The Daily Planet - Superman News and Speculation Thread (🚨TAG SPOILERS🚨)

[BobJM]

Go for it.

Zero reason Superman cannot be black... although if they go with him being Clark Kent, they’ll have to deal with growing up a young black man in rural America... which, come to think of it, would be bloody good.

All those people who whine about Superman being a boring character? Making him black, and having to deal with prejudice as Clark, and the power of a god as Kal to do something about it or not... absolutely fascinating character work right there.

Say it again for the people in the back.

Absolutely zero reason this can't work, especially in the very capable hands of writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.

 

[Iceman]

I liked Abrams’ Star Trek a lot. He might not be the best but I doubt I’d hate an Abrams Superman.

 

[Frodo]

Go for it.

Zero reason Superman cannot be black... although if they go with him being Clark Kent, they’ll have to deal with growing up a young black man in rural America... which, come to think of it, would be bloody good.

I'd be down with it. Inevitabley they'll be people who have issues with it, and they'll be people who won't except it, but there's a white Superman on tv now, and there are several different white versions of Clark Kent on tv and film for 80 years , if casting a Black actor is that offensive to them.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I liked Abrams’ Star Trek a lot. He might not be the best but I doubt I’d hate an Abrams Superman.

As of right now, he is Producing but the project has no director. If they are going for a black Superman, my bet is they are seeking a black director as well.

 

[FunkMiller]

Say it again for the people in the back.

Absolutely zero reason this can't work, especially in the very capable hands of writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.

The more I think about it, the more perfect a black Superman actually is. Can’t really imagine a more compelling story that one where a god has to learn how to deal with prejudice. Krypton could quite easily have been a planet without racism, where all skin colours lived together in harmony. What more perfect a gift could Jor El send to a world full of prejudice than his only son, born into a dying world that teaches tolerance?

 

[Calvin Ellis]

I don't want Abrams to write or direct he is now to me the king of remakes the last original thing he did I liked was the first Star Trek.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I'll be honest, I had zero clue who Calvin Ellis was before this thread. That said, I'd rather Clark Kent be Black than have a Superman movie that's not Clark Kent.

I remember Will Smith was a name in consideration to play Superman like 15 years ago. I think he got cold feet because of the backlash on Wild Wild West and did his own version with Hancock instead.

From 2008

"The last Superman I got offered, the script came, and I was like, 'There is no way I'm playing Superman!' Because I had already done Jim West (Wild Wild West) and you can't be messing up white peoples' heroes in Hollywood," he recalled.

https://www.**************.com/images/news/superman/wilsup.jpg​

"You mess up white peoples' heroes in Hollywood, you'll never work in this town again!"

Will Smith says he thinks the nihilistic and self-destructive anti-superhero Hancock is more suited to him than traditional heroes like Superman.

Will Smith Offered Superman Role Before Hancock!

 

[Gamma Goliath]

This is great news I'm pumped

 

[Nemeres]

Pornnnn

 

[Jekecy]

Go for it.

Zero reason Superman cannot be black... although if they go with him being Clark Kent, they’ll have to deal with growing up a young black man in rural America... which, come to think of it, would be bloody good.

All those people who whine about Superman being a boring character? Making him black, and having to deal with prejudice as Clark, and the power of a god as Kal to do something about it or not... absolutely fascinating character work right there.

A take that doubles down on the immigrant story and racial injustice could be potentially groundbreaking for the franchise and the genre, so it’s definitely a bold move that I hope pays off for the studio.

There’s inevitably going to be huge talk with the specific casting of a black man in the role now, so I hope the actual message of the film doesn’t get drowned up by it.

A selfish, nitpick fanboy part of me did kinda wish they opted for someone that could still resemble the character more, which you do forfeit with a black actor. I think the same messaging would be just as poignant with an asian or latinx actor, similar to how Dean Cain’s casting didn’t make anyone budge from what I can remember.

We’ll see how it pans out. I’m very curious with just how far they’ll willing to change up the canon. I for sure still want it to be Clark Kent, and all the baggage that comes with it.

 

[DlAMONDZ]

You guys think this will connect to Matt Reeves Batman or just be it's own thing?

 

[Nemeres]

Just hope this doesn't go the way of those Supergirl/Batgirl movie announcements. When Nolan was announced as the "godfather" for a new Superman film back in the day, things moved surprisingly quickly.

 

[Iceman]

As of right now, he is Producing but the project has no director. If they are going for a black Superman, my bet is they are seeking a black director as well.

Ah gotya. Hope they get the right person for the job. This is important!

 

[Jekecy]

For the Timmverse fans, you'll like this quote from a few years back by Ta-Nehisi:

You didn’t read DC much, but you have given a shout-out to the animated series Justice League Unlimited and Dwayne McDuffie. That show was incredible. Totally underrated. I mean people talk about this era of great storytelling on TV, and Emily Nussbaum wrote this great piece about why Sex and the City never comes up in that conversation, and I think there’s a strong case for why don’t Justice League and Justice League Unlimited come up in that conversation either. It’s great TV. You could watch every episode of Batman: The Animated Series, every episode of Superman: The Animated Series, and it can hold the coherent universe together in a way that is much better than — I like The Avengers, I’m going to go see it, but [the aforementioned shows are] much better than anything you’re going to see in film.

 

[Orb]

Black Superman always made more sense to me than a black Batman. Bruce Wayne is always meant to come from old money; from status and privilege. But Superman has always been a immigrant story. The reason I always connected with the character was his story of feeling different, being "alien" to rest of a society as an immigrant myself.

That's why my pick for a rebooted Superman was Henry Golding, he gives off a relatable persona but Asian representation would be nice in a mainstream platform however I'm down for Black Superman as well.
I always felt in order to properly flesh out a new, modern Superman, a immigrant or minority voice would be needed so I'm excited for this.

 

[Lencho01]

Boyega doesn’t really scream Superman to me.

Nope just Rey

This exchange almost made me choke on my food.

 

[TheFuture]

I'd like to see a Black Superman at this point, why not.

Should finally put to bed the tired argument of what Superman should be on the big screen.

 

[Nemeres]

Abrams has his issues as writer/director, but he knows how to get a vibe going. I happen to be really fond of a lot of what he put in his Superman script... there's a sense of Amblin-ness and wonder about it that none of the new Superman movies have. Having him as producer is a win in my book. Got to read up on Ta-Nehisi's stuff.

 

[BobJM]

You guys think this will connect to Matt Reeves Batman or just be it's own thing?

Separate for now, maybe connected down the road. Like BTAS & STAS eventually meeting. Would be cool for Martha Kent to reference that “nut in Gotham.”

 

[Nemeres]

Michael B. Jordan tried to develop a Black Superman project when he first arrived at the studio with his deal in 2019, but that did not go very far at the time, according to sources. It is possible that the studio could return to him to star down the line.

Could see this happening.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Separate for now, maybe connected down the road. Like BTAS & STAS eventually meeting. Would be cool for Martha Kent to reference that “nut in Gotham.”

 

[BobJM]

 

[Brother Jack]

Abrams has his issues as writer/director, but he knows how to get a vibe going. I happen to be really fond of a lot of what he put in his Superman script... there's a sense of Amblin-ness and wonder about it that none of the new Superman movies have. Having him as producer is a win in my book. Got to read up on Ta-Nehisi's stuff.

As long as he has nothing at all to do with the script, I'd be fine with him directing.

 

[chicagodave]

Not too excited just let me know when the the petition for Abram's cut starts.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Considering how close this came out to the super girl news I can't help but wonder if they're connected. I don’t think it's a guarantee that we get Calvin Ellis, if we do great. But I expect a traditional superman.