Reintroducing Superman: An Open Discussion

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http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990659.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Originally Posted by Variety
WB taps into ties at DC Comics
Co. has heroes like Wonder Woman, Flash
By MARC GRASER
When it comes to superhero properties, Warner Bros. couldn't be sitting on a more enviable source: DC Comics, home to Batman, Superman and other well-known caped crusaders.

But to make its heroes fly at the megaplex, the studio knows it needs to make the right movies. The financial payoff is too big to squander with a creative misfire like "Catwoman."

"They can really be an evergreen source of enjoyment and income," says studio topper Alan Horn, referring to the coin a hit pic can collect at the B.O. and from sources like TV, homevid, vidgames and merchandise. The studio earned $1 billion from DC fare alone in 2005, when "Batman Begins" was released. "If you do it wrong, you're dead, you're out of there."

Getting out there, however, has taken time.

Warners and DC (both Time Warner entities) have labored in vain over another Superman, and launches for Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Arrow and Green Lantern. It's maddening for fans as rival Marvel Comics has successfully begun financing its own slate of pics, first with "Iron Man," then a reboot of "The Incredible Hulk" this summer.

That could soon change, as Warners is readying to revamp how DC's properties are developed -- changes that could be announced within the next month.

DC doesn't have a separate film division the way rival Marvel does, which is moving forward with an "Iron Man" sequel and adaptations of Thor, Captain America and the superhero team-up "The Avengers" for 2010 and 2011.

That means Warners doesn't have a sole cheerleader for its comicbook projects, or someone to work closely with filmmakers to develop them.

Until now, those duties have been shared by production prexy Jeff Robinov and Gregory Noveck, senior VP of creative affairs for DC Comics, who has served as a liaison between the comicbook publisher and the studio.

Some say Robinov's attention may be pulled in too many directions, given his other responsibilities, which include the rest of the studio's slate and marketing. Noveck formerly was Joel Silver's TV topper.

"We're having a lot of internal discussions on it," Horn says. "We haven't committed to any change at DC at this point," adding that both Warners and DC are committed to turning "the properties into viable movie product in an intelligent way so that we introduce them like planes on a runway. They have to be set up the right way and lined up the right way and all take off one at a time and fly safe and fly straight."

One high-profile property is "Justice League," which Warner Bros. had hoped would start production before the writers strike.

But given that it unites Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter, the studio is trying to figure out how such the pic (cast with younger actors) would affect its existing Batman and Superman franchises -- and whether the script respects how the characters play off each other in the DC universe.

To put it simply: the studio doesn't want to piss off the Comic-Con contingent.

"We're not off the notion of a Justice League," Robinov says. "There's a massive interest and knowledge in the comicbook industry and it takes time to sort of catch up and understand the characters and the history, where they've intersected with each other and what their worlds are. That's part of the education that we're going through."

When it comes to Batman, the future of the franchise is in Christopher Nolan's hands. That's what a successful reboot with "Batman Begins" and breaking records with "The Dark Knight" will do.

There's a deal for the director to helm a third pic, but he has yet to decide on whether to tackle it yet.

"We have no idea where Chris is going with this," Horn says. "We haven't had any conversations with him about it."

Either way, there's no question Warner Bros. will produce more superhero pics. The question is when.

"These are big, iconic characters," Noveck says. "So when you make them into a movie, you'd better be shooting for a pretty high standard. You're not always going to reach it, but you have to be shooting for it. We're going to make a Justice League movie, whether it's now or 10 years from now. But we're not going to do it and Warners is not going to do it until we know it's right."
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So they'll do a Superman movie when they are sure about its quality. So when they greenlited Batman Forever, B&R and Catwoman did they know that were garbages?
 
Good to hear. I love Robert Smigel...but the fact that some half-wits at Warner thought he'd be the man to tackle a Green Lantern script gives me a lovely case of the dry-heaves. Not that I don't like TV Funhouse or Triumph the Insult Comic Dog...because I do. However, him working on a script for that kind of film is the equivalent of going to a podiatrist for neurosurgery. Good at his own field...but VERY ill-equipped to tackle something beyond that difficulty.

I just hope that the estimation on some sort of an announcement in a month's time is accurate. And I hope they have a battle plan that doesn't include the stupid JLA film. Not because I'd never want to see one...but because it should be done LAST, after all the other solo pics are out. I'd preferably like to see them wait fifteen years or so after all the smoke has cleared and call everyone back to do Kingdom Come. Because that's the only thing of Mark Waid's I'd ever want to see touch the silver screen, personally.
 
I think J.L. is waaaay down the pipe judging by the way he talked.
 
I can stand the wait, as long as the payoff is worth all the time. If not, then WB is gonna be the ones that are gonna get hurt the most.
 
Did Variety really need to take that much time to write an article basically saying WB has some vague notions of making superhero movies and that Nolan is so golden right now he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants? I coulda told you that.
 
Did Variety really need to take that much time to write an article basically saying WB has some vague notions of making superhero movies and that Nolan is so golden right now he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants? I coulda told you that.

I think the actual "news" here is that they will probably announce something within a month's time.
 
^But IMO it wont be to do with Superman, I hope I am dead wrong.
 
That article seemed to say...nothing! Thanks WB and Variety.:up:
 
^lol Yep. I'm sooo tired of this non news news. Don't get me wrong after Catwoman I'm glad WB are taking there time but there is a such a thing as taking too much time. By the time they actually greenlight something not named Batman 3 I'm probably going to be 50 years old. Seesh.
 
I think GL is going to happen, baring some unforseen circumstance. It'll be the bellweather for me if WB has learned something.

1. The budget-180 max but should be around 150ish.
2. Who they cast in the movies. Still going for an irregular young cast like JL or try and put some solid actors. (It doesn't have to be Caine or Freeman level)

3. (Less important) If MoS isn't happening, then Shazam should get his spot. August was already doing rewrites. Segal is filming some movie but I think it's possible to get it ready to shoot by summer 09.
 
I'll believe WB will actually move beyond Batman and Superman when we start seeing on-set photos. Until then, :p .
 
So the only mention of Superman is that, "Warners and DC have labored in vain over another Superman". Doesn't sound too good for Big Blue right now.
 
No, it doesn't. I think we'll probably see G.L., Flash, and Supermax films before we see another Superman film.
 
So the only mention of Superman is that, "Warners and DC have labored in vain over another Superman". Doesn't sound too good for Big Blue right now.

It sounds to me like they are going to try their hand at GL and other characters and maybe come back to a Superman reboot a few years down the line.
 
IMO in the article there are a lot of lines pro SR:

"But given that it unites Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter, the studio is trying to figure out how such the pic (cast with younger actors) would affect its existing Batman and Superman franchises -- and whether the script respects how the characters play off each other in the DC universe."

We know that in the GL movie there is Clark Kent, so at WB, they probably have the plan to release a JLA movie within few years and Superman is part of the project. By now there isn't any reason to think that they want a rebooted Superman for the JLA movie.

If the want to release more movies based on the DC comics character, I bet on the fact that we are going to see more Superman movies. There is still hope for a 2010 release.
 
Yeah, that's what I was saying. That sounds like a sequel.
 
Yeah, that's what I was saying. That sounds like a sequel.

Yep. If Superman will be a reboot, why would it mention WB are trying to make other movies without affecting Batman & Superman? Especially when we know a 3rd Batman film will happend soon. If they're going to reboot Superman, the article wouldn't mention Superman along with Batman.
 
I dunno guys. We're hearing an awful lot of rumors about G.L. and Supermax but nothing M.O.S. related.
If W.B. has plans to make it, it would be wise to say so.
 
I dunno guys. We're hearing an awful lot of rumors about G.L. and Supermax but nothing M.O.S. related.
If W.B. has plans to make it, it would be wise to say so.
if there are leaks about GL then why are they no for MOS?
because IMO there is noone working on superman now.
 
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