Here Today... Gone To Hell!

In case you guys didn't know, after more than 10 years of failed development and false starts (sound familiar?), Warner Brothers is now in full production of the next Superman movie.? Being a bit of a fan, I've been reading about the progress of shooting in Australia.? Newcomer Brandon Routh is playing Superman/Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth is playing Lois Lane, and Kevin Spacey is playing Lex Luthor.? The movie itself is called Superman Returns, and focuses on Superman's exile and subsequent return.

I'd already seen photos of Routh as Clark Kent, and they'd looked pretty good:

(http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/04/16/pt_brandonrouth_ent-lead__200x369.jpg) (http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,435450,00.jpg) (http://sundaytelegraph.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,435477,00.jpg)

Now today, the first photo of Routh as Superman was released in USA Today.? The reaction was pretty controversial:

(http://www.supermanhomepage.com/images/superman-returns1/superman-costume2.jpg)

I think it looks kinda cool, although the S is a little small and I think the red could stand to be a little brighter.? What do you guys think?? I don't know, even though I'm generally all about my fandom for rock bands, I've always had a soft spot for superhero movies.? This and the new Batman movie coming out this year are giving me an opportunity to indulge my inner fanboy.

considering the outfit and the general tone of the pictures, I think it's just supposed to look "retro", don't you think?

the desaturated colour is certainly interesting, sky captain and the world of tomorrow had that feel but more colourless and was in soft focus...certainly a bit of a 30's feel to the picture...any more pictures?

I don't know, all along the director (Bryan Singer) has been talking about how the suit is going to be "classic with a modern twist".  I did think it looked a little bit 30s-ish, as well.  You should see the discussions at some of the fan sites, though.  These guys are desperately hoping that it's just washed out colour, or just a prototype costume.  Kinda funny, actually.  My thinking is that it's nice to differentiate a new suit from the old one.  Helps this guy avoid some of the inevitable comparisions to Christopher Reeve.

There's a bunch of more photos at this site:

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?rowstart=20

Anyway, the studio released a press release on the movie today:

Today, Warner Bros. Pictures unveiled the first image from the highly anticipated action adventure Superman Returns, starring newcomer Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel.
Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic action-adventure Superman Returns, a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world's most beloved superheroes. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.

Directed by Bryan Singer (X2: X-Men United, X-Men, The Usual Suspects), Superman Returns stars Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth (Beyond the Sea, Blue Crush), James Marsden (X2: X-Men United, The Notebook), Frank Langella (HBO's Unscripted), Academy Award-winner Eva Marie Saint (North By Northwest), Parker Posey (Best in Show), Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Sam Huntington (Detroit Rock City) and Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey (Beyond the Sea, American Beauty, The Usual Suspects).

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Peters Entertainment production, in association with Bad Hat Harry Productions, a Bryan Singer film, Superman Returns stars BRANDON ROUTH, KATE BOSWORTH, JAMES MARSDEN, FRANK LANGELLA, EVA MARIE SAINT, PARKER POSEY, KAL PENN, SAM HUNTINGTON and KEVIN SPACEY. Directed by BRYAN SINGER, the film is produced by JON PETERS, BRYAN SINGER and GILBERT ADLER. The screenplay is by MICHAEL DOUGHERTY & DAN HARRIS, and the story is by BRYAN SINGER and MICHAEL DOUGHERTY & DAN HARRIS. The executive producer is CHRIS LEE. The director of photography is NEWTON THOMAS SIGEL A.S.C.; the production designer is GUY DYAS; the film is edited by JOHN OTTMAN and ELLIOT GRAHAM; the costume designer is LOUISE MINGENBACH; and the music is by JOHN OTTMAN. The film is based upon Superman characters created by JERRY SIEGEL & JOE SHUSTER and published by DC Comics.

Superman Returns will be released on June 30, 2006 by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

I like it though --- makes him look more serious. I don't remember the old movies very well but people say that they were kind of unintendedly funny.

Would be cool too if it was settled in the past somehow, World War or Cold War style, that would create some kind of oppressive environment and some serious atmosphere. Look at the window and building in the back in the biggest picture, it's definitely 30s archtitecture

does make him look serious eh......I think he needs something though...the 'panty' part of his getup is lacking...not saying he should have a huge anaconda in there, just something more to catch the womens' eye :hihi:

(http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/superman_)

Pervert! ;)

---

I cant wait for this being a massive fan of the Christopher Reeve era of films, in fact Superman 3 still ranks as one of my most fave films of all time, all though not critically acclaimed, i was young and wore the Video tape out many a time due to obsessive watching.

I think from the pics it looks cool, and he does look uncanilly like Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent.

What is wrong with the old films?

Why does Hollywood need to make another Superman film? Can't they come up with original ideas anymore?  ???

GNR-Chris

Looks like superboy to me .

I don't know about you people, but to me the new look is great. :yes:

Well, because Superman is one of the most popular characters ever, most likely.  People like the character, so they want to keep going back to see more stories involving him.  Speaking of originality, though, I think that it's a great thing that they're not making another origin movie, because we've seen that enough already.  It's cool that they're just jumping in with a totally new adventure.


I don't know, a lot of people still maintain that the original Superman film was the best comic book movie ever made, although the Spider-Man movies are, I think, the alternative choice.  But the general consensus was that the first two Superman movies were great, while the third and fourth films were very weak.  I pretty much agree with that.

As for making him look more serious...yeah, I suppose they could do that.  But the thing that sets Superman apart from other superheroes is his optimistic "Boy Scout" personality.  Sure, you can laugh at it, although in my personal opinion, it's a refreshing change from the "dark avengers" that are so prevalent today (not that I don't like them too, but it's still nice to have a superhero who is a hero in every sense of the word).


It's set in modern times, that's for certain.  Don't you think these are dangerous enough times anyway?  :nervous:


I don't know...go to far with that and you'd have something like "The Ambiguously Gay Duo" cartoons from SNL.  :rofl:

Nice red panties. :hihi:

I didn't even know there was a fourth movie


for sure --- I didn't exactly mean to say in the past, like in a certain era. I just remember that for example some Batman movies (I guess) have this kind of feel to them that makes them seem to take place in the past, like in the 50s or something, although they have?all this science fiction weaponry going on of course

Im a huge Supes fan.  That dude has too much mousse (spl) in his hair.  And whats up with the dark red?  And the leather cape? I guess they are trying to make him darker or cooler to appeal to the youth of today.  Fuck that though...nothing beats good ol' Chris as Superman.  I hope the movie is good though.  Maybe Axl should think about cutting a song for the soundtrack.  lol...that would be hot. 

Finally...the return of Superman and Guns N' Roses. 

I'd like to see Axl in that Superman outfit...LOL that would be the best.  :hihi:

I still think that batman will kick superman ass  :P, back in threat the pictures are cool but Im not quite convince on the new superman, it looks more like clark kent than to superman himself  :nervous:

ya batman is better than superman, but Dr. Doom is the way to go :P  : ok:

Im sorry but Superman would knock Batman's head off before he could even blink or form a thought.

Dr. Doom will kill 'em both :D:D:D 

 Batman would shove a stick of Kryptonite up his super ass. :hihi:

Dr. Doom is part of Marvel not DC.

Speaking of Batman vs. Superman, here's a manip I found on the net.  Looks kinda cool:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v24/five11/batsbeginssupesreturnswpape.jpg)

looks cool but I don't seem to dig those superhero crossover things ---

except for that one animation series episode which was Superman and Lobo --- hell did it rule!

A) Batman would beat Supes...as long as he had time to prepare (an old comic joke...).  Seriously, though, if you're sticking to continuity...Bats would win simply because, if you know the comics, Supes gave Bats a Kryptonite Ring...ostensibly in case Supes either ever flipped out or was "taken control of" by something that could use him to harm the world.  Thus...Supes gave Bats the key to his defeat, thus, Bats would win.

B) The suit isn't bad.  The colors are fine, but the plastic/pleather boots and the plastic/pleathery "codpiece" shorts just look cheap.  Maybe they'll look better in action on screen.

I never got the whole Kryptonite thing, I mean how much of that shit came to earth with Superman?

i know that. Dr. Doom is the best period  ;D

does it matter?...its science fiction

the thing is that krypton was so far away from earth that the amount of debris from the exploded planet arriving on earth would exponentially decline with the distance...and since krypton was out of our solar system then very little debris would be statistically unlikely, unless of course there was a freak event...so youre right to be sceptical

who the hell calls superman supes?...sounds a bit cheesy to me

Comic geeks do. :)

Hell, Batman, Robin, and Nightwing all refer to him as Supes and "The Boy Scout" on more than one occasion.

Hey, don't knock kryptonite.  I think you need it when you have a superhero who can move mountains.

I sometimes call Superman "Supes".  Big Blue is another variant.