DC Films The DC Studios News and Discussion Thread

[Iceman]

I have enjoyed many different visual depictions of Batman on and off screen. I don’t particularly mind which they choose to go with but logically the huge frame Batman’s (don’t mind the look of them) are never going to be quite as good at stealth.

 

[Frodo]

Christopher Reeve worked out and got in very good, muscular shape. He didn't look like Mr Universe.

Reeve's transformation physical was pretty dramatic too

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I have enjoyed many different visual depictions of Batman on and off screen. I don’t particularly mind which they choose to go with but logically the huge frame Batman’s (don’t mind the look of them) are never going to be quite as good at stealth.

Yes, you don't see many ninjas that size!

Reeve's transformation physical was pretty dramatic too

Definitely. IIRC he was trained by Dave Prowse, wasn't he?

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Christopher Reeve worked out and got in very good, muscular shape. He didn't look like Mr Universe.

To be fair, he didn't have any shirtless scenes (like what Cavill got in Man Of Steel where he burned his clothes off saving people in a tanker), and wore a spandex costume, so you never got to see just how jacked he really was. He trained with Darth Vader's physical performer, so his prep for the role wasn't all that different from what Evans and Hemsworth did for Cap and Thor.

 

[Frodo]

Definitely. IIRC he was trained by Dave Prowse, wasn't he?[/QUOTE]
Yup.
Darth Vader Played a Crucial Role in Helping Christopher Reeve Become Superman – The Hollywood Reporter

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

To be fair, he didn't have any shirtless scenes (like what Cavill got in Man Of Steel where he burned his clothes off saving people in a tanker), and wore a spandex costume, so you never got to see just how jacked he really was. He trained with Darth Vader's physical performer, so his prep for the role wasn't all that different from what Evans and Hemsworth did for Cap and Thor.

There are shirtless photos around of Reeve training. He had a good build, but was nowhere near the size of Evans and Hemsworth. As for the shirtless
scenes, I'm pretty sure they're only there because of the juiced up builds of the actors.

 

[GreenKToo]

I think the main characteristic and qualities for the next actor playing Superman we should look for is acting chops. How the same person can look and act totally different when he's Clark Kent, which IMO Henry Cavill could never deliver, even with the good material and good direction.

It would also be nice to see someone who doesn't look like a bodybuilder necessarily, but who can change drastically from one personality to the other and makes us see two totally different people with his posture, demeanour, way of talking, etc. Both personality should be fun but different, two complete opposite which can be impressive in term of acting.

He has to be imposing sure, but I don't think him being (and even all the DC characters) all muscles is the way to go or think for this new universe, the DCEU already gave us that.

I'm pretty sure Gunn's approach will be bold in terms casting choice but it will still maintain the spirit of the character while having a new look at it that should feel fresh.

I agree. When he is playing Superman, it should seem like we're seeing a different actor than when he's Clark.
Cavill didn't do that for me. He just seemed like superman with glasses on.

Goofy Clark or not, CR pulled it off beautifully.

 

[Iceman]

I love having a Superman in amazing physical shape, Batman too but he can get away with a lighter build. However as with Tyler Hoechlin, a less jacked version is fine too. Need the right actor regardless of all that.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

Bored of the obvious steroid abuse induced ludicrously jacked look among superhero actors. Would much rather a Superman that looked like Reeves did or even how Pattinson does than being an obvious roid freak like Cavill or Hemsworth.

 

[GreenKToo]

I'd like this superman to be big but not built like a body builder...

 

[AndrewGilkison]

I am just going to go ahead and say it. If steroids were as easily accessible in the late 70s as they are today for these actors, Reeve would've absolutely had been on them. The reason actors playing superheroes look the way they do today is because they have more "tools" and "resources" to get that physique. You aren't going to see the actor playing Superman in this new movie look like George Reeves from the 50s TV show. That just isn't going to happen.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Steroids were certainly available then, and Reeve may well have been on them to achieve the build he did (he was naturally a very skinny guy, and possibly a hard-gainer). But he didn't have that over-inflated, pumped-up look; the end result was one that is achievable for a lot of guys without 'roids. It wasn't a typical bodybuilder's physique.

 

[BarryLyndon]

It's cool to see people getting that it doesn't take a mister universe type of look for the character.

I do think Superman has to be tall and imposing, but I also think the acting has to be rich, funny, colourful and unique to really distinguish himself from the other actors that played him and really make it his own.

For sure the actor's gonna get in shape if he's not, but I don't think superman has to be all muscle if it's the sun giving him power. Even the good looking squared jaw won't be the main focus for the next choice, acting will be.

I won't be surprised if Gunn's choice may create some controversy and debate at first.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I won't be surprised if Gunn's choice may create some controversy and debate at first.

Guaranteed! Whoever it is!

 

[Frodo]

Steroids were certainly available then, and Reeve may well have been on them to achieve the build he did (he was naturally a very skinny guy, and possibly a hard-gainer). But he didn't have that over-inflated, pumped-up look; the end result was one that is achievable for a lot of guys without 'roids. It wasn't a typical bodybuilder's physique.

Yeah.
The over pumped look of today really wasn't expected for actors playing these Superhero roles until relatively recently.

Lots of actors would get in shape , maybe put on bulk , but for the most part , they looked fit, as opposed to roided.

There were some exceptions , but for the most part , Reeve was more of the norm as opposed to being an outlier.

There was bodybuilding in the 1950s, but the producers didn't feel the need to over inflate George Reeves.
Ditto with West as Batman in the 1960s.

Of course, there was Lou as the Hulk, but he was a literally Bodybuilder who went into acting , and he was playing the Incredible Hulk , as opposed to Iron Man .

Bale put on alot of muscle for Batman Begins, but even then , Nolan wanted him to lean down after he saw how much he put on.

Even Routh's Superman in Returns wasn't roided out, and that was in the mid 00s.

The expectation back in the day, was different than it is today ,in terms of getting the actors into the over inflated look .

 

[GreenKToo]

Someone with the body type of Patrick Warburton would be fine.
Big and muscular but not a freaky bodybuilder type of body.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Yeah.
The over pumped look of today really wasn't expected for actors playing these Superhero roles until relatively recently.

Lots of actors would get in shape , maybe put on bulk , but for the most part , they looked fit, as opposed to roided.

There were some exceptions , but for the most part , Reeve was more of the norm as opposed to being an outlier.

There was bodybuilding in the 1950s, but the producers didn't feel the need to over inflate George Reeves.
Ditto with West as Batman in the 1960s.

Of course, there was Lou as the Hulk, but he was a literally Bodybuilder who went into acting , and he was playing the Incredible Hulk , as opposed to Iron Man .

Bale put on alot of muscle for Batman Begins, but even then , Nolan wanted him to lean down after he saw how much he put on.

Even Routh's Superman in Returns wasn't roided out, and that was in the mid 00s.

The expectation back in the day, was different than it is today ,in terms of getting the actors into the over inflated look .

Reeve was absolutely NOT the norm. He was a lot closer to the Chris Evans/Chris Hemsworth physique than the actors who played Superman in live action prior (like George Reeves), and was like Curt Swan's Superman design come to life. You can argue that he was the one who set the trend that superhero actors follow today in terms of trying to be like a comic book come to life.

 

[Frodo]

Reeve was absolutely NOT the norm. He was a lot closer to the Chris Evans/Chris Hemsworth physique than the actors who played Superman in live action prior (like George Reeves), and was like Curt Swan's Superman design come to life. You can argue that he was the one who set the trend that superhero actors follow today in terms of trying to be like a comic book come to life.

It sounds like you misunderstood my point , so let me be clear to what I meant.

What I meant was, the idea of bulking the way Reeve did was more the norm in terms of the extent of the workout that actors would put into playing superhero roles in general in the decades leading up to the MCU.

Yes, Reeve worked out more than George Reeves.
I wasn't arguing that he didn't to begin with, but I get your point.

My point wasn't that Reeve and Reeves were the same size, if that's what you think I'm arguing.
I never argued they were .

My point was ,that the idea of alot of actors getting as big as Evans and Hemsworth are today to play these roles, is recent , and Reeves wasn't an outlier in terms of not getting as huge as Evans and co back in the day.

Yes, I would agree with you he got more into shape than Reeves did in the 50s, but he wasn't the size of Ferrigno , Prowse, or any number of weightlifters and bodybuilders of the 70s or 80s.

I'm saying that Reeve was more of the norm physically in that he didn't get roided out which is what I was addressing.

If you want to argue about which actors got bigger than others pre the MCU and compare those, that's fine.

But that's not the argument I was making.

 

[titansupes]

Bored of the obvious steroid abuse induced ludicrously jacked look among superhero actors. Would much rather a Superman that looked like Reeves did or even how Pattinson does than being an obvious roid freak like Cavill or Hemsworth.

The last straws for me in regard to the silent steroid issue in Hollywood (though it's much wider spread than that) were the one two punch of Kumail Nanjiani and Bobby Holland Hanton (aka Hemsworth's double). Just such egregious use, then spinning nonsense articles about how they did it.

 

[Invader Joker]

Superman is an alien that gets his powers from the sun, muscles are irrelevant for him as long as he can look fine in the suit. There's never been any reason for him to be mega-jacked.

 

[BarryLyndon]

What Invader Joker said is exactly right.

Super jacked isn't the answer, plus if Clark is awkward it would be weird to cast someone who is as good looking as Henry Cavill for exemple.

I think the actor has to have charisma for sure, but as Clark, he has to be able to look nothing like superman and even be a bit ugly.

Like Reeves did in the 80s but in a less campy way.

In kill bill Vol.2 Bill says at the end :

Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race.​

This could be a great approach, Clark should be insecure, awkward but full of good intentions because it's his disguise! The one thing people forget about that aspect is, if we have a good Clark, we will be a lot more invested in the story and the action when Superman comes and it will really elevate the excitement.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Muscles will never be irrelevant for superheroes, because if they were we wouldn't get those types of physiques in the comic books for them in the first place. Its obviously something the mass audience wants to see or we wouldn't keep getting it.

 

[BarryLyndon]

In shape yes, I get it, but it shouldn't be an extreme, at the end it's also acting and movie magic.

 

[titansupes]

Yeah no, very much disagree with the muscle thing there. Superman needs muscles because... that's what Superman looks like. I just don't need it being AS much as we get in some of the more extreme looks. A mid-era Curt Swan build is fine.

It's like saying get rid of the cape

What Invader Joker said is exactly right.

Super jacked isn't the answer, plus if Clark is to be awkward it would be weird to cast someone who is as good looking as Henry Cavill for exemple.

I think the actor has to have charisma for sure, but as Clark, he has to be able to look nothing like superman and even a bit ugly.

Like Reeves did in the 80s but in a l
In kill bill Vol.2 Bill says at the end :

Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race.​

This could be a great approach, Clark should be insecure, awkward but full of good intentions because it's his disguise! The one thing people forget about that aspect is, if we have a good Clark, we will be a lot more invested in the story and the action when Superman comes and it will really elevate the excitement.

Somewhat agree-- Clark definitely needs to be distinct from Superman, but as for the specifics, it's always worth noting that the Kill Bill quote is the point of view of the villain.

It's like if Lex figured out the disguise, he'd might think it was Supes looking down on an making a mockery of humans. For Supes, DP Clark is a disguise definitely. And he needs to be mild and unassuming and whatever else. But he's also an important touchstone for him, getting to approximate a normal human POV, getting to interact with people on that level and live that kind of life (as much as he loves being Supes), and it's him-- IMO-- drawing on the experiences of growing up not feeling comfortable and confident. A feeling which he does still feel as an adult, every now and then (because who doesn't).

 

[flickchick85]

The Kill Bill quote says more about Bill than it does about Clark Kent. That is NOT the way to approach the character, especially if you want audiences to connect with him. That’s just not who he is at all, imo.