Superman Returns Routh interview pulled due to comment on not doing "origin" film

[Carp Man]

An movie telling the origin for the gazillionth time would be the absolute last thing on the face of the Earth I´d have any desire to see.

None of this sounded like reason to scrap the interview. Routh isn´t saying what he preferred, just what he thinks some fans were expecting.

Noone was interested in seeing this one either, but everyone knows Supermans origin. And this is just the 1st shot in the what the hell do we do next with Superman derby. The should have, could have, would have's have begun. The fun has just begun. It will get uglyer.

 

[The Kid]

it's strange

What is this movie? It's not a sequel. It's not a restart. It's just... I don't know what it is.

Now hear me out before jumping on me. I think it may have been a mistake for singer to assume the best approach was to throw in as many throwbacks to donner's supes as he could while "taking the same journey" that's been outdated for a very long time.

Did he think Donner's film was the "end all, be all" of superman?

Yeah it's very good but it's decades old. Superman can't turn back time anymore. It seems like there's little recognition given to the other journey's superman has taken for many years prior and after donner's movie. What happened to all talk about superman not being a typical angst ridden character, about being the light at the end of the tunnel? I thought he understood.

He said he wanted superman to seem like he stepped out of our collective conscious. What is this collective conscious of superman I wonder though. I mean what does it include exactly... This is why I say thank god for Nolan.

If Nolan took the collective consious approach while crafting begins, perhaps we'd have joker being the wayne's killer and batman running around with a pants-less boy wonder, since that's how batman is to many on a wide scale of consciousness. He's been seen from burton, to adam west, to BTAS. There's a lot that's been done with him but what i respect about begins, though I view it as a good start though overrated, is that it really tries to portray batman the way he was originally intended to be by his creators. I hope to see more of this with improved fight editing in the sequel.

Is what was done in returns the best idea for superman's movie career? Another sequel that no one could possibly watch and think it's in continuity with donner's film?

Someone said returns seems like a sequel to an origin film we never saw and that's really how it seems to me too. I know STM by heart so I recognize all of the throwbacks and lines taken from it, but it doesn't share the same spirit or continuity no matter how you want to slice and dice it. It comes off to me as a fan film, like those ones by sandy something... like that batman dead end one but not really close to the comic much in style or story. It's been called an elseworld tale by some around here as well, and that's really what it has to be because though it shares so much stuff with the donner movies, it's not one. Though it contains superman's name in the title, it's an episode of dawson's creek. lol, no seriously, it's just hard to place this film in any way that seems like it's a good place for superman to be at this point in his movie career. Batman's alright right now, since he's getting what seems to be a cool sequel (less cool if they cast phillippe as dent) that'll probably be the best batman movie ever made (I hope).

Well what I'm saying I think is that this is a very odd way to bring back superman to the big screen after decades without a superman movie. Maybe routh himself would have preferred to create his own version of superman or was confused while filming whether he was making a sequel or a completely new batman begins-ish superman movie and after finishing doesn't see much reason in continuing a dead franchise. who knows...

 

[Tempest19]

Maybe routh himself would have preferred to create his own version of superman or was confused while filming whether he was making a sequel or a completely new batman begins-ish superman movie and after finishing doesn't see much reason in continuing a dead franchise. who knows...

Lol, it's funny how many here don't get the quote. He never commented on Superman Returns, he didn't say whether or not he liked the finished project. Nothing can even be inferred. What he stated was that a origin movie would probably be enjoyable. Didn't say whether or not it would be more enjoyable than Superman Returns- thus, you are seriously jumping the gun on your comment that he doesn't like the finished product because he never said anything to even allude to that.

""Would you have preferred an origin based story?" Routh replied "Preferred? I don't know. I would have enjoyed it,""

Personally, to me- making any superhero movie would be enjoyable.

 

[The Kid]

Singer is the devil! He blew the chance of a lifetime, and if he's given another chance (Which he doesn't deserve!) he will blow it also, because his ego has been telling him this whole time that he did no wrong, and that it was all marketing, and pirates that beat his pathetic crapfest of a film... Singer is the Anti Christ of Superhero characters!

Please WB no more Singer, no more vague-history sequel storylines, and hire a whole new cast for the next movies...

Wait 10 years, and START OVER!
Or expand the smallville cast in 5 years to the big screen...

Anything's possible, but that's taking it too far. Singer's not the devil. I am.

 

[The Kid]

Lol, it's funny how many here don't get the quote. He never commented on Superman Returns, he didn't say whether or not he liked the finished project. Nothing can even be inferred. What he stated was that a origin movie would probably be enjoyable. Didn't say whether or not it would be more enjoyable than Superman Returns- thus, you are seriously jumping the gun on your comment that he doesn't like the finished product because he never said anything to even allude to that.

""Would you have preferred an origin based story?" Routh replied "Preferred? I don't know. I would have enjoyed it,""

I get the quote. Why else would I say maybe...


saph

 

[Tempest19]

Once again only said that it would be enjoyable, heck- making any superhero film is enjoyable. Would he have preffered it? He clearly states that he doesn't know. In other words what he is saying is that it depends on if the origin is a good origin or if the origin is an Abrams hack. Even then it's a hypothetical that has many factors to take under consideration. Never once did he bring his opinion of Superman Returns into anything he said.

 

[The Kid]

Noone was interested in seeing this one either, but everyone knows Supermans origin. And this is just the 1st shot in the what the hell do we do next with Superman derby. The should have, could have, would have's have begun. The fun has just begun. It will get uglyer.

Zod Returns. It has to be. What else could be so wrath of khan-ish other than zod returning... well, other than wrath of Luthor.

 

[FanboyX_Returns]

Anything's possible, but that's taking it too far. Singer's not the devil. I am.

I am sorry dark lord Satan... Ok Singer's just the Anti Christ of Superhero movies...

 

[KaptainKrypton]

Well I think the show's cast is near perfect, and a step above the last movie... I wouldn't mind it at all I mean they could start the movie a good 10 years after the last show so the tempo, and feel of the movie could be whatever vision the director chose because people change alot in 10 years.
So the movie wouldnt have the same exact feel of the show which is a lower budgeted show compared to a hollywood blockbuster film.
The transition would be perfect if they had the right persons making the thing... But a total restart with a whole new cast/director is good enough for me also... I just hate Singer, and his wack vision.

That's cool. I just think Smallville is a pile of **** and should be put out of its misery ASAP, but then again...tastes vary. For a show it has a decent budget, but the writing and acting is what turns me off and has for about four years now. I've never had a problem with the production values of it. I mean, personally I think it looks great. Each to his own, though. Restarting the franchise within ten years would be confusing enough for the feeble minds of the uninformed American public. Batman Begins still confuses a hell of a lot of people. When I told my co-workers that the Joker was in the sequel, the majority of them responded with something along the lines of: "You mean he's returning?" It's at this point I shake my head and walk out of the room. The healthiest and smartest thing to do for the Superman franchise at this point would be to continue and try better (for some people, I liked SR) to hit with the disappointed sector of the audience the next time around, and to not market the film like shaved apes.

 

[KaptainKrypton]

Zod Returns. It has to be. What else could be so wrath of khan-ish other than zod returning... well, other than wrath of Luthor.

I'm not sure that Singer actually meant they were going to do a retread of Khan's basic plot (returning villain from Superman's past). But I interpreted it as being something along the lines of taking the characters he feels he established and putting them in a story where the pace is quickened and the stakes are upped (if that makes any sense?). Anyway, you may be right and he may be using Zod in the next film. I personally am thinking it's Brainiac. As I've stated before, I find it too damn convenient that he chopped a $10 million scene from SR and Warner didn't give a rat's ass where the money went. Then Singer states it won't be on DVD, but might be in an IMAX re-release? Please. It won't get a re-release. This is why I'm not confident in the Zod rumors. I remember reading on these boards about the writers saying that Superman would be bringing something back with him on his sojourn to Krypton's remnants. But alas, the key scenes are nowhere to be found. Way too damn convenient for my taste.

 

[The Kid]

we can't be sure unless he tells us what he means with the wrath of khan talk. There was nothing stopping him from going all wrath of khan with this movie so I just think, and since Zod and Khan are very similar in that they'd both be after revenge, that he's maybe being a little playful with words here. Singer's very smart, we all know this. so I'm guessing he might be hinting at his future plans here right under our noses. And with what I heard about people's response to him talking about bringing zod in the next one, then with news reports of zod being cast, it's seeming for now that very likely his mind's on Zod for the sequel.

thank god for nolan.

 

[Excel]

well, da mans honest

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Superman 1 was the best an origin story could possibly be. At least until Metropolis showed up and it turned goofy.

Anyways, I'm glad this wasn't an origin movie. I'm tired of seeing Krypton explode.

Plus, they got to keep Brando, so it was awesome.

 

[The Kid]

well I wouldn't have minded getting to know martha and pa kent a little more. Heck I wouldn't have minded if pa kent didn't die, but I understand it's necessary for the story donner was telling.

Krypton exploding in returns was pretty redundant. It's cool to see but I don't really understand why it's there again other than to re-create the original explosion in cgi.

brando's dead. I think that's the problem about using a dead person's image. it's very limiting and costly to do a cgi replica like this for lip syncing in a 4 second scene to say one word. All you've got are old recordings to work with and shape your story around. So as interesting as it would be to continue the donner series, it 's unfortunately so corny and outdated being nearly 3 decades old that I personally think Superman more than begins has been long overdue for a fresh start. Some think vague history sequel's the wasp's antennas, so be it. I do believe though that it's a shame, out of all the heros to have come and gone with decent to excellent more modern comic-book incarnations adapted to the big screen superman's still somewhere in the 70s preventing luthor's next big land grab and fighting kryptonite from addis abba.

 

[X-Maniac]

I think they did that to BATMAN in the comics to stop the rumor's about Bruce, and Dick...

We all know Bruce is getting a bit of Dick on the side anyway... there's always been something strange about that set-up...

 

[Carp Man]

Zod Returns. It has to be. What else could be so wrath of khan-ish other than zod returning... well, other than wrath of Luthor.

Please. Zod ? Lex ? Old school. Superman needs young, fresh ideas to grow. Superman does not need any more old school thinking. Putting a plug in here, go over to the FF beards to see some early set pics. The fun has begun. 2nd unit stuff, but exciting none the less.

 

[Showtime]

I wouldnt want to see another origin personally, I've been spoon fed the origin tale in all levels of Superman related media. I did expect that Returns would have some more insight to Superman's origin than it did, and focus more on Smallville and Ma Kent. It didn't happen that way because of edits.

 

[lujho]

Someone said returns seems like a sequel to an origin film we never saw and that's really how it seems to me too.

Hmm. Good description. It's funny, but one of the ideas I had to "save" or "fix" the franchise is to quickly knowck out 2 or 3 films set *before* Returns. That would enable them to make the continuity make sense (ignore the Donner/Lester films completely), and tell a bunch of really cool Superman stories that are more influenced by the comics/cartoons etc.

Of course, they shouldn't do that, it would be rather pointless, and it would *still* be hamstrung by how similar Returns is to STM.

 

[lujho]

Superman 1 was the best an origin story could possibly be. At least until Metropolis showed up and it turned goofy.

I totally disagree. The Krypton part of Superman's story could be told again in a much better and different way. Show us another Krypton, another Jor-El, a different version of those events.

Smallville has less need to be re-told, but still they can show us stuff from that part of the story that we haven't seen before.

I'd probably go: Krypton (ditching the Zod stuff entirely), the Kents finding the baby in the rocket, then bam, we're in Metropolis and the caption says "25 Years Later", with Superman about to debut for the first time... or maybe he's already been around a week... or a month... or a year. Re-booting the timeline doesn't neccessarily having to show the very moment he first put on the suit yet again.

Plus, they got to keep Brando, so it was awesome.

As good an actor as he is, Brando is NOT the version of Jor-El I really want to see.

Another origin *wouldn't* be a boring re-tread of what we've seen before, not if you did it right. Besides, once you actually got to Metropolis/Superman, the story could be completely different to Superman The Movie's.

 

[Paradoxium]

Thank you Routh, for having the balls to be frank and not hide behind BS like it is marketing's fault.

Although the interview did not make it to the mainstream, thumbs way up here

 

[Kid_Kaos]

I would 've prefered an updated origin. Usually, origins and finals of any kind of series (TV or Movie) are the best and have the parts people will remember the most.

It's always funny to read how small minded some people are. There's no need to just redo what Donner did and start with Krypton. It's not even necessary to show the young Clark developing his powers. A good filmmaker/writer can make an origin without showing everything straight from the beginning.

For Example: My version would be post-crisis oriented with a bunch of new stuff. The whole story can begin with Clark on the farm, being in his mid-20s. He and Lana could have married and own their own farm but Clark just doesn't feel right hiding his powers, he wants to go public and eventually Martha and Lana help him to develop his suit and the identity. The whole glasses thing would be necessary cause Clark was born shortsighted. (By this time he would only need the glasses for reading, but he became so attached to them over the years that he just wears them all the time.) Before all of that hero stuff he would've started to work for the DPlanet, that way the whole Clark/Superman connection wouldn't be that obvious, although Clark could also wear brown/green colored contacts. To connect it with other known origins and make the sudden rise to a top reporter more logical he could just take Perry's offer (given to him in one of the SV episodes) and start doing a tryout for the DP. That way he would meet Lois and both would start out hating each other what could result in some funny dialogs. Lex would be the known businessman who already "owns" most of Metropolis but stays in the background to achieve even more (Presidency!) befor the whole Lex vs Supes story would start.
Eventually some big bad evil would show up and from there the story just could go anywhere including the eventual discovery of the FOS (that already exists) and Clarks/Supes origin could be discovered more. I would also prefer Lana to die by the hand of some villain to make way for Clark/Lois. I just hate cheesy breake-up scenes.

There's no need to take again the long absence to the fortress in a new movie version. The characters of Clark and Superman have to be developed more than like some comic or animated show that are usually more action oriented and skip certain parts.

It's not a coincidence "Lois & Clark" or "Smallville" were/are hits. People want to see how the hero comes to live - not some guy going to a freaky fortress and popping up in a funny suit some day. That may worked in the 70's but only because it was the first superhero movie and the new technics of flying were the real attraction of the movies. The stories of all movies are total waste.

Don't get me wrong. Yes, I'm a Superman fan and like his comic background, but tv and movies are very differrent things than comics or animated flicks. If you do it like "the hero just stepped out of the comicbook" it gets campy or mediocre at best, like Donner's and Singer's versions.
There's also no need to change the costume or the whole characters to make a serious and new Superman film. Take the comic characters as they're known today and just add a little twist on the known storylines and you have something new and exciting.

Sam Raimi did that with Spidey and Nolan with Batman and both the fans and the public were satisfied with the outcome.
I don't get why so many well known filmmakers are just to dumb to go that (save) way and always want to try something completely different!?

 

[matthooper]

An movie telling the origin for the gazillionth time would be the absolute last thing on the face of the Earth I´d have any desire to see.

Interesting that in your world gazillionth equals once. It's been told one time in film.

However, an origin is not really what we needed. A solid story would have been a good start.

 

[Steelsheen]

has JC come back yet? we still dont know if this alleged interview is real or hoax.

 

[sf2]

Thank you Routh, for having the balls to be frank and not hide behind BS like it is marketing's fault.

Although the interview did not make it to the mainstream, thumbs way up here

too pure. it would cause him his whole career. BS might look for a new guy...

 

[super85]

Noone was interested in seeing this one either, but everyone knows Supermans origin. And this is just the 1st shot in the what the hell do we do next with Superman derby. The should have, could have, would have's have begun. The fun has just begun. It will get uglyer.

Apparently a lot more people were interested in seing SR then Fantastic Four.