters humanity and depth. Don't use Lex or Zod as the villians in the first film for once. Use villians such as Metallo, Brainac, Parasite, Darkseid , Morgan Edge . Villians that could pose a real threat to Superman and Humanity.

Bring the characters into today's world. Our world . Not a 1940's sort of world but 2010 or 2011.

How is the character still relevant ? Why does the world need Superman? ...and I mean real answer to that question not just the question itself i.e Superman Returns. How would the world react to someone like Superman? What kind of people would Clark Kent and Lois Lane really be in the 21st century ?

I think those questions need to be dealt with to make the film more then just a Superhero film. Overall , I think we need to get beyond the simplicity of the characters represented in the last few films and really make these characters flesh and blood people .

If you think about, Clark has to lie to the woman he loves about everything he is. You've got to think that for someone like Clark it would be a painful thing to do and he would feel guilt about it. Not the wink and a smile to the audience like we've seen in the past. He carries the burden and the legecy of an entire civilization on his shoulder's. He's trying to live up to the expectations of two species : Kryptonian's and Humans. He's alien but in his heart he is a human and at times the two don't reconcile. He is afraid of letting people down. He has god like abilities.

I mean with all of that baggage he should be one of the most interesting characters not the simplist as he appears to be headed from SV and SR. I think they really need to work with that .

 

[NotFadeAway]

You're right up to a point.....

But, by that same token, Superman is also a disguise. He must pretend to be calm, collected, and capable whenever in the midst of the general public - even when conflicted with doubt.

The thing I mean when I say that Clark needs to be the real person is that Clark is the toned down version of Superman. He's the one that get's to make jokes and relax. NO MORE of that nervous and jerky Clark that so many think he needs to be to cover his tracks. In fact, the more Clark stands out in a crowd, the more likely it is for everyone to figure it all out. It's best for Clark to be as a real a person as possible while letting Superman be more or a pose when dealing with the public.

Thank You, this needs to be the mindset going into the next film.

And besides, there have already been movies with Superman as the real person and Clark as the disguise. It's only smart and fair to go the other way now.

 

[Webhead2006]

That is some good points, i said it before i would really like to get out of the donnor setting and get more modern 80s/90s mythos brought in like corp lex, etc........ I dont want to see supes film history to be forever the donnor universe. yes i do like donnor's first film and superman 2, i can care less for 3,4, and SR.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

They need to find a balance. It's really that simple. Someone with a great knowledge of Superman, Pre-Cris, Post-Crisis, movie and comics, needs to come along who can not just put what THEY want on film, but find a balance amongst all the source materials to put the best distilled version of Superman they can onscreen.

Honestly they could just start with Byrnes and beyond to give us the kind of movie we need.

 

[stargazer]

That is some good points, i said it before i would really like to get out of the donnor setting and get more modern 80s/90s mythos brought in like corp lex, etc........ I dont want to see supes film history to be forever the donnor universe. yes i do like donnor's first film and superman 2, i can care less for 3,4, and SR.

Donnor? Who's that?

And you don't care about the Donnerverse? So you don't like the crystal FOS in your favorite show? lol

 

[The Guard]

Honestly they could just start with Byrnes and beyond to give us the kind of movie we need.

No, they need to find a balance. Period.

 

[Webhead2006]

Most i do like the crystal fos design/look. That is one element i do like that is still around from the donnor/silver age. I just dont want to see future superman movies still being stuck taking the character in the same take of the silver age material. It would be nice to get to see live action film series have corp lex/political lex, different take on who is the mask clark or superman, etc........

 

[stargazer]

Most i do like the crystal fos design/look. That is one element i do like that is still around from the donnor/silver age. I just dont want to see future superman movies still being stuck taking the character in the same take of the silver age material. It would be nice to get to see live action film series have corp lex/political lex, different take on who is the mask clark or superman, etc........

It's DONNER..

 

[DavidTyler]

It's DONNER..

It's a TYPO.

Web has written 'Donner' before and I think we can make small allowances here for that kind of mistake.

Guard,
A balance up to a point. I want a blend.

I want Byrne's Krypton. Period...

I want the Kent's alive

I'm OK with Waid's having Clark doing some global wandering in search of his place in it.

I want the animated series Clark (w/a bit of Dean Cain and George Reeves mixed in there somehow) as well as the animated series Superman (with just the barest hint of Chris - I felt his Superman was ridiculously naive.)

I want a strong Lois ... not unlike the Lois from the animated series blended with Margot's deleted scene that was editted back into SII. I also want a bit of Teri mixed in. I love her Lois.

I want a Perry like the blustery bear of a man in the comics .. or the animated series with a bit of Lane Smith.

I want the Jimmy from the animated series or Lois & Clark.

Lex has to be Corporate Lex. There are no two ways about that. He's so brilliant that he figured out how to make himself untouchable. Marv Wolfman hit the nail on the head when reinventing the character and it totally makes sense.


but all this isn't what the thread is about. It's supposed to be about how to make this more than a superhero flick.

The answer for me is to keep the characters as real world as possible without miring us down in the doldrums of the everyday. Superman needs to be less of a boyscout and more connected to the world around him. He's seen too much to be naive. The plot needs to be challenging - not just to the characters but to the audience as well. I would say that the plot could stand to be topical.

And spend more time with Clark than previous films. Don't allow him to be just a cover for the guy in the cape. He should be someone we can relate to.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

It's a TYPO.

Web has written 'Donner' before and I think we can make small allowances here for that kind of mistake.

Guard,
A balance up to a point. I want a blend.

I want Byrne's Krypton. Period...

I want the Kent's alive

I'm OK with Waid's having Clark doing some global wandering in search of his place in it.

I want the animated series Clark (w/a bit of Dean Cain and George Reeves mixed in there somehow) as well as the animated series Superman (with just the barest hint of Chris - I felt his Superman was ridiculously naive.)

I want a strong Lois ... not unlike the Lois from the animated series blended with Margot's deleted scene that was editted back into SII. I also want a bit of Teri mixed in. I love her Lois.

I want a Perry like the blustery bear of a man in the comics .. or the animated series with a bit of Lane Smith.

I want the Jimmy from the animated series or Lois & Clark.

Lex has to be Corporate Lex. There are no two ways about that. He's so brilliant that he figured out how to make himself untouchable. Marv Wolfman hit the nail on the head when reinventing the character and it totally makes sense.


but all this isn't what the thread is about. It's supposed to be about how to make this more than a superhero flick.

The answer for me is to keep the characters as real world as possible without miring us down in the doldrums of the everyday. Superman needs to be less of a boyscout and more connected to the world around him. He's seen too much to be naive. The plot needs to be challenging - not just to the characters but to the audience as well. I would say that the plot could stand to be topical.

And spend more time with Clark than previous films. Don't allow him to be just a cover for the guy in the cape. He should be someone we can relate to.

Nicely said.

However on the point of balance, through Brynes and beyond... previous adaptions were tweaked and updated already. No real need to go that far into exploration. It needs to be a modern take. PERIOD

 

[8wid]

Here's an idea, don't make Superman so damn powerful. So many viewers don't like his character because he is basically an unchallenged god. Also Luthor needs to be the central villain with various clones that Superman has to stop at different times.

 

[Webhead2006]

that is what i would like take byrne-current stuff and find that right balance of what each of those eras made the character so good and go there. As for donnor/donner yea it was a typo, sometimes i type a message to quickly and didnt notice i made the mistake.

 

[GreenKToo]

Here's an idea, don't make Superman so damn powerful. So many viewers don't like his character because he is basically an unchallenged god. Also Luthor needs to be the central villain with various clones that Superman has to stop at different times.

I agree to an extent, but I dont want him depowered to the point that he looks too weak tho.
IMO, his strength level/limit in the next film should be somewhere in the neighborhood of lifting something like an aircraft carrier or a supertanker. Thats still hella strong, just not Island heaving strong.

And when he does lift objects as heavy as what I mentioned above, it should really show him straining. I'm talking beads of sweat on his face type of straining.

We've had the godlike superman in several films now, maybe its time they bring him down a notch or so in the next film so the public can relate to him. They are the ones who will make or break the film after all, not us.

 

[dark_b]

hard to say how powerful he should be . but not like in SR

 

[Webhead2006]

Yea there is so many ways they can go about his power levels in future films.

 

[The Batman]

No, they need to find a balance. Period.

QFT

Its interesting that following this post, people continue on with the "I WANT this" or the "it has to be done THIS way" posts like its some surefire way of making a hit movie.

 

[GreenKToo]

Everybody has their own ideas about what they want to see in the next one.
The one thing that most of us do agree on is that we want a supervillain and we want a couple of knock down drag out fights.

 

[BestGirl]

Here's an idea, don't make Superman so damn powerful. So many viewers don't like his character because he is basically an unchallenged god. Also Luthor needs to be the central villain with various clones that Superman has to stop at different times.

Superman's powers will probably have to be toned down a bit, just because if he fights a supervillain of equal strength their battle would destroy the earth.

QFT

Its interesting that following this post, people continue on with the "I WANT this" or the "it has to be done THIS way" posts like its some surefire way of making a hit movie.

I don't see any problem with saying "I WANT this" since everyone has their own vision of what a perfect Superman movie would look like. We've all got a right to our own opinion. Saying "it has to be done THIS way" is rather silly, since multiple approaches to Superman's world could probably succeed.

 

[The Batman]

Superman's powers will probably have to be toned down a bit, just because if he fights a supervillain of equal strength their battle would destroy the earth.



I don't see any problem with saying "I WANT this" since everyone has their own vision of what a perfect Superman movie would look like. We've all got a right to our own opinion. Saying "it has to be done THIS way" is rather silly, since multiple approaches to Superman's world could probably succeed.

I know people have a right to an opinion...thats why SHH has a message board. But speaking your mind while coming off as a 5 year old wont help people respect your position....

 

[Fresh Prince]

For this to happen Superman needs to be treated more then just a hero. Have a villian for him to face that can go toe to toe with him so we can get the real dangers he in. Have Superman deal with being an alien trying to find his place in society. Returns they had a good idea but messed it all up with over doing it and making Superman like Jesus.

And good actors play the roles they make the movie be good not just the script it self.