Superman Returns Man of Steel: The Official Brandon Routh Thread

[TheWatcher]

I never thought I'd see a basketball team with both Brandon Routh and Dean Cain.

 

[C. Lee]

as far as actually testing out whether or not it would actually confuse the public, i don't think the studio would want to risk that.

as i said, the only example i can think of is judy dench as m for casino royale, but a lead character? if someone here has an example of a lead role being re-cast in a reboot, and it working, then please let me know.

for now, i will guess that having a lead from a previous film in a new film will cause people to assume that this is the same continuity, something nolan and co. are moving away from...

1990 Alec Baldwin/Jack Ryan THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
1992 Harrison Ford/Jack Ryan PATRIOT GAMES

 

[Zack Snyder]

I can't decide who I like more. Ford or Baldwin. I might actually lean Ford a bit more, as good as HFRO was.

Anyways, this is a wait and see game but we should know in a couple months. Will be an exciting time indeed. Exciting more, if everyone can get behind the casting choice.

 

[C. Lee]

Exciting more, if everyone can get behind the casting choice.

Nice thought.....never happen.

 

[Zack Snyder]

Ok the majority getting behind the choice then. I'm afraid with Welling, Routh, or Hamm there will be a good bit of backlash from one side or another. I kinda hope we get someone else. A lot of strong supporters for these guys, but polarizing on the other end.

 

[raybia]

Nice thought.....never happen.

Any opinions on the odds of Routh getting the role?

 

[baleheadbrasil]

Now he is more Superman than never!!!
I hope he´s coming back!
If not him,as long as Henry Cavill is not Superman,for me it´s ok!
Armie Hammer too.
We need a SuperMAn,not a SuperBOY like these 2.

 

[Superark]

1990 Alec Baldwin/Jack Ryan THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
1992 Harrison Ford/Jack Ryan PATRIOT GAMES

Just to add to this...

Michael Keaton - Bruce Wayne/Batman BATMAN & BATMAN RETURNS
Val Kilmer - Bruce Wayne/Batman BATMAN FOREVER

 

[Herolee10]

Well imho, the chances of Routh getting the role again will depend greatly on:

1. The difficulty of trying to find another suitable actor for the role. If Snyder is unable to find someone that he can settle with for the role, then BR would be like his emergency option when the time calls for the role to be filled.

2. Well it wouldn't be the first time that an actor has played the same character in two different continuities. Just look at Judie Dench who played "M" for two different Bond continuities.

 

[elgaz]

1990 Alec Baldwin/Jack Ryan THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
1992 Harrison Ford/Jack Ryan PATRIOT GAMES

Ben Affleck also played Jack Ryan in The Sum of All Fears.

Like I keep saying, the general public deserve more credit than they get - they aren't so stupid that they'll not be able to get their head round an entirely new Superman film just because the lead actor has been Superman before in a different style of film.

Hell, if people were that stupid then surely the way that Singer developed SR as a sequel of sorts to Superman II (but ignoring III and IV) would really have confused them. But no, despite the questionable storyline of Superman Returns, I don't recall one person ever saying they were confused or didn't understand the chronology.

 

[Jokers_Wild]

Any opinions on the odds of Routh getting the role?

I'd say Routh's chances are slim to none, and slim just left the building.

Seriously, this is coming from a guy that loved SR (I know I'm in the minority on that one) and would love to have Routh come back. I just think it'll never happen.

 

[RustyCage]

Now he is more Superman than never!!!
I hope he´s coming back!
If not him,as long as Henry Cavill is not Superman,for me it´s ok!
Armie Hammer too.
We need a SuperMAn,not a SuperBOY like these 2.

.... Except Brandon Routh looks just as young.

Not that I don't love Routh, but your statement is just weird.

 

[GreenKToo]

Ok the majority getting behind the choice then. I'm afraid with Welling, Routh, or Hamm there will be a good bit of backlash from one side or another. I kinda hope we get someone else. A lot of strong supporters for these guys, but polarizing on the other end.

As C. Lee said, never gonna happen. It's a nice thought tho.
Just like last time when the superman casting was announced, we'll have some who will complain constantly, and some will probably even post insulting maniped pics of whomever is cast...just wait, you'll see.

 

[sf2]

And with a few months work in the gym, he could become even more jacked up. Look at what Chris Hemsworth looked like before Thor, and Brandon is already good enough to put on the Superman suit. Appearance-wise, he doesn't look anywhere as 'boyish' as he did in Superman Returns and really has matured a lot in the past few years (and in all likelihood, will look even better by 2012). If Brandon does get to play Superman again, he might actually have a shot at dethroning Chris Reeve as far as the 'definitive Superman' look is concerned.

N i gonna agree with u!
it speaks a lot consider reeve is the ultimate superman n impossible to be replaced in my mind!

 

[Daybreak_st]

Just to add to this...

Michael Keaton - Bruce Wayne/Batman BATMAN & BATMAN RETURNS
Val Kilmer - Bruce Wayne/Batman BATMAN FOREVER

^ Also BAtman & Robin with George CLooney. Also they carried over the same Robin but replaced Batman Yet no one was confused. And used the same Alfred in all 4 films but replaced Bruce/Batman 3 times.

The General Public honestly doesn't care and isn't going to get caught up in it, they just want to see a guy who looks like Superman for the role. Not gonna care if it's a reboot or if they see Routh again, no one's gonna leave the theatre scratching their heads "but i don't understand, was it a sequel or not? What happned to the little kid?" etc. THey're just in it for a good movie and aren't going to take it too seriously either way.

 

[Gianakin_]

The difference is that B89, BR, BF and B&R were in the same continuity. People proposing Routh have to bear in mind that this situation is more like M in the Brosnan and in the Craig films, aka different character, different continuity, same actress.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

The difference is that B89, BR, BF and B&R were in the same continuity. People proposing Routh have to bear in mind that this situation is more like M in the Brosnan and in the Craig films, aka different character, different continuity, same actress.

Same character, same actress, different continuity.
What about Sean Connery in "Never say never again"? Same character, same actor, same story told again.
If they want Routh back they can find a way to work the story around him.

 

[Gianakin_]

Same character, same actress, different continuity.

She wasn't the same character. She was codename M, yes, and she was the head of MI6, but the producers have said she's another character, woman.

What about Sean Connery in "Never say never again"? Same character, same actor, same story told again.
If they want Routh back they can find a way to work the story around him.

I'm not taking a stance against Routh's casting, just pointing out that the situation here is not the same as the previous Batfilms. I agree that they can bring Routh back.

 

[LL2K2]

It's also the same thing with the first two Star Trek films (The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan):

- Different directors (Robert Wise and Nicholas Meyer)
- Different producers
- Different writers/screenplay
- Overall different storyline/plot

But...they kept the core actors (Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley, Doohan, Nichols, Takei, Koenig, and they got Ricardo Montalban to return as Khan in STII).

 

[Gianakin_]

But it was clearly a sequel, not a reboot.

 

[Superark]

^ Also BAtman & Robin with George CLooney. Also they carried over the same Robin but replaced Batman Yet no one was confused. And used the same Alfred in all 4 films but replaced Bruce/Batman 3 times.

The General Public honestly doesn't care and isn't going to get caught up in it, they just want to see a guy who looks like Superman for the role. Not gonna care if it's a reboot or if they see Routh again, no one's gonna leave the theatre scratching their heads "but i don't understand, was it a sequel or not? What happned to the little kid?" etc. THey're just in it for a good movie and aren't going to take it too seriously either way.

Yup, exactly my point! There's arguments and valid points to be made for those for or against recasting. But really, the only people it really matters to is the fanboys. They are the ones who make such a big stink about it. That's why I used BR and BF as examples because they replaced the main actor and the GA really did care because they got a movie they enjoyed and made more money in BF. They could have made the same movie in BF with Michael Keaton and it would have been the same result. The big difference there the change in tone of the movie.

The GA ia not going to really care much at all. Give them a good movie with a good cast, particularly a good Superman who looks and acts the part and they'll be fine.

 

[Zack Snyder]

Routh could have been great in a different movie of Superman. There is just a split with the fanbase on him, Welling, and now the rumored Hamm. If it were me, I would not consider any of these 3 to be honest. Wayyyyyy to polarizing of figures.

 

[treeringralph]

This whole "too polarizing" talk is frankly ridiculous. Every one of us in this thread (or on this board) will see the next Superman movie at least once.

No matter who is in the role.

We're Superman fans.

 

[Lighthouse]

It's also the same thing with the first two Star Trek films (The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan):

- Different directors (Robert Wise and Nicholas Meyer)
- Different producers
- Different writers/screenplay
- Overall different storyline/plot

But...they kept the core actors (Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley, Doohan, Nichols, Takei, Koenig, and they got Ricardo Montalban to return as Khan in STII).

Except that there were no lingering plot threads from The Motion Picture, like Superman leaving, Richard White and Jason.

I personally don't mind Brandon coming back, but you really can't compare the two.

 

[Superark]

Routh could have been great in a different movie of Superman. There is just a split with the fanbase on him, Welling, and now the rumored Hamm. If it were me, I would not consider any of these 3 to be honest. Wayyyyyy to polarizing of figures.

They are polarizing to fanboys, that's it. And honestly, no matter who they choose the fanboys are still going to see it even if they hate the said actor.