The Official Choose A Director Thread

[Octoberist]

If they seriously do an Origins movie, it won't bring in the non-fans. I tell you right now, unless it's an awesome Origins story.

The people who think Superman is boring won't even bother, and that kind of stigma needs to go away. How do you do it: You move on from the origins, and do a new story.

 

[cerealkiller182]

I've said it before and I've said it again: They have to think of every movie as their 'last'.

Fixed. Its a stigma that runs deep. I hate hearing directors say "Now that we got past the first movie, we can do something cool now." (paraphrase)

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

But the Variety article states:


http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007269.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

2013 is when more elements will belong to the Siegels ie. all of Action Comics #1.

So the acquisitions of those things; including Krypton, Jorel, Lara etc.. already happened?


Wow. That would really suck if they were off the table.

It would be challenging to re-tell the Superman origins in a reboot without those elements.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Challenging? Practically impossible since those are the origins.

 

[Octoberist]

They still can, but they have to pay up. To save SOME money, they should just avoid using those characters and Krypton. Maybe they can mention Krypton, but the Kal El's parents can be left out if need.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

True.

I suppose they could do more of a 'year one' story like how "Lois and Clark" started with Kent moving to Metropolis and developing his Superman identity.


However, it would still be a tricky venture to not mention Krypton or his biological parents.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

If they seriously do an Origins movie, it won't bring in the non-fans. I tell you right now, unless it's an awesome Origins story.

The people who think Superman is boring won't even bother, and that kind of stigma needs to go away. How do you do it: You move on from the origins, and do a new story.

Well I think it's clear I disagree with you about this. I think that a good/entertaining orgin story could easily bring in bank and excite people.

No matter which route they choose to go I don't think they should spend too much on it because I don't see the movie making much more than the 200mil SR did. The first movie is going to have to been seen as a rebuilding of the franchise and not an instant money maker.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

So the heirs will acquire 'Clark Kent' 'Superman' 'Lois Lane' and all the other aspects of Action #1 in 2013?


Wouldn't that cause a problem for any potential sequels of this film? Or does this 2011 film development deal settle that?

 

[FlawlessVictory]

IMO, it would be very dumb for WB to go into their next Superman film with certain things off the table. That to me is just half ass. Negotiate with the family and get it settled. And don't limit the next screenwriter to what he can and can't do. The notion of WB doing something to save money is so silly to me. Considering they gave Singer that contract that he will get paid on now and the money given to Burton, Cage, etc...

These are important and key elements to the Superman mythos, whether they do a full on origin or not. They should not compromise themselves like that. Get it all out on the table. Go into the next Superman movie with all options available.

 

[cerealkiller182]

However, it would still be a tricky venture to not mention Krypton or his biological parents.

Supes came to Earth as an infant. You could probably swing the orphan scenatio. "Dont know who my real parents are or where I came from"

 

[Willi Berg]

In the novel "It's Superman!" by Tom De Haven, they don't depict or mention Krypton, they don't mention Jor-El, nor do Clark and the Kents have any knowledge of his homeworld or his real parents. It's all a big mystery to them. Jonathan Kent just tells the story that they found the rocket ship with him in it, sent him to an orphanage and then adopted him. There is some time spent with Clark as young man in Smallville, but the story still worked without the drama of the last days of Krypton.

I hope Krypton isn't completely removed from a Superman movie series, but I think it is possible to leave it out for a first movie.

 

[Octoberist]

I think it'll become more difficult but not impossible, MoT

 

[Octoberist]

In the novel "It's Superman!" by Tom De Haven, they don't depict or mention Krypton, they don't mention Jor-El, nor do Clark and the Kents have any knowledge of any his homeworld or his real parents. It's all a big mystery to them. Jonathan Kent just tells the story that they found the rocket ship with him in it, sent him to an orphanage and then adopted him. There is some time spent with Clark as young man in Smallville, but the story still worked without the drama of the last days of Krypton.

I hope Krypton isn't completely removed from a Superman movie series, but I think it is possible to leave it out for a first movie.

I've heard it's a damn good book

 

[Octoberist]

Well I think it's clear I disagree with you about this. I think that a good/entertaining orgin story could easily bring in bank and excite people.

No matter which route they choose to go I don't think they should spend too much on it because I don't see the movie making much more than the 200mil SR did. The first movie is going to have to been seen as a rebuilding of the franchise and not an instant money maker.

But I'm not against an origin story, but I would like to move on from it. If they do it and do it right, they have my support as a fan.

Budget wise, if they can spend 150, they should be enough. I think Dark Knight and Iron Man both were in that range.

 

[Willi Berg]

So the heirs will acquire 'Clark Kent' 'Superman' 'Lois Lane' and all the other aspects of Action #1 in 2013?


Wouldn't that cause a problem for any potential sequels of this film? Or does this 2011 film development deal settle that?

I think it would cause problems. I am not sure, but I keep thinking that in 2013, WB will have to pay for the rights of things like the costume if they want to make a sequel. And Lois would have to be included.

And Krypton would have to be a factor at some point, in terms of properly exploring Superman's full story in any sequels.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

Supes came to Earth as an infant. You could probably swing the orphan scenatio. "Dont know who my real parents are or where I came from"

That could work but it's pretty weak for general audiences who are being introduced to Superman for the first time here to have no explanation of his Kryptonian origins and it being left a mystery.

 

[SuperDaniel]

I personally don't care for Krypton. What i want to see is the Smallville scenes done right, like in Superman for all seasons. That is a must in the next movie because it shows Superman's motivations and i don't think that was ever explored in any medium aside from the comics.

No more some holographic parent brainwashing Clark kent into being Jesus Christ. I want to see Clark chosing to be a hero because he sees the destruction of the Tornado in Smallville and sees he could've done more to protect the people.

 

[Man of Tomorrow]

"In 2008, the same court order ruled on summary judgment that the Siegels had successfully recaptured (as of 1999) Siegel's copyright in Action Comics No. 1, giving them rights to the Superman character, including his costume, his alter-ego as reporter Clark Kent, the feisty reporter Lois Lane, their jobs at the Daily Planet newspaper working for a gruff editor, and the love triangle among Clark/Superman and Lois."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007269.html?categoryid=13&cs=1


What does this mean?


The Siegels already control those aspects too!?

 

[manofsteel4life]

Supes came to Earth as an infant. You could probably swing the orphan scenatio. "Dont know who my real parents are or where I came from"

that's a pretty good idea...but where do we go after that....its like you get stuck again..

 

[Willi Berg]

I personally don't care for Krypton. What i want to see is the Smallville scenes done right, like in Superman for all seasons. That is a must in the next movie because it shows Superman's motivations and i don't think that was ever explored in any medium aside from the comics.

No more some holographic parent brainwashing Clark kent into being Jesus Christ. I want to see Clark chosing to be a hero because he sees the destruction of the Tornado in Smallville and sees he could've done more to protect the people.

Yes, that's another good story that doesn't depict Krypton and his real parents.

Though I wonder how much time McTeigue (should he do it of course) would want to spend in Smallville.

 

[Willi Berg]

"In 2008, the same court order ruled on summary judgment that the Siegels had successfully recaptured (as of 1999) Siegel's copyright in Action Comics No. 1, giving them rights to the Superman character, including his costume, his alter-ego as reporter Clark Kent, the feisty reporter Lois Lane, their jobs at the Daily Planet newspaper working for a gruff editor, and the love triangle among Clark/Superman and Lois."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007269.html?categoryid=13&cs=1


What does this mean?


The Siegels already control those aspects too!?

It's too confusing! They're saying that in 2013 with both the Siegels and Shuster heirs having control then they could do more with it. Paying off the heirs already seems inevitable for WB. Someone from WB needs to explain their position/intent on all of this.

 

[BestGirl]

IMO, it would be very dumb for WB to go into their next Superman film with certain things off the table. That to me is just half ass. Negotiate with the family and get it settled. And don't limit the next screenwriter to what he can and can't do. The notion of WB doing something to save money is so silly to me. Considering they gave Singer that contract that he will get paid on now and the money given to Burton, Cage, etc...

These are important and key elements to the Superman mythos, whether they do a full on origin or not. They should not compromise themselves like that. Get it all out on the table. Go into the next Superman movie with all options available.

QFT

that's a pretty good idea...but where do we go after that....its like you get stuck again..

Agreed. They can't avoid Supes's origins forever so they might as well pay the family from the very start.

 

[Wally West]

"In 2008, the same court order ruled on summary judgment that the Siegels had successfully recaptured (as of 1999) Siegel's copyright in Action Comics No. 1, giving them rights to the Superman character, including his costume, his alter-ego as reporter Clark Kent, the feisty reporter Lois Lane, their jobs at the Daily Planet newspaper working for a gruff editor, and the love triangle among Clark/Superman and Lois."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007269.html?categoryid=13&cs=1


What does this mean?


The Siegels already control those aspects too!?

My impression has been that the heirs already won the rights to the original concept. The origin being awarded to them recently is just a victory in addition to what they've already gained to this point.

After seeing McTeigue's recent comments I'm sceptical how closely involved with the project he is, and that he may just be taking advantage of the opportunity for some free publicity. Unless DC has set up a deal to purchase things on a per story element basis, or the heirs somehow lost the material they won last year, then you have to assume that if the origin is off limits, then Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and the basic red and blue costume (and the name Superman) would be off limits to them as well.

I would think that the heirs would want a package deal for everything they own, and not say O.K. we'll give you the basic stuff (the name, main characters - basically everything you ABSOLUTELY NEED for a SUPERMAN film) for a very reasonable price, but we're holding the origin for ransom and you'll have to pay out the nose for that. That makes no sense at all.

 

[jaymes_e06]

QFT



Agreed. They can't avoid Supes's origins forever so they might as well pay the family from the very start.

What I've been saying from the very begining.

 

[04nbod]

I respect the opinions of people who don't want an orgin story but saying that the orgin story on the big screen has been done to death is beyond f**king false.

SmallVille should play no part in the Orgin discussion because SmallVille is a little seen T.V show thats on it's last legs.

Most people are smart enought to know the difference between a T.V show and a movie...I don't remember "Batman: The animated Series" hurting Batman Forever at the boxoffice.

Some people just need to stop with the false excuses. Just say you don't want an orgin story and be done with it, don't pretend that we have a 1000 Superman orgin story movies and thats the reason you don't want an orgin story...because we don't!

Most moviegoers don't read comicbooks so they don't even know about the constant re-starts of Superman.

Why are you limiting this to movies, Teigue didn't exclusively say movies. It was in the movies, smallville, Superman:The animated series, Lois and clark, every TV show, cartoon not to mention parodies and the fact every superman comic opens with his origin in a S shaped box. People know the story whether they have seen it or not and they don't go to see re-hashes with better FX unless its star wars.

After seeing McTeigue's recent comments I'm sceptical how closely involved with the project he is, and that he may just be taking advantage of the opportunity for some free publicity. Unless DC has set up a deal to purchase things on a per story element basis, or the heirs somehow lost the material they won last year, then you have to assume that if the origin is off limits, then Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and the basic red and blue costume (and the name Superman) would be off limits to them as well.

I would think that the heirs would want a package deal for everything they own, and not say O.K. we'll give you the basic stuff (the name, main characters - basically everything you ABSOLUTELY NEED for a SUPERMAN film) for a very reasonable price, but we're holding the origin for ransom and you'll have to pay out the nose for that. That makes no sense at all.

DC have trademarked the name Superman and I think the 'image' of the character and they own the international copyright.

'Superman trademarks include elements from the relevant copyrighted material, from aspects of Superman's uniform to certain characters to the logo, which reflects the classic Ira Schnapp design "based on Joe Shuster's concept." '
http://uncivilsociety.org/2008/03/copyright-trademark-and-the-de.html

I wonder if they could film an origin and only release it worldwide and cut it from the domestic version?

Here are the basics
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/03/30/superman-copyright-faq/