The City of Tomorrow: The Metropolis Thread

[Sawyer]

Let’s visualize here. What should Metropolis look like this time around?

Personally, I think we’ve gotten more than enough licks in on Snyder, but there’s really no doubt to me that his Metropolis lacked character.

I want the City of Tomorrow, dammit.

 

[flickchick85]

Where Gotham is all old architecture and Art Deco-y in my mind, Metropolis is primarily made up of much more modern buildings, and with more green space, sort of a Toronto/Singapore/Dubai supercity hybrid:

Spoiler: Daytime

Spoiler: Nighttime

Just take the most unique buildings from each and combine those, basically lol. But keep plenty of the green space and water!

 

[Silvermoth]

I really like the idea of contrasting with Gotham by having a bright science fictiony optimistic feel to the place. Similar to Xander in Guardians of the Galaxy



very Byrneish

 

[STARMAN]

I want Metropolis to have some personality. It's usually so dull in the movies. Not everyone likes the set design of Superman Returns but at least it was more than your basic buildings which they are in the other Superman movies. Give me something modern, a touch futuristic, sleek, and bright.

 

[Sawyer]

Honestly, as much as I love Donner’s Superman, even that was a little bit like “Oh, okay, so this is basically just New York.”

 

[Calvin Ellis]

Personally I think it should look like a mix between Superman Returns and Man of Steel. I really loved the look of the city in those movies. Mainly because Metropolis is supposed to look like New York City or Washington D.C. or Philly, meaning timeless with a few updates here and there. Although I did like it's look during the B13 upgrade.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah I think Singapore mixed with Toronto and San Francisco is the way to go. Not so crazy that it literally looks like the future but slick enough that it signifies that this is the place where innovation happens. Honestly, none of the Superman films thus far have really given off that vibe. It just looked like New York or Chicago or some generic city.

 

[Silvermoth]

I want Metropolis to have some personality. It's usually so dull in the movies. Not everyone likes the set design of Superman Returns but at least it was more than your basic buildings which they are in the other Superman movies. Give me something modern, a touch futuristic, sleek, and bright.

yeah I agree, I think in 2020 forward we can do better with showing Metropolis than just going for something new yorkish. Like, metropolis is as much a part of the story as Gotham or hogwarts or whatever

 

[AverageMan]

Sydney made for a good Metropolis is Superman Returns imo.

 

[Boy Scout]

I’m partial to Dubai.

 

[Jekecy]

I’m partial to Dubai.

It's a good baseline, but it looks fairly barren for a metropolis.

And sorely lacking in many skyscrapers, which seems wrong for a Superman movie.

 

[flickchick85]

That’s why I said Dubai/Toronto/Singapore hybrid, lol. Just take Dubai and add buildings from the others to fill it out (and green space!).

 

[Silvermoth]

Sydney made for a good Metropolis is Superman Returns imo.

yeah can’t use sydney now they would probably lock superman out after 10pm

 

[Vaibow]

Where Gotham is all old architecture and Art Deco-y in my mind, Metropolis is primarily made up of much more modern buildings, and with more green space, sort of a Toronto/Singapore/Dubai supercity hybrid:

Spoiler: Daytime

Spoiler: Nighttime

Just take the most unique buildings from each and combine those, basically lol. But keep plenty of the green space and water!

That first pic even has the scout ship debris covered over too!!

Honestly, as much as I love Donner’s Superman, even that was a little bit like “Oh, okay, so this is basically just New York.”

I was actually ok with that as New York to me back then was a cool, big old city.

Plus the new builds from the events of MOS, which back in 2013 = 8 years is enough to rebuild?/ Altho it can't look too different. Maybe if they showcase down town as rejuvenated with a modern twist that be good.

Gotham to me, in the Burton movies at least, the skyline looked painted and fake...

Sydney for returns was nice - Art Deco.

 

[Lily Adler]

How should Metropolis look in Gunn's Superman?

 

[AndrewGilkison]

I would like Metropolis to be a west coast city, like LA. Make it the brighter sunnier counterpart to Matt Reeves Gotham in The Batman.

Sleek futuristic buildings (the city of tomorrow).

 

[BobJM]

The filmmakers should create Metropolis through an amalgamation of real-life cities (not just Chicago and New York, please!) with CGI enhancement:

But don’t go too futuristic!

 

[titansupes]

Yep, Metropolis needs to be represented better here than in the past, just as much as Supes, Lois and Lex need that.

Big, bright, tall, broad, open. Futuristic, touch of art deco inspiration. Different parts of the city that have their own communities and aesthetics to whichever degree. One or two monorails. Skyscrapers with trees, just as Reis drew on the Bendis run.

Obviously this below is TOO futuristic, but this is the exact feeling Metropolis should evoke in Clark, and us.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

What if Apple or Google made a city. That's what I wanna see (Except in this case, LexCorp). So like some of the above photos, a lot of white + rainbow colors, some sections of the city with a lot of Times Square style screens and ads.

On one hand, it can be cutting edge and awe-inspiring, but if the story gets into themes of corporate influence and power in our democracy, surveillance (where Brainiac factors in perhaps), and all that, it could also framed as being a bit imbalanced, unnatural, etc.

It could be neat to see some deco influence, but without feeling old, just a retro style for new technology. For example, instead of giant golden murals on the side of a building, we have giant screens with animated murals. Instead of blimps filled with hot air, we have blimp shaped cruises or megamalls in the sky, floating with cutting edge propulsion technology.

 

[GreenKToo]

 

[Rijowhi]

Personally I think it should look like a mix between Superman Returns and Man of Steel. I really loved the look of the city in those movies. Mainly because Metropolis is supposed to look like New York City or Washington D.C. or Philly, meaning timeless with a few updates here and there. Although I did like it's look during the B13 upgrade.

Metropolis should very much look like New York/Chicago as it’s suppose to be their equivalent. Yes have a few more modern buildings but let’s keep the City looking classic.

 

[BobJM]

Metropolis should very much look like New York/Chicago as it’s suppose to be their equivalent. Yes have a few more modern buildings but let’s keep the City looking classic.

Agreed to an extent. I don’t want Metropolis to look like Tomorrowland, but would really hope we can somehow move away from New York/Chicago. Not a dealbreaker at all, but other than the shots of Madison Square Garden in The Batman, I wasn’t finding myself recognizing real-life cities beyond the presentation of Gotham.

Superman Returns was most sets and sound-stages on backlots which gave it this idyllic-type aesthetic harkening back to Donner / Reeves but it certainly didn’t feel like a city. And other than watching buildings fall in Man of Steel, I can’t recall any shots / sequences of actual city life. So I wouldn’t look those movies for inspiration.

 

[flickchick85]

View attachment 60744View attachment 60745

I want those sky walkways to feature in a live-action Metropolis to an irrational degree lol. They were in STAS, they were in For All Seasons - hell Fritz Lang had them in the OG Metropolis as well - it's time they make their way to a live-action Supes flick, dammit.

 

[Lily Adler]

I want those sky walkways to feature in a live-action Metropolis to an irrational degree lol. They were in STAS, they were in For All Seasons - hell Fritz Lang had them in the OG Metropolis as well - it's time they make their way to a live-action Supes flick, dammit.

I wonder if any modern cities have them or would they be too dangerous?

 

[flickchick85]

I wonder if any modern cities have them or would they be too dangerous?

I've seen individual sets of buildings that have them, but not a whole network. Probably because it would require all those buildings to be built/planned together, which usually isn't happening in a major metropolitan area.