the Portrayal of Metropolis

[DorkyFresh]

so i was watching the trailer for Paul Haggis's new film 'the Next Three Days' and couldn't help but think of Metropolis when the shots of the city of Pittsburgh flashed across the screen.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810117984/video/21388274

maybe it's the way they were filmed and/or my unfamiliarity with the city but to me the shots of Pittsburgh in the trailer look like how the Nolans would/could possibly portray Metropolis. a realistic city, but with structures and features that distinguish itself from other cities. now i'm not saying they should just make Pittsburgh Metropolis, but i think they could do something similar to how Nolan's Gotham is basically Chicago on roids. of course, Metropolis should have much New York influence as well, but something about those shots of Pittsburgh really struck me as "Metropolis"...





...so with that being said, let's open up the discussion to how we would like to see Metropolis being portrayed, or how we think the Nolans would portray Metropolis. you got a building in mind that you think would look great in the middle of Metropolis? is there a city you think should be the primary filming location? is there a little known map of Metropolis floating around on the net that they might be able to base their Metropolis on? please share your thoughts, ideas, and of course....pictures are more than welcomed!

 

[DorkyFresh]

i'd like to see the Daily Planet based on Parkview Square in Singapore. of course, not exact but similar in style and structure. i'd like to see the globe at the top but maybe 2 lower sections on either side of the globe for landing helicopters and such...

i'd also like to see LexCorp based on the Anara Tower in Dubai. no specifications for this one, i just love the way it looks...

 

[GreenKToo]

I'd take the best/wildest looking buildings from all the major cities in the world and combine them into Metropolis. I'd even CG up a few buildings to help kinda blend them all together.

 

[Jager X]

If I was to do a Superman film, I would make Metropolis a more technologically advance version of the 30's & 40s. I do not mean advanced in the sense of flying cars or anything, but modernize everything from that time. I want Metropolis to be art deco personified.

Oh, and I like those buildings DF posted. That would be a good start.

 

[The Sage]

It seems like a lot of posters have been using Dubai as examples of architecture they'd like to see for Metropolis in a Superman flick. Not a bad choice.

If I was to do a Superman film, I would make Metropolis a more technologically advance version of the 30's & 40s. I do not mean advanced in the sense of flying cars or anything, but modernize everything from that time. I want Metropolis to be art deco personified.

Oh, and I like those buildings DF posted. That would be a good start.

Most definitely, something that combines the Fleischer look of Metropolis with the modern take.

 

[Ultimate_Superman]

If I was to do a Superman film, I would make Metropolis a more technologically advance version of the 30's & 40s. I do not mean advanced in the sense of flying cars or anything, but modernize everything from that time. I want Metropolis to be art deco personified.

Oh, and I like those buildings DF posted. That would be a good start.

Most definitely, something that combines the Fleischer look of Metropolis with the modern take.

In other words then Singer's Metropolis. Because that's what it basically was.

 

[GreenKToo]

Maybe i'm the only one that thinks this, but I honestly never got a sense that the singer Metropolis was a ''Metropolis'' at all. Save for the DP, it could have been any city.
I hope what we see next time for Metropolis will be something like the animated series one.

 

[Ultimate_Superman]

Maybe i'm the only one that thinks this, but I honestly never got a sense that the singer Metropolis was a ''Metropolis'' at all. Save for the DP, it could have been any city.
I hope what we see next time for Metropolis will be something like the animated series one.

But then that brings up another good question in what exactly is Metropolis outside of the Daily Planet, Lexcorp and Star Labs. I mean really in the comics it is portrayed as an everyday city that just has the Man of Tomorrow in it. Even in Smallville it is just a regular city much like Nolan's Gotham outside of Wayne Enterprises. IMO it doesn't need that futuristic look just a look like New York or D.C. meaning much like Superman it should have a timeless look and feel.

 

[GinsterHead]

All I really remember from Singer's Metropolis was the Daily Planet building.
I think Metropolis should look a bit more distinctive.

 

[The Sage]

In other words then Singer's Metropolis. Because that's what it basically was.

Just about, but it lacked things like LexCorp, Intergang...

 

[The Sage]

But then that brings up another good question in what exactly is Metropolis outside of the Daily Planet, Lexcorp and Star Labs. I mean really in the comics it is portrayed as an everyday city that just has the Man of Tomorrow in it. Even in Smallville it is just a regular city much like Nolan's Gotham outside of Wayne Enterprises. IMO it doesn't need that futuristic look just a look like New York or D.C. meaning much like Superman it should have a timeless look and feel.

It doesn't need a completely futuristic look but something about it should stand out and make it the most important city in the nation or the world. I wouldn't mind seeing some futuristic advances. Not too many as I'd like to keep the art-deco look of the city.

Maybe more Lex inspired buildings?

 

[Jochimus]

Personally I'm a big fan of the idea of using one real-life city as the 'base' or main shooting location, and then digitally overlaying art-deco/retro-futuristic buildings from other cities onto it, with the only buildings that have to be designed from keel up being the ones that exist specifically in Superman lore (the Daily Planet, WGBS, Lexcorp, STAR Labs, etc.). In other words, it should be vaguely recognizable as a real city without actually being a real city, and no single city should be used as a full-time stand-in; I mean, granted, using New York as Metropolis in the Reeve films lent itself to some cool visuals - the most awesome IMO being Zod being thrown into Times Square's Coca-Cola sign - but there was always something a little odd about the fact that Lady Liberty was standing out in the bay as if NYC didn't exist.

As for the architecture, I personally feel there should be some balance between the art deco and the retro-futuristic, to set it further apart from past versions without making it look like a low-rent neighborhood on Coruscant

 

[Pink Ranger]

I say go back to the roots: Toronto was originally what Metropolis was based on, so it should be filmed there! At the ground level, it's generic enough to pass for a relatively stable American city (not like Gotham) but it has the skyline, tall buildings and waterfront for Supes to be flying all over and around.

 

[bonoferox]

These pictures are giving me vertigo.

 

[batman44]

I like many of the concepts for Metropolis in the SR video game.

Spoiler

 

[Kurosawa]

Those are fantastic.

The Daily Planet building is of course, based on the old Toronto Star building and the paper was originally the Daily Star:

 

[maenalus]

The Toronto Star building is exactly how the Daily Planet should look.

 

[DorkyFresh]

Those are fantastic.

The Daily Planet building is of course, based on the old Toronto Star building and the paper was originally the Daily Star:

awesomeness! i like it...something in between this and Parkview Square would be perfect!

 

[GL1]

Typical American city with some key highlights. The rail system thing has already been used for Gotham in Begins. Perhaps the accents could be a function of Lex's deep influence and control of the city. Something to make it a touch futuristic.

Toronto sounds fine.

 

[elgaz]

In the Donner films Metropolis was very much a New York type of city - busy, bustling, modern, etc. Not a dark or brooding place like Gotham but not a west-coast type City either. I think that suited it perfectly and they should try and retain that feel for the next film.

From a story viewpoint, it has to be a busy and bustling city. After all, why else is Clark there? He can travel pretty much anywhere on the Globe in seconds and he didn't grow up in Metropolis so has no childhood affinity with it. He's there because of his job and because he's close to everything that goes on; in the Superman universe, Metropolis is an epicentre of sorts.

 

[smoothbody]

How about this for Metropolis?

 

[flickchick85]

I would just like to see a city that looks like the opposite of Nolan's Gotham: Clean, beautiful, more green space, somewhat futuristic - "the city of tomorrow" (so not so much art deco or gothic architecture).

 

[Octoberist]

Where can they film this?

Australia is out of the question, NOT because of Superman Returns, but the tax breaks are now gone.

If they wanna be gutsy, I'd say a city like Philly could work but you need a body of water. CGIed Seattle or San Fran could work too, though Seattle is famous for its overcast so i'll depend on the season.

I know that Green Lantern will use New Orleans as Coast City, using CGI to enhance it, so anything's possible.

 

[Mr. Earle]

I'd take the best/wildest looking buildings from all the major cities in the world and combine them into Metropolis. I'd even CG up a few buildings to help kinda blend them all together.

Just like they CGI'ed classic Chicago buildings in Begins to make them look a bit different. For example Wayne Tower is hardly that tall in real life. Then they added the monorail, etc. They didnt do that in TDK and it didnt look as futuristic then.

Anyway, if you guys google about the building projects that will shortly be built in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, your mind will be blown. We're talking real life Metropolis, and not just one, but many! They re constructing artificial islands, green cities, gigantic museums under huge flying domes (Louvre Abu Dhabi), waterfalls, you name it! These futuristic cities will be built in the next decade, so if anything, the producers need to draw inspiration from there and design Metropolis like that, or even more advanced.

Here, have a look:



For more, just google "Abu Dhabi", "Saadiyat Island", "Guggenheim museum Abu Dhabi", "Tameer towers", and go from there.

 

[Mr. Earle]

How about this for Metropolis?

Spoiler

CGI'ed New York? Nolan will love your idea.

I like many of the concepts for Metropolis in the SR video game.

Spoiler

That's a tad too futuristic, but give it a dark spin and it'll be perfect for Gotham in Batman Beyond.