Superman is arguably the most iconic superhero of all time. His first appearance in Action Comics #1 began an era that also saw the birth of iconic characters such as Batman & Wonder Woman. As the years went by, Superman became more popular, and studio exectuives took note of this. 1978 saw the release of Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie, and it was a smash it. From the music, to the groundbreaking effects, the audience couldn't get enough of this cinematic Man of Steel, who was so masterfully brought to life by the late, legendary Christopher Reeve. This film was the first in a series of films that ran through 1987, and ended on a sour note in the form of the much-maligned Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Following the death of this original franchise, there were several failed attempts to bring Superman back to the silver screen. The most well-known of these attempts was Tim Burton's Superman Lives, which would have been a loose adaption of the bestselling Death of Superman storyline. It wasn't meant to be, though. As was Brett Ratner's Superman: Flyby, which would have featured appalling departures from the beloved source material. Ultimately, it was Bryan Singer who would ressurect this fallen franchise in the form of Superman Returns, a love-letter to the Donner film that was also meant to shepherd a new Superman franchise. Somewhere along the line, something went wrong, and Superman Returns was forgotten.
Superman Returns was released on June 30, 2006, to postive reviews and moderate success at the box office. The critics loved its nostalgic, romantic approach to the mythos, while also appreciating its connection to the classic films. The fans, however, were not as enthused. Even before the film was released, the fans were vocal in their distaste for aspects such as the Superman suit, with some fans going so far as to boycott the movie unless the suit was changed. When the film was released, the "meh" opinions the fanbase seemed to remain. They were not fond of the addition of Lois Lane's son Jason, and the lack of action. Despite the fan's lackluster opinions of the film, it was still a succuess, but it wasn't the success Warner Bros were hoping for. At the time of its release, Superman Returns was one of the most expensive films ever made with a budget of 204 million dollars, mostly due the to costs of failed projects being factored into its overall budget. It's domestic box office gross came to 200 million dollars, meaning it had underformed. It's overall gross worldwide was 391 million dollars. WB was not pleased with these results, and kept the sequel project on ice until it was decided in 2008 to reboot with a darker take, more akin to Christopher Nolan's gritty, realistic Dark Knight films, which were massive financial successes, and also received critical acclaim. There were plans to bring in Brainiac or Darkseid for a more action-packed sequel, which would have had a smaller budget, but WB was more interested in starting from scratch. The product of this was Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, which was a financial success, but received mixed reviews from critics and divided the fanbase.
I love Superman Returns. Despite the mauling it's received from several of my fellow fans, I'm not ashamed to admit that it's my favorite Superman film. To me, it isn't just a love letter to the Richard Donner film. It's a love letter to Superman himself, and all that he stands for. When I watch Superman Returns, I see homages to the Donner film, such as the iconic shirt rip, but I also see aspects of the classic Fleischer cartoons present in the design of the film, which is very art-deco and very old fashioned. The plane sequence in Superman Returns is the greatest in any Superman film, in my opinion. The casting is superb, as well. Routh and Spacey were great, as were Frank Langella as Perry and Sam Huntington as Jimmy. Even Kate Bosworth, who is unfairly bashed as one of the worst things about this movie, did a good job with what she was given. I lament that we won't see this cast in their respective roles again. I lament the loss of a Superman Returns sequel, but at the same, I view it as a conclusion to the Donner franchise. If you didn't like Superman Returns, watch it again and look at it that way. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find a newfound respect for it. I think that if WB had released Superman Returns during the Christmas season of 2006, it would have been much more successful. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest opened a week after Superman and stole its thunder. Not only that, but a more introvertive, melancholy film such as Superman Returns is better suited to a winter release than during the summer blockbuster season. Maybe that's what went wrong. It was treated as a blockbuster action epic, but it was something else. It was a love story. A tale of loss, acceptance, and alienation. I always feel emotional when Superman Returns ends. It's the end of an era. One that will, hopefully, be remembered fondly in the years to come.