DieselsDen

Speculation and rumor from VARIETY:

http://weblogs.variety.com/thompsono...chris-nol.html

"Speaking of DC Comics pics, it is highly unlikely that Bryan Singer will return to shoot the next Superman movie. (The director is finishing up Tom Cruise's Nazi film Valkyrie, and prepping The Mayor of Castro Street). The next Superman we will see on the big screen will not be Brandon Routh, but a younger Superman among a cast of youthful superheroes in The Justice League. That movie will likely not be shot, however, until after the WGA strike is resolved. Warners is so happy with Dark Knight that their fondest hope is that Nolan will return to do another Batman. "


If this is the case, then it's really unfortunate for fans of the SUPERMAN films. Though not without its faults, SUPERMAN RETURNS garnered overall good to great reviews and made a fair amount of money (not as much as expected, but certainly not in the flop category). The franchise has been stalled (and bastardized by "talents" like JJ Abrams and McG) for over twenty years, and it would be cowardly of WB not to let Singer do his sequel at this point. Without a SUPERMAN RETURNS follow-up, I can't imagine this character being featured in another solo movie, reboot or otherwise.

We'll see.

To make matters/rumors/speculation/guess work even more confusing, LATINO REVIEWS seems to claim that Brandon Routh will not be in the next stand-alone SUPERMAN sequel, and makes reference to the VARIETY article, (which, I believe doesn't make that statement):

http://www.latinoreview.com/news/bra...-of-steel-3579

"News is a funny thing. Sometimes when its reported the person who reported it gets the credit for breaking the news. Latinoreview has always tried to be the front runner in breaking casting news. Sometimes we miss, but most of the time we're dead on.

Kelvin knew about Brandon not being the new Superman for weeks and weeks now, but made a promise to the DC people that he wouldn't break the story. Variety has now confirmed what we've secretly known for a while and Brandon Routh will be replaced in the stand alone sequel by whomever is cast as Superman in the upcoming Justice League of America movie.

Personally, I thought Brandon did a great job. He had the look to pull off the character and the girls all went nuts for him in tighty tights (I conducted a poll). It wasn't his fault that the script was bad. Hopefully Hollywood knows what they're doing in casting someone who may be even younger than Routh in the role. I don't know what the fascination is with younger casting, especially for super heroes. But I'll take a younger actor if it means Nicolas Cage can't go anywhere near the role."

Daytripper

No Brandon Routh, no sale here. It's the Batman franchise all over again. Huge mistake Warner Brothers.

DieselsDen

Agreed. Fer chrissakes, WB, have the guts to stick with your creative team and decisions. Listen to those who bought tickets to SUPERMAN RETURNS, liked or loved Singer's work, bought the DVDs and have waited patiently for a sequel, instead of cowardly knee-jerking to the obnoxious (but vocal) minority.

Again, the purpose of this thread isn't to debate the merits of SUPERMAN RETURNS (some liked it, some didn't; it had its faults as well as its virtues), but the implicit revocation of a promise to allow Singer his follow-up.

dadaluholla

Getting rid of Brandon Routh would be a step in the right direction, but I would rather see them go older instead of younger for his replacement.

Kal-El

No Singer, no Routh, no sale.

fumanstan

Brandon Routh of all reasons would be why you wouldn't watch the sequel? The only reason I'd think of is that throwing different actors at the role hurts the credibility of the series, but other then that I don't really see any particular attachment to him as an actor.

Odd about Singer though, since I thought it was all confirmed that he'd be back and make it bigger, badder, better, etc. While Returns was a dissapointment to me, I'd think that Singer's track record should have WB sold on him.

redrum

stallone should play superman.

islandclaws

I don't give a rat's ass who they cast, just give me a good, (relatively) plausible script. Returns was fun, but in a Sloth from Goonies kinda way. It was a big, dumb powerhouse that ultimately falls flatter upon repeat viewings. I just caught some of it on HBO HD last night and was amazed that a script so inane was even greenlighted. It would be nice to have Routh return to maintain some sense of continuity, but, please, have it make some kind of sense, ok?

raven56706

Brandon should be superman.... but that freaking kid better not even be on the script

Draven

You said it.

GoldenJCJ

I agree with most of the posters here. It wasn't Routh or Singer that hurt RETURNS, it was the poor script.

Brack

The mistake of Superman Returns was making it a sequel to Superman II, but not really, since they did the origin part over again, and made no mention of anything in the previous movies (correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't seen it in a while). They should've started the movie with a recreation of all that, and at least show some backstory or flashbacks of Superman and Lois in love, and it would've made the movie a lot better.

GoldenJCJ

Between Superman: The Movie and Smallville, I've seen enough of the origin story.

I don't know why they wrote Returns as a sequel to part 2, it would have worked just as well if it had been considered as a continuation of the series after part 4.

I agree that more backstory with lois and Superman would have been nice, they seemed like total strangers in Superman Returns.

Additionally, I don't read comics and don't know Superman's villains at all but man, am I tired of Lex Luthor! Give me someone else please...or at the very least give us another incarnation of Luthor. I'm tired of seeing "Lex's evil schemes". Didn't he become President of the US at some point in the comics? That would make for an interesting plotline in an upcoming Superman move.

Ronnie Dobbs

I didn't care for Returns I would rather Singer do the Wolverine movie.

fujishig

Because we all like to pretend that 3, 4, etc. don't exist?

I disliked the whole setup of Returns... Superman ditching Earth for years, then coming back to see Lois with another man and with a kid? Why?

The problem with having a non-Luthor enemy is that Superman's rogue gallery is nowhere near as deep as Batman's is. I don't think we're clamoring to see the Toyman or the Prankster or even Bizarro headlining a movie. I'd love to see Braniac or Darkseid, but that would lose the human element and probably cost more money on SFX.

Giantrobo

I'll still see it. I also agree it was the script that was the issue with the film not Routh.

DieselsDen

Well, again, given the differences of opinion on SUPERMAN RETURNS...do you guys think that Singer and Routh should be given a shot at a sequel?

(I mean, jeez, even STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE gets a sequel and I don't know anyone who looks at that film too fondly. THE FANTASTIC FOUR was as bad as anything I've ever seen, and we still got a follow-up. We're getting another HULK, another PUNISHER...what the hell?)

DieselsDen

I agree. Again, SUPERMAN RETURNS wasn't BATTLEFIELD EARTH as far as disappointments are concerned.

Daytripper

It would be the main reason, yes.

Mr. Cinema

I thought Routh did well. He should be brought back.

Patman

I take it that it's out of the question for Clark to wake up and have a Bobby Ewing moment (where Superman Return was just one long dream)?

fumanstan

I enjoyed Fantastic Four more then Superman Returns

As for Routh, I thought he was adequate. Not nearly poor enough to move on to someone else.... Kate Bosworth on the other hand...

I'm just surprised at Daytripper's reaction, since Routh has really only been in this major film and doesn't seem like the type of actor that would be the breaking point between accepting another movie or not.

Geofferson

Routh should return in the role. He was a convincing Supes and CK...hopefully the WB soon realizes this...

B5Erik

No Routh = No Sale

Ok, maybe they could sell me on someone else - but I hate the revolving door casting that plagued the Batman series. Routh was fine - he fit the mold of Christopher Reeve perfectly. Sure, he's no Christopher Reeve, but he's not all that far off and he looks the part.

The only significant flaws in RETURNS were all in the script.

Bring back Singer and Routh and get a better script together and you'll have a winner - and an easier sale than starting from scratch - again - this soon.

DieselsDen

You are correct on all points.

I am appalled by how a few very vocal and negative comments on the world wide web can be seen as representative on how a movie-going audience feels.

Back in the day when the internet was a gleam in Al Gore's eye, naysayers and trolls didn't run the world of how movies are made. Donner's SUPERMAN is regarded as a classic, but honestly, it had as many if not more flaws than RETURNS. Local fans complained about the lack of a Superboy career, that the movie was too long, the Luthor was not a mad scientist, that there was too much of a love story, blah, blah, blah. Yet it yielded an excellent sequel and laid the groundwork for all future comic book movies.

Give Singer and Routh another bite at the apple. Why throw away the starting point of a new franchise? This whole JLA movie looks like more crap capitulating to audiences raised on SMALLVILLE and HEROES.