Support NeoGAF

[deadhorse32]

Warners finally gets it right! SUPERMAN RETURNS! The Confirmed Details Spill To Earth!

Hey folks, Harry here... it is with a great deal of relief, joy and happiness that I can lay out what is happening with the Man of Steel.

As of Today, the deals for Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris have been closed to helm & write from scratch the new SUPERMAN film. This is the X2 team. The team that made, arguably the best of the Marvel Films (arguable only because Raimi nailed the hell out of SPIDER-MAN 2).

The J.J. Abrams script has been completely tossed out. Not of shred of it will remain. That McG ordered SUPERMAN cybersuit (Brilliant Ideas From Mr Hot Wheels, eh?) that Stan Winston's brilliant craftsmen were paid zillions to create is GONE! Today, long time sources like Frosty Skywalker, Sir Etch-A-Sketch and Sir Magnadoodle... those last two have been in the hallways of Warners for the better part of the past decade... and have access to every room. Frosty wrote to tell me that Bryan was signed, and that LOGAN'S RUN and X3 were now dead. While the first part of that is true... LOGAN'S RUN and X3 are not dead. The word from the halls of Warner Bros is that LOGAN'S RUN will be the film that Bryan Singer will make immediately after the Man Of Steel lands in theaters near us all. HOWEVER - if you begin talking to spies at Fox in Tom Rothman's offices and adjoining offices... X3 will be made after SUPERMAN by Singer, or Fox will leave him behind and continue forward with a new director. It'll be interesting to see how the cast will take to that... I know they all love Rothman so. He's a really cute dude, very lovable snugglebunny and obviously the reason that series has been the success that it has been. No, no, really. Ok, maybe that's a fib.

Details on SUPERMAN RETURNS, which is what Team Singer and WB seem to be calling it, are few and far between. But one source, that proved to me today to be quite close to some Warner exec that strikes an amazing resemblence to Lex Luthor himself, hinted to me that this film does not throw the Donner films away and allegedly somehow has something to do with their timeline and history!!! So... from the title, all we're left with is... he must have left, and now he's back. Does that refer to the child of Krypton's absence from theaters, Metropolis, our Planet or what? Will 3 & 4 be canon or merely tragedies? If he's returning, one can assume that he went somewhere, and now feels the need to be back... but why? Where'd he go? Why's he back? I can say though... SUPERMAN RETURNS will not be an Origin Story. We're not going to walk through all that molasses for the umpteenth time, waiting for Kal-El to do something or become Superman again!

The confirmed details are: Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris are on board. It will not be an origin story. And something regarding the Christopher Reeve films and that universe has something to do with this. (though that last one is a shady detail... My source heard that, but when they did... there was no elaboration for the how, what, when, where or why of it.)

I assure you... I'm on this case like Comet, the super-horse! That's right, I'm your super-stud!

While Warners continues to be the craziest most bi-polar studio on planet Earth... It seems they're nailing BATMAN BEGINS... and they finally have a team that I can get enthusiastically pumped up about. Now if only GREEN LANTERN was being done justice the way New Line proposed to Warners in a faithful 3 film Green Lantern Corps super epic. But, a comedic riff by Jack Black... that's just as good right? Sigh. No matter, the team behind X2 will once again have all of us believing that a man can fly!

http://www.aintitcoolnews.com/display.cgi?id=17972

 

[Falch]

NO. I want my X3!

 

[Trevelyon]

NO. I want my X3!

Me too, get Bay or McG back on it or... find someone better, who isn't currently tied to a major franchise.

 

[Mairu]

Ugh.

X-Men > Superman

 

[karasu]

All of these conflicting reports are doing my head in!

 

[xabre]

X-Men < Superman

Fixed.

 

[COCKLES]

So no Bay? Hoorah!

Hopefully that won't leave him free to trash I am Legend and he can put his talents to use on something like Bad Boyz 3.

 

[teepo]

NO GIVE ME MY X3

 

[teepo]

and why the hell are they remaking logan's run...

 

[DarienA]

teepo don't hate on Logan's Run man that was an awesome movie. I'd love to see a remake.... as for Superman.. <sigh> it can't be worse than the upcoming catwoman....can it?

 

[teepo]

i love logan's run. i don't see what the point of a remake. their probally going to fuck up the cinematagrophy.

 

[Vennt]

Darien, you're tempting fate there, I mean look what they're going to do to Green Lantern (Bah... Comedy? Comedy???... arghg!)

I forsee Superman: The Klutz Years, Starring Jim Carrey... just wait...


Freeburn.

 

[OmniGamer]

PHOENIX MUST RISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Meier]

I forsee Superman: The Klutz Years, Starring Jim Carrey... just wait...

Uhh this is being directed by Bryan Singer after all -- the man responsible for one of the best movies of all time in The Usual Suspects, the best sequence in the history of comic book films (Nightcrawler opening) and probably the best quality comic book film in X2. Not to mention for Apt Pupil which is criminally underrated these days IMO. He's not going to drastically change his style and fuck this up -- it should be fucking incredible now.

I am bummed though that X3 is on hold. Logan's Run should be a great remake but I'm in no hurry for it.

 

[jett]

Superman sucks.

 

[Alucard]

So this probably means that we won't see X3 until at least 2006 and possibly not until 2007. I think that Singer has done a tremendous job with the franchise so far and NEEDS to keep going with it.

 

[Dead]

fuck superman i want X3 godamnit >:|

 

[G4life98]

this sucks and superman sucks

 

[effzee]

doesnt it make sense to make X3 first? since its the third in the supposed trilogy, just get it out of the way and then make the superman.

 

[Alucard]

...and is Logan's Run the alleged Wolverine movie or something else? What happened with that idea anyways?

 

[deadhorse32]

So this probably means that we won't see X3 until at least 2006 and possibly not until 2007. I think that Singer has done a tremendous job with the franchise so far and NEEDS to keep going with it.

i'd say 2008 at the earliest

 

[G4life98]

i'd say 2008 at the earliest

that is not gonna happen because fox wants x3 for summer of 06 and they supposedly wanted to start filming in may and I will bet they replace the whole team before they wait till' fucking 2008.

so prepare for a new team folks.

 

[Bregor]

...and is Logan's Run the alleged Wolverine movie or something else? What happened with that idea anyways?

Please tell me you are joking.

 

[teiresias]

I actually have been told Singer has left Logan's Run. X3 with a new team will SUCK ASS!!! Why do they have to go and screw the X films up now??!! Fuck, fuck, FUCK!!!!!

 

[deadhorse32]

that is not gonna happen because fox wants x3 for summer of 06 and they supposedly wanted to start filming in may and I will bet they replace the whole team before they wait till' fucking 2008.

so prepare for a new team folks.

Agree my estimation was based on the fact that Singer would direct X3 ( which is not gonna happen except if he made a deal to keep X3 for himself )

 

[Willco]

I would not be surprised to see FOX film a Wolverine flick, while X3 is on hold, that would kind of tie the plot points of X2 and X3 together.

Here's the deal. Singer is a big part of that franchise and Warner Bros. is guns ablazin' on the Superman project. And what you guys don't know is that this has been in place for awhile. So it's not like Singer just signed a deal and nothing has been started, yet.

Logan's Run is dead as far as Singer as concerned, but X3 is not. The likelihood of it retaining cast and crew depends on two things -- how fast WB is going to crank out Superman (and it will be fast) and whether or not FOX gives the green light to do a Wolverine flick before X3.

 

[G4life98]

I actually have been told Singer has left Logan's Run. X3 with a new team will SUCK ASS!!! Why do they have to go and screw the X films up now??!! Fuck, fuck, FUCK!!!!!

now your just overreacting and there are more good directors and writers left to do the movie.

 

[teiresias]

Actually, thinking about it, I could probably live with another director in X3, so long as the rest of the creative team - writers, producers, design people, all stayed pretty much the same. Actually, after Prisoner of Azkhaban, I'd be keen to see Cuaron have a go at X-Men, he'd be more visually interesting than Singer has been up to this point anyway, and if we're going to get major Phoenix action we need some good effects and shots.

However, my main concern is for the films to keep consistency and the feeling of them being rooted in a reality not too far from our own. That's something I've loved about the films. If X3 pulls a Catwoman I'll be pissed.

 

[shoplifter]

HAHAHAH!!! Take that McG!

Supes > *

 

[G4life98]

I would not be surprised to see FOX film a Wolverine flick, while X3 is on hold, that would kind of tie the plot points of X2 and X3 together.

Here's the deal. Singer is a big part of that franchise and Warner Bros. is guns ablazin' on the Superman project. And what you guys don't know is that this has been in place for awhile. So it's not like Singer just signed a deal and nothing has been started, yet.

Logan's Run is dead as far as Singer as concerned, but X3 is not. The likelihood of it retaining cast and crew depends on two things -- how fast WB is going to crank out Superman (and it will be fast) and whether or not FOX gives the green light to do a Wolverine flick before X3.

well if they are determined to do a wolverine movie, I hope to god they can find a better actor to play sabertooth.

 

[XS+]

Superman's cool but the cliffhanger to X2 > Superman's entire history

 

[karasu]

No.

 

[Willco]

well if they are determined to do a wolverine movie, I hope to god they can find a better actor to play sabertooth.

Hugh Jackman has been contracted for a Wolverine film, but FOX has been sitting on it waiting for X3 to go about. So two things can happen. They'll move forward without Singer, which is unlikely, or strike while the Wolverine iron is hot (the character hasn't been run into the ground yet) and film the solo flick. I feel the latter is more likely.

 

[teiresias]

Though how willing is Fox to go forward with a Wolverine flick carried by Jackman after the pretty underperforming Van Helsing??

 

[Willco]

Though how willing is Fox to go forward with a Wolverine flick carried by Jackman after the pretty underperforming Van Helsing??

I think the fact that it pulled in all that money that first weekend shows that he's a draw, but it doesn't even matter. Wolverine is the draw, not Jackman. I guarantee nobody will know who the hell Christian Bale is when Batman Begins hit (save for those who know him from previous work), but they're not going to see Christian Bale. They're going to see Batman.

It's the same with all these iconic characters.

 

[Solid]

This was not good news

 

[Phoenix]

Ugh.

X-Men > Superman

The franchises are owned by two totally different corporations. Time Warner doesn't own the XMen franchise, though I'm sure they with they did. They do own the rights to all things DC comics. Since TimeWarner has a LOT more money on tap than Fox you can use a dollar sign to flip that equation to X-Men < Superman.

 

[G4life98]

van helsing was a team fuck-up and jackman has already proven he can play the character and they need now is a good script.

i would like to see him return to japan or madripoor while greiving the death of jean and hijinx insue.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

great news. A Superman movie deserves better than McfuckingG or Michael Bay. Sucks that X3 is on hold, but im glad Warner seems to be doing some good things for a change (aside from that whole Green Lantern thing). Also glad they aren't doing an orgin story. Everyone, even most casual fans, know Superman's orgin like the back of their hand, no need to waste 45 minutes of movie on it.

 

[Phoenix]

great news. A Superman movie deserves better than McfuckingG or Michael Bay. Sucks that X3 is on hold, but im glad Warner seems to be doing some good things for a change (aside from that whole Green Lantern thing). Also glad they aren't doing an orgin story. Everyone, even most casual fans, know Superman's orgin like the back of their hand, no need to waste 45 minutes of movie on it.

Especially considering smallville. If you don't know the story by now, no point in holding the rest of the class back just for you

 

[TAJ]

>>>So this probably means that we won't see X3 until at least 2006 and possibly not until 2007. I think that Singer has done a tremendous job with the franchise so far and NEEDS to keep going with it.<<<

Singer has done a great job, but the screenwriters haven't.

 

[ManaByte]

So no Bay? Hoorah!

Hopefully that won't leave him free to trash I am Legend and he can put his talents to use on something like Bad Boyz 3.

Bay has the right mentality for Supes though. We'll see.

 

[Cafeman]

This is the only good news I have ever heard concerning a new Superman film. From the 90's onward its been one amazingly crappy announcement after another -- until now. Singer and co. can do Superman, let somebody else handle X3, just not Ang Lee.

Green Lantern with Jack Black??!! Wow. Well, maybe they are going for a Men In Black kind of feel, where the unbelieving but great cop is recruited into the 'secret' Lantern Corps.

 

[ManaByte]

This is the only good news I have ever heard concerning a new Superman film. From the 90's onward its been one amazingly crappy announcement after another -- until now. Singer and co. can do Superman, let somebody else handle X3, just not Ang Lee.

Kevin Smith's script, minus the John Peters additions, is the best fucking Superman script ever and I doubt Singer will be able to come close to it. It was the Death & Return of Superman done GOOD.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

any place online to get a hold of Kevin Smith's script?

 

[ManaByte]

It's here:
http://www.supermanhomepage.com/movies/movies.php?topic=kevin-smith-script

The stupid stuff John Peters added to the script include the fucking retarded POLAR BEAR guards at the FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE and Brainiac's gay robot sidekick.

EXT. METROPOLIS PARK - NIGHT

Governor Bree rides a cherry-picker to the outstretched arm of the
statue, where she hangs Superman's cape.

For the crowd that can't get near the tomb, the burial is
broadcast on the WGBS building giant screen TV. Then, the image of
the funeral is interrupted by a familiar symbol: The BAT-SIGNAL!
It gives way to a shadowy image of the DARK KNIGHT, deep within
the Batcave.

BATMAN
Good evening, Metropolis. It is with
heavy heart that I offer you my and
Gotham's deepest condolences. I apologize
for my absence -- but with the loss of
the sun, I am all that opposes the
criminal element in my city, who've
seized upon the cover of darkness to
further their evil purposes.

From atop the viewing stage, Lois and the others stare up at the
screen.

BATMAN (V.O.)
The guardian of your city... of the
world... held Metropolis and its
inhabitants very near to his heart.

The message continues on the screen.

BATMAN
It's been said that he fought a never-
ending battle for truth, justice and the
American way. Honor this fallen soldier
well by keeping his memory alive in the
face of this adversity. From this day
forward, we forever shoulder the burden
of a world without a Superman.

On the giant screen, The Dark Knight withdraws further back into
the shadows, until he is completely unseen. The Bat-Signal comes
up again, and then scrambles into the image of the funeral below.

BEST.SUPERMAN.MOVIE.EVER

Too bad it'll never be made.

If Warner had half a brain, they'd let Singer direct THAT script (with the John Peters shit removed) with Tom Welling as Superman and Selma Blair as Lois Lane.

 

[Cafeman]

I didn't read Smith's script. I know that I didn't like where the comics went with the Death of Superman in the 90's. I don't think I'm alone when I thought that the actor chosen was wrong (Nicholas Cage isn't good for a Superman choice).

I didn't like anything from the J.J. Abrams script.

This new idea, that somehow the Donner films tie into it .. it has my interest! I mean, I dont' see how they'd do it. Could it mean that they intend to use the Williams themes from the Donner films? That'd be great! But I really don't know how anyone would do an interesting new Superman film, since the Donner & Reeves Superman I and II were really as good as it could be, given the 70's when they were filmed. A long blown-out origin is a superfluous idea in any new Supes films.

I really hope that they don't abuse the CG and make it look all processed and fake.

 

[Phoenix]

I hope they can come up with a good villain for Superman to fight that doesn't involve some lame "he's made of solid kryptonite" foolishness.

 

[ManaByte]

I hope they can come up with a good villain for Superman to fight that doesn't involve some lame "he's made of solid kryptonite" foolishness.

In Smith's script he dealt with Brainiac, Luthor, AND Doomsday.

 

[Matrix]

Sweet news and they better just cast Welling as Supes.