Mark Millar's Many Thoughts On Superman

[I Am The Knight]

I do and i love his movies. I just hate him for Superman after seeing SR.

Well, I was just making a comment on fandom in general.

 

[bosef982]

Whether the film was critically aclaimed or not, the film just was not the film a lot of us ... and I do mean a lot ... had hoped for. It was dreary, dull, and turned the characters into people we had a hard time recognizing.

As to whether Singer re-invented the Superhero film, I seriously doubt that. He may have made Hollywood take notice that superhero films can be done without camp ... but he wasn't the first. We had Darkman (not a comic book character but definitely a superhero), we had Blade, even Burton's original Batman was certainly a far cry from the sixties camp (although I often accuse it of being a comedy). Singer didn't reinvent so much as take the costumes away so that the buying public wouldn't equate them with their four colour origins and allow for a serious story to be told.

And, just because I'm being honest here, if it weren't for the Wolverine, the film probably wouldn't have done all that well.

Wolverine didn't direct the movie, did he?

Wolverine didn't write the script, did he?

Wolverine wasn't directing actors, was he?

Why was Wolverine the main focus on X1?

Singer expressly states that Rogue and Wolverine were the two best choices for the "rookie character" that allows the audience to enter the world of the X-MEn.

Wolverine made the movie successful because Singer directed it as such. The amount of denial so many people are in on these boards is just plain idiotic and ridiculous.

Wolverine was the reason that movie was good -- okay, so? Who made the movie? Who made the decision to focus on Wolverine? Who cast Hugh Jackman? Who directed Hugh Jackman?

Bryan Singer.

Darkman was not a major hit. Blade abandon it's comic book backgrounds and embraced a more horror aspect -- it was easily translatable.

X-Men was the first colorful superhero group translated to screen in our time.

And if you consider B '89 a comedy, but a drama against others...well then, you have an issue. If a movie can only be defined by what it is not or what it is against then you have a serious issue. Very serious issues.

Anyway, Superman made as much money as Batman Begins.

If Begins is a success, Superman must be too. Same amount of people turned out. Oh well...

 

[SuperDaniel]

Like i said, Singer was great with X-men but Superman is just a totally diferent character and Dc a completely different universe and requires a man with a knowledge outside of the Donner movies to understand that.

 

[stargazer]

That's stupid.

You'd take a novice screenwriter and a total newbie to film over an established director that, whether or not you like it, created the modern comic book genre film with X-Men, redefined it further with X2, and then also introduced a new Superman take with SR that was critically received very well and also earned as much money as Batman Begins did, if not more.

Not to mention having made a film that earned multiple oscar nominations, and even one win.

Yeah, that's smart.

I swear, humanity's devolving.

I know exactly how you feel.

Not that I disagree with your post, but the comments Millar made on what he would with Superman were for a comic book reboot, not a film. He posted them on his forum in 2004. It just gives us a rough idea on what he would do if he ever wrote a Superman movie.

With that said, I would love to see him go back to DC after his contract with Marvel ends, and be able to write his Superman story with Bryan Hitch.

Well, on the first page of this thread, there is a link to a very recent interview to Millar, and what he says is extremely unprofessional and egotistical, so I completely agree with Bosef.

Millar's quote:

"I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think. "The Superman brand is toxic after that last movie lost 200 million, but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it".

And he also says that he wants to reinvent Superman, which I totally disagree with; Superman should remain classic and timeless, IMO.

I really dislike this guy. Superman Returns toxic?? WTF! He forgot to say that the film has good reviews and that it made nearly $400 mill WW, which is nothing to sneeze at. And more people went to see SR than BB.

 

[bosef982]

You guys will probably get your wish. Singer probably won't do MOS -- but I fear the day they announce who will...

 

[SuperDaniel]

As long as it`s not Singer, McG, Tim Burton or Brett Ratner, i`ll be happy.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Well, on the first page of this thread, there is a link to a very recent interview to Millar, and what he says is extremely unprofessional and egotistical, so I completely agree with Bosef.

Like I said, I don't disagree, I was just stating that the comments he made about his views on the character, were for a comic book reboot.

 

[charl_huntress]

Well he won't have the same writing crew.

It's going to be hard for any writer to create a great sequel from the poor story in SR.

 

[bosef982]

Like I said, I don't disagree, I was just stating that the comments he made about his views on the character, were for a comic book reboot.

Yeah, I get that.

But I was speaking about his interview -- the subject of this post.

Also, let's judge this man's artistic integrity:

Look at what he allowed to happen to his own comic book novel, WANTED. Look at what he lauds and glorifies and says is so great.

That movie is "inspired loosely" by WANTED. Yet, he let his name be attached to it.

If he is so unfaithful to the source material in his OWN work, imagine how he'll be with someone else's?

 

[stargazer]

It's nice to see someone actually acknowledging what Singer has done for comic book movies. These days it's all "Singer suckz" whining. I've noticed the same thing done to Raimi over time. 2 very well done, very well received movies, and then a third one that is "controversial" and people start screaming for their heads. People go "Praise Nolan, Praise Favreau!!" but wait till they make a movie they don't like.

Even if you don't like SR, give the man some well deserved credit![/quote]

So true.

But you know what? I'm new to message boards (due only to SR, since I liked the film so much), but I think I kinda regret having done that; I've realized that people on message boards are so extreme and I see so much hyperbole here. I wish I never knew about places like this sometimes, my life was so much happier before it. I don't really understand all this hate for SR, all the people I know who saw it liked it, and some even love it, and they all agree that Brandon was perfect in the role.

 

[bosef982]

It's nice to see someone actually acknowledging what Singer has done for comic book movies. These days it's all "Singer suckz" whining. I've noticed the same thing done to Raimi over time. 2 very well done, very well received movies, and then a third one that is "controversial" and people start screaming for their heads. People go "Praise Nolan, Praise Favreau!!" but wait till they make a movie they don't like.

Even if you don't like SR, give the man some well deserved credit![/quote]

So true.

But you know what? I'm new to message boards (due only to SR, since I liked the film so much), but I think I kinda regret having done that; I've realized that people on message boards are so extreme and I see so much hyperbole here. I wish I never knew about places like this sometimes, my life was so much happier. I don't really understand all this hate for SR, all the people I know who saw it liked it, and some even love it, and they all agree that Brandon was perfect in the role.

SR is by no means perfect, but it is a helluva good movie, even more so if you take all the pitfalls it could've fallen into.

Make Superman relevant to a Batman's society?

Wow...that's just hard.

 

[Showtime]

It's going to be hard for any writer to create a great sequel from the poor story in SR.

I disagree on both counts.

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

It's going to be hard for any writer to create a great sequel from the poor story in SR.

If someone can write X-Men 3 with all those plot-threads left from X2: X-Men United, then the Superman Returns sequel can be written (and currently is).

Find a better argument...

 

[DavidTyler]

Wolverine didn't direct the movie, did he?

Wolverine didn't write the script, did he?

Wolverine wasn't directing actors, was he?

Why was Wolverine the main focus on X1?

Singer expressly states that Rogue and Wolverine were the two best choices for the "rookie character" that allows the audience to enter the world of the X-MEn.

Wolverine made the movie successful because Singer directed it as such. The amount of denial so many people are in on these boards is just plain idiotic and ridiculous.

Wolverine was the reason that movie was good -- okay, so? Who made the movie? Who made the decision to focus on Wolverine? Who cast Hugh Jackman? Who directed Hugh Jackman?

Bryan Singer.

Darkman was not a major hit. Blade abandon it's comic book backgrounds and embraced a more horror aspect -- it was easily translatable.

X-Men was the first colorful superhero group translated to screen in our time.

And if you consider B '89 a comedy, but a drama against others...well then, you have an issue. If a movie can only be defined by what it is not or what it is against then you have a serious issue. Very serious issues.

Anyway, Superman made as much money as Batman Begins.

If Begins is a success, Superman must be too. Same amount of people turned out. Oh well...

Fair enough on your Wolverine points. Still, those are decisions any film maker would have given serious consideration to. Millar, being a writer, would probably agree with that. When you write, you need to have a focus for your story.

However, I didn't bring up Darkman up because I thought it represented a 'hit'. I brought it up because it took the superhero premise seriously decades before Singer had his hand in anything.

My reason for including Blade in my post had everything to do with what you reinforced. They took the character, stripped him of his four colour origins and presented him to the public as a serious character. This predated Singer again.

Singer may have taken his vision of stripping comic book characters of their colourful costumes from any number of places to allow him to present serious stories but he wasn't the first and certainly didn't reinvent the genre. He was, admittedly, a contributor and a helpmate in bringing it to the public, though.

And, possibly, he may just be embarrassed by the costumes and just wanted to downplay them. He certainly downplayed Supes costume by darkening it and reducing the size of the chest emblem.

 

[charl_huntress]

I don't really understand all this hate for SR, all the people I know who saw it liked it, and some even love it, and they all agree that Brandon was perfect in the role.

IMO, I think most of it has to do with the fact that it took 20 years, several false starts, and there was a lot of hype surrounding Singer directing SR. I was excited because I still think the man did some fantastic work on X1 and X2. Yet, when the finish product was released a lot of hopes were dashed. I was furious because I could see that Singer did exactly what folks said he would do...and I gave him more credit for understanding the character. But, he did what most said he would...he turned Superman into a lonely, ****ed up, isolated wretch. To make matters worse, he turned him into a deadbeat dad and super stalking lurker.

I feel extremely passionate about Supes at times, so it galled me to that happen to him...on the big screen

 

[DavidTyler]

IMO, I think most of it has to do with the fact that it took 20 years, several false starts, and there was a lot of hype surrounding Singer directing SR. I was excited because I still think the man did some fantastic work on X1 and X2. Yet, when the finish product was released a lot of hopes were dashed. I was furious because I could see that Singer did exactly what folks said he would do...and I gave him more credit for understanding the character. But, he did what most said he would...he turned Superman into a lonely, ****ed up, isolated wretch. To make matters worse, he turned him into a deadbeat dad and super stalking lurker.

I feel extremely passionate about Supes at times, so it galled me to that happen to him...on the big screen

And this is what a lot of Superman fans felt after seeing SR... me included.

BTW, my GF is not a comics fan and hated SR. She loved X1 and BB, and especially Daredevil.

 

[stargazer]

But that still wont solve the problems of the first movie like Superman being too afraid to do the right thing, Superkid, Richard...etc That what she meant, i guess.

Superman too afraid to do the right thing?? where? I saw NOthing like it. And since I don't have a problem with Jason or Richard..oh well.

 

[The son becomes]

Meh, I find this extremely unprofessional and disrespectful...basically outlaying your political plan to oust the current director and take over the franchise.

I totally agree, it's disgusting. What he's doing could jepordise the future of any Superman film being made. Having this kind of person working on the movie is what worries me about a reboot.

SR Sequel = Superman 2010
Superman Reboot = ?

 

[charl_huntress]

I disagree on both counts.

LOL...I know you do Showey.

If someone can write X-Men 3 with all those plot-threads left from X2: X-Men United, then the Superman Returns sequel can be written (and currently is).

Find a better argument...

^^


Obviously, someone could come along and write something, but will a sequel to the dismal storyline in SR be any good? IMO, I don't think so.

 

[Showtime]

LOL...I know you do Showey.

Obviously, someone could come along and write something, but will a sequel to the dismal storyline in SR be any good? IMO, I don't think so.

I think people like:

Christopher McQuarrie, David Hayter, Orci and Kurtzman, and David Goyer would be able to tackle a sequel no problem.

 

[LostSon88]

Whatever...I don't take stock into anything this guy says.

He also was "confident" that Jim Caviezel was cast as Superman in Superman Returns.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/supermannews.php?id=1950

Just to hammer home how confident I am as regards my source (pretty much as good as it gets), I will personally write a cheque to charity for 1000 dollars from my Wolverine royalties (Wolverine 20 and 21 out October 2004) if Jim Caviezel isn't cast as Superman on the day principal photography starts. Warners may have a couple of PR stunts planned prior to the final announcement, but this is a bet that Jim C is standing there in a Superman costume once the cameras start rolling.

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

^^
Obviously, someone could come along and write something, but will a sequel to the dismal storyline in SR be any good? IMO, I don't think so.

You don't think so simply because you didn't like Superman Returns. So it's "impossible" to come up a good plot in your mind. It doesn't matter what Singer & Co. will do because you've already made up your mind.

Again...find a better argument...

 

[stargazer]

IMO, I think most of it has to do with the fact that it took 20 years, several false starts, and there was a lot of hype surrounding Singer directing SR. I was excited because I still think the man did some fantastic work on X1 and X2. Yet, when the finish product was released a lot of hopes were dashed. I was furious because I could see that Singer did exactly what folks said he would do...and I gave him more credit for understanding the character. But, he did what most said he would...he turned Superman into a lonely, ****ed up, isolated wretch. To make matters worse, he turned him into a deadbeat dad and super stalking lurker.

I feel extremely passionate about Supes at times, so it galled me to that happen to him...on the big screen

Exactly. All the fandom (well not all. I'm sure the Welling fans weren't happy at all) was REALLY HYPED about a new Superman movie, plus they all have very strong views on HOW a Superman movie HAS to be made to a T. But the GP was not hyped that much, myself included since before SR I was part of the mainstream. I was glad that a new Superman movie was being made but that's it, I was living my life as usual. And of course, I never read the comics before ( now I do, thanks to SR), all I knew was the Donner films, the cartoons and the George Reeves tv series.

And guess what? I absolutely LOVED SR. I thought it was a very serious and mature take on the character that was reverent, epic and beautiful.

And Singer didn't turn Superman into a deadbeat dad or a stalker. Superman didn't know Lois was pregnant, and Superman didn't take pleasure while spying her; he just wanted to know how she was in her 'supposedly new and happy new life with Richard'. It was shocking for him to find Lois in a relationship and with a child. Also, there has always being the factor of alienation in this character, and even Donner incorporated it in STM. Remember when Jor-El and Lara were saying farawell to baby Kal? Lara clearly said that Kal-El would be different, and that he would feel alone and isolated being so different to the rest of the people of Earth. Singer just expanded on it. He made Superman more interesting and gave him more depth, IMO. I think the GP liked this film more than the fans.

And this is what a lot of Superman fans felt after seeing SR... me included.

BTW, my GF is not a comics fan and hated SR. She loved X1 and BB, and especially Daredevil.

I was part of the gp and loved SR. I also liked X1. BB not so much. And Daredavil.......haven't seen it I don't even care to.

You don't think so simply because you didn't like Superman Returns. So it's "impossible" to come up a good plot in your mind. It doesn't matter what Singer & Co. will do because you've already made up your mind.

Again...find a better argument...

Exactly. I see so much potential in SR for great and really epic sequels as well.

 

[charl_huntress]

I think people like:

Christopher McQuarrie, David Hayter, Orci and Kurtzman, and David Goyer would be able to tackle a sequel no problem.

For my two cents, I think the elements Singer added are going to prove to be serious hindrances to a successful sequel, and even those writers would be challenged to resolve the emotional turmoil from SR. Unfortunately, none of the elements Singer & Co. added did anything to further the character or enhance Superman. They were added to enhance the message Singer wanted to say about Superman, but the character got left adrift.

 

[charl_huntress]

I was glad that a new Superman movie was being made but that's it, I was living my life as usual. And of course, I never read the comics before ( now I do, thanks to SR), all I knew was the Donner films, the cartoons and the George Reeves tv series. And guess what? I absolutely LOVED SR. I thought it was a very serious and mature take on the character that was reverent, epic and beautiful.

To be honest, I'm glad that there are folks out there who like SR. I don't like it, but I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't. I, personally, do not think SR is a good portrayal of Superman, or a particularly good movie based on a comic book super hero. Yet, anything that creates more Superman fans is okay in my book.

And Singer didn't turn Superman into a deadbeat dad or a stalker. Superman didn't know Lois was pregnant, and Superman didn't take pleasure while spying her; he just wanted to know how she was in her 'supposedly new and happy new life with Richard. Also, there has always being the factor of alienation in this character, and even Donner incorporated it in STM. Remember when Jor-El and Lara were saying farawell to baby Kal? Lara clearly said that Kal-El would be different, and that he would feel alone and isolated being so different to the rest of the people of Earth. Singer just expanded on it. He made Superman more interesting and gave him more depth, IMO. I think the GP liked this film more than the fans.

I've debated all these points before, so I'm not going to rehash them again. We disagree, and we'll have to leave it at that.

You don't think so simply because you didn't like Superman Returns. So it's "impossible" to come up a good plot in your mind. It doesn't matter what Singer & Co. will do because you've already made up your mind.

Again...find a better argument...

We disagree..leave it at that.