Superman Reboot Writers Workshop

[dark_b]

We have picked our way through Superman history, everything from Birthright to All Star Superman and have selected elements and arcs that fit with the story we are trying to tell while making sure our fingers were on the pulse of what the fans want along with providing something that would be emotional and also action packed. We'll see, we are editing.

sounds like a perfect superman movie.

 

[M.O.Steel]

Forgive me if someones already come up with this type of story!
If like me you were a tad dissappointed with SUPERMAN RETURNS and the direction they have taken the franchise in (i.e seemingly backing themselves into a creative corner with the super-kid and all) and the fact they decided to cut the whole return to krypton scene (which they shot AND finished!) read on:

My SUPERMAN RETURNS sequal synopsis:

Firstly,the title would be just "THE MAN OF STEEL",this is also in tune with the Batman Begins sequal being called The Dark Knight.

The way I think they should handle the movie,that would please fans the most is that Braniac could have been the one to send signals of Krypton to Earth (seeing as how they never used the fact that LEx was originally supposed to have fabricated the whole thing) and Superman could have brought the core of Brainiac back with him from Krypton without realizing.

Its a great way to use the Return to Krypton sequence in the sequel

Braniac could surface from the buried ship (at the Kent farm),and go on a mission to destroy and assimilate superman in his all powerful body of last Kryptonian,then learning about Jason,he could focus on him instead-as a much easier/weaker target.

Richard could die protecting Jason from Braniac (nothing against the character,it would just fit,both dramatically and to progress the story),superman could then decide to use the fortress chamber to de-power Jason,turning him fully human to protect him and give him a more normal life (no more SUPERKID) .

Superman then needs to kick the hell out of Braniac in a super-fight scene (come on,who doesnt wanna see supes fight "neo and agent smith in matrix revolutions" style...without the kung-fu obviously)

Well,thats my ideas anyway...

I like it. But i always suggested something like that for the 3rd movie, and have metallo be a puppet villian (by brainiac or luthor or both) in MOS (steel-->metallo). and since there can be a connection with brainiac and kryton, call the final movie LSOK (last son of)

 

[TheLongestDay]

i like metallo as a villain,but as with parasite and many others-i see him as cannon fodder-a villain to take out at the beginning of the movie like a first action sequence

 

[Showtime]

Here is an early version of the opening scene that Metropolisman and I wrote for our Superman script. The opening scene has changed a bit going forward, but this is what we are going for, so you get an idea. We include this short view into an origin during the opening credits.

FADE IN

ON PLANET EARTH

It looks diminutive against the vast expanse of space but as we get closer, it grows bigger and bigger until it fills up the entire screen.

BLACKOUT!

(OS) A FAMILIAR HEROIC THEME BLARES TRIUMPHANTLY

ROLL CREDITS

JOR-EL (VO)
If he remains here with us, he will die
as surely as we will.​

Suddenly we are thrust downward at lightning speeds and burst through a barrier of clouds.

LARA (VO)
Why Earth Jor-El? Their primitives,
thousands of years behind us.

The sun shines down upon a large stretch of lush green farmland as it rapidly passes underneath.

JOR-EL (VO)
He will need that advantage to survive.
Their atmosphere will sustain him.

EXT. KENT FARM – DAY

A rustic farmhouse stands proudly next to a large red barn. The topmost window of the house is wide open.

Through the window we find a young Clark Kent sleeping, FLOATING A FOOT ABOVE HIS BED.

LARA (VO)
He will defy their gravity.

INT. BATHROOM – CONT.

A teenage Clark Kent stares at himself in the mirror before placing a thick pair of black-framed glasses on.

JOR-EL (VO)
He will look like one of them

EXT. SMALLVILLE – CONT.

A “Welcome to Smallville” sign is surrounded by cornfields as far as the eye can see, the corn is violently swaying and then...

A TORNADO

rips the sign from the ground and tosses into the distance.

LARA (VO)
He won’t be one of them.

CUT TO:

A the force of the tornado pushes a car into a telephone poll. A man stumbles from the vehicle as the Tornado gaines on him.

JOR-EL (VO)
No. His dense molecular structure will
make him strong.

BACK TO:

The man cowers against a brick wall as a tornado flips his car into the air and right at him. A twenty-something Clark Kent catches the car in mid air and places it gently at his feet. The man flees in panic.

LARA (VO)
He’ll be odd. Different.

CUT TO:

ClarkKent is jogging down a dirt road as a car packed with cheerleaders driven by Lana Lang motors by. Clark and Lana share a smile. As the car clears a hill Clark dashes into a cornfield at super speed.

JOR-EL (VO)
He’ll be fast. Virtually invulnerable.

CUT TO:

A pair of hunters take aim from the shelter of the forest and the gun fires. THE BULLLET zips out of the group of trees and connects with Clark’s chest bounces off and into the dirt in front of him.

LARA (VO)
Isolated. Alone.

CUT TO:

Clark is in the middle of a field, miles from the Kent Farm embracing Ma & Pa Kent before he takes off his glasses and looks skyward.

JOR-EL (VO)
He will not be alone.

BACK TO:

Clark shoots upward into the sky zooming through the clouds.

JOR-EL (VO)
He will never be alone.

We are taken on a tour of the skies as we see a futuristic city spread out before us.

JOR-EL (VO)
Live as one of them Kal-El, to discover
where you strength and power are needed.

Close on the Daily Planet Globe as it spins.

JOR-EL (VO)
Always hold in your heart the pride of your
special heritage.

END CREDITS

 

[X Knight]

bravo Showtime! A great way to show the origin, without spending too much time on it.

Perhaps instead of live action shots......you could show the opening credits with comic-book panel storyboards?

I think that's what Singer should have done. Using comic-book panel storyboards during the opening credit to give us the "back-story" or context to SR.

Anyways, great job Showtime! Can't wait for the rest of it!

 

[super-t]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeet son.......must post more!!! dont make me angry....you wouldnt like me when im angry.........SIIIKKKKEEE!!! but post more plz

 

[Showtime]

bravo Showtime! A great way to show the origin, without spending too much time on it.Perhaps instead of live action shots......you could show the opening credits with comic-book panel storyboards?

I think that's what Singer should have done. Using comic-book panel storyboards during the opening credit to give us the "back-story" or context to SR.Anyways, great job Showtime! Can't wait for the rest of it!

sweeeeeeeeeeeeet son.......must post more!!! dont make me angry....you wouldnt like me when im angry.........SIIIKKKKEEE!!! but post more plz

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I was thinking of comic panels but I prefer the live action shots in the script.

I probably won't be posting too many more snippets before it is finished, then I will copyright it and deliver it right here on the boards.

In regards to Lara & Jorel, that is the last you will see or here from them in the script. I've always really liked those lines and I felt that this was a transition point from Kal-El's birth parents to his earth parents, I really want to focus on Ma and Pa Kent's influences on Kal-El and how it shaped him as Clark Kent/Superman. I felt that was the perfect transition point and then I can focus on the Kent's who really deserve to be explored.

 

[matthooper]

n I will copyright it and deliver it right here on the boards.

First let me say, I like your story. Now with that out of the way. You can't copyright it. You don't own any of the characters or their names. Superman and all Superman characters as well as places and objects inside the Superman relm are the intellectual property of DC comics and the Siegel family who won limited rights.

You can only copyright original material that you create. Not someone elses material that you build upon.

 

[Excel]

he can copy write the matiriel.

 

[matthooper]

he can copy write the matiriel.

No he can't. It's copyright 101. My firm does copyright law and I did copyright cases from 2000-2005 and still do occasionally.

 

[Showtime]

First let me say, I like your story. Now with that out of the way. You can't copyright it. You don't own any of the characters or their names. Superman and all Superman characters as well as places and objects inside the Superman relm are the intellectual property of DC comics and Warner Brothers.

You can only copyright original material that you create. Not someone elses material that you build upon.

That is not technically true. I can copyright it, but it would not protect me if WB would want to use my script, or sought out copyright infringement for using their characters. Although my work would be derivative of the characters it could also be deemed fair use. The point is, as long as I don't send the script out for possible advancement, it should be fine.

That being said, I was just saying that so others would stay away from the story, but thanks for getting technical about it. I am not really going to copyright the script, its for fun and for the fans. I have registerd a large number of scripts with the WGA and US Copyright office.

 

[Excel]

No he can't. It's copyright 101. My firm does copyright law and I did copyright cases from 2000-2005 and still do occasionally.

really? wow didnt know that

 

[matthooper]

That is not technically true. I can copyright it, but it would not protect me if WB would want to use my script, or sought out copyright infringement for using their characters. Although my work would be derivative of the characters it could also be deemed fair use. The point is, as long as I don't send the script out for possible advancement, it should be fine.

That being said, I was just saying that so others would stay away from the story, but thanks for getting technical about it. I am not really going to copyright the script, its for fun and for the fans. I have registerd a large number of scripts with the WGA and US Copyright office.

I just didn't want you to waste your time. I didn't know it was a veiled attempt at stopping someone from stealing your work. I apologize.



However, DC and the Siegels have all the rights to the names and places in the Superman universe. You cannot copyright anything with the names Superman, Jor -El, kryptonite, Lois Lane, Krypton and the rest of the familiar names we know and love. The only way would be if you had limited rights (in writing) granted from DC and/or the Siegel family.

But, you are right, as long as you don't profit from the work, DC and the Siegel's will not stop you from distributing your work.

 

[Showtime]

I just didn't want you to waste your time. I didn't know it was a veiled attempt at stopping someone from stealing your work. I apologize.

However, you are right, as long as you don't profit from the work, DC and the Siegel's will not stop you from distributing your work.

However, DC and the Siegels have all the rights to the names and places in the Superman universe. You cannot copyright anything with the names Superman, Jor -El, kryptonite, Lois Lane, Krypton and the rest of the familiar names we know and love. The only way would be if you had limited rights (in writing) granted from DC and/or the Siegel family.

That's fine, I'm not going to challenge you on that. I don't deal with the the laws behind it and you do, I interpreted it differently. I write, I have other people that deal with that side of the game for me if need be.

I appreciate you telling me that though, in all honesty. I have tried to secure works in the past, and it's really aggrevating on some levels. In this case I was trying to be sneaky because although I am doing this just for fun, I still want to keep this work true to the myself and the other writer I am working with. I didn't think anybody would really pick up on it. No harm done though.

 

[matthooper]

really? wow didnt know that

You didn't know that you can't copyright someone elses material that has already been copyrighted?

What good is a copyright if it doesn't stop anyone else from stealing the protected work? Copyright law is designed to insulate the creator from having his or her work taken and distributed without the writers consent. Why do you think only WB can make a Superman film? They purchased the limited rights. Why do you think only DC can print a Superman comic and not Marvel? Because they have a copyright on the character and are the only ones who can use his likeness, unless they offer limited rights to someone else.

 

[Excel]

No, I was thinking about exactly the same thing showtime was.

 

[matthooper]

That's fine, I'm not going to challenge you on that. I don't deal with the the laws behind it and you do, I interpreted it differently. I write, I have other people that deal with that side of the game for me if need be.

I appreciate you telling me that though, in all honesty. I have tried to secure works in the past, and it's really aggrevating on some levels. In this case I was trying to be sneaky because although I am doing this just for fun, I still want to keep this work true to the myself and the other writer I am working with. I didn't think anybody would really pick up on it. No harm done though.

What's funny is even if you changed all the names, you still couldn't copyright it. There is a provision in the copyright law that deals with the possibility of confusion between the original work and the new work. Meaning, would a reasonable person be confused as to thinking the two works might be the same.

It's the same with trademarks. You can't trademark a slightly different logo from say the Starbucks logo since it could be confused with the original work.

 

[Showtime]

What's funny is even if you changed all the names, you still couldn't copyright it. There is a provision in the copyright law that deals with the possibility of confusion between the original work and the new work. Meaning, would a reasonable person be confused as to thinking the two works might be the same.

It's the same with trademarks. You can't trademark a slightly different logo from say the Starbucks logo since it could be confused with the original work.

That is indeed interesting, what about a parody of said copyright or trademark?

 

[matthooper]

That is indeed interesting, what about a parody of said copyright or trademark?

Parody is almost always protected, and is often the exception to the copyright laws.. Parody has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme court in many instances, even when it's blatently offensive. The difference is no one would think the parody is the same as the original work.

However, even in parody the lines are often blurred when it comes to using the names. When Mad Magazine did their parody, it was called Superduperman. But in other cases, I've seen Superman parodies using the name Superman, kryptonite, and all the rest.

That said, your pretty safe when it comes to parody.

 

[Showtime]

Parody is almost always protected, and is often the exception to the copyright laws.. Parody has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme court in many instances, even when it's blatently offensive. The difference is no one would think the parody is the same as the original work.

However, even in parody the lines are often blurred when it comes to using the names. When Mad Magazine did their parody, it was called Superduperman. But in other cases, I've seen Superman parodies using the name Superman, kryptonite, and all the rest.

That said, your pretty safe when it comes to parody.

Very informative thanks.

One more question for you, in regards to copyright. I know Jennison and Strickland sent their Wonder Woman script to the coyright office, possibly 2005 or 2006 and they weren't commissioned by WB to write it? Later on WB ended up buying the script.

 

[Apollo]

i'd like to see both a re-boot with new cast and crew as well as a Justice league movie with the same cast and crew

 

[matthooper]

Very informative thanks.

One more question for you, in regards to copyright. I know Jennison and Strickland sent their Wonder Woman script to the coyright office, possibly 2005 or 2006 and they weren't commissioned by WB to write it? Later on WB ended up buying the script.

You can send anything, but it doesn't mean it will get a government copyright. That script did not get an official copyright. Creation of a spec script using a copywritten character is a violation of copyright infringement law.

WB bought it simply to stop the story from being used in another wonder Woman film if limited rights were granted in the future to someone else.

No one will get sued for simply writing a spec script or any material with copywritten materials. Only if an attempt is made to make it without any consent or profit or even simply distribute in some cases. Obviously the two writers took it to the studio that had the rights to Wonder woman so it was fine.

You can write anything, just don't try and profit from it without permission or consent.

 

[Showtime]

You can send anything, but it doesn't mean it will get a government copyright. You also have limited protection while it's under submission. That script did not get an official copyright. Creation of a spec script using a copywritten charcter is a violation of copyright infringemen law.

It was cataloged, but then I would imagine it was cataloged with an asterik of some sort. It receive a number and what not? Just curious.

 

[matthooper]

Sorry, double post.

 

[matthooper]

It was cataloged, but then I would imagine it was cataloged with an asterik of some sort. It receive a number and what not? Just curious.

Everything that is sent has very limited protection while under consideration for a copyright or patent. Plus, it is cataloged as a submitted work. However, it cannot and did not recieve an official government copyright, unless they only submitted the story and not the previously copywritten character of Wonder Woman and her backstory.