It's long been rumoured that Superman Returns director Bryan Singer wants to have a crack at a sequel – because just one extremely long dull film about Superman being like a gay Jesus is never enough, is it?
And now Singer has made it explicitly clear that he wants to make another Superman movie set for release in 2009. The only thing that stands in his way is the disappointing box office that Superman Returns has so far yielded, but that hasn't deterred Bryan Singer from talking up his intentions at every chance he gets, even though budget cuts might mean that a Superman Returns sequel might feature Superman riding about on a pedal bike as he attempts to defeat his greatest enemy yet – The Normal Man With A Cardboard Box On His Head.
Superman Returns was meant to be the biggest film of the year and the biggest superhero movie ever, but it has been totally eclipsed by Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which has made over $300 million in less time than Superman Returns has made $169 – almost $100 million less than it cost to make. The reasons of Superman Return's failure are unknown; it could be to do with lacklustre marketing or a badly-judged level of interest in seeing a new Superman movie, or it could be because Superman Returns has the worst-ever Lois Lane and a Superman who walks the line between 'messiah' and 'fairy-ass pansy with a digitally-reduced penis'.
Either way, the stunning bombing of Superman Returns has meant that the previously guaranteed prospects of making a Superman Returns sequel are now up in the air. And director Bryan Singer is going all out in public to try and convince people to get it made, even if it takes a geek-pleasing Star Trek analogy to do it. At the Comic-Con this weekend, Bryan Singer told a crowd of fans that if he makes another Superman movie:
"I plan to get all Wrath Of Kahn on it… We haven't concluded a deal yet [but] the intention is to do it for 2009."
And as if shouting about Superman to throng of slathering geeks wasn't enough, Bryan Singer also tried to talk up a Superman sequel to Empire magazine:
"I just know that there are certain things that were established in this movie, certain aspects of the characters' relationships. Now that the character is established, I'd like to take the opportunity to bring in a more threatening element, a more terrible, foreboding element."
What, more threatening than Kevin Spacey? Is that even possible? It's thought that Warners is waiting to see if Superman Returns makes more than $200 million before a decision about a Superman sequel is made. Seeing as a sequel will probably involve Superman flying around with his little boy zapping baddies together, it's a tough call.
Read more:
Singer Wants Superman Returning In '09 – E! Online
[story by Stuart Heritage]
RC of strangeculture says
I’ve certainly been surprised at how poor the film has done, i think Superman’s not “human enough” and weaker characters like x-men, or less supernatural characters like Batman Just tend to seem more impressive to our current zietgiest.
–RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
Not Bryan Singer says
SR was a disgrace and tarnished the legacy of Christopher Reeve. The continuing hubris of Bryan Singer is astonishing – even as the film continues to tank he is off promising to “get it right” next time. I guess a $200 to $300 million budget was just there for him to “get acclimated” to the character and we should blow another couple hundred million dollars on a sequel so he can “get all Wrath of Khan” on us. Singer’s movie was clearly an homage to his own personal story of sexual repression, awkwardness and getting beaten up by schoolyard bullies for asking to see too many other boys pee-pees. What a joke.
Davelle says
SR didn’t leave a tarnish on the Christopher Reeve legacy. The movie in my opinion was good, and a sequel will be made.
I think alot of people didn’t go see this film for all the wrong reasons. And please, someone tell me where the gay elements were
in this movie? I just didn’t see it, someone please tell me!!!
Lafunga says
I can’t for the life of me grasp how the Pirates of the Carribean sequel has nearly doubled SR performance at the box office, I mean could Orlando Bloom be any more wet and Kiera Knightly any more ocnvincing than a plank of wood. Johny Depp provides some humour but I found the dog funnier. It is an hour too long and the audience I watched it with found it thoroughly disappointing. In contrast SR thrilled from start to end, granted that the choice for Lois was completely miscast, Brandon Routh was born to play the role. It mirrors the first film in plot , I thought it is by far the best comic book adaptation to screen to date. I just hope more people go and see it.
Justin says
SR was average. Hardly blockbuster quality. It baffles me that Hollywood continues to think that the quality of a film is directly proportional to the price tag.
Related: And the tarnished legacy of Christopher Reeve? See Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Although in fairness, TQfP wasn’t really a tarnishing so much as it was a total flaming disaster. Had Singer filmed the movie in claymation and dubbed it with muppet voices, it still would have been better than S-IV.
Donald Donut says
Couldn’t agree more with your take on Superman Returns…..Guess we’ll just have to wait until Ben Affleck puts on the suit in HOLLYWOODLAND ( http://www.theweeklydonut.org/index.php/2006/07/13/the-curse-of-superman/ ) or when Brandon Routh is finally able to best this evil honeydip ( http://www.theweeklydonut.org/index.php/2006/06/22/more-powerful-than-a-giant-donut/ ) in the mean time, bototm line is maybe Singer and his crack writing team can figure out that they were perhaps missing a rousing third act to wrap up their first movie…because there sure wasn’t one in Superman Returns….
Mario says
This article is good in places but talks crap in others. Superman Returns has made nearly £290 million worldwide (how can that be bad?) Pirates only did so well because people liked the first one so much. I know about 15 people who have seen Pirates and only a couple think it is actually a good movie. Personally I didn’t like it. HOW IS KATE BOSWORTH THE WORST LOIS LANE!?!?!?!?!?! Just because people are aw3are she is a younger lois doesn’t make her a bad lois. She is easily one of the better actors in the movie and everyone I know said that she was brilliant. I don’t think the budget should be cut. Superman has done better than most of the Superhero movies first time out. Spiderman 2, the X-men sequels and Pirates 2 have done better because they are sequels and have the backing of the fans created by the first movie. The same will happen with Superman. SUPERMAN IS SO MUCH BETTER A MOVIE THAN PIRATES!!!!!!
Jonathan Woodliff says
WHY “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN”
RANSACKED “SUPERMAN RETURNS”
By: Jonathan Woodliff
He is a symbol of truth, justice, and the American way. More importantly; he is a symbol of hope and of morality. He is a hero who has captured the hearts and imaginations of young and old alike for many decades since his debut in Action Comics in 1938. It’s the ultimate fantasy. Everyone; at one time or another, has dreamed of flying. People need a symbol of hope in these trying times that we live in today, just as they needed him back in the days of World War II. It’s an escape from reality into a place where the World has a guardian who will always be there when disaster strikes. It’s a symbol of hope that gives people the feeling that things will get better. This symbol of hope; of course, is Superman.
Lois Lane and countless other young women and girls have swooned over him, little boys dream of being him, every man would kind of like to be him, and there are many times where people in this World wish he were real. To many children and devoted fans, however; he is real.
When a person sits down to watch a Superman film; they usually expect something. They expect wonder, fantasy, beautiful scenery, brightly lit sets, action,
adventure, romanticism; and most of all, magic. People also expect a character of high moral standards when it comes to Superman. They expect a character that is a good example for their children to follow. However; lately, we’ve seen a totally different scenario. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” has been the major hit of the summer. One may wonder why it’s the hit of the summer when a Superman movie also came out this year. The answer as to why is very obvious if you see both films. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” is a better planned and better written film; although there is no end to it and there is a cliffhanger leading to the next film. It’s a film that transports you to a fantasy world of wonders and adventure. It has an endearing quality that the new Superman film; “Superman Returns”, sadly lacks. That endearing quality is known as magic. The X-MEN styled, rather dark, and Tim Burton-like approach to Superman that Bryan Singer has is rather disturbing. Everything in the film is rather dark. The sets are dark in color, clothing and costumes are dark, and scenes were often shadowy in places. It had a rather spooky, Gotham City/ Batman type feel to it in places rather than a Superman-type feel. The feeling of the whole film was entirely off-base, and wrong. It just didn’t seem like a REAL Superman story.
The thing that sticks out the most is Superman’s apparent loss of moral standards. You expect “Captain Jack Sparrow” to have loose moral standards and except things that aren’t morally right because he is a pirate. Pirates are just that way. On the other hand; Superman is an entirely different story. Superman is a symbol of what is right and is supposed to be a symbol of morality itself. Yet; this symbol of morality suddenly discovers that he’s the father of Lois Lane’s child and he isn’t married to Lois in the story and never was. That’s right; incase you haven’t already heard, Superman has an ill-legitimate child. He’s now just another dead-beat Dad who’s been out of the picture for five years, letting another man raise his child. That very type of thing goes against Superman’s very meaning. It goes against Superman’s moral code. The idea of Superman and Lois having a love child from some sleepover is completely wrong and should have never even been considered. People always bring up the scene where Lois and Superman sleep together in “Superman II” when I mention this. Wait until you hear Margot Kidder’s opinion on the matter before you make your judgment. Margot Kidder (the original Lois from the Superman films who starred opposite Christopher Reeve); has a very strong opinion about the sex scene in “Superman II”. Margot now says that they should have never done that scene. She has stated that she thought that Lois having a sleepover with Superman in the “Fortress of Solitude” was just wrong and should have never been done. Other people agree with her on this matter as well. I agree with her whole heartedly myself. She stated that if she could go back and do it over again; she would advise against doing that scene. The one-million dollar question here is; should we be showing our kids that it’s okay to have an ill-legitimate child? Superman is supposed to set an example. People tell their children not to mess around before they’re married and have a child out of wedlock. They say this either because they were raised to believe so, or they did that very thing themselves and don’t want their children to make the same mistake that they made. They tell their children this, take them to see Superman, and Superman does the very thing that they told their children not to do. What kind of an example is that? I’m sad to say that this new Superman film sets no type of moral example whatsoever. Sadly; Spiderman now sets a better example for children than Superman. What has the World come to when a Superman film is rather dark in nature and shows Superman and Lois having an ill-legitimate, love child?
In my opinion; a Superman film should have a completely different feel to it. Superman is supposed to be positive and up-beat. The sets are supposed to be well lit, the scenery is supposed to be brighter and more colorful, and Superman’s costume is supposed to have a brighter color red on it. Everything should have a more positive feel to it; right down to the storyline. “Superman Returns” reminds me of a bunch of children playing pretend and going way over-board with the story they’re making up. The story is very sloppily done and appears to have been thrown together. It looks as if they designed all of the visual effects first and then attempted to build a story around the visual effects. Bryan Singer’s dark style (which worked well with X-MEN); just doesn’t work at all with Superman. Superman is a different breed from the X-MEN. The Superman Returns storyline appears as if it’s somebody’s crazy brainstorm. The pacing for the film is entirely wrong and the story is completely against any Superman storyline ever done.
It lacks the same mystical feel and magic spell that the first Superman film in 1978 had. After “Superman: The Movie” debuted in theatres; it was a smash hit from day one. It was the talk of the Country and the talk of Hollywood. Everybody was talking about the new Superman film. Christopher Reeve’s performance was hailed as a “pure delight”. The film was said to be enchanting from start to finish. “Superman Returns” has received no such reviews and hasn’t gotten nearly as much attention as “Pirates of the Caribbean”. The first two Christopher Reeve Superman films had a completely different feel to them from the new Superman movie. Many of the sets were brightly lit; Chris’ costume was brighter, more colorful, and more authentic, and the entire storyline in the first film was very positive. You felt like you were floating on the clouds when watching the first Superman film; whereas, you feel like you’re in some sort of dark and creepy parallel dimension while watching “Superman Returns”. It’s just not the same experience by any stretch of the imagination. Superman is supposed to have a positive, up-beat feel to it. Superman is also supposed to represent high morale. “Superman Returns” has none of these qualities in it. Another question is; what do they do with his child? As many have already stated; nobody wants to see a “Son of Superman” story because nobody believes it would actually work. I am one of those people. It just will not work.
Superman has suffered some bad ideas and scripts over the years. One proposed movie had Lex Luther being a Kryptonian with the same powers as Superman. Another film that was under way had Nicholas Cage as Superman in “Superman Lives”. Cage made a terrible Superman as you would suspect and they weren’t even going to use flying effects in the film. The project was dropped eventually with Cage walking off of the set and quitting. Then there was the proposed Superman verses Batman film which hasn’t flown yet. When “Superman Returns” was announced; the Superman community let out a pre-mature sigh of relief I’m afraid. While this Superman film was superior to other proposed Superman projects; it still is highly lacking in the quality you would expect from a Superman film. Superman is held to a higher standard and the filmmakers working on a Superman project should try to meet or exceed that standard. The only reason “Superman Returns” made any decent amount of money is because it was Superman. This new film isn’t the greatest example of a Superman story. Too many things were altered. As Richard Donner (director of Superman: The Movie”) once stated; “Superman is Americana. It’s apple pie. Nobody should try to change apple pie.” I believe that Bryan Singer tried to use lemons instead of apples in the pie when making “Superman Returns”.
Bryan Singer stated that he did not want to do an origin story of Superman because it had already been done so many times and thought it would never work again. I believe he was entirely wrong. He didn’t consider the odds of the entire situation as it is today. Superman has been out of the picture as far as main stream media is concerned for twelve to thirteen years with “Lois and Clark” being the last new Superman show produced for television. Superman has been out of the movies for nearly twenty years as well.
The common tradition has been to start the story all over again every time a new Superman is cast and a new cast is assembled. That makes a lot of sense as each new cast needs their own story and origin. Bryan Singer also wasn’t considering the fact that Superman has been out of the spotlight for so long; that millions of children, teenagers, and young adults alike; have no idea where Superman came from or anything about him. If you surveyed most high school kids; you would find that a majority of them know a lot more about Spiderman than they ever did Superman Most of them know nothing about Superman when the truth is revealed. Millions of young children have no idea where Superman came from; yet they know all about Spiderman. That would be because of the incredible accuracy, detail, and time spent to make the Spiderman films as accurate to the original story of the comic books as possible and the fact that they wanted to stick to the story and not add anything outlandish. Another contributing factor is the quality of the script for Spiderman and its acting. After all; you don’t see Peter Parker and Mary Jane having an ill-legitimate, love child. Spiderman is ahead of the game because of the quality of the Spiderman films and the dedication to accuracy and detail. It’s a sad World where kids know all about Spiderman and other heroes, but barely know anything about the first superhero in history; Superman. These children of the World who know nothing about Superman’s origins need to be introduced to him with a new film about his history.
The World needs to be re-introduced to Superman.
With all of the other superheroes getting great blockbuster films and storylines; you wonder why nobody can do superman the right way. It could still be done the right way. If a Superman film was done the right way; it would be a smash hit. People would come in droves to see a “good” Superman film. A fantastic/magical storyline along with the wonderful feel that you’re supposed to get while watching a Superman film and some good special effects to go along with it would blow people into the back of the seats!
People would eat it up! They would love it! Why hasn’t Hollywood caught onto that? It’s been nearly 27 years since the original Superman movie. It’s safe to say that an origin story would definitely work again today. It’s time the legend of Superman be re-told.
Even the comic books have gotten way out of touch of what Superman really should be. As you read the modern comic books; you often find Superman in some weird dimension fighting strange creatures and you never see him defending Metropolis from super criminals like Lex Luther. You never see Lois Lane getting into a jam anymore with her usual forward nature and Superman bailing her out. You barely see Lois; who Superman is now married to in the comic books. Modern day Superman comic books make no sense whatsoever when somebody tries to read them. The storylines are often outlandish and barely make sense at times. There is basically nowhere else the writers can go in the Superman comic books at all anymore. Not only is it time they start the Superman story all over again in the movies, but in the comics as well. The Superman comic book series should be started completely over again.
Superman is Americana and he’s a symbol of all that is right. He’s a symbol of hope in the darkness. He’s an escape from the gripping sorrows of reality. Watching Superman transports people into a place of fantasy, adventure, and pure magic. Superman will always be ingrained into our popular culture as the ideal hero and the original Superhero. For years to come children will be putting towels around there necks, jumping off of beds and couches, and running around the room making flying noises. Superman is a great fictional role model for any child because he always insists on doing the right thing. Superman has been plagued by bad story ideas and bad scripts. His morality has even been desecrated in the new film “Superman Returns” by showing him to have a love child with Lois. Superman’s popularity isn’t what it used to be. The man of steel needs our help!! Fans should give an outcry. Superman has saved many people from many disasters over the years in his countless adventures. Now it’s time for us to SAVE SUPERMAN. Hollywood needs to put aside all new ideas and weird political statements and stick to the true and original storyline, concept, and tradition of Superman. It’s time Hollywood made us believe that a man can fly all over again.
Jonathan Woodliff
James Gibarian says
Superman Returns is NOT bombing. It is underperforming yes but not in the least bombing. Pull your head out of your ass.
Davelle says
Superman stands for truth, justice, peace, and protection, and thats what he did in this film. The morality side of it, okay he has a love child with Lois,
but that doesn’t make him a dead beat, or a bad person. Half of America is made up of families that were born out of wedlock. Even though Superman
is a fictional character, even though he is from Krypton with these amazing powers, he is still one thing; a man! Men make mistakes, men lust, and men
fall in love. Superman with all his abilities is still capable of these things. Could Singer have done without the child storyline, sure. But I think he choose to
go that route just to give it some edge of reality. Yes, comic stories are suppose to take us away from reality, but the majority of comic stories come from
real world experiences. A twelve year old child watching SR isn’t going to say, ooh mommy Superman has a baby, and isn’t married to her. They don’t know
about that. All they want to see is the guy flying around in blue tights. I’m reading a Superman comic novel now, and in this book it tells how Clark/Superman
fights everyday to resist from listening in on everyone’s conversation, even though he slips sometimes and hears just enough to know what they are talking
about. The guy has temptations and feelings like the next man. So to end this, I think the whole morality thing is blown way out of poportion. Let’s watch the
movie for what it is, a good Superman movie with a little of reality thrown in. Go Singer!!!!
rick hunter says
to the author: how could you be so evil as Lex Luthor??
to everyone else: as long as you love supes please provide constructive advice instead of defaming it!!!
Jonathan Woodliff says
I’ve heard the latest as to what the studio has said now. I saw it and heard a Wraner executive on CNN. It looks like Singer IS NOT getting his way. And as to your response to my article about “pulling my head out of my ass” ; you sure your intelligence by saying such a thing.You aren’t making what I said look dumb at all. That response shows a very big lack of maturity.
Jonathan Woodliff says
OKay. rottentomatoes.com’s official box office figure. And this is a figure that came right from the Warner studio
Superman Returns Closed with a total of $197,430,626 domestically. The film didn’t even hit 200 Million domestically. My head wasn’t in my ass. I happen to be a screenwriter and a film expert myself. I knew what I was talking about. Also being a business person; I saw it coming. I’ve been a Superman fan since I was little and am probably older than the person who made that rather un-intelligent and immature comment.
You can’t argue with the fact the film made $197,430,626 and never hit 200.
MaskedRider says
Excuse me, but Superman Returns is going to cross the 199m mark in the US, and it has still chances to hit the 200m mark. The SR box office run isn’t still finished. The movie outgrossed Batman Begins worldwide and if you check the international box office it it is going to cross even X2 (192m). Despite they expected more, SR is still one of the most successful movie of the genre.
Shawna says
OK People, let’s compare apples to apples here! I am SO freaking sick of people making comments that SR flopped. DMC which came out a week later then SR is STILL in about 1700 theaters. SR is in under 300. What the hell? Granted, Pirates did a lot more to begin with and I am sure it was expected, there is such a limited viewing of SR right now, it isn’t even being given a chance. There several people out there that would love to see the movie again and support it but it simply isn’t playing in their area any longer. I’d be very curious to see what would happen if WB were to do a re-release. I think it would be beneficial to them but that’s just my two cents. ;)
David says
Superman is dead; in the comics he was killed, brought back to life and killed again…the movies were back in the 70’s, when jaws was a big hit… what im trying to say, is superman is ‘still alive’ and is in an era way after his time here on earth. This new generation was raised off batman, and x-men, you know guys with issues; nobody wants to see some happy go lucky guy in tights with a smile on his face flying through the air…..it just…well..yeah..
Jonathan Woodliff says
I think Superman Returns was a cool video. But it was nothing compared to the first Superman movies with Christopher Reeve. In the new movie, it was more like a normal man who had been given a little gift; a magic auoro to defy gravity. Nothing more. If you plan on making a new Superman movie, take this advice: MAKE SUPERMAN SUPERMAN!
Let him use his powers more and so on.
By the way, Hollywood, you suck.
Jonathan Woodliff
Dean Caudill says
Superman Returns has excellent effects and a good cast. If it’s classified as a “bomb”, it would have to be because the Superman faithful are tired of the same old story being retold on the big screen. For all practicle purposes, Superman Returns Is really Superman the Movie rehashed. Similar dialogue, direction and soundtrack. Don’t believe it? Get ’em both out and really watch ’em this time. See if don’t easily see the similarities now. I’d like to see the battle with Doomsday complete with Superman’s death and eventual resurrection and re-battle.
andy wharton says
you are all insane! are you so sad that you need constant action and no story? have you seen what shit spiderman 3 was?
Brian says
The great thing about Chistopher Reeve was that he was perfect for the role. We could take him seriously in a red and blue jump suit! Routh lacks the charisma for the role.
The storyline in SR was weak. I think Superman needs a serious re-boot like Batman got when Bale took over the lead role. It will be very difficult to to re-model the superman story without ruining the whole story.
Hopefully there will be another Superman movie and it will have a bit more teeth than SR.
Amy Briar says
Just to let everyone know SR stink’n ROCKED!!!! I loved it!! Superman needs to man up and marry Lois Lane so his kid can be with his REAL father! Noefense I LOVE James Marsden but Superman and Lois are DESTINED to be together!!! I really want them to a make sequal!! Hek mayby even a third!!!!! And I really want them to kiss! They’re such a good couple!- in my opinion! And to everyone who thinks Kate is a horable Lois Lane……. SHAME ON YOU!!! Can’t wait to see if they make a sequal or a third!!!!
Macy says
This rocks
Lois blows
Steven Clark says
Honestly, Superman Returns was a good movie! I loved it and I hope there is a sequal in 2009! Superman is one of the best hero movies ever made! The next movie should have more action and thrills though! Superman returns was good but you can do alot better than what you all did!
Mark Crager says
Superman Returns was horrible a disgrace to Superman. Storyline was stupid and had the wrong characters for Superman and Lois. If another movie is made they need Tom Welling!!! The story needs to be interesting.
ninjasrock says
Ok, so this is how it should go down.
*the kid’s fake dad should die, i despise him.
*lois should find out clark is superman, one way or anouther.
*Superman should die sometime in the future that way his son can be superman, i love superman, but it would make for a good ending.
*new villians, everyone loves lex, but we need fresh material,dont please yourself, please the viewer.
*lets get 1 thing strait: action=big money gay movie=poor money
*i cant beilive that ppl havent thought about insted of the kid dying, superman should die. ppl come on!! he could like die defending his kid and lois, but not richard, i still despise him
MICHELE says
I found Superman Returns unworthy to be along side with all the
other Superman movies Christopher Reeves made. Brandon Routh did
nothing for this movie. I felt he wasn’t the right guy for this
part. They would have done alot better letting Tom Welling play this
part. He has done a wonderful job playing the part of a younger
Clark Kent….and eventually be Superman. Who better knows the
character…has compassion, loyalty and feelings toward people….
Don’t get me wrong..Brandon Routh is an ok actor…but not for this
movie. The even had the wrong type person playing Lois Lane. The
actors have to make you believe they are those characters. The story
also didn’t help this movie. There has to be a good story line along
with action….and a great ending….one that makes you want to see
the next episode in the life of Superman. I’ve been watchimg
Superman since I was a kid…and this was definitely lame.
steven dunetz says
The bottom line for Superman to do any good is to get Tom Welling! The ratings on Smallville are good for nine years what more do you want!