Superman Reboot Writers Workshop

[TheWatcher]

Scenes i would like to see=
-I would like to see some criminals(holding Jimmy and Lois hostage) in a armored truck in the outskirts of Metropolis running away from Superman. Superman obviously catches them. Once Jimmy and Lois are freed,Superman smashes the front of their truck into a large rock. Jimmy takes a snapshot and viola the front page of The Daily Planet is practically Action Comics #1!
-Superman brawling with Brainiac or Metallo.
-The scene in STAS where Superman is outside of Luthors window.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

A lot of TAS inspired scenes so far

 

[NotFadeAway]

Few scenes I'd like to see

Flying - from Superman's point of view, as he starts off slowly but builds up to incredible speeds many times greater than the speed of sound.

Fight Scene - would love to see a scene bit like the TAS Supes vs Darkseid where he tells the villain he feels like he lives in a cardboard world, but he can finally stop holding back and use all his powers

From the moment I first watched that scene, I wanted it to be in a movie.

 

[Webhead2006]

well TAS is a good template to use.

 

[Webhead2006]

nice idea for thread, and nice thoughts so far guys. I totally agree i would love to see a scene like the jlu superman/darkseid scene.

 

[COMPO]

A story I'd like for a Superman movie is Clark dealing with his dual identity and not in a Superman II sense where he gives up his powers more, him dealing with the Clark Kent persona, who's bumbling and wondering how he can have a normal life if his civillian persona is a lie and he wonders which one is a lie and he has to find some way of protecting his Superman persona without living a lie in his normal life. Creating a Pre-Crisis Clark Kent story coming into a Post-Crisis self lol

 

[Webhead2006]

i agree i want to see a good balance this time with clark time with the planet and daily life and the kick butt action when he is superman.

 

[COMPO]

To be honest if they did that it would be a fresh idea on the dual identity story line that tends to come with Superhero films, when films deal with the dual identity its usually giving it up (Superman II, Spider-man 2, Fantastic Four 2) or passing it on (The Dark Knight) whereas the idea i'd go with Superman is who is the real man; Superman or Clark Kent or how far is each a disguise?

 

[Webhead2006]

yea compo, but for me i would say clark is who he really is, since he grew up as clark and lived life that way. And superman is what he does and wants to bring to the world to show them you can be better.

 

[COMPO]

Yeah but the idea I'm going for is okay, in the Superman movies Clark Kent had no chance with Lois Lane, but as Superman he did and in Superman: Birthright he is left out of work functions being his work mates because his disguise is so good. Now my idea is, if you were Clark Kent at this point wouldn't you at some point think "who am I? Okay this Bumbling guy helps stop people thinking I'm Superman but how does it help me as Clark Kent?" And it could be that he starts to think that Superman is who he really is since, he acts more like himself in that disguise. It's only until he realises that Clark Kent is who he is and Superman is what he can do is that he invents the Post Crisis Clark Kent who is more like the Dean Cain Superman yet still having bits and peices of the Christopher Reeve disguise. I hope I've explained this clearly.

 

[Webhead2006]

i see your point compo.

 

[\S/]

Since this will be long at first, I’ll post in parts:

*We open with a title card that very briefly summarizes the glory, nobility, and advances of the Kryptonian race. The last line indicates that all that Krypton has achieved is on the brink of destruction.

*We move to Kandor, which is a cross between Coruscant and the Donner Krypton (crystals are present and are used for data storage, but the whole place isn't carved from crystal)

*Our first shot is of Jor-El, on the floor of the Council of Elders. He's addressing the council with his famous line “Fellow scientists, Krypton is doomed!”

*After a brief exchange with the Council and the dismissal of Jor-El and his “nonsense,” we go with Jor as he visits the central computer center of Krypton: the A.I. known as Brainiac. We feel Jor’s complete distrust and contempt for Brainiac and sense Brainiac’s cold, sinister view of all biological life. Jor is able to trick Brainiac into revealing that he knows Krypton is doomed and that he is, in fact, responsible for it.

*Brainiac allows Jor to leave, as it realizes it’s too late for anyone to save Krypton. We race with Jor to his home, where we first meet little Kal-El and his mother, Lara. Jor breathlessly explains the situation and they say their goodbyes to Kal and place him in the starship (an updated version of the old Supermobile from the 80s, along with crystalline accents).

*Kal rockets from Krypton as it explodes (tremors were occurring in the background since we opened on Krypton) and we see another, smaller vessel rocketing away in another direction.

*The opening credits begin. Instead of following the ship to Earth, we see news video from around earth, chronicling the darkness of our current age: wars, violence, disaster, riots, political upheaval, chaos. This sets the tone of a cynical and broken people who will, per the “twist to the legend” we’ve read about, fear, doubt, and in Luthor’s case, hate what Superman is and represents. The final image of the credits is the glorious revelation of the \S/, which foreshadows Superman’s later revelation to Earth.


*We then open on a sprawling farmland scene; text at the bottom of the screen gives us the location (Smallville, Kansas) and the date (let’s say Superman will be 25 when he arrives in Metropolis, so it’s 1985)

*The Kents are traveling home. Their dialogue informs us they’re returning from visiting some of Martha’s relatives and that seeing Martha’s newborn niece has been a painful reminder of her inability to have children. Jonathan is comforting her just as they’re blinded by a huge flash and leave the road.

*They leave the truck to find the ship; the cockpit opens to reveal a waking Kal, who hasn’t aged since his departure from Krypton. Martha lifts Kal, Jonathan protests, and then they head to the truck. As they argue over what to do, Martha decides that they’ll name the boy “Clark” after her maiden name and that he’s a gift from above.

*We open on Clark around thirteen years of age. He’s watching paramedics attend to Pete Ross’ broken arm. The pressure of the angry and even fearful looks of his classmates sends him back into the school. Lana’s waiting for him and he tells her it’s his fault Pete’s hurt. She tries to console him by saying it was an accident, and that he didn’t mean to hurt Pete. She reminds Clark of how he saved her from Ben Hubbard’s runaway bull a few months ago, but this still doesn’t alleviate his mood. So she leans in for a kiss, which “activates” Clark’s heat vision, which blasts a hole in a nearby locker. Terrified, Clark bolts at super-speed from school, with Lana looking after him.

*We’re at the Kent homestead, where Clark is explaining what happened with Pete and Lana. The Kents decide to show him the ship. Clark interfaces with the green crystal inside (which he learns from a holographic Jor-El is a “sunstone&#8221 and learns of his true origin. Aghast, Clark bolts from the barn and is about a mile through his dad’s field when he trips, instinctively closing his eyes and crying out. Instead of feeling contact with the ground, Clark opens his eyes to find that he’s hovering over his father’s fields. Fear turns to sheer joy as Clark soars over Smallville (it’s late evening) and then alights on a nearby grain silo. There, he’s shocked to learn he can hear his mother and father worriedly talking about him. He looks in the direction of the Kent farm and sees…them, up close, as if he’s standing right next to them. Clark leaps into the air and then lands next to his parents. They embrace him and Pa assures him everything will be okay.

***End part I***

 

[Showtime]

Already have a thread for this, I'll merge.

 

[\S/]

^^^Hey buddy, thanks for appending my thread to the end of a dying thread that no one's reading/posting in anymore!

\S/

 

[Showtime]

I'm not your buddy.

We already have a thread that involves developing stories regarding Superman. This is the one. Next time you could look around at the threads that are open instead of creating a new one.

\S/HOWTIME

 

[NotFadeAway]

I was thinking, and while this film is not going to be a straight forward origin film, it would be really cool if the opening scene was Superman's public debut. Because there was already a plane sequence in SR, thats out although it would be perfect for such an event. But there could be a hostage situation that Superman intervenes with to the publics amazement.

 

[MiddleSuperName]

simplean asteroid is heading for earth. superman does not exist yet. his first rescue saves the entire planet instead of just a small plane or something.

 

[Superwoman Prime]

We need some monstrocity, whether organic or mechanical. In the introduction scene, Superman destroys the thing while moving at speeds that make him out to be a blur.

When he finally stops, floating in mid-air with his arms crossed, we don't see his front. We see him from the back. The camera starts at the ground, moves upward slowly, and right as we get a halfway shot of the "S" emblem on the cape, cut to the next scene immediately.

 

[LaraLane]

simplean asteroid is heading for earth. superman does not exist yet. his first rescue saves the entire planet instead of just a small plane or something.

Simply one of the dumbest things I have ever read.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

If their planning it to be in an already established universe, then it'll probably be something akin to the beginning of Batman Forever.

Not as horribly cheesy and panto tho

But like, he stops an established enemy, who appears again later in the film.

I always saw it as maybe his first save of the movie would have some connection with Intergang, and probably Lois.

Maybe Lois is investigating Intergang, and they catch her and try to kill her in some way, and he saves her.

And this sparks off the storyline of Intergang trying to take out Superman with the help of Metallo/Parasite etc.

 

[SpitCurl]

(This is the opening for a script I worked on early last year in between other projects with Superman already established. Sorry, it's a little long.)

FADE IN:

EXT. CITY STREETS - METROPOLIS - DAY

A DEEP BLUE OBJECT streaks past us like a bullet whizzing by, crashes into a building and dislodges out the other side! Skidding down the street, it craters a three foot deep hole in the pavement as heavy STEEL boots drop down atop it, burying the object below street-level with extreme force --

CRUNCH!

We hold on the boot -- belonging to a TIN MAN, tall and imposing in a sleek METALLIC SUIT as he stomps the object into the ground --

THUD!

The leg joints creak as two BLOODY HANDS shoot up from the concrete and grab the boot in mid-stomp, yanking them up, sending the Tin Man into a building nearby!

THWACK! BOOM!

BACK ON THE BLUE OBJECT

-- Rising up from the rubble -- sinewy muscles flexing, majestic red cape shredded to one side and sleeves ripped with bold S-shield smeared with blood -- is:

SUPERMAN!

As we imagine: blue-eyes, square-jaw, masculine. 30’s.

-- He glances down to see a small sliver of KRYPTONITE jutting from his arm, brow furrowed. He pulls it loose, flicks it off into the sky with a grimace as
-- a whooshing rears up behind him --
-- Tin Man rushes him, crashes on a parked car -- CRUNCH!
The bulky suit is damaged in the process, its exposed casing containing a KRYPTONITE HEART partially destroyed -- a CHUNK of the green rock is BROKEN OFF and MISSING.
-- Superman stalls at the glowing light as
-- Tin Man unleashes a barrage of punches --

WHACK! BAM!

-- Superman’s mouth is bloody!
-- Tin Man swings again!
-- Superman fires a weak burst of energy from his eyes and knocks the Tin Man back as the CROWD and CAMERA CREWS scatter for safety. Watching along with them, mesmerized, from the middle of the street is --
JIMMY OLSEN (20’s): his camera clicks away as the fight continues o.s.
-- We hear grunts and thuds as Jimmy ducks, then looks up over his shoulder -- a car door lands behind him!

CAMERA POV: THE FIGHT

The action is blurry, transpires quickly with only glimpses of red, blue, silver and then --
-- Something flies toward Jimmy, screeches by in a hurry --
-- It’s the rest of the car!

ON JIMMY

JIMMY
Oh, ****!

-- He ducks again, eyes shut tight with his camera pointed right at the action --

CAMERA POV: THE CAR

-- Superman swoops in, lifts the car up and sets it aside in one continuous motion before flying back into battle!

ON JIMMY

He checks himself for injuries but finds none, mutters to himself with eyes skyward:

JIMMY (cont’d)
Thank you...

-- Superman grabs a downed light pole and flies after the Tin Man, swings it like a hammer at him --
-- Tin Man goes sailing, crashes hard into the ground as
-- Superman jabs at his Kryptonite heart from a distance, each blow like a small thundering quake --

BOOM! THWACK!

INT. JUJITSU STUDIO - DAY

-- The sound overlaps as
-- A ferocious left hook crashes into a JUJITSU INSTRUCTOR’S jaw while he gazes up as a TV o.s., distracted.
LOIS LANE (30’s, stunning) smiles, proud, then -- realizing why she’s landed this clean shot -- turns with alarm to see

ON A TELEVISION SET:

Superman beats the **** out the Tin Man -- and the Tin Man beats the **** out of him. It's brutal. Superman is bloody and tired, breathing deep as the two exchange blows.

BACK ON LANE
-- Stunned, she keeps her eyes on the TV, excusing herself as if in a trance:

LANE
Really, really sorry...

-- Lane grabs her keys and purse, cell phone vibrating off the hook inside it as she races out the door.
-- The Instructor just nods, sits on the mat rubbing his cheek with eyes firmly fixed on the screen while

INT. DAILY PLANET - PERRY WHITE'S OFFICE - METROPOLIS - DAY

PERRY WHITE (50's) sets the phone down, a lit cigar ignored in his other hand as he watches the fight on a large monitor with a look of concern...

INT. DANK APARTMENT - METROPOLIS - DAY

Disheveled in an Army Surplus jacket and wheelchair, dog tags hanging from his neck, is JOHN CORBEN (20's): he absently picks up a business card from a food tray next to the couch, thumbs it in his hand as light from the TV flickers on his face. He looks down at the phone number -- "PROFESSOR VALE" -- thickly circled...

EXT. CITY STREETS - METROPOLIS - DAY

BANG!

-- The suit's Kryptonite-heart stirs loose as Superman whacks it with the light pole, swatting it against the inside of the crater before cracking it into orbit --

THWACK!

-- Tin Man powers down, out-cold, his helmet off and body immobilized in the two-ton suit: he appears younger than we imagine, his hair buzzed low like a soldier's...
-- Superman exhales, breathless, scans the body:

SUPERMAN’S POV: THE YOUNG MAN’S SKELETON

-- A fractured clavicle. Shattered ribs. Severe scaring in the upper vertebrae. Something even odder: wires fused from the base of the skull, connecting directly to the suit...

 

[KrypJonian]

Ok, let's all write out scenes where/how we would introduce Superman in the movie..
Here is mine..
7:15 AM...Metopolis...
A man in a grey suit walks down a crowded street. He walks against the apparent flow of foot traffic on the sidewalk. His face is obscured by a "Daily Planet" newspaper, held in his right hand, two inches from his face. The only thing that can be seen of him is the top of his head, and the slicked hair that covers it. In his left hand is a classic leather briefcase.
Subtley, it is revealed that though he walks against the flow of people walking the same sidewalk, the man deftly avoids bumping into anyone, though he could not possibly see them with the newspaper in his face....?
The man walks down the block, and the scene slowly turns to pandemonium...fire hoses, fire trucks, and barrier tape suddenly cover the scene... an apartment is on fire, and the man is walking on the sidewalk adjacent to the apartment. The man folds his newspaper, tucks it under his arm, and looks up at the 5 story apartment, as the camera moves to a view from behind the man. We have not seen his face yet, but we see the thick frames of his eyeglasses wrapped around his ears. From behind, we see the man look at the apartment, then at the fire crews on the street. The man turns his head so that his right ear faces the apartment. Close up on his right ear, and we hear what the man hears...the whimpers of an infant who has been left behind in the fully engulfed fire.
Still behind the man, we see him look to the left and the right. He sees the back entrance of the apartment just to his left. He gives another look to the left and to the right; he realized no one pays any attention to him. From behind, we see the man casually walk up to the door of the apartment, and grasp the doorknob in his hand. The knob is so hot from the fire behind it, smoke starts to roll off the man's hand. The man stands up, and squares his shoulders underneath his grey suit. We see for the first time the man is much taller and broader in the shoulders than we realized. The man turns the still smoking doorknob, and steps into the building, and the door shuts behind him as he is engulfed in flames.
The camera view then switches to a view outside the apartment, at window level. The camera tracks along the multiple windows of the apartment, at street level. The camera follows the partially obssucred movements of the man, as we see him walk through the apartment, from right to left. Windows burst from the heat, wall studs fall to the ground, but the man makes constant, slow, steady progression through the apartment. We catch glimpses of the man, and it is apparent his clothes are on fire, buring from his body, but he does not change his slow, steady, deliberate pace through the apartment. The camera speeds up, and moves to the opposite side of the apartment, focusing on the door opposite of the one the man walked into.
A small explosion/flashover blows the door out of it's frame. Flames pour out of the door frame. The camera pans to the small concrete porch of the apartment. From the smoke, flames and chaos, a red boot steps from the smoke, flames, and chaos, followed by the other boot. THE FIRST EIGHT NOTES FROM THE CLASSIC SUPERMAN THEME SLOWLY PLAY OUT. The camera pans up, along the red boots, to muscular thighs in blue tights, to the red trunks, up to the \S/ emblem on the broad chest. The camera stops moving up. The man has a red bundle cradled to his chest. His large hands tenderly unwrap the bundle, to reveal the infant previously heard crying. The infant is completely unhurt. The infant smiles, and reaches up to the face of the man. The camera follows the infant's arm and hand up to the man's face. We see the square jaw, blue eyes, and shock of black hair that we all know. The man steps off the porch, and hands the infant to his mother, with EMS just behind her. We see that the red that bundled the infant was the man's cape. The camera pulls back, and we see Superman in all his glory, standing on the porch of the apartment.
The mother thanks him in sobs.. She asks, "Who are you?"
The man looks up at the crowd that has gathered in stunned silence...
"I am....
...someone who will always be where I am needed."
The man looks up to the sky, raises his right hand, places his left hand at his side, and rises quickly out of frame....

All I'd change is the fire going out little by little as he works his way through the building... even though he can walk through fire doesn't mean he would just stroll through and bring an infant out nonchalantly with the flames still going...

And that dialogue could use some work....

 

[Slugster]

Someone: "LOOK... UP IN THE SKY!
Someone else: IT'S A BIRD!
Someone else: ITS A PLANE!
PLOP!
its a bird.... :/

 

[DoomGeneration]

it's been a long time since i've stopped by these forums, but i had come up with this story in the shower, and posted it on a different forum, but thought i'd share it here:

i'd like to see what matt reeves would do with superman, because not only do i love cloverfield, but he has his roots in felicity. keep zack snyder far away. if i have to sit through a half hour of slow motion/ramping in a superman movie i'm going to rage. it was really out of place in superman returns.

as for the story, where matt reeves's experience in romantic drama comes in, i actually think we can reference the campy lois and clark series from the early 90s, and the dynamic lois and clark have from season 1 to season 3, which in a way, i think feels a lot like season 1 and 2 of chuck. we love the goofy spy antics, but the core of the show is the to be or not to be a spy, does sarah love regular ol' chuck, spy chuck, or bryce/shaw, and the pressure, loneliness, and burden of keeping a secret identity and the strain it puts on his personal life. - wow, did i just realize chuck as a rehash of superman? - i don't think these issues are explored well enough in the films since donnor's superman.

so once we have that lois and clark love story as the emotional anchor, we can now take a character from the great depression and place him in a world of the great recession, come up with some way of re-remaking lex luthor into erik prince type (so basically politically active billionaire with a personal military, who is under fire for allegations of war crimes and weapons trafficking), and you have your first hour or so of part one of a three to four film story arch. of course, we're all tired of lex luthor, so simultaneously, as the mess known as lois lane's love life between superman, clark, a stalking from afar lex luthor, and a throw away character is being explored, i see a braniac story line that further complicates superman's sense of identity, before ending with a giant saving the earth from destruction sequence and a foreshadowing of a greater impending threat. then we get a lois and clark romance amongst the backdrop of a darkseid death of superman story line that intertwines with the political and para-militaristic rise of lex luthor. that would take up the next few films, and maybe ending with the over throw of luthor and a battle with doomsday that i guess can be re-imagined as being luthor's last resort to defeating superman. top it off with a marriage proposal or wedding if it can be made to fit the tone.

tl;dr:
director: matt reeves - cloverfield and felicity
4 film story arc
part 1: lois, clark, luthor, +1 love story + braniac
part 2: lois and clark love story + arrival of darkseid, political rise of luthor, death of superman
part 3: return of superman defeat of darkseid + luthor takes credit, becomes president + lois finding out clark/superman rocky relationship because of trust issues.
part 4: lois and clark go woodward and bernstein on luthor + luthor releases doomsday - end with some grand romantic gesture.

 

[Daybreak_st]

Lana

Clark


The movie begins in space with a beautiful shot of the earth. A small object shoots across the screen heading for earth. We hear two voices talking.

“You think I’m crazy don’t you?” – Clark Kent

“No, I think it’s great what you’re doing. I’m proud of you, Clark.” – Lana

“Thanks, Lana. That means a lot. “ – Clark
“What are best friends for? I’ll be cheering from the side lines.” - Lana

The screen fades to black. The same voice says:

“I can’t watch” – Lana Lang

“Come on you knew this was gonna happen eventually!” – Pete Ross

“Just tell me when it’s over” – Lana
“Oh stop being so dramatic, clark can take care of himself” – Pete Ross

The camera has Lana’s point of view, still black. She removes her hands from her eyes; we see the Smallville High gymnasium full of spectators. The next wrestling match is about to begin.

The camera shifts to the gym floor as the next two opponents get into position.

“You should’ve stayed home today, Kent, you’re going home on a stretcher,” taunts the larger of the two combatants.

“Ready…begin” shouts the referee.

The two boys go at it as the larger one, Kenny, gets the clear upper hand. Using an advanced move he has the smaller boy in what looks like an impossible hold to counter.

“Give it up, Kent, or I might just dislocate something…if you’re lucky” – Kenny

“Kenny…” – Clark

“Yeah?” – Kenny

“You talk too much” – Clark

Clark breaks out of the hold to Kenny’s surprise.

“Ohmygod! Go get’em clark!” shouts Lana, from the stands.

“Oh so now you’re interested all of sudden” – smirks Pete. Lana just smiles and continues shouting.

“Let’s just end the embarrassment already, Kent, I was state champ last year, this is just an exhibition for school morale. I don’t want to have to hurt you…too much,” Kenny says with a grin.

“Appreciate your concern Kenny, but I can take care of myself,” replies clark.

“Your funeral, Kent, I’m done playing” – Kenny.

Kenny quickly moves in, Clark struggles but he’s clearly outmatched. He’s maneuvered into a hold that has been named “the braverman” for obvious reasons.

“You’re walking home with your tail between your legs today, Kent. No way you’re getting out of this…you should’a just tapped out early, would’ve saved you some embarrassment…just give it up man you’re done…” – kenny taunts.

“Oh crap!” says Pete under his breath hoping lana doesn’t hear.

“Oh crap? Oh crap what? Clark’s gonna be ok right?” Pete offers no response, “Right?!” Lana repeats.

“That’s the move, Kenny used last year to win state. The dude had a heck of lot more experience than clark, was bigger…and still couldn’t break that hold…I hate to say it lana but clark’s done…it’s a shame I had money on him,” says Pete, Lana shoots him a dirty look and hits in the arm, “hey!” Pete shouts in response.

“You can do it clark,” Lana mumbles under her breath.

Clark is clearly straining at this point, sweat dripping off his face, trying to move but pinned, starting to lose his footing. The camera pans up to see the sky light in the ceiling as the sun shines brightly. The sounds around him start to fade. Clark begins to move and force a reversal of his position.

“What the….” Kenny mutters in disbelief.

Clark not only counters Kenny’s move with sheer strength to the disbelief of everyone in the crowd, but proceeds to pin Kenny.

“one, two, three…you’re out” shouts the Referee, as he blows his whistle and raises clark’s hand in victory. The crowds go wild.

“oh…my…god…” lana says to Pete in disbelief. They look at each other then they both scream.

Clark has a broad smile on his face; he looks up at the sun then over at Kenny as he walks away.

“Hey Kenny, good match,” Clark says as he extends his hand to shake Kenny’s.

“Whatever man, you got lucky,” Kenny mumbles as he walks off rubbing his arm in discomfort.

“Did you let up at the end?” Clark asks with sincerity. Kenny shoots him a disgusted glance, and just walks off.

The camera pans up for an overhead view of clark in the middle of the gym as people file out.

The next scene is outside the gym, lana is waiting as clark now dressed in normal clothing walks out.

“Hey there champ,” she says with a smile.

“Knock it off lana,” clark says with a slight grin.

“Seriously I think you surprised everyone with that… it was…awesome! And the look on Kenny ‘I’m better than everyone Braverman’ was worth the price of admission alone.” – says lana.

“hmm…yeah surprised me too…it was crazy for a second I thought he had me, I couldn’t move, then all of a sudden…” – Clark tries to verbalize the feeling.

“Then what….” Lana asks.

“I don’t know…I stopped struggling…it felt…easy, like he wasn’t holding me so tight anymore…” – Clark

“This is Kenny Braverman, we’re talking about here, he’s not exactly a fan of losing, clark…I don’t think he ‘let you win’ if that’s what you’re implying,” – counters lana.

“Yeah I know, but…it was just a little…strange, that’s all,” says clark.

“Yeah, pete thinks you must be on steroids or something, but he did win a bet so he’s happy,” lana winks at him.

“Steriods?! Come on?” says clark shocked at the assumption.

“I’m kidding…well about the steroids part anyway, he really did win some money,” says lana.

“He actually bet on me?” clark asks.

“Not exactly, more like you’d last for more than a few minutes, evidently other parties, thought you’d be done in less than a minute, but Pete was confident you’d last at least two,” lana remarks while shrugging her shoulders.

“Heh…yeah great to have friends who believe in you…really boosts the self-confidence” clark quips.

“Yeah right I know…hey are we still on for dinner at your folks’ house tonight,” lana inquires.

“Um…yeah, yeah…they love it when you come over…actually mom got the crazy idea in her head that…” clark pauses. Lana looks over hanging on every word.

“That…” lana repeats.

“That..” Clark starts to finish his thought when a sudden piercing noise disrupts his concentration. “aahh,” he winces.

“Clark?!” lana shouts.

“Aahaa, do you hear that? What is that?” clark says while continuing to wince and looking around for a source.

“Clark?” lana repeats. The sound stops.

“God what was that…” clark looks around relieved the noise has stopped.

“Clark…I didn’t hear anything, are you ok, do you want me to take you to the nurse or something…” lana looks concerned “you sure you didn’t get hit in the head or anything during the match?”

Clark just looks confused, “I’m fine, it was nothing. I’ll see you later, Lana,” as he walks off.

“Clark, clark” she yells as he runs off. “Are we still on for tonight?” She asks under her breath.


Pulling up to the farm in his dad’s pickup truck, Clark hears the piercing sound again. He realizes it’s coming from the barn. Slowly making his way to the barn he notices that the cellar in the barn is open, the underground location of the ship that brought him to earth.

“Dad is that you?” he asks as he cautiously approaches.

A medium built man stands over the ship as it glows as the sounds continue emanating from it. The man turns around to acknowledge Clark. His eyes glow a greenish color. We begin seeing things from his perspective. It looks like a display screen of some sort and after cycling through trying to identity what Clark is, it matches his DNA signature as a potential Kryptonian (30%).

“What are you doing in here?” Clark demands.

The scene switches to inside the Kent home. Jonathan and Martha are preparing for dinner. You see them as a real family, good character stuff here. They’re talking about Clark, their life, maybe doubts or concerns they have. They are startled by the sound of a loud crash outside and look on in horror to see Jonathan’s truck in flames, even more shocked as they watch Clark emerge from the ruble.

Clark tells them to run as the robot leaps out of the barn and lands on the remains of the truck, then lunges at Clark. Martha screams. Just as the robot has Clark pinned and is about to initiate a probe of some sort, a shotgun blasts it back. Jonathan tells Clark to stay down and keeps firing at the robot. After taking a few direct shots to the head and chest the robot identifies Jonathan as a threat that must be terminated. As it prepares to leap toward Jonathan, Clark grabs it’s leg in mid-flight, swings it the ground and punches it several times, showing an increase in strength and further damaging the robot. Clark hears the robot’s reading of “60% Kryptonian”, it startles him enough to hesitate in his assault. The robot knocks him a good 30 feet away landing in the cornfield, and turns to resume its attack on Jonathan. The handle of the shotgun shatters as it hits the robot’s head. Unhindered by Jonathans’ attack the robot prepares to kill him with its razor sharp talons.

Everything slows down as we begin seeing the situation from Clark perspective. The camera zooms through the cornfield onto Clark’s location then shifts to his viewpoint. He’s starting to pick himself up in the cornfield but can see the danger his father is in. He starts to run as fast as he can. The camera focuses on the robot moving in slow motion as it tries to stab Jonathan, in the background we see Clark zooming out of the cornfield, the camera resumes normal speed just before impact with the robot he takes flight for the first time, with the robot in tow.

The robot struggles to break Clark’s grip and even slashes him with its talons, which have no effect on Clark. From its view port the reading rapidly increases from 60% to 70%, 80%, 90% then as Clark’s eyes begin to glow with his anger, the reading displays 100% Kryptonian as it is incinerated by Clark’s heat vision.

(The idea is that Clark’s body has been super-charging for years as a teenager but nothing has triggered his abilities to “ignite” until now they have been running in a “passive” mode thus the peak human performance. If he were an adult when he landed his body would have displayed abilities much sooner, although perhaps in a weaker state b/c of absorbing less sunlight)

Clark remains hovering with the lifeless robot in his arms until he hears Martha scream “JOHNATHAN!!!” Clark turns to look back at the farm with shock. We see a full frame of his face wearing a worried expression. The camera zooms out showing everything in silhouette (clark streaking down, the kent farm, with a beautiful sunset in the background) fades to black as the Title “SUPERMAN” appears.