Would JJ Abrams make a good director for a Superman reboot?

[Doctor Know]

With the mark JJ left on Star Wars and Star Trek, I can't but feel dread about his touching Superman. We already know his plan, without anything being announced. Shot for shot, line for line remake of the Donner movie. Just like SR was.

If all the doom and gloom reports about Rise of Skywalker being a mess are true and JJ doesn't stick the landing. I can imagine WB feeling buyers remorse for their $500 million contract they signed with Abrams and Bad Robot. Funny thing, Abrams turned down a billion dollar deal with Apple for their Apple TV service. Apple was hoping Abrams would create multiple new shows and movies for their exclusive service. The same way creators do for Netflix and Amazon. Abrams turned them down for WB, and half the pay.
I wonder why? #sarcasm

[manwhohaseverything]

With the mark JJ left on Star Wars and Star Trek, I can't but feel dread about his touching Superman. We already know his plan, without even thing being announced. Shot for shot, line for line remake of the Donner movie. Just like SR was.

If all the doom and gloom reports about Rise of Skywalker being a mess are true and JJ doesn't stick the landing. I can imagine WB feeling buyers remorse for their $500 million contract they signed with Abrams and Bad Robot. Funny thing, Abrams turned down a billion dollar deal with Apple for their Apple TV service. Apple was hoping Abrams would create multiple new shows and movies for their exclusive service. The same way creators do for Netflix and Amazon. Abrams turned them down for WB, and half the pay.
I wonder why? #sarcasm

yeah!i would rather they take something from the source material for once.Make allstar superman movie or something.

[Adekis]

I mean... I like JJ's Star Trek, and I like a lot about his Star Wars too, for that matter. True, I don't love Into Darkness and my favorite thing about Force Awakens is Last Jedi, but he's got a great grip on likable characters with wonderful relationships, delightful action sequences, and just plain fun. I think Superman specifically could use that a lot. Do I want it to be the be-all and end-all of Superman, but I think he needs it at this moment, and I think JJ Abrams can provide.

I kind of really want it to turn out that Abrams is doing a Cavill and Adams "soft reboot" Superman movie. That would be really exciting news for me.

[exile001]

I really don't want to see JJ Abrams with Superman. His body of work is not that impressive over the last decade, and he's become more of a crown-pleasing, mindless blockbuster guy who mostly retreads well worn ground. He'd probably fit better at marvel.

His original plans for Superman (Flyby) waaaay back when, if the various leaks are to be believed, were not to my taste.

[Vordan]

I really don't want to see JJ Abrams with Superman. His body of work is not that impressive over the last decade, and he's become more of a crown-pleasing, mindless blockbuster guy who mostly retreads well worn ground. He'd probably fit better at marvel.

His original plans for Superman (Flyby) waaaay back when, if the various leaks are to be believed, were not to my taste.

Flyby was dumb but I doubt he’d go with that script again if he was given the chance. Abrams makes crowd pleasers and that’s what Superman needs right now, something that’s enjoyable and can serve as a solid foundation.

[DochaDocha]

Was it in this forum where I read JJ has never stuck a landing?

If you get JJ to work on Superman, give him a collaborator, and make sure the two actually, you know, collaborate.

[Hulkverine]

Is JJ a fan of Superman? If so I would say yes. When he’s not a fan of the IP, his stuff can be uneven. I do like his Star Trek flicks, but his love of Star Wars really shows on those. It’s fairly clear he’s not a Trekkie.

[Kuwagaton]

Since my last comment, his Spider-Man comic has proven to be genuine. That's a bit of progress. Cavill has also said some things along the lines of us seeing him in a sort of reboot. For me yes, he's still Superman. So there is a bit of promise in the future but I won't get my hopes up until development is to the point that I have to beeline through spoilers on this forum.

[Hulkverine]

I wish I could enjoy Cavil’s Superman. He’s bland as dry toast to me.

[Kuwagaton]

It's one of those weird things but you know you're doing it right when the criticisms people have with the acting line up with the criticisms of the actual role. Superman is super straight man. Cavill is very clean and upright in the role once he's put in costume and his Clark has a nice, soft nag. I give him credit for how he handled the brooding which isn't something he put in place, but you can tell his did earnestly evoke the likes of For Tomorrow. I think if they let him breathe a bit with charisma like we saw in UNCLE and generally provided a better plot some people would turn around.

[exile001]

Flyby was dumb but I doubt he’d go with that script again if he was given the chance. Abrams makes crowd pleasers and that’s what Superman needs right now, something that’s enjoyable and can serve as a solid foundation.

I get that standpoint, but I'd rather not have another film than see a soul-less, focus tested, forgettable JJ Abrams nothing for 2 hours. The goal, for me, is to put good Superman out into the world, not just have something there for the sake of it.

[DochaDocha]

The goal, for me, is to put good Superman out into the world, not just have something there for the sake of it.

Totally agreed.

[Doctor Know]

Was it in this forum where I read JJ has never stuck a landing?

If you get JJ to work on Superman, give him a collaborator, and make sure the two actually, you know, collaborate.

Most likely, yes.

Star Trek 2009. A movie he never intended to make a sequel to. He made one which retread his first one. Both of which are retreads of Wrath of Khan

Star Wars - TFA = ANH with a few callbacks to TESB. Another movie JJ never intended to make a sequel to. A greatest hits remake of someone else's movie.

Mission Impossible 3: A new direction for the MI series. The bones were set by JJ here. But Tom Cruise and the directors of MI4-6 refined it.

Super 8: Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind + ET The Extraterrestrial + the monster from Cloverfield 1 (a movie and series JJ produces). A love letter to Steven Spielberg's 80s movies.


His shows include Alias, Lost and Almost Human. I don't know anything about Alias. Almost Human was cancelled after one season. Lost's ending pissed everyone off. JJ's mystery box blowing up in his face. JJ uses it in all his movies and show. Issue is, JJ admits to not knowing the solutions to the mysteries he creates. He poses questions and because he mostly avoided doing sequels, he never had to come up with answers.


As far as JJ collaborating with someone. That's not gonna happen. JJ has his own production company, Bad Robot. Meaning besides directing, he is the executive producer for all movies and shows he works on. It's his money, so he can do what he wants for the most part. WB signed JJ and Bad Robot for a $500 million dollar deal. JJ's going to get his way. More people are seeing the man behind the curtain, so hopefully something changes.


I'd honestly take Joss Whedon doing a Superman movie over JJ.

[Vordan]

It's one of those weird things but you know you're doing it right when the criticisms people have with the acting line up with the criticisms of the actual role. Superman is super straight man. Cavill is very clean and upright in the role once he's put in costume and his Clark has a nice, soft nag. I give him credit for how he handled the brooding which isn't something he put in place, but you can tell his did earnestly evoke the likes of For Tomorrow. I think if they let him breathe a bit with charisma like we saw in UNCLE and generally provided a better plot some people would turn around.

Eh I’m not really a fan of the Earth One/Byrne takes on Clark that Cavill seems trying to evoke. And For Tomorrow is an ambitious failure so I’m not really that enthusiastic about it forming the core of Cavill’s take. Maybe if he had a better script he’d do ok, but Reeve had a charm to his Superman that Cavill lacks. He was sly, mischievous, cocky even, while Cavill has veered between “brooding miserably” and “sullenly withdrawn”. Only time his Superman came to life was during his first flight. We need more scenes like that if we’re going to be continuing with Cavill.

[Kuwagaton]

Eh I’m not really a fan of the Earth One/Byrne takes on Clark that Cavill seems trying to evoke. And For Tomorrow is an ambitious failure so I’m not really that enthusiastic about it forming the core of Cavill’s take. Maybe if he had a better script he’d do ok, but Reeve had a charm to his Superman that Cavill lacks. He was sly, mischievous, cocky even, while Cavill has veered between “brooding miserably” and “sullenly withdrawn”. Only time his Superman came to life was during his first flight. We need more scenes like that if we’re going to be continuing with Cavill.

Maybe you can't be a fan of that material, which is okay. But as well as not knocking you for that, I'd say individual preference is a different thing from whether or not it was rooted and how well he did in executing what they decided to execute. If the brooding was unconvincing that's its own problem (and you can say late aces like Reeve or Reeves possibly would have refused or failed with that material).

Funny enough despite the 2013 movie title, verbal nods, and Kryptonian segments, I don't make a connection between Byrne and the DCEU. To be generous I might include his initial reaction to (a very different) Batman. The themes of otherness and xenophobia, the death of Pa, the burden of being a savior, the meta textual controversy of his pursuit of justice, lack of experience/credibility as a hero and turbulent relationship with the government seem to me like a composite reference to New 52, Kelly, Azzarello, Morrison, Waid, Busiek, JMS, bits of the golden age, Superman #247, and the Wolfman pre crisis run. Bonus actually if no one on board even had those particularly in mind. Cavill had what they gave him and went to the well to try to make it work.

I think judging almost solely by Star Wars Abrams is the guy who will deliver on some material I prefer, but he could be staunchly about one take if he gets the chance. As long as it stands next to his other work comfortably that's all I ask.