‘Superman’ Reboot Being Produced By JJ Abrams With Ta-Nehisi Coates Writing

[Mark Trail]

Here is idle speculation. DC wants to do a Black Superhero pic. The biggest black superhero they have in media right now is Cyborg, but there is controversy around that character now due to Ray Fisher's allegations. So they shy away from a Cyborg movie and think outside the box. We get a Black Superman.

Because heaven forbid that Johns let us have a proper Jon Stewart Green Lantern, due to his Hal Jorden fixation.

[Mark Trail]

This isn't about race to me. I want Superman to look like Superman. I don't want a black Superman anymore than i want a midget Superman, an incredibly fat Superman, or a red haired Superman with a prosthetic hand and a glass eye.

I still get bothered by the fact that Cavill doesn't have a spit curl and Tyler Hoechiln sports five o'clock shadow. Seriously.

[Vakanai]

Two thoughts.

1. I hope this is one of the actual black Supermen from comics, and not a racebent Clark Kent. I can be interested in a black Superman movie, but not so much a black Clark Kent Superman movie.

2. That the writer...doesn't do as bad a job here as I heard he did with the Black Panther comics...

[choptop]

I still get bothered by the fact that Cavill doesn't have a spit curl and Tyler Hoechiln sports five o'clock shadow. Seriously.

Ya because that's totally the same thing as what he is saying by look like Superman he means down to every last detall!

[CliffHanger2]

Dude hasnt got a original idea in his head. Is he a good director? Yes, he is. But he can't write to save himself and just copies other people's work.

I think that's where the problem is gonna be here the writing. Coates just isn't right for this imo.

[The Gold Stream]

i dont think the race matters but i wouldnt mind if this reboots the whole of dc cinematic it's pretty boring overall

[Triple J]

In elseworlds, yes. But some characters you just can't swap out. Would Black Panther work if they swapped the Africa stuff out for generic white guys? Absolutely not. Unless there is wriggle room, characters need to be respected and portrayed as intended. Ben Grimm always needs to have a Jewish background. Likewise Marc Spector. Luke Cage always needs to be african-american.

And a gay Batman and Robin film would just be a gimmick.

As intended by whom? I doubt Siegel and Shuster would recognize any of the modern takes on Superman (or even Reeve's take on the character, based on golden age Superman). Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but point is Superman has changed a lot. So the whole thing of respecting what is, or what was intended is moot.

As for the characters you mentioned, it wouldn't work for them because their race is a big part of their lived experienced and portrayal as a character. For Superman, his skin color doesn't matter as much. Of course, since his skin color resembles closest to Caucasian, his lived experienced are going to be similar to that (and tbh his race was never explored in comics, afaik). Would have been a different issue with Clark's skin color was explored in comics and was a big part of who he is, as a character. In this case, changing his skin color wouldn't take away anything, but just add another set of problems/challenges to the character.

Of course, I would rather have WB do a Calvin Ellis movie, than outright race bending Clark Kent (so far, we don't have any confirmation so will have to wait and see).

[Vakanai]

As intended by whom? I doubt Siegel and Shuster would recognize any of the modern takes on Superman (or even Reeve's take on the character, based on golden age Superman). Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but point is Superman has changed a lot. So the whole thing of respecting what is, or what was intended is moot.

As for the characters you mentioned, it wouldn't work for them because their race is a big part of their lived experienced and portrayal as a character. For Superman, his skin color doesn't matter as much. Of course, since his skin color resembles closest to Caucasian, his lived experienced are going to be similar to that (and tbh his race was never explored in comics, afaik). Would have been a different issue with Clark's skin color was explored in comics and was a big part of who he is, as a character. In this case, changing his skin color wouldn't take away anything, but just add another set of problems/challenges to the character.

Of course, I would rather have WB do a Calvin Ellis movie, than outright race bending Clark Kent (so far, we don't have any confirmation so will have to wait and see).

Hmm, Clark not only passing for "human" but also white was kind of played with in Superman Smashes the Klan.

[Scott Taylor]

This isn't about race to me. I want Superman to look like Superman. I don't want a black Superman anymore than i want a midget Superman, an incredibly fat Superman, or a red haired Superman with a prosthetic hand and a glass eye.

A midget superman would be awesome, get outta here!

[Serpico Jones]

I will never understand WB’s obsession/fascination with a fucking hack like Abrams.

[Somecrazyaussie]

As intended by whom? I doubt Siegel and Shuster would recognize any of the modern takes on Superman (or even Reeve's take on the character, based on golden age Superman). Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but point is Superman has changed a lot. So the whole thing of respecting what is, or what was intended is moot.

As for the characters you mentioned, it wouldn't work for them because their race is a big part of their lived experienced and portrayal as a character. For Superman, his skin color doesn't matter as much. Of course, since his skin color resembles closest to Caucasian, his lived experienced are going to be similar to that (and tbh his race was never explored in comics, afaik). Would have been a different issue with Clark's skin color was explored in comics and was a big part of who he is, as a character. In this case, changing his skin color wouldn't take away anything, but just add another set of problems/challenges to the character.

Of course, I would rather have WB do a Calvin Ellis movie, than outright race bending Clark Kent (so far, we don't have any confirmation so will have to wait and see).

If it's Calvin Ellis (which, if they are going with a PoC, would be a safe bet). I'd be all over that. But a race bended Clark Kent? No way. The character is who he is. Simple as that.

Again, we don't have much to go on but speculation. But a line has to be drawn somewhere with all this. The problem with DC characters not working in film isn't because they are white guys in their 30s. The problem is because we have had incompetents at the wheel. Man Of Steel would have worked fine. Cavill was great in the role. But we had a studio who had success with one franchise (Batman) and suddenly everything had to be dark and gloomy and have the hero resort to breaking the villains neck for "see? Our Superman means business." It totally missed the mark on what the character represents and stands for.

Get someone in there who 1. Actually wants to work on that character, 2. Understands the character and 3. Has a vision, and leave them alone. Warner Bros saw the money Marvel was making and rushed in with no clear plan in place (like the cock up over at Sony by trying to rush a Spidey verse). Snyder is a good director. But no way was he the guy to have as a "godfather" overseeing the cinematic universe for DC.

I am totally not the guy who they make Luke Cage or Black Lightning comics for. I am a white Australian (albeit with indigenous heritage) and I come from a semi rural town in public housing. But I love those characters. People who say they "can't get into a character because they don't share the same outlook or skin colour" is fine. You can, but that is besides the point. But this constant fuss over changing things to appeal to other markets is getting right up my nose.

[Somecrazyaussie]

I will never understand WB’s obsession/fascination with a fucking hack like Abrams.

Abrams can direct. But, as far as writing and approaching a story go, keep him far, far away. Everything he does is derivative of other people's ideas or just outright rips off other films. TFA was just ANH with a new coat of paint. TRoS was just reheated RoTJ. Star Trek Into Darkness.... ugh that makes my blood boil.

[Somecrazyaussie]

Let me quote this gentlemen here:




I would agree with you if J.J was directing this movie but he’s not, and likely will find another filmmaker to bring this vision of Superman to life and something tells me if he’s getting this writer who isn’t even a Superman fan, that you would never, ever guess in a million years he would be writing this film - that alone tells me this will be as far from a Donner homage as possible. J.J. comments on the news is rather telling. Here’s what he said about the project.

From the sound of it this seems like this will be a radically different take on The Last Son Of Krypton. The likes of which we’ve never seen before. I’m more curious about it than excited for now. I will only psyched for this movie when they get a director that excites me.

If the dude is just producing, okay. But the minute news breaks he is interfering in scripts or directing, I am out. The guy has burned me three times (four if you count that crappy Spider-man mini he did).

[Somecrazyaussie]

I do remember that Michael B Jordan wanted to do a Superman film. But even he had it right when he said that he'd rather do something original and said, "I'd be Calvin Ellis". Now, that is a film I WILL see.

Also, been discussing this with another friend and they said, "why cant this be Milestone characters and the film be ICON?"

[Username taken]

So, I am the only one who liked the Abrams' Star Treks?

You're not the only one. I even liked the Force Awakens.

I don't have any problems with Abrams movies at all.

I legit don't know where this hate all came from.