Why Can't Warner's Make a Damn Simple Superman Movie?

[Furious D]

Remember the "Marvel Movie curse?" It was a phenomenon that kept movie adaptations of popular Marvel Comics in the Grade Z straight to video bin while DC comics dominated the box office with blockbusters like Superman and the first 2 Batman movies.

Now things have come full circle. Marvel's touch seems to be golden, even a second tier character like Daredevil was a hit starring Hollywood's 2X4 du jour Ben Affleck, and Hulk did make a small profit despite lukewarm critical and audience response.

Now it seems that Warner Bros. the parent company of DC is adamant about screwing the pooch on almost every comic book project on their roster. Rumours describe the Halle Berry Catwoman movie as "a truckload of shit with the brakes gone," and they've hired of all people McG to direct Superman.

While Memento helmer Nolan has taken control of Batman and is keeping true to the source material and sending fanboys into a drooling frenzy, McG is promising a 'reimagining' of the classic characters.

That scares the piss out of me.:eek:

Someone should tell McG that a person has to have an imagination in the first place to reimagine something. He should also warn him that uneccessary tinkering with a classic story in order to sell sneakers and Pepsi products will only annoy and anger fans. To this day Joel Schumacher doesn't dare show his face in a comic book convention for fear of a flashbeating by a ravening horde of angry geeks who would pummel him with their hardback collector's editions of The Dark Knight Returns.

Rumour is that McG is insisting that pop singer and Pepsi shill Beyonce Knowles be cast as Lois Lane. That is so wrong. She's too young, too trendy, and despite being nice to look at, not enough of an actress to sell the Lois character.

Casting a beautiful woman isn't enough. Without a certain amount of acting talent and a hell of a lot of charm, Lois would be just another annoying damsel in distress.

Who would you cast as Lois Lane? Who would you cast as Superman? What would you like to do with McG? Does it involve piranhas and rabid monkeys? Let us know!

[GiGi]

This Superman thing HAs dragged on long enough. And Beyonce Knowles? Where was it that I read she mistakes attitiude for acting? Anyway...that's true and would be blasphemy if she was Lois Lane. The Superman curse continues in many ways....

[Furious D]

Another rumour is that McG is hot to get Johnny Depp to play Lex Luthor. Now Depp's a good actor, but I just can't picture him as Lex. He's too quirky, and I'll doubt he'll be willing to shave his head. A Lex with long scruffy hair is just plain wrong.

[Peter_Lowry]

I think McG is the absolute worst director to helm a Superman movie. This film has the makings of a disaster, and I personally hope it suffers more delays until the execs at Warner Bros. wake up and realize that Charlie's Angels was one of the worst films of 2003... and that the G in McG stands for 'Garbage'. As for Lois Lane, I hear that Selma Blair is interested in taking on the role. While she would be very interesting, I would rather cast someone like Kate Beckinsale. The rumors I've been hearing about this film are awful, to the point where I stopped reading the boards and rumor sites. This could be Superman's worst film, which is not what that franchise needs. What Warner needs to do is go back to Richard Donner and hand him this project on a silver platter before it becomes the next 'Batman & Robin'...

Speaking of Batman, the fifth film to that franchise titled Batman: Intimidation is on schedule to release on July 1st, 2005. And unlike the current Superman project, Warner Bros. have made one great decision after another. David S. Goyer, the same guy who wrote all three Blade movies was hired to pen the latest Batman script. Goyer has already been quoted in saying that the principal villain will be the Scarecrow, which seems like a great choice for this writer since he's used to writing dark material. On board to direct this project is another great choice in Chris Nolan, the same bloke who brought films like Insomnia and the brilliant Memento to the big screen.

The cast for this film is just as impressive. Christian Bale has been signed to be the latest caped crusader... and from what I have heard, there will be NO ROBIN! (thank God) As for Bale, I couldn't be happier with this choice. It was nice to see Warner go with someone who can act as opposed to going after the big name actor. In another decision of casting brilliance, Oscar winning actor Michael Caine has been added to play Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred.

As far as I'm concerned, the new Batman movie will be DC's big return to the silver screen. Let's hope McG doesn't ruin that momentum years later with the Superman movie.

Peter

[Furious D]

I heard some word about Nolan's Batman. Goyer's done a new script literally starting the Batman story all over from the beginning and completely ignoring the previous series. He's also dumped the Scarecrow in exchange for Ra'Sha'Ghul. You might remember that he's the immortal billionaire who thinks the world would be a better place if he trims off about 90% of the human population. Also there's Ghul's daughter who is the unrequited love of Batman's life so the geeks are drooling. As for who will play Ghul and his daughter, it's a tightly kept secret.

Buzz on Batman's script is very very hot.

Selma Blair was apparently inches away from signing on as Lois Lane, but McG nixed that in favour of Beyonce. Beckinsale would also be good in the part. But who's going to be Superman? Brendan Fraser's named was bandied about for a long time, but now it's anybody's guess.

As for more Superman rumours you don't want to know about McG's 'reimagined' ideas for the franchise.:eek:

[GiGi]

I dont really see Johnny Depp as Lex Luthor although I know he would do a good job at it. But it does not seem right either. Lex Luther has to be more of a white guy to me...pale skin, blue eyes....etc ...it's just what i have in my head.

[Pete Vonder Haar]

With McG directing and Jon Peters producing, Beyonce is the least of your worries.

I like Christian Bale as Batman, but Michael Keaton did fine as well. Casting in films like this is secondary to the script, direction, and budget. Personally, I doubt Beyonce has the chops to swing thr role either, but Hugh Jackman was too tall for Wolverine, I remember people saying.

And audiences will never go for organic web shooters.

[Furious D]

Originally posted by Pete Vonder Haar
With McG directing and Jon Peters producing, Beyonce is the least of your worries.

I like Christian Bale as Batman, but Michael Keaton did fine as well. Casting in films like this is secondary to the script, direction, and budget. Personally, I doubt Beyonce has the chops to swing thr role either, but Hugh Jackman was too tall for Wolverine, I remember people saying.

And audiences will never go for organic web shooters.

When I first heard of the organic web shooters I thought, "I sure hope he's not going to put them where a real spider keep them."

We dodged the bullet on that one.

As for making changes to legends. Sam Raimi and Bryan Singer are usually pretty good filmmakers with a love for their subject matter. McG is an overglammed hack with no imagination who only sees projects for their product placement potential. Given his druthers he'd replace Superman's trademark "S" for the Pepsi logo.

As for Michael Keaton, although he gave a good performance, I always thought he was too old for the part. Bale's the first actor that's actually in the character's age range. A positive development if I ever saw one.

I like Hugh Jackman, but back when they were looking for an actor for Wolverine, I just figured Irish actor Sean Bean would be good for the part. But that's just me.:D

[drsweetscience]

It must not be the WB. Batman seems fine and the best Superman teleplay ever, Smallville, is golden. Jon Peters must have some contractual obligation from WB. As long as he is involved the project has never moved. How many names have pulled off the project? Tim Burton, Nic Cage, Brett Ratner, Kevin Smith, Brendan Fraser...
Fine, if they started a movie they would probably cancel Smallville anyway. Smallville is the real Superman silverscreen creation.
As an aside, how cool a development would it have been for luthor to know Kent's secret?

[fortunesfool]

The original Superman is a classic movie. To remake it would be to do it an injustice.
I mean this would be made in order to sell T-shirts and soundtracks and Burger King deals. Who cares whos making it, what difference will it make.
Unless David Finchers doing it with final cut, or Jim Cameron maybe. Someone with vision and skill who'll make it for the thrill of film-making...its just a pointless marketing tool.

[judex]

When you speak of the original Superman movie, which one do you mean?

The serial with Kirk Morris. "Superman and the Mole Men," with George Reeves. Or maybe the Max Fleisher cartoons.

What you probably mean is "Superman" with Christopher Reeve.

Superman has been filmed so many times, I don't think the new one could be considered a remake of the 1978 version.

[Furious D]

I've decided to give voice to my deepest darkest fears about this Superman project. So here's my WORST CASE SCENARIO!!!! :(

Superman- Ashton Kutcher
Lois Lane- Beyonce Knowles
Lex Luthor- Ben Affleck
Jimmy Olsen- Li'l Bow-Wow
Director- McG
Screenplay- Joe "Showgirls" Ezterhaz

[Jason]

lex luthor should be played by david cross

[judex]

How about

Jim Carrey -- Lex Luthor
Adam Sadler -- Superman
Jack Black -- Jimmy Olsen
Jessica Simpson -- Lois Lane
Rodney Dangerfield -- Perry White

[Mr B Natural]

Oh man, that is so frighting. Joe Esterhaz -- now there's a name that hasn't scared the crap out of me in a long time. Jade hurt real bad...

Christian Bale gave one of the great all time horror performances in American Psycho, and I can't wait to see what he does with this material. Versatile and talented actors bring so much to genre rolls if they take the material seriously, for example: Ian McKellan in the X Men movies and LOTR, Patrick Stewart in X Men 1 & 2, Johnny Depp in almost anything (especially Fear and Loathing, and am I the only one that noticed similarities in that performance with Cap'n Jack Sparrow?), Jeff Bridges and John Tuturro in Big Leibowski or, well, any film... One of the chief problems with genre films is overcoming their inherent silliness, and good acting is critical, not to mention near-flawless camerawork, good fx design, amazing sound fx, moving music, and almost every other element. Unless most of a genre film is played for laughs, there is little room for error in any department. I wasn't the biggest fan of Insomnia, but I loved Memento and I am optimistic about the new Batman. I'd love to have another genre film I watch with as much pleasure as Robocop.

[Peter_Lowry]

I also liked American Psycho... but if you want to see Bale in an impressive action role, I would recommend checking out his latest release titled 'Equilibrium' which will open your eyes to the potential action star this actor can be.

Peter

[keatsar]

About the Batman deal, I'm one of those drooling fanboys mentioned earlier. And with the recent additions of Morgan Freeman and Liam Neeson things just keep getting better and better.

A point was well made about Hugh Jackman being scoffed about when he was first mentioned as being the lovably walking kitchen utensil, and then surprising us. But I don't think the same can be said or hoped for about any name's being tosses around for the Superman movie. I must say I watch Smallville religiously and I'm thoroughly impressed by almost every cast member on there. I personally think Mike McKean would be great to bring his guest spot as Perry White to the big screen film. Micahel Rosenbaum's a great Lex Luthor but he's too young for a movie version. And everyone I know cringed at Tom Welling as Clark Kent, but there getting to be a lot of moments in that show where you can't help but sit and realize that he didn't just give a Clark Kent moment but a true Superman moment. Personally I think the greatest justice WB could do right now is finish Smallville and wait a few years, then carry the show onto the big screen, making it Superman.

Anybody see The Rock when he hosted Saturday Night Live a couple years back? ...there's always him. Pray McG never watches that show or Dwayne Johnson's gonna get signed on.

As far as McG goes, he should be castrated with a plastic spoon as prelude to being sodomized with a prop krypto rock. I would appreciate any other director in the world handling Superman. Except for Uwe Boll, but we won't touch upon that hack any further.

[erbenz]

these are latest details from www.movies.com

Superman V is heading to theaters in 2005, though currently there isn't an actor assigned to the lead role, the Man of Steel. All that's official is a script by J.J. Abrams, creator of TV's Felicity and Alias, written to be the first installment of a trilogy. There aren't any details as to the plot either, only a Warner Bros. executive's description of the story as being filled with "light and hope."




Starring Martin Henderson (in talks), Johnny Depp (rumored), Bruce Willis (rumored)

Director(s) McG (rumored)

Screenwriter(s) J.J. Abrams

Studio Warner Bros.

Producer(s) Jerry Weintraub (rumored)