The Daily Planet Vol. 2: Superman News and Speculation Thread (🚨TAG SPOILERS🚨)

[dhandler01]

Doesn't help that the characters were supposed to be written as if they had considerable experience (of at least the events of Superman and Superman II + five years of Superman's absence), and instead they skewed as young as the high school/college kids casting of Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in the Spider-Man movies. The more one thinks about Superman Returns, the less it makes sense.

There's such a whiplash in what it wants to be vs what it actually is.

Yeah...if SR is a sequel to Superman 2 they should have gone with someone who looked like she had lived a life. Bosworth looked fresh out of journalism school not like someone who had had many adventures, broke huge stories and then married and had a kid.

 

[Frodo]

Bosworth was actually pretty good in drama Wonderland, with Val Kilmer , and she wasn't bad in the Bobby Darin biopic.

But she was miscast for Superman Returns , in addition to her character being underwritten imo.

I know Keri Russell auditioned for Lois Lane in SR , and I think she would have fit the role much better than Bosworth .

 

[Deck Rickard]

I’m of the opinion that Routh and Bosworth sucked equally. The movie would have been bad anyway with that script but their lifeless performances made it unbearable.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Routh at least had a great Superman in him and showed it in Crisis. I'm happy that he got redemption. That's more than last guy did even after multiple movies.

 

[Primal Slayer]

WB was stupid in general for trying to do a "sequel" to the OG films with BRAND NEW ACTORS. Esp when the world clearly told them we moved on and accepted new iterations of Superman.

 

[Lily Adler]

WB was stupid in general for trying to do a "sequel" to the OG films with BRAND NEW ACTORS. Esp when the world clearly told them we moved on and accepted new iterations of Superman.

Yeah, but THEY grew up with the Donner film.

 

[B]

Most Lois’ on film come across that way. Or they come across as superficial and shallow, having schoolgirl crushes over Superman while treating Clark as a dork. That’s why Bitsie Tulloch’s Lois was a breath of fresh air. She was shown as being enamored with Clark because he is a good guy. She initially assumed that Superman was probably a meathead.

I don't think so, for my tastes anyway, Bosworth's Lois stand on her own as coming across in this manner. I would need to rewatch the film in truth but my lasting impression of her Lois from the last time I'd seen the film was I found her Lois quite unlikeable which is something I wouldn't say about any other live action incarnation of the character either film or television.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Most Lois’ on film come across that way. Or they come across as superficial and shallow, having schoolgirl crushes over Superman while treating Clark as a dork. That’s why Bitsie Tulloch’s Lois was a breath of fresh air. She was shown as being enamored with Clark because he is a good guy. She initially assumed that Superman was probably a meathead.

Yeah I gotta hard disagree with that.

I've never found Lois superficial or shallow, nor do I think her being drawn towards Superman is a school girl crush.

In interpretations where Clark actively pretends to be a bumbling fool, to keep anyone from really seeing him - surprise surprise, she doesn't see him. When he's more himself as Superman, she sees him.

In interpretations where Clark is more himself as Clark, like LnC for example, it plays out as more like a defence mechanism. She keeps Clark at arms length and goes after the unattainable hero because she's afraid of being hurt. Until she eventually let's her guard down.

It's very simplistic, and kinda missing the point, to think she fancies Superman for superficial/shallow reasons in any interpretation. Even Bosworth.

 

[elgaz]

Singer's fundamental approach to making Superman Returns was just wrong from day one.

Let's pretend Superman 3 and 4 never happened, and just follow on from Superman 2. We'll just ignore the 28 year gap in terms of continuity. Let's portray Superman as some kind of emotionally repressed stalker type who spies on Lois by x-raying her walls when she's at home, even though he was an utterly charming and mild mannered character in the 1978 film. Oh, and let's have him disappear for 5 years to go and find out if Krypton somehow survived, even though we know by the sheer existence of Kryptonite in Superman 1978 that the planet blew up. Let's keep the Marlon Brando footage, but every other character will be recast. Let's ignore the fantastic variety of villains in Superman's rogues gallery, and stick with the "Lex Luthor wants real estate" plot as that worked well in the 1978 film, and he almost got to rule Australia in Superman 2 so I'm sure audiences will lap it up again. Let's keep the action contained to Superman lifting really heavy things, like the airplane, the boat, the island, the falling crane, the Daily Planet globe and the runaway car.

They should never have went with a mish mash of tone and continuity for this film, it should have been it's own entirely new thing with a decent villain he could toe off against physically. A lesson in why giving in to nostalgia is not always a safe choice. As much flak as Snyder gets on this site, at least he went all in for MOS with a totally new aesthetic, tone, story and so on.

 

[Babillygunn]

Yeah I gotta hard disagree with that.

I've never found Lois superficial or shallow, nor do I think her being drawn towards Superman is a school girl crush.

In interpretations where Clark actively pretends to be a bumbling fool, to keep anyone from really seeing him - surprise surprise, she doesn't see him. When he's more himself as Superman, she sees him.

In interpretations where Clark is more himself as Clark, like LnC for example, it plays out as more like a defence mechanism. She keeps Clark at arms length and goes after the unattainable hero because she's afraid of being hurt. Until she eventually let's her guard down.

It's very simplistic, and kinda missing the point, to think she fancies Superman for superficial/shallow reasons in any interpretation. Even Bosworth.

I see your point. And I probably agree in many instances in the comics, especially in the past 25-30 years that Lois has been written. And I see your point with Lois and Clark.

But I still think that Lois has been neglected for much of her history. She went from just being there to be rescued by Superman in the Golden Age, to being a butt of a lot of the writers’ jokes during Silver Age.

But to me, Kidder’s Lois was was in many instances a step back, because I’ve always seen her as having the schoolgirl crush and being superficial. Most people probably disagree with me here, but I think that that iteration was just cringey.

 

[Mysteryman]

Doesn't have to be a Warner Bros movie specifically. Might be the next Mission Impossible, which would be a 1 month wait.

Already going to see Final Reckoning.
However, if they want to throw in the first full trailer for Superman, VERY COOL!

 

[dhandler01]

I see your point. And I probably agree in many instances in the comics, especially in the past 25-30 years that Lois has been written. And I see your point with Lois and Clark.

But I still think that Lois has been neglected for much of her history. She went from just being there to be rescued by Superman in the Golden Age, to being a butt of a lot of the writers’ jokes during Silver Age.

But to me, Kidder’s Lois was was in many instances a step back, because I’ve always seen her as having the schoolgirl crush and being superficial. Most people probably disagree with me here, but I think that that iteration was just cringey.

Kidder definitely played it that way in the first film...but i mean he did save her life and I mean look at him! I can let that go a bit.

I prefer a Lois that loves Clark before she learns the truth or even suspects it.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

I see your point. And I probably agree in many instances in the comics, especially in the past 25-30 years that Lois has been written. And I see your point with Lois and Clark.

But I still think that Lois has been neglected for much of her history. She went from just being there to be rescued by Superman in the Golden Age, to being a butt of a lot of the writers’ jokes during Silver Age.

But to me, Kidder’s Lois was was in many instances a step back, because I’ve always seen her as having the schoolgirl crush and being superficial. Most people probably disagree with me here, but I think that that iteration was just cringey.

I mean, I'm not a fan of the Donner movies or that interpretation of Lois/Clois - but I still wouldn't go as far as to call her superficial.

I agree with aspects of what you're saying. Do I dislike the swooning? Yes. Do I find their romance cringey? Also yes. But thats more about the cheesy dialogue and 70s vibes to me. Superficial makes it sound like she's only interested in him because of his powers and/or status, and I think it's more than that, even in those films. Otherwise she wouldn't have wanted to be with him once he lost his powers.

I think she was intruiged by this guy who rescued her, who was just so different than anyone she'd ever met. Alien who can fly, sure - but also his charm, respect, kindness, heroism, humility etc.

 

[Sawyer]

Corner boxes are a lost art. They deserve a full comeback.

 

[Superchan]

Dan Mora is a treasure, his art is simple yet elegant, cartoon-ish with a touch of realism, it shouldn't work but it does.
Love Williamson's Superman and I'm intrigued about Waid's Super(boy)man run but I've heard some horror stories about Dan Slot and his handling of Spider-man so I might hold off on his run until I hear positive things and then maybe get the collected volume. I do have to admit that the idea of Kryptonite being everywhere (been there, read that) yet being used as energy source to benefit humanity is fascinating; a similar idea was introduced in Justice League Unlimited season 1 where Superman and Cap Marvel go "man of steel" on Lex's new built city but sadly Timm and Co. didn't follow up on it, let's see what happens.

 

[AntonGobbs89]

Just wanted to say I love Superman Returns. It’s my second favorite Superman film behind the Donner original at the moment.

 

[donuts]

I like it. I don't think that Superman has had a genuinely GREAT movie since the Richard Donner one (and, to a lesser extent, Superman II).

 

[AntonGobbs89]

I like it. I don't think that Superman has had a genuinely GREAT movie since the Richard Donner one (and, to a lesser extent, Superman II).

For whatever reason Returns just clicked with me. I’ve felt that way since I saw it opening day back in 2006. I’ve revisited it multiple times since then and it’s never disappointed me. It’s one of those films where the criticisms make me feel like a saw a completely different movie from everyone else.

I find it very moving and where it takes the relationship between Superman and Lois is interesting and I like that it doesn’t have a happy ending to it. I really admire that film.

 

[Superark]

Just wanted to say I love Superman Returns. It’s my second favorite Superman film behind the Donner original at the moment.

It's my favorite Superman film and 2nd favorite movie behind It's A Wonderful Life.

I recognize it's flaws, which every Superman film has to varying degrees, but I never ceases to make me smile. I think it was a couple of creative decisions away from being a more successful and appreciated film.
I only wish we could have seen the Friends and Family cut that Robert Meyer Burnett references. It was said to be a much better film, albeit longer.

You know we are desperate for more Superman 2025 news when we are rehashing SR. Those Hype discussions in 2004-2006 were quite a time to be alive.

 

[Superark]

Via Jorge Jimenez and Dan Mora. This suit really does look great in comic form.

 

[Sawyer]

 

[Superark]

For you fellow collectors. Coming tomorrow from McFarlane

 

[donuts]

Suit looks great in any form.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Chris B]

The SR discussion has got me wondering what the state of Superman on film would be if Superman: Flyby had been made back in the day?

If I'm not mistaken, Routh and Cavill both auditioned for it. I'm imagining how different each of their legacies would be now if that movie had been made and was successful, with one of them playing Supes.