So the rumor I'm reading from completely uncredited sources on IMDB comments sections is that Time Warner has to get going on a Superman movie by 2011
I read all that because Superman returns was on today.
I went to movie theaters to see this movie, haven't watched it since. It had all the parts to succeed. Fantastic supporting cast highlighted by Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor (is there a possible better choice on paper?), Parker Posey as Luthor's comedy relief, a great Perry White whose name escapes me now, and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen in the part this actor was basically born to play.
The director Bryan Singer has some serious cred with "The Usual Suspects", and he also directed X men, X2, basically a solid director.
Then there is Brandon Routh, who after a second watching really does a pretty solid job as superman. Obviously nobody can compete with Christopher Reeves in the first 2 supermans, but at least we didn't get the brooding emo Tom Welling version of the iconic superhero. I'm kind of playing him down, but he really did a really really good job.
But the screenplay...I mean, I just don't know. It flat out doesn't work. It seems so forced, tedious even. I could go on about why I didn't like it, but I won't. I'm no superman buff, I never read the comics or graphic novels, so my beef is not a fanboy one. In fact beyond the movies I never really dug superman, he was always too one dimensional to me. He is a god without flaws beyond kryptonite, and to me that's not interesting.
But I did love Christopher Reeves and Gene "HACK MAN" in the early 80's. Brandon Routh for the most part really came through in that regard.
So what is next for this franchise? Well if history is any teacher, they'll wait until we forgot about this mediocre film and reboot the franchise. I just think that's the wrong wrong wrong idea. I'm sure JJ Abrams or some other trendy hollywood flavor of the month will whip out a screenplay sometime late next year magically out of nowhere, and the movie will be released in 2012. I jsut really think that's a horrible idea. Back to basics, stick with Routh, ditch Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and figure out some way to effectivly use Spacey as Lex Luthor. just do it right this time, guys.