Superman Reboot Writers Workshop

[Showtime]

 

[Webhead2006]

is that yours?

 

[Showtime]

is that yours?

Yes.

 

[Excel]

See, I dont think something like "Darkeid enslaves mankind" would translate well to film.

 

[Webhead2006]

its cool storyboards, i wish i could draw myself.

 

[Showtime]

I didn't draw those, the "art department" did.

 

[ultimatefan]

See, I dont think something like "Darkeid enslaves mankind" would translate well to film.

Well, the invasion thing worked for films like Independence Day or War of The Worlds. You just need to show that Darkseid´s army is much more powerful than Earth´s, and it´s been done before.

 

[ultimatefan]

Cool storyboards.

 

[Webhead2006]

oh ok who ever did the drawings was good artwork.

 

[Adenjo]

A few Superman movie thoughts...
If Nolan will be an influence (with the possibility of a Superman/batman crossover at some point) then This new Superman will be in Nolans universe...
Now, Nolans universe is baed on reality.. The real world...
Joker wasn't dropped into a vat of chemicals, he was a nut job with a sliced up face.
The batmobile wasn't built by one man in a cave, it was created as a project of the military etc etc
So we come to Superman.. An alien who can fly and has the power to level worlds.
How would the world react to him?
Would we welcome him with open arms or would we fear him?
Would he be seen as a saviour? Or would some people see him as a god?

There was talk of a darker tone to Superman.. Perhaps this dark tone does not refer to the man of steel himself but the world he has called home.

 

[Webhead2006]

well i am sure nolan would not limit his powers or make him more realistic over the scifi/fantasty he should be. Though realistic reactions to his first public outting would be good. People should wonder and be a little scared of this powerful being. To superman proves to the citizen that he is there for good and then build up his popularity and belovedness to the city.

 

[Excel]

Well, the invasion thing worked for films like Independence Day or War of The Worlds. You just need to show that Darkseid´s army is much more powerful than Earth´s, and it´s been done before.

If it was like ID4 that could work. Superman teaming up with world armies ala transformers would be awesome...and espensive.

 

[Adenjo]

well i am sure nolan would not limit his powers or make him more realistic over the scifi/fantasty he should be. Though realistic reactions to his first public outting would be good. People should wonder and be a little scared of this powerful being. To superman proves to the citizen that he is there for good and then build up his popularity and belovedness to the city.

Of course a powerful media mogul lex Luthor could poison the publics opinion

 

[Webhead2006]

oh that too

 

[Daybreak_st]

Nice storyboards show!!! Thanks for sharing

 

[BH/HHH]

A few Superman movie thoughts...
If Nolan will be an influence (with the possibility of a Superman/batman crossover at some point) then This new Superman will be in Nolans universe...
Now, Nolans universe is baed on reality.. The real world...
Joker wasn't dropped into a vat of chemicals, he was a nut job with a sliced up face.
The batmobile wasn't built by one man in a cave, it was created as a project of the military etc etc
So we come to Superman.. An alien who can fly and has the power to level worlds.
How would the world react to him?
Would we welcome him with open arms or would we fear him?
Would he be seen as a saviour? Or would some people see him as a god?

There was talk of a darker tone to Superman.. Perhaps this dark tone does not refer to the man of steel himself but the world he has called home.

I'd love for the government to be weary of Superman. Imagine a scene where Superman has to take down the US army, tanks, explosions and everything

 

[Octoberist]

i do like the idea that Superman is the sign of optimism in a pessimistic world.

 

[BH/HHH]

They are awesome

 

[Dark Knight]

It would be great to see the beginning of the film open (with no credits in the beginning, save those until the end) with a backdrop of a young Jor-El (Jim Caviezel please) trying to tell the Krypton Science Council that an alien AI is planning to destroy Krypton or something close to that.

The AI would of course be Braniac and that would be the set up for the film with a great special effects disaster and destruction of Krypton being shown to get the audience emotionally and visually invested right away from the start of the film.

Then maybe we should see a portion from BIRTHRIGHT, where we can see an already established Clark doing some reporting on the warlord crisis taking food away from the starving people in a certain region in Africa or something.

 

[Webhead2006]

that is a nice sounding scenes. That is an issue for me myself i dont know really where i would like to start from. i do want to see krypton and smallville life shown in new film. But do we want to go straight linear way or go another way to be a little different. I am up for any way.

 

[Dark Knight]

Sorry. This is just an update of a previous post of mine below.

It would be great to see the beginning of the film open (with no credits in the beginning, save those until the end) with a backdrop of a young Jor-El (Jim Caviezel please) trying to tell the Krypton Science Council that an alien AI is planning to destroy Krypton or something close to that.

The AI would of course be Braniac and that would be the set up for the film with a great special effects disaster and destruction of Krypton being shown to get the audience emotionally and visually invested right away from the start of the film.

Then maybe we should see a portion from BIRTHRIGHT, where we can see an already established Clark doing some reporting on the warlord crisis taking food away from the starving people in a certain region in Africa or something.

^^^^Just to add to this last paragraph above I wrote. It would be cool to see the next scene after the opening Jor El and Braniac destructon of Krypton scene to then go to Clark in Africa. Just like in Birthright where Clark was reporting, we should also see an action scene of him battling the drug warlords. That scene from Birthright can be done very nicely on film potentially. We can see Supes in a red and blue flash quickly disarm a number of henchmen baddies trying to shoot at him and then we see the main Warlord in utter fear standing alone and looking around him trying to back away pointing his gun in all directions. Then all of a sudden his back bumps something and he turns around and then we see the symbolic big red S on the chest and the camera pans up to and the we Supermans face. Then we see Supes slowly float up in the air and the Warlord shoots one shot and Superman catches the bullet with his hand very quickly. When the warlord sees that he then throws his gun away, and while continuing to cry, he gets on his knees and starts to bow his head as if he is bowing to an all powerful god.

After that the next scenes would either cut to the Daily Planet or LexCorp....most likely the Daily Planet first to we have fun scenes with Lois, Perry, and Jimmy. We could also see Clark returning from his trip to Africa.

The drama would be in the beginning of the Africa scene with Clark reporting and the shots ringing out with the drug gangs killing some people to steal the food meant for them. Then the fun scene would be to see Supes take them down.

 

[Excel]

This is how my story would go. I've posted links to the verrrrry brief rd I wrote out a few years ago; I began scripting it and things changed a tad. So without further or do, here the plot sypnosis for jhow XL's superman movie would go-complete with pictures!

Right after the W.B logo, we open fast, whizzing downward through white clouds. No credits ala TDK. At the end of the clouds, we find the glorious Kryptonion Capital city at dusk, which we pan over quickly.

We race over the city to the HOUSE OF EL-The Palace of Krypton, where we find a man, JOR-EL, racing through the house, a woman, Lara, trailing him. Lara is telling Jor-el to stop something, but Jor-el refuses, claiming "barriers" have been breached; they speak of prior discussion of this day before hand. Whatever it is is tough for them both, but Jor-el convinces his wife its nessecary. They take their little 8 month old baby, Kal-el, and put him in a rocket ship. The building shakes as it luanches outwards, and the 2 flee as the ship rockets into outer space. Jor-el has his wife sent to safety while he flees back to lead his armies against coming invaders. The invaders crush Jor-el and his men in a fierce battle within the palace, and soon every Kryptonion fighter is dead except for Jor-el himself. The leader of the rebels, BRAINIAC, emmerges from a hovercraft, over a broken, defeated Jor-el. Brainiac demands to know where Jor-rel has sent Kal-el, but Jor-el defiantly refuses to talk. Braniac brings Lara out to his side, and threatens her life in exchange for Kal-el's location, but Lara begs Jor-el to stay silent. Jor-el can't muster anything beyond "I love you" before Brainiac takes Lara's life. This Brainiac is one bad mofo and Jor-el is an absurdly strong individual. Brainiac claims "Kryptons ashes will soon darken the sky", and Jor-el will be among them. Before take off, he warns that he will find Kal-el. His ship blasts off, joining the thousands of others in the sky, heading off planet, leaving Jor-el on the ground, defeated, and though still alive, lifeless. Shots of the village and city folk, as Jor-el watches the planet began to implode. Very powerful, painful, SERIOUS imagery.

Cut to outer space. Krypton. In an instant, the entire planet is blown to chunks, and our journey has began.

SUPERMAN
THE LOST SON

After an eye-popping, rousing credit sequence set to the exhilirating new score pans through outer space, deep icy coverns, and dark night skies, before settling upon one city at night. Metropolis. Downtown city streets. 100 story skyscrappers everywhere. Barren, aside from abandoned cars. Suddenly, 12 military humvee flood the scene, surrounding a massive building. They secure the area, fast with incredible precision, surround the building, and enter. Initial silence, before gunfire breaks out, and then all out panic! Military members flee the building as a loud wincing sound begins and then suddenly the entire first 4 floors explode, sending the humvees flying high, and thundering into buildings. or smashing to the ground. The troops leader, Shuster, watches in horror as a alien, in black tights with a black cloat, and skin-tight black mask, creeps out of the flaming building, descends the stairs, and stands, looking down the 5 mile long city street, in silence. This is Lord Havoc.

In a flash, pan down the street, still on Lord Havoc. Inches off the ground. 2 red boots smash into the pavement, pan up around a ripped, blody Superman body to his face; sweaty, dirty, hunkish, DETERMINED. This is the man of steel we all know and have pined to see on the big screen. The 2 men eye eachother, when Havoc flies into the air.

And Superman pursues him; the man of steel taking off is breathetaking-ELECTRIFYING-like the first time we see LeBron dunk, or saw Randy Moss go deep, the energy, the power, and the grace that he does it with is simply stunning, and yet rousing at the same time.

The 2 fight above the city and smash buildings, before Superman hears a voice that sends him fleeing. He lands hard in the middle of nowhere at an old, 1950s observatory. Here, he sees something that brings him to his knees. Superman SCREAMS in pain and collapses, though we dont know what he is seeing, while Havoc taunts him. Our final glimpse of Superman is shreaking to heavens, blooding veins bursting and hideous scarring overcoming him, when we cut to:

Clark Kent waking up fast, in a sweat. Its dark, quiet, in his apartment. It must have been a nightmare. He peers out of his window: his city is fine. Asleep at the moment. He opens his closet, to reveal his Superman suit, in tact. He sighs.

From outside, peering up 20 stories at his apartment, the only lit up, we see the light go out, and we fade to black. The next morning we get a montage of Clark, and Metropolis, waking up. Clark's got his 1st day at the Daily Planet today. It goes well, and he and Jimmy Olsen go to cover a press conference with Lois Lane, with whome Clark has fallen in love with at first sight. Lois is also taken to him, in some sort of unexplainable way. The pc their covering just happens to be for Lois's boyfriend, Lex Luthor.

And with that...I'll continue later. Thoughts?

 

[Dark Knight]

Here´re some ideas that I´ve been putthing together for a while.

SUPERMAN: THE LEGACY

ACT 1- Superman is at the top of the world. He can protect/save people from anything, from working accidents to terrorist attacks, he´s beloved by all, Lois is more and more crazy about him, even though she still doesn´t know he and Clark are the same person, sill teases Clark and everything.

But then Metallo surfaces and suddenly attacks him, with Luthor, more spiteful than ever of Superman´s success, pulling the strings. A big fight ensues, at one point Metallo seriously weakens Superman with Kryptonite and throws a ton of tocks and concrete on top of him. As Superman struggles to release himself, Metallo wants to sadistically demonstrate his fragility and kills an innocent person in front of Superman. Enraged, Supes manages to release himself and defeat him. People still cheer for him, but the death haunts him.

With Ma and Pa Kent, as Clark, he ponders, what if I let the people of Earth down, what if something terrible happens that I can´t stop, even with all my powers and popularity it can all go away in a blink. They reassure him, with all his powers deep down he´s as human as any of us, and that´s his real greatest strength. He flies away feeling better, wathing the beautiful fields of Smallville. As all of these happens, the hordes of Darkseid conquer another world with the iron fist of his army, and get closer and closer to Earth


ACT 2 – Darkseid´s army attacks Earth with all its power, causing huge devastation. Superman fights his army with all his might, but even he can´t contain such power. Luthor makes a deal with Darkseid to help him as the new ruler of Earth.

Dr. Hamilton clues Supes that he´s found the location to Apokolips, maybe with the ship that brought him to Earth he can get there, take advantage that Darkseid and his main army are absent, and find something that can help save Earth. He alerts him, though, that the distance from Earth´s yellow sun will seriously weaken him. Superman is afraid, he couldn´t save Earth with his power, can he do it without it. Pa Kent reminds him that bad things happen to anyone, but you don´t need super powers to overcome these bad things or even impossible obstacles, but strength of mind and heart.

Superman kisses Lois goodbye, thinks for a moment that he may never see her again, and reveals his true identity.

Superman is forced to leave Earth at the blink of obliteration, just as he once had to leave Krypton.

On Apokolips, Superman finds an entirely different situation from Earth. His powers are seriously reduced, the mere mention of the name Superman inspires hatred and rage, he has to be as undercover as possible. In disguise, he uses his skills as an investigative reporter to infiltrate Darkseid´s palace.

In there, however, he´s uncovered and Kalibak decides to destroy him. They fight, and even weakened Superman manages to figure out his weakness and defeat him.

Because he´s Superman and he can see the humanity in even the worst of creatures, he sees Kalibak for who he is underneath: a frustrated son, desperately seeking a father´s approval that will just never come. Superman understands him, he has to live up to the legacy of two great men, the Kryptonian scientist and the Kansas farmer, to an entire race that has him as its sole survivor and a planet that adopted him. He manages to reach out to Kalibak, who reveals him a secret that will help save Earth from Darkseid (I´m not sure what that secret is yet, let´s save some surprises for my meeting with WB, hehe…).

As all of this happens, Earth falls more and more under Darkseid´s tyranny. Luthor realizes some of his deal with him isn´t being fulfilled and, angry, goes to Darkseid only to find out he´s been double-crossed for Darkseid to get access to his advanced weaponry technology, and is thrown into the dungeons with the rest of the slaves.

ACT 3 – Superman returns to Earth and finds the planet under dictatorship, people enslaved and caged by Darkseid´s reign of terror. More determined than ever, Superman fights with all he´s got and finds the key to get Darkseid to leave the planet, thanks to the secret Kalibak told him.

Darkseid accepts his (momentary) defeat and prepares to leave, but before he reveals, Lois resisted bravely all the mental and physical torture, which was tremendous, but in the end she had to give in. I know your secret, Earth´s champion, and will use it to my advantage. He didn´t kill her though, because Superman´ll be so busy and tortured helping her to recover from all the trauma, and being reminded of his mistake, it will weaken his spirit even more.

But Darkseid also knows where he gets his guidance and support from, and that won´t be there anymore for him.

And then he obliterates Smallville from the face of the Earth with a hidden nuke.

Blind with rage, Superman attacks Darkseid but he manages to escape.

Luthor is prosecuted as a traitor of the human race, and awaits for lethal injection.

Clark and Lois, still in a wheelchair, attend to a collective, symbolic funeral for the people of Smallville. Nobody but Lois and Clark understand why he destroyed a city with no strategic importance of any kind. With tremendous sadness, but more determination than ever, he remembers they tought him their last but most important lesson: deep down he´s as human as anyone else and bad things still happen to him, to Earth and to those he loves. But that humanity is his greatest power, for it gives him the strength of mind and heart to overcome tragedy and surpass impossible obstacles. This isn´t the last we saw of Darkseid, and he´ll pay for this and for all evil he´s done, he oaths at the memorial for his adoptive parents and the people of Smallville. It isn´t truth that you won´t have guidance and support, says Lois. I´ll be here for that, too, as she holds his arm.

After the funeral, Clark gets a call from Dr.Hamilton, he may have something important for him to know, regarding Darkseid. Clark kisses Lois as the wind blows autumn leaves around them. Discretely, he hides and changes suit. Superman takes flight, watching thebeautiful mountains and forests and the sun rise, as he disappears in the horizon.

Love the title as I also think the title of the next Supes 3.0 film should be....

SUPERMAN LEGACY

Like your story from the beginning to middle but it seems to get convoluted toward the end.

 

[Dark Knight]

This is how my story would go. I've posted links to the verrrrry brief rd I wrote out a few years ago; I began scripting it and things changed a tad. So without further or do, here the plot sypnosis for jhow XL's superman movie would go-complete with pictures!

Right after the W.B logo, we open fast, whizzing downward through white clouds. No credits ala TDK. At the end of the clouds, we find the glorious Kryptonion Capital city at dusk, which we pan over quickly.

We race over the city to the HOUSE OF EL-The Palace of Krypton, where we find a man, JOR-EL, racing through the house, a woman, Lara, trailing him. Lara is telling Jor-el to stop something, but Jor-el refuses, claiming "barriers" have been breached; they speak of prior discussion of this day before hand. Whatever it is is tough for them both, but Jor-el convinces his wife its nessecary. They take their little 8 month old baby, Kal-el, and put him in a rocket ship. The building shakes as it luanches outwards, and the 2 flee as the ship rockets into outer space. Jor-el has his wife sent to safety while he flees back to lead his armies against coming invaders. The invaders crush Jor-el and his men in a fierce battle within the palace, and soon every Kryptonion fighter is dead except for Jor-el himself. The leader of the rebels, BRAINIAC, emmerges from a hovercraft, over a broken, defeated Jor-el. Brainiac demands to know where Jor-rel has sent Kal-el, but Jor-el defiantly refuses to talk. Braniac brings Lara out to his side, and threatens her life in exchange for Kal-el's location, but Lara begs Jor-el to stay silent. Jor-el can't muster anything beyond "I love you" before Brainiac takes Lara's life. This Brainiac is one bad mofo and Jor-el is an absurdly strong individual. Brainiac claims "Kryptons ashes will soon darken the sky", and Jor-el will be among them. Before take off, he warns that he will find Kal-el. His ship blasts off, joining the thousands of others in the sky, heading off planet, leaving Jor-el on the ground, defeated, and though still alive, lifeless. Shots of the village and city folk, as Jor-el watches the planet began to implode. Very powerful, painful, SERIOUS imagery.

Cut to outer space. Krypton. In an instant, the entire planet is blown to chunks, and our journey has began.

SUPERMAN
THE LOST SON

After an eye-popping, rousing credit sequence set to the exhilirating new score pans through outer space, deep icy coverns, and dark night skies, before settling upon one city at night. Metropolis. Downtown city streets. 100 story skyscrappers everywhere. Barren, aside from abandoned cars. Suddenly, 12 military humvee flood the scene, surrounding a massive building. They secure the area, fast with incredible precision, surround the building, and enter. Initial silence, before gunfire breaks out, and then all out panic! Military members flee the building as a loud wincing sound begins and then suddenly the entire first 4 floors explode, sending the humvees flying high, and thundering into buildings. or smashing to the ground. The troops leader, Shuster, watches in horror as a alien, in black tights with a black cloat, and skin-tight black mask, creeps out of the flaming building, descends the stairs, and stands, looking down the 5 mile long city street, in silence. This is Lord Havoc.

In a flash, pan down the street, still on Lord Havoc. Inches off the ground. 2 red boots smash into the pavement, pan up around a ripped, blody Superman body to his face; sweaty, dirty, hunkish, DETERMINED. This is the man of steel we all know and have pined to see on the big screen. The 2 men eye eachother, when Havoc flies into the air.



The 2 fight above the city and smash buildings, before Superman hears a voice that sends him fleeing. He lands hard in the middle of nowhere at an old, 1950s observatory. Here, he sees something that brings him to his knees. Superman SCREAMS in pain and collapses, though we dont know what he is seeing, while Havoc taunts him. Our final glimpse of Superman is shreaking to heavens, blooding veins bursting and hideous scarring overcoming him, when we cut to:

Clark Kent waking up fast, in a sweat. Its dark, quiet, in his apartment. It must have been a nightmare. He peers out of his window: his city is fine. Asleep at the moment. He opens his closet, to reveal his Superman suit, in tact. He sighs.

From outside, peering up 20 stories at his apartment, the only lit up, we see the light go out, and we fade to black. The next morning we get a montage of Clark, and Metropolis, waking up. Clark's got his 1st day at the Daily Planet today. It goes well, and he and Jimmy Olsen go to cover a press conference with Lois Lane, with whome Clark has fallen in love with at first sight. Lois is also taken to him, in some sort of unexplainable way. The pc their covering just happens to be for Lois's boyfriend, Lex Luthor.

And with that...I'll continue later. Thoughts?

Love your beginning since that is similar to what I had mind as well.

 

[BH/HHH]

I wouldn't have opening credits, I'd have it similar to TDK where you just have in this case the Superman logo.