What is your ideal direction for the next Superman movie?

[Nelliebly]

Okay lets not have this thread become a proxy shipping war thread people.

I mean, I agree with you. It’s tiresome. I’m tired of having to read posts about how much Lois sucks. Extremely tired of it.

@yoda made some extremely good points in his post. Sorry I don’t know how to tag him. The success of Aquaman specifically crediting their success to marketing to a female demo and romance is super interesting and encouraging to me. Maybe they finally get it.....

[Kuwagaton]

The race debate is quite far enough off topic without honing in on each other, thanks.

[Hypestyle]

Brainiac. Lots of rescues. No destroyed cities. No supporting character deaths.

[Superlad93]

You know I was kind of thinking more and more about how some sort of a Superman In Space movie could work, and what about it would be worthwhile.

First off, in terms of why it may be worthwhile to see realized on screen? It's something movie superheroes have quite done yet without kind of bypassing it and making it anther genre that just happens to be set in space. Like, Guardians, Green Lantern, and Captain Marvel's versions of space are kind of incidental, right? It being space isn't an active part of any of those films, and I wouldn't mind seeing that change for Superman. I think Superman is kind of uniquely suited for a space film because ultimately Clark's are subject to change depending on where he is. They are a set of met conditions. That's something you can play with for a film.

I'd suggest something like a "space survival" film. You basically take a story about a person moving through a jungle or forest, and you upscale it.....a lot. So like Clark having to out fly the outer rim of a black hole like a riptide, or him having to wait out a sudden meteor shower like some heavy rain. Keeping an eye on his internal yellow and red sun levels while passing through a red star system because he wanted to make good time.

The logistics have a few examples, and usually the number one thing to do is to push hard for the love interest's role in the film. As cool as it is, it can't all be space and other worlds all the time for the whole film when it's an idea like this. So you break up those parts with what's going on back with mission control back on Earth, and even some flashbacks.

But I think the main thing would be to have a way for Clark and Lois to communicate or share messages. Some clever filmmaking could really work the chemistry here. The script would have to be really strong along with the directing. I'd also say have some sort of Lois B plot going on back on Earth that relates back to the A space plot. Be sure to use the flashback to get a sense of what life is normally like, and sprinkle them around the film. The flashbacks should also lean rather heavy on the warm, and affectionate romance and closeness as a contrast to the cold void Clark find himself in.

Logically at some point before the climax Superman and Lois' messages would have to either become harder to maintain or just straight up get cut off to sufficiently ramp up the tension. And when they're able to not just talk again but see each other, it should be the largest exhale ever.

Space can be beautiful and wondrous, but it's also largely just large pockets of icy solitude that make you long to be close to someone warm who loves you.

You could basically just adapt Johns' Brainiac story, but make it more about getting to him than the guy himself. Superman on an honest-to-goodness journey could be a lot of fun. Relatively simple concept, and mainly held up by the strength of the leads and the mix of genuine wonder, awe, and dread in space.

[Yoda]

I'd suggest something like a "space survival" film. You basically take a story about a person moving through a jungle or forest, and you upscale it.....a lot. So like Clark having to out fly the outer rim of a black hole like a riptide, or him having to wait out a sudden meteor shower like some heavy rain. Keeping an eye on his internal yellow and red sun levels while passing through a red star system because he wanted to make good time.

Up in the Sky is along these lines actually. You could definitely work in more DP based stuff building out a mystery on earth connected to the girls disappearance. There are some solid later chapters with Brainiac and a Clark/Superman split that are very good that actually work in a lot of Clark Kent character work for a story set off Planet.

[Superlad93]

Up in the Sky is along these lines actually. You could definitely work in more DP based stuff building out a mystery on earth connected to the girls disappearance. There are some solid later chapters with Brainiac and a Clark/Superman split that are very good that actually work in a lot of Clark Kent character work for a story set off Planet.

Damn I wish I could've gotten it as it came out. I'm sure it has a bunch of what I'd love to see in a "space survival" Superman film. That said, not a fan of what I hear about the Lois issue. Any film based on Up in the Sky should do away with that in favor of just straight up giving her an active B plot similar to Cooper's daughter Murph in Interstellar (but minus the time dilation obviously) or the Earth crew from The Martian , ya know?

I honestly think they should legitimately look into doing something like this.

[Yoda]

Damn I wish I could've gotten it as it came out. I'm sure it has a bunch of what I'd love to see in a "space survival" Superman film. That said, not a fan of what I hear about the Lois issue. Any film based on Up in the Sky should do away with that in favor of just straight up giving her an active B plot similar to Cooper's daughter Murph in Interstellar (but minus the time dilation obviously) or the Earth crew from The Martian , ya know?

I honestly think they should legitimately look into doing something like this.

Full agreement there. You could work in a B plot for her, working out the Earth side connections to whatever the mystery is and still work in what King claimed to want that sequence to show, essentially that Clark trusts Lois to do what she does and take care of herself. Having her work on a connected B plot can accomplish that easily. The underlying general idea King had isn’t necessarily awful. Just the ass backwards and gratuitous way they chose to execute it failed on every level.

But yeah, the rest of it actually fits almost exactly what you are talking about pretty solidly. There is a chapter where Clark and Superman are split and stranded on a planet which I think is pretty solid. The boxing chapter is really really well done. And there’s Brainiac basically acting as Satan tempting him with his perfect life in another that I think was really well done. Aside from that one really really bad chapter, it has been a good story.

I think it gets the space and scifi elements but keeps a solid focus on Clark Kent and his humanity as well. Also it isn’t just a generic space opera story. It has massive sci-fi elements but the stake is literally one little girls life.

[Superlad93]

Full agreement there. You could work in a B plot for her, working out the Earth side connections to whatever the mystery is and still work in what King claimed to want that sequence to show, essentially that Clark trusts Lois to do what she does and take care of herself. Having her work on a connected B plot can accomplish that easily. The underlying general idea King had isn’t necessarily awful. Just the ass backwards and gratuitous way they chose to execute it failed on every level.

But yeah, the rest of it actually fits almost exactly what you are talking about pretty solidly. There is a chapter where Clark and Superman are split and stranded on a planet which I think is pretty solid. The boxing chapter is really really well done. And there’s Brainiac basically acting as Satan tempting him with his perfect life in another that I think was really well done. Aside from that one really really bad chapter, it has been a good story.

I think it gets the space and scifi elements but keeps a solid focus on Clark Kent and his humanity as well. Also it isn’t just a generic space opera story. It has massive sci-fi elements but the stake is literally one little girls life.

Some stuff would undoubtedly have to be cut for the sake of time and budget, and Lois' B plot (along with flashbacks) would have to act as structural breaks to what is an inherently episodic Superman story, but I really like the idea of that sort of space odyssey for Superman/Clark. It would likely be something similar to The Martian's Mark's problem/solution vignette A plot being broken up by the ever present "Save Mark" B plot.

And now that I think about it, if this were a first movie in a reboot, that one story with the alien father healing Clark and looking through his memories would work really well.

[Super-Cyke]

Brainiac. Lots of rescues. No destroyed cities. No supporting character deaths.

I want lots of rescues as well

[phonogram12]

I agree with the notion of skipping any sort of "Year One" type of scenario. As much as I would LOVE to see Krypton done appropriately, I think this can be skipped altogether.

First of all, I would replace the entire cast. The last cast is just too associated with the Snyder films for a new film starring them to be given any sort of chance.

As for the approach, I would probably lean heavily in the journalism direction. Start it off with a small mystery that Lois is investigating, that builds into a city, country, then eventual global conspiracy that all leads to Brainiac. As the plot unfolds, it only makes sense to introduce STAR Labs and more sci-fi elements.

Clark wouldn't quite be in a relationship with Lois yet, but they could start off as friendly rivals, each having a mutual respect for the other. By the end of the film, it would be hinted heavily that their romance would be chronicled in the next film.

I wouldn't mind flashbacks to Smallville, necessarily, but I would probably keep any appearances from the Kents within those flashbacks. As charming as they are, I'm not a huge fan of stories where he leans too much on them in his adult years. They don't necessarily have to be dead, but I'd just rather not have him turn to them for absolutely everything.

The film would probably focus on Clark being an investigative reporter just as much as Superman. His keen investigative mind would definitely be highlighted just as much as his superheroics.

Personally, I think the key to a truly great supporting cast is how they help move the plot forward without overshadowing the lead. IMHO, a great example of this is Netflix's Daredevil show. Both Foggy and Karen were in their own way essential in moving the plot forward during the first and last seasons, but at the same time, you never forgot whose show this was. As much as I enjoy the CW shows, with everyone in a costume and demanding screen time sometimes the only way you remember whose show it is is by the title.

I also want lots of rescues. I'd prefer that over just a Superman who punches all the time.

[Vakanai]

I'm kind of over the next villain must be Brainiac line of thinking. Start small with Intergang and their alien weapons connection, maybe have Toyman be a weapons tinkerer with a certain sense of playful style, sprinkle hints of the New Gods throughout, and go with one of the robo-baddies, either Metallo or Cyborg Superman, as your big bad for the film. New, different, allows for some great fight scenes, but isn't the predictable Brainiac thing people have been suggesting for at least a decade now. I don't know, I just don't want the villain to be so non-surprising. Everyone is sick of Lex and Zod, and Brainiac is the one everybody picks. I'd rather have Bizzaro or Mxy or Metallo or Toyman or Parasite or Livewire or just about anyone else. I don't know, it's just me.

On the flipside you could cast a younger, teenage actor to play Clark and do a whole Superman and the Legion of Superheroes movie. Young Superman literally in the World of Tomorrow and traveling through space with his own super team would be something we've never seen on the big screen, and if done well could spin LoSH as their own big film franchise.

[phonogram12]

I'm kind of over the next villain must be Brainiac line of thinking. Start small with Intergang and their alien weapons connection, maybe have Toyman be a weapons tinkerer with a certain sense of playful style, sprinkle hints of the New Gods throughout, and go with one of the robo-baddies, either Metallo or Cyborg Superman, as your big bad for the film. New, different, allows for some great fight scenes, but isn't the predictable Brainiac thing people have been suggesting for at least a decade now. I don't know, I just don't want the villain to be so non-surprising. Everyone is sick of Lex and Zod, and Brainiac is the one everybody picks. I'd rather have Bizzaro or Mxy or Metallo or Toyman or Parasite or Livewire or just about anyone else. I don't know, it's just me.

On the flipside you could cast a younger, teenage actor to play Clark and do a whole Superman and the Legion of Superheroes movie. Young Superman literally in the World of Tomorrow and traveling through space with his own super team would be something we've never seen on the big screen, and if done well could spin LoSH as their own big film franchise.

While I'm not on board with your first paragraph (although I would save the New Gods and Mr. Mxyptlk for future movies), I am definitely on board with your second just so long as he's called what he should be called in this scenario: Superboy!

[Vakanai]

While I'm not on board with your first paragraph (although I would save the New Gods and Mr. Mxyptlk for future movies), I am definitely on board with your second just so long as he's called what he should be called in this scenario: Superboy!

Disagree that Brainiac shouldn't be the next big screen villain, or disagree with Metallo or Cyborg Superman being good choices?

For the Legion, I'd be okay with that, and there's definitely some fun tongue in cheek to be had with the Superboy/man thing, but no way would WB be cool with that I think. There's the whole thing that people largely don't know that this Superboy is the same guy who is also Superman. They'd probably think he's some Superman sidekick or something rather than Clark Kent. And for WB I don't think that confusion would be permissible, so they'd want him to have the Superman name in such a film. Although maybe they could explain it through some clever marketing, like showing a trailer with a scene from the movie where one of the Legionnaires tells Clark "You're not Superman yet," or something. Which I think would be a fun little line.

[phonogram12]

Disagree that Brainiac shouldn't be the next big screen villain, or disagree with Metallo or Cyborg Superman being good choices?

I disagree that Brainiac shouldn't be the next big Superman villain. It would be one thing if we've already seen him portrayed live action on the big screen a couple times already, but I think we need to see him at least once before we say no more.

But maybe that's just me.

For the Legion, I'd be okay with that, and there's definitely some fun tongue in cheek to be had with the Superboy/man thing, but no way would WB be cool with that I think. There's the whole thing that people largely don't know that this Superboy is the same guy who is also Superman. They'd probably think he's some Superman sidekick or something rather than Clark Kent. And for WB I don't think that confusion would be permissible, so they'd want him to have the Superman name in such a film. Although maybe they could explain it through some clever marketing, like showing a trailer with a scene from the movie where one of the Legionnaires tells Clark "You're not Superman yet," or something. Which I think would be a fun little line.

I totally get all that. That being the case, I think a proper Superboy and the Legion of the Super-Heroes animated movie would be a fantastic idea. I prefer my DC animated movies independent of one another, though, so if it weren't a part the the current DC animated universe that would be great.

[Vakanai]

I disagree that Brainiac shouldn't be the next big Superman villain. It would be one thing if we've already seen him portrayed live action on the big screen a couple times already, but I think we need to see him at least once before we say no more.

But maybe that's just me.

Well I didn't say no more, I'd love to have him be a big screen villain - just not the next one. I feel like we should subvert expectations for the next film by going with someone else first, but then do a mid-or-end credits scene showing off Brainiac and build up some hype for him as the big bad for the film after that maybe. I'm in no ways against Brainiac being a big movie villain, I'm just kind of tired of the attitude that he has to be the next big screen villain for Superman to fight. I don't know, I've just always been weird that way, whenever everybody jumps on one idea I tend to like it less and want to look for alternatives. Guess I'm just a stickler for being different.

I totally get all that. That being the case, I think a proper Superboy and the Legion of the Super-Heroes animated movie would be a fantastic idea. I prefer my DC animated movies independent of one another, though, so if it weren't a part the the current DC animated universe that would be great.

You mean one of the DTV videos? I love those (usually more than most of the live action movies from both DC and Marvel truth be told), and would definitely give it a watch, but I still think making it a live action theatrical would be epic and the best thing for really shaking up the general audience's preconceptions about Superman. Young teenage hero fighting as part of a group on truly cosmic scale adventures on the big screen for people to see would really expand some understandings on just what all is possible with the Man of Steel. And I really think Superman needs that kind of big screen shake up that stays true to his character. Unlike now were we only get basic normal Superman stories but they shake up who the character is and it becomes so divisive among us fans, like Man of Steel. People need to know that the character of Superman (or Superboy) still works just fine as is, and that you can just expand what kind of stories you tell with him.

At least that's my general feeling on the idea right now.