How would you reboot Superman?

[greatmetropolitan]

Clark is a few years into being Superman. He's recently told Lois the secret, it's going great. Movie starts with a big press conference/news story, Daily Planet exclusive. Clark Kent and Lois lane have managed to have Lex Luthor arrested and imprisoned. They proved a lot of his villainous activity - with journalism! Including human experimentation, like the Kryptonite powered cyborg Metallo, and the human Parasite Rudy Jones. Everything looks great for Metropolis. That's all established in first ten minutes.

Then a shadow comes over the moon. An enormous headship. Brainiac has arrived. And as you may guess from the name, Brainiac isn't an idiot. He's well aware of the capabilities of the Kryptonian and sees a head on assault as futile. So he bottles metropolis like he did Kandor, but without shrinking it. Then he fires several devices into the sun, turning it red. And he'll wait.

In the bottled city of Metropolis, things are bad. The sky is red, panic in the streets and Superman's powers are fading fast. But he's Superman, so he's out there anyway, giving it his all, knowing (via a message from Brainiac) that the invasion proper will start in 72 hours.

Then Parasite and Metallo escape.

What follows is a hardcore action scene with Clark just hardcore fighting for his life against two villains who can drain his already draining powers. It's a showcase of determination and valor, as he beats these two and saves a ton of lives in the process. And is left powerless.

But still, he's out there. Fighting. Saving. Lois gets a message. Luthor wants to talk. He has a way to end this. The red sun idea was his god dammit, stolen from a lexcorp data storage satellite in orbit around Neptune. But he knows how to switch them off. Lois, Clark and Lex formulate a plan to pop the cork off the bottle momentarily, allowing for the launch of a craft (With a big L on it), that will contain Clark and the shutdown solution for the red solar effect, directly into the sun.

Lex drones fight Brainiac drones in the skies over Metropolis to cover the craft launch. Then we're in space. Silence. The ship enters the sun's coronasphere. Silence.

John Williams.

A gold streak emerges from a yellow sun, blazing into the headship. Superman and Brainiac do battle, the victor is obvious.

Clark returns to earth, victorious. And the city celebrates....Lex Luthor. There's a mistrial. He's cleared. He's a public darling, the saviour of humanity, of Superman. Lois and Clark's story somehow discredited. Lex emerges on to his rooftop balcony, sh*t eating grin. Come now, alien, you didn't think you'd stop me with the law, did you? We're just getting started.

[Yohei72]

The DCU on screen should feel more like Lord of The Rings or Game of Thrones rather than Marvel phase 1. We should have this universe unfold for us as we see just how differently it has formed from our own.

Well said, and good analogy. This is more or less what I'm thinking, although I don't believe you have to dispense with the Clarks and Bruces to make this work.

Until I remembered there's a TV show already covering this ground, I was about to say earlier that a Superman reboot could really distinguish itself by starting with Clark & Lois married and a tween Jon already on the scene, a Supergirl in the background somewhere, etc., and go from there.

[Jackalope89]

I agree on skipping the whole Krypton thing. Save it for the sequel or third film. Touch on it, maybe, when Clark talks to Jor-El's hologram. But do NOT make it a main focus. Keep it simple that he was sent to Earth, not so much to save it, but to live happily. Clark himself chooses to be a hero.

[Ascended]

Basically DC has to do its own thing rather than fail at following Marvel.

This. So very much this.

I think in some ways, it's maybe more important to know what *not* to do right now. Don't worry about shared universes or setting up the next movie. Don't even think about a sequel, just make the movie in front of you. Don't copy someone else's style or method or formula, be it Batman or Marvel, just find the strengths of *this* IP, and play to them. No Lex or Zod as the big bad guy. Don't involve people from previous failed attempts (producers, etc). And don't let the global presence cloud your judgement. The expectations people have of the character aren't something to forget entirely, but stop with the space jesus stuff! Nobody actually likes it and it makes Clark pretentious.

If I'm WB, I've finally acknowledged that I don't get this character so I'm looking at evergreen trade sales and definitive stories in the source material and hiring those writers as consultants for the duration of production. They're going to ensure the studio hires people who understand the characters as well as the brand. Once the right people are hired, the studio gets out of the way and doesn't interfere with their work.

Think my main priority would be a big budget animated theatrical release. Something to compete with the best of Pixar and Disney. Superman is for everybody, but kids especially, maybe it's time to remember that. Something whimsical, heavy on science fantasy, with lots of exotic locations and characters. Silver Age-ish, in the good ways, but not truly retro. Time needs to be spent with the familiar trappings of the character but first priority needs to be offering something the public hasn't seen before. Something to trigger a kid's imagination. Of course, I wouldn't argue with an animated Smashes the Klan, either, but I'm feeling the idea of a big animated film being pure escapism. The socio-political stuff can be for live action.

Live action, I'd like to do either a mid-budget movie or a big budget HBOMax series based on the Golden Age, Morrison's Action, the 40's cartoons, etc. Not necessarily set in the past, but it could be. In any case, a return of the social crusader who could leap tall buildings and would go after corrupt cops and politicians and also fight giant robots and apes with human brains. Smashes the Klan could obviously work here too. I'm one of the fans who believes it's time for the OG to return and I think there's a mountain of circumstantial evidence that shows it could not only be successful, but the most successful the character has been in thirty years.

Every project has a villain we haven't really seen before. Not Lex, Darkseid, Doomsday, or Zod. Not at first, anyway, though I wouldn't be averse to some being used in new ways. No kryptonite, no de-powering of any kind; if you can't use Clark at his established power level you shouldn't be using him. The focus of film making shouldn't be on the action, but adventure and the character dynamics and development. Make us care about Clark and his world and worry what'll happen to them or we won't care about the threat.

This is an odd one, but make Clark visible hurt. Black eyes, bleeding, broken bones if the story warrants it. Let him spit out a tooth. Clark has to look like he's struggling with his physical threats; you're not gonna worry about the outcome if Clark's in a fight and his hair isn't even mussed. Even if, intellectually, we know Zod punching him hurts, if we don't see it, we won't feel it.

But really, all I think WB needs to do is figure out who *does* understand Superman (trade sales/reviews will likely point to Morrison, at least), have them ensure you hire the right people to make the movie (not doing the hiring themselves of course, just take their feedback seriously), and then just stay the hell out of the way. It doesn't sound hard to do.

Alternatively, I could just cut a Sony style deal with Marvel/Disney and let Kevin Fiege do all the work.

[Powerboy]

Clark is a few years into being Superman. He's recently told Lois the secret, it's going great. Movie starts with a big press conference/news story, Daily Planet exclusive. Clark Kent and Lois lane have managed to have Lex Luthor arrested and imprisoned. They proved a lot of his villainous activity - with journalism! Including human experimentation, like the Kryptonite powered cyborg Metallo, and the human Parasite Rudy Jones. Everything looks great for Metropolis. That's all established in first ten minutes.

Then a shadow comes over the moon. An enormous headship. Brainiac has arrived. And as you may guess from the name, Brainiac isn't an idiot. He's well aware of the capabilities of the Kryptonian and sees a head on assault as futile. So he bottles metropolis like he did Kandor, but without shrinking it. Then he fires several devices into the sun, turning it red. And he'll wait.

In the bottled city of Metropolis, things are bad. The sky is red, panic in the streets and Superman's powers are fading fast. But he's Superman, so he's out there anyway, giving it his all, knowing (via a message from Brainiac) that the invasion proper will start in 72 hours.

Then Parasite and Metallo escape.

What follows is a hardcore action scene with Clark just hardcore fighting for his life against two villains who can drain his already draining powers. It's a showcase of determination and valor, as he beats these two and saves a ton of lives in the process. And is left powerless.

But still, he's out there. Fighting. Saving. Lois gets a message. Luthor wants to talk. He has a way to end this. The red sun idea was his god dammit, stolen from a lexcorp data storage satellite in orbit around Neptune. But he knows how to switch them off. Lois, Clark and Lex formulate a plan to pop the cork off the bottle momentarily, allowing for the launch of a craft (With a big L on it), that will contain Clark and the shutdown solution for the red solar effect, directly into the sun.

Lex drones fight Brainiac drones in the skies over Metropolis to cover the craft launch. Then we're in space. Silence. The ship enters the sun's coronasphere. Silence.

John Williams.

A gold streak emerges from a yellow sun, blazing into the headship. Superman and Brainiac do battle, the victor is obvious.

Clark returns to earth, victorious. And the city celebrates....Lex Luthor. There's a mistrial. He's cleared. He's a public darling, the saviour of humanity, of Superman. Lois and Clark's story somehow discredited. Lex emerges on to his rooftop balcony, sh*t eating grin. Come now, alien, you didn't think you'd stop me with the law, did you? We're just getting started.

I like the idea of not rehashing what's been done so many times.

Good idea to not make Lex Luthor the big villain in the first movie. Personally, I'd take it more like "Superman and Lois". The Lex Luthor stuff is over and done with (probably). Granted S&L still kind of rehashes previous versions by making Kryptonians the big villains of the first season.

Going with Brainiac is a good idea because he's never been used in a live action movie.

I would not bring Lex Luthor back, at least not in the first two movies. I would not rehash the Krypton scenes or the growing up stuff except in flashbacks and maybe not in the first movie, at all.

I would personally not have AI Jor-El. I would have the Fortress of Solitude but it would be an actual building in the arctic, not a structure of ice. The S would be an S for Superman, not a Kryptonian symbol. Krypton would not be a frozen arctic planet. All of this has been repeated endlessly since Superman the Movie (1978). I'd go back to something different.

I'd actually invoke the first season of the 1950s "Adventures of Superman" in one respect. In that first season, the rocket ship imploded when it landed, leaving nothing but Clark and his blankets. He only knew he must be from another planet because of his powers and his adoptive parents telling him how they found him. In the first season, when a substance that could weaken him was discovered, it was called "The Substance".

In the second season of the show, he suddenly and inexplicably knows about Krypton as if there was some big story that the writers forgot they had never told.

But, for my idea of the movie, I would go with your idea except that Brainiac is the reason he finally finds out where he is from. But he has already become Superman and chosen his path and who he is.

[Vordan]

I love Morrison’s t-shirt and jeans Superman, but that’s Year One Superman to me. I think we need to do a Year Two Superman. So he’s already established, he’s wearing a costume, he can fly, he has the Fortress of Solitude, Clark is working at the Daily Planet, Superman himself is… divisive. Half of Metropolis thinks he’s a hero, a quarter thinks he’s a threat (thanks to Lex Luthor manipulating the media plus Clark’s own actions during Year One), and a quarter isn’t sure. Make Clark and Jimmy Olsen roommates and best friends like in Morrison Action and have Jimmy know Clark’s secret. He’s already tangled with Ultra-Humanite, Lex, Parasite, Livewire, Toyman, and Prankster. Have the villain be Metallo and the Metropolis authorities working to bring Superman down. Metallo is working for General Sam Lane who views Superman as a threat, and the Metropolis authorities are in Intergang’s pocket - with Intergang having been heavily crippled by Superman during his Year One and Clark working as a journalist to expose the corruption of the Metropolis elite. Big ending is Superman defeating Metallo, exposing Intergang’s corruption with Lois and Jimmy’s help, and becoming the beloved hero of Metropolis. Set up the next movie by having the tech used to make Metallo come from Brainiac, which causes Brainiac to take notice and realize he missed a Kryptonian.

[Last Son of Krypton]

I'd start with Clark joining the Legion as Vakanai suggested. It would be different while also covering Superman's beginnings as hero.

[JAK]

This. So very much this.

I think in some ways, it's maybe more important to know what *not* to do right now. Don't worry about shared universes or setting up the next movie. Don't even think about a sequel, just make the movie in front of you. Don't copy someone else's style or method or formula, be it Batman or Marvel, just find the strengths of *this* IP, and play to them. No Lex or Zod as the big bad guy. Don't involve people from previous failed attempts (producers, etc). And don't let the global presence cloud your judgement. The expectations people have of the character aren't something to forget entirely, but stop with the space jesus stuff! Nobody actually likes it and it makes Clark pretentious.

If I'm WB, I've finally acknowledged that I don't get this character so I'm looking at evergreen trade sales and definitive stories in the source material and hiring those writers as consultants for the duration of production. They're going to ensure the studio hires people who understand the characters as well as the brand. Once the right people are hired, the studio gets out of the way and doesn't interfere with their work.

Think my main priority would be a big budget animated theatrical release. Something to compete with the best of Pixar and Disney. Superman is for everybody, but kids especially, maybe it's time to remember that. Something whimsical, heavy on science fantasy, with lots of exotic locations and characters. Silver Age-ish, in the good ways, but not truly retro. Time needs to be spent with the familiar trappings of the character but first priority needs to be offering something the public hasn't seen before. Something to trigger a kid's imagination. Of course, I wouldn't argue with an animated Smashes the Klan, either, but I'm feeling the idea of a big animated film being pure escapism. The socio-political stuff can be for live action.

Live action, I'd like to do either a mid-budget movie or a big budget HBOMax series based on the Golden Age, Morrison's Action, the 40's cartoons, etc. Not necessarily set in the past, but it could be. In any case, a return of the social crusader who could leap tall buildings and would go after corrupt cops and politicians and also fight giant robots and apes with human brains. Smashes the Klan could obviously work here too. I'm one of the fans who believes it's time for the OG to return and I think there's a mountain of circumstantial evidence that shows it could not only be successful, but the most successful the character has been in thirty years.

Every project has a villain we haven't really seen before. Not Lex, Darkseid, Doomsday, or Zod. Not at first, anyway, though I wouldn't be averse to some being used in new ways. No kryptonite, no de-powering of any kind; if you can't use Clark at his established power level you shouldn't be using him. The focus of film making shouldn't be on the action, but adventure and the character dynamics and development. Make us care about Clark and his world and worry what'll happen to them or we won't care about the threat.

This is an odd one, but make Clark visible hurt. Black eyes, bleeding, broken bones if the story warrants it. Let him spit out a tooth. Clark has to look like he's struggling with his physical threats; you're not gonna worry about the outcome if Clark's in a fight and his hair isn't even mussed. Even if, intellectually, we know Zod punching him hurts, if we don't see it, we won't feel it.

But really, all I think WB needs to do is figure out who *does* understand Superman (trade sales/reviews will likely point to Morrison, at least), have them ensure you hire the right people to make the movie (not doing the hiring themselves of course, just take their feedback seriously), and then just stay the hell out of the way. It doesn't sound hard to do.

Alternatively, I could just cut a Sony style deal with Marvel/Disney and let Kevin Fiege do all the work.

I love this. One side thing I thought about for Golden Age, as a nod to Joe Shuster, is that Superman wants to be seen as a hero in the classic no-nonsense way, and part of where he gets a piece his "persona" is by looking down and seeing a Slam Bradley comic. He then starts narrowing his eyes as Superman (which would also change his face a bit from when he's Clark).

[Prime]

No more origin story, pllleeease. Everyone knows the story, let’s get on the highway already. Lex Luthor finally done right on the big screen, not as a hammy comedic character (“Smallville” got him right, in my opinion). A relaxed, charismatic, friendly neighborhood Superman, not Cavill’s brooding, one-note version (Chris Reeve got him right). And leaning into the crazy, big science fiction ideas: Brainiac, baby sun eaters, Cyborg Superman, parallel universe Nazi and/or Soviet Superman, that kinda thing. Beyond that, all I need is good writing, directing, acting, and they can do whatever plot they please.

Bizarro could be fun, but if he isn’t executed well, could easily come off as ridiculous in a bad way.

EDIT: Oh, and to stake my position on the defining issue of our time: no red trunks; they just always looked silly. A red belt kinda thing looks great; something is needed to break up all that blue. But why wouldn’t he have different versions that he rotates? I even liked the New 52 collar; he could wear that in a scene or two.

I'm sorry but i think we need to stay away from Lex at least until the second movie. Or keep himn the background if they adapt Superman and the Men of Steel. But Lex needs to be put in a. Bench for a while. Way to many movies as him as the villain. We need new blood. We still haven't had Brainiac as the main villain in a Superman movie guys.

[Prime]

This. So very much this.

I think in some ways, it's maybe more important to know what *not* to do right now. Don't worry about shared universes or setting up the next movie. Don't even think about a sequel, just make the movie in front of you. Don't copy someone else's style or method or formula, be it Batman or Marvel, just find the strengths of *this* IP, and play to them. No Lex or Zod as the big bad guy. Don't involve people from previous failed attempts (producers, etc). And don't let the global presence cloud your judgement. The expectations people have of the character aren't something to forget entirely, but stop with the space jesus stuff! Nobody actually likes it and it makes Clark pretentious.

If I'm WB, I've finally acknowledged that I don't get this character so I'm looking at evergreen trade sales and definitive stories in the source material and hiring those writers as consultants for the duration of production. They're going to ensure the studio hires people who understand the characters as well as the brand. Once the right people are hired, the studio gets out of the way and doesn't interfere with their work.

Think my main priority would be a big budget animated theatrical release. Something to compete with the best of Pixar and Disney. Superman is for everybody, but kids especially, maybe it's time to remember that. Something whimsical, heavy on science fantasy, with lots of exotic locations and characters. Silver Age-ish, in the good ways, but not truly retro. Time needs to be spent with the familiar trappings of the character but first priority needs to be offering something the public hasn't seen before. Something to trigger a kid's imagination. Of course, I wouldn't argue with an animated Smashes the Klan, either, but I'm feeling the idea of a big animated film being pure escapism. The socio-political stuff can be for live action.

Live action, I'd like to do either a mid-budget movie or a big budget HBOMax series based on the Golden Age, Morrison's Action, the 40's cartoons, etc. Not necessarily set in the past, but it could be. In any case, a return of the social crusader who could leap tall buildings and would go after corrupt cops and politicians and also fight giant robots and apes with human brains. Smashes the Klan could obviously work here too. I'm one of the fans who believes it's time for the OG to return and I think there's a mountain of circumstantial evidence that shows it could not only be successful, but the most successful the character has been in thirty years.

Every project has a villain we haven't really seen before. Not Lex, Darkseid, Doomsday, or Zod. Not at first, anyway, though I wouldn't be averse to some being used in new ways. No kryptonite, no de-powering of any kind; if you can't use Clark at his established power level you shouldn't be using him. The focus of film making shouldn't be on the action, but adventure and the character dynamics and development. Make us care about Clark and his world and worry what'll happen to them or we won't care about the threat.

This is an odd one, but make Clark visible hurt. Black eyes, bleeding, broken bones if the story warrants it. Let him spit out a tooth. Clark has to look like he's struggling with his physical threats; you're not gonna worry about the outcome if Clark's in a fight and his hair isn't even mussed. Even if, intellectually, we know Zod punching him hurts, if we don't see it, we won't feel it.

But really, all I think WB needs to do is figure out who *does* understand Superman (trade sales/reviews will likely point to Morrison, at least), have them ensure you hire the right people to make the movie (not doing the hiring themselves of course, just take their feedback seriously), and then just stay the hell out of the way. It doesn't sound hard to do.

Alternatively, I could just cut a Sony style deal with Marvel/Disney and let Kevin Fiege do all the work.

I know you said not to copy Marvel but it feels like they should do the equivalent of the Home series for Superman. Should his trilogy be one big origin? Should he learn to fly in the final movie or the end of the first movie? Like always love your ideas.

[RobinGA]

I know we are probably all over the place regarding these films.
I don't really see Marvel as a viable template.
The only three Marvel movies that I think were any decent were the first two Captain America movies and the first Thor movie.
Everything else has really sucked. I know the DC films have been very hit and miss, but perhaps we could start fresh.

I think we need elements of the Superman in Year One. Clark in jeans, is obvious. He's from middle America, flyover country, take
it from me that around here if you are thin, in good shape, you wear jeans all the time. I definitely think of Clark as a t-shirt guy when
he doesn't have to go into work.

I like the idea of building relationships with Jimmy, Lois, Perry (yes, I want grumpy Perry White), even maybe sneaking in Lana Lang
as a reporter. But people who aren't comic book nerds (I'm raising my hand to this) get lost with movies with too much origin stuff.
Clark already works at the Daily Planet, Superman is already doing his bit, but still early in his being a hero.

No other Kryptonians unless they are family members! I'm sick and tired of General Zod (great character, but overdone). No crashing
buildings either.

[Ascended]

I love this. One side thing I thought about for Golden Age, as a nod to Joe Shuster, is that Superman wants to be seen as a hero in the classic no-nonsense way, and part of where he gets a piece his "persona" is by looking down and seeing a Slam Bradley comic. He then starts narrowing his eyes as Superman (which would also change his face a bit from when he's Clark).

I definitely think effort needs to go into ensuring that Clark and Superman not only act differently, but look as different as can "reasonably" be expected, and I love the idea of using Slam Bradley as an inspiration for the super squint. Different voice and inflection, body language, vocabulary, different haircut....really treat it as two different roles and do everything possible to make them distinct from each other.

I know you said not to copy Marvel but it feels like they should do the equivalent of the Home series for Superman. Should his trilogy be one big origin? Should he learn to fly in the final movie or the end of the first movie? Like always love your ideas.

I dunno. It could work, as the Home trilogy shows, but "origin" to me says "rookie mistakes" and "figuring it out" and I think after the self-doubt of Snyder's films, maybe we need a guy who's already got it together and is past that kind of early stage stumbling blocks?

I still think that worrying about anything other than the film you're currently on is a mistake, especially when at least half of DC's films are unwatchable. Flight could be a cool moment in the third Act, akin to Smashes the Klan, but I feel like that'd be something to worry about later, once the tone and vibe of the film and the basic story had been settled. See if it fits and if it works, and run with it if it does.

The OG power levels aren't what people expect from Superman, but they still remember the days when he could only leap tall buildings, and I think audiences would enjoy a less powerful but scrappier Superman...but it's hard not to feel good when you see Clark lift into the air for the first time. And as always, thanks for the compliment!

[ironman2978]

I think late Year One/Year Two Superman would be perfect to explore for a first movie.

I would say movie wise Prince of Egypt meets Disney’s Hercules with a sci fi/First contact film. Comics wise I would say Grant Morrison first Action Comics arc, Superman Birthright, the Fleischer and STAS cartoon, Panic in the Sky, Superman#23.2, Superman and the Authority, Superman Smashes the Klan, Superman for all Seasons, Last Family of Krypton, Tom De Haven It’s Superman and Kevin J Anderson Enemies & Allies novel, Superman Red Son, Dc: The New Frontier, Man and Superman, Superman: Kryptonite, Legion of Superheroes in the 31st century#13, Superman Secret Identity, Superman 78, Geoff Johns Brainiac arc, American Alien, Superman Earth One and Superman Peace on Earth


Clark Kent is in a different place, mentally. He is a crime reporter just starting out at the Daily Star. He is still figuring out his place in Metropolis and the world. He’s not fully Superman yet. Everyone has an idea of who he is and what he should be. God like figure, alien menace, vigilante, urban legend, rebel rowser, social justice warrior. I think seeing Clark as a reporter and exploring why being a journalist is important to him outside of just helping him find an excuse to be Superman and closer to Lois. He should love writing and giving a voice and different perspective to the people. Being a crime journalist or working the city beat where he gets a real personal view of the people of Metropolis.



Superman at this point is a means to an end, ways for Clark to save people and be more proactive, get justice in ways he couldn’t as Superman. While Clark is the person who uses Superman to not only help him be a better Superman, as a way to get closer to the action and news of crime before anyone else but also because he feels like this is his way of helping people on a more personal level. He feels being a crime journalist

He knows bits and pieces of his Kryptonian heritage and wants to honor his culture but it’s hard to figure out how and what it means to be Kryptonian. I think instead of doing it like the Man of Steel comic or Superman films, where he learns everything Krypton from the Jor-el hologram. It’s him setting out to learn and piece together the culture for himself.

More focus on Clark’s journalism and personality in comparison to others, and no mouth pieces telling the audience that he’s supposed to be great. Metropolis having a Art Deco/retro futuristic city with hints of real world influence (NYC/Manhattan, London, Paris, Tokyo, Toronto and Chicago) but a personality and feeling all it’s own. I think Gotham in The Batman or even Batman Begins is it feels like a real world American city but still extremely distinct and heightened. Also Superman starting off living in Suicide Slums would be interesting, exploring why a city like Metropolis would require Superman to be its main protector and what makes the city so special.

I would love to see Clark being vulnerable, starting off as a Champion of the Oppressed super power vulnerability but becoming a more global/galactic hero and understanding the potential Roles that Superman could offer and what being a symbol of hope truly means outside of just words. Learning his Kryptonian heritage and balancing it with his humanity (American Alien, Superman Smashes the Klan, Birthright, First Grant Morrison New 52 arc) , dealing with his powers and how strong he could really be (Kryptonite), being seen through different light(Superman for all Season).

Lois could also be starting off. Both of them are competing trying to get higher positions at Daily Planet or this is Clark is working at the Daily Star, getting the offer to work at the Daily Planet but he is feeling conflicted about it. Lois is a military brat so actually exploring that side of her more. Jimmy should be Clark’s best friend and also a great photographer (American Alien, Earth One and Grant Morrison New 52 should be the influence). He is a guy who wants to be where the perfect shot is but also love cheesy sci fi films and old comics and video games and that’s how he bonds with Clark.


Don’t play Superman up as some mythological, god like figure. Don’t say that he brings hope or that he has some destiny to save the world. It’s pretentious. Let him be Superman based on his own conscience.

I think one thing should be focused is Clark trying to figure out “How much of Clark Kent should be real versus how much should be an act?” And “What is Superman meant to do?” Moving him from a golden age man of action and champion of the oppressed into a more silver age global/galactic hero.

Morrison’s description should be the perfect starting point to what The next reboot of Superman should be: “I want to solve some of the problems that have grown up around the character. People now ask: 'Why the hell would he dress up like that?' I want to make Superman a more contemporary character. We'll be changing how he looks, dresses and behaves. He'll be more like the Superman who appeared in 1938 – more socially active and a champion of the oppressed. He's taken his underpants off in the current comics… With what we're doing he's wearing jeans and a T-shirt – a Bruce Springsteen version of Superman, that's the angle we're taking. The cape's still indestructible but the rest is picked up in a shop. “/“Like a guitarist in a band of 17-year-olds, experience doesn’t even come into it — he just does it. He’s a superhero — he doesn’t have to think. He’s a kid who’s been set free from Ma and Pa Kent. Both of them are dead, and suddenly he thinks, “I’m the most powerful thing on the planet. It’s time to start cleaning up!” It seemed like you could get a really good story out of a young man who’s not considering what he’s doing — he’s just doing it because it feels right. ” and Rag Morale’s quote - “I thought, “What are the two iconic things that Superman would be to me?” He’d be part Steve Reeves and part Elvis. When he’s catching the bullet, he’s got that Elvis light in the corner of his eye.”

I feel the best way to make most of Superman's villains more effective is by leaning heavily on the hard political stance he had from the Golden Age. Champion of the Oppressed versus monstrous sci-fi oppressors/bullies.


Lex could also be starting off as a government contractor (similar to Oz from The Batman), he is building up LexCorp and rebuilding Metropolis to his image. I think it would be interesting to see Lex go from mad scientist into corporate billionaire and making his start up company but an underlying threat. Lex is more than representing billionaires/corporate evil (Trump, Musk, Steve Jobs/Tim Cook, Zuckerberg, Bezos) or the mad scientist of old or even xenophobia/humanity’s evil. Lex is an outsider like Clark, alienated by others and how they’re different yet the same. I think it explains why Superman is sympathetic to Lex and why the work as amazing counterparts to each other (also their love for Metropolis/Earth). Lex is what Clark would be if he didn’t have the warm upbringing. He craves love/respect through wealth and power. Lex, through and through, IS the mad scientist, he just created the "corporate businessman" as a family friendly identity to conquer the world. It's his Secret Identity.

Brainiac could be a creature who feels like he is saving planets by storing the information and being the last repository of information of galaxies. He is not just a physical threat but also an intellectual and philosophical threat. A doctor experimenting on his son, and as the maniacal villain we all know after he’s mutilated himself and merging with different planets AI systems into his present look. Now Brainiac ingratiates itself in their technology and society, accelerates their decline, collects all information and then leaves the planet to its destruction or, if necessary, outright causes the planet’s destruction. He feels like he is doing it for benevolent reasons. He is saving and preserving the most important parts in spite of the world’s destruction.To him, Superman is invasive species with enormous destructive potential”. Superman and humanity as a whole are a species as one that is destroying the planet and its abundant natural resources. . Or a kindred spirit, who can relate to being an alien among aliens and takes advantage of that. Similar to Thanos from Infinity War only he doesn’t operate off of emotion, purely logic.

Brainiac’s henchmen could be a mix of the classic Fleischer Mechanical Men, the 80’s cold robotic look and different robots in between.

[DABellWrites]

It'll be chapters.

The Man of Steel (chapter 1)

The Last Son Krypton (Chapter 2)

The Man of Tomorrow (Chapter 3)

Chapter 1 focuses on a early period in Clark's years as Superman (and, as a Siegel fan, Clark will be tossing criminals and corrupt politicians into the air ). I think Lobo will be the main antagonist, he'll be like a contract for the real main villain. Chapter 2 is about the reveal and him establishing his life as Clark Kent/Superman, and coming face-to-face with someone who'll push him to the limits for the first time ever, probably Mongul. Chapter 3 is Superman coming to full form, where everyone in time and space will know Superman IS the Man of Tomorrow.

The extended cut will have subplots that just flesh out Metropolis and stuff.

Things I'd avoid:

Darkseid

Doomsday

Lex Luthor

Zod

The Justice League (he'll meet other superheroes, not until the end of film 3).

[Prime]

I definitely think effort needs to go into ensuring that Clark and Superman not only act differently, but look as different as can "reasonably" be expected, and I love the idea of using Slam Bradley as an inspiration for the super squint. Different voice and inflection, body language, vocabulary, different haircut....really treat it as two different roles and do everything possible to make them distinct from each other.



I dunno. It could work, as the Home trilogy shows, but "origin" to me says "rookie mistakes" and "figuring it out" and I think after the self-doubt of Snyder's films, maybe we need a guy who's already got it together and is past that kind of early stage stumbling blocks?

I still think that worrying about anything other than the film you're currently on is a mistake, especially when at least half of DC's films are unwatchable. Flight could be a cool moment in the third Act, akin to Smashes the Klan, but I feel like that'd be something to worry about later, once the tone and vibe of the film and the basic story had been settled. See if it fits and if it works, and run with it if it does.

The OG power levels aren't what people expect from Superman, but they still remember the days when he could only leap tall buildings, and I think audiences would enjoy a less powerful but scrappier Superman...but it's hard not to feel good when you see Clark lift into the air for the first time. And as always, thanks for the compliment!

I think, at least for the first movie, Superman having Golden Age power levels might resonate with audiences more. At least for the first movie. And as far as story you can always adapt Morrison's first AC arc. It's perfect.