Know that these portrayals are based on the very specific story that I've described in the earlier articles of this series (specifically my case for the origin and conflict articles). However, there's still a decent amount of general stuff that can be applied to whatever story they choose to tell so you don't necessarilly NEED to have read the others. It will just make a lot more sense if you have..
If you haven't read them yet, please click the pictures to check out the two preceding articles in this series.
Case for the Origin
Conflict
Character Portrayals and Story Arcs
So far, we have a Superman movie that would definitely be action-packed and have a pretty good story. However, one of the things that separates great movies from action blockbusters is heart. The audience needs to connect with and relate to the characters or it will feel like something is missing. One of the things that made Christopher Nolan's Batman movies better than what had come before was the fact that there were multiple well developed characters with interesting stories. After leaving this movie, audiences should feel like they have seen these characters in a new way and know them on a deeper level. This section is about some of what the movie makers should think about when they're bringing these character to life. I also have a few casting ideas.
Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-el
There's a lot of pressure on the actor who plays Superman. Christopher Reeve's performance was one of the things that made people love Superman: The Movie. He was so likeable and fully embodied everything people thought Superman should be. It's not much of an exaggeration to say that the reception of the movie rests partly on the ability of this actor to make people like him. Not to mention the fact that he's playing an icon who has been portrayed by several people over the past 70 years.
The way the portrayal of any character turns out depends partly on the writing/direction and partly on the actor. The interesting thing about Superman is that there are so many sides to the character. On the basic level, you have Superman, the hero, and Clark Kent, the mild-mannered reporter. Traditionally, Clark Kent is the disguise and Superman is the real personality, but when you look closer there's more than that. He's also Clark Kent, son of Jonathan and Martha Kent. This is the person he has been his whole life, before the dual identity so it's the most true to who he really is. There's also Kal-el, the son of Jor-el and Lara and the last son of Krypton. Since he has been searching for the truth about where he came from for his entire life and he has found out that he is the last thing that remains of the entire Kryptonian civilization, he has a desire to embrace this part of his identity. Combining these last two parts of his identity gives you the true personality of Clark Kent. The script needs to provide enough scenes of Clark being himself so the audience truly understands who he is. I feel that previous Superman movies (Superman Returns especially) haven't done very much of that.
When he's at the Daily Planet, he's playing the role of mild-mannered Clark Kent. I want it to be convincing that people would not figure out that Clark and Superman are the same person, so the actor should play them as two completely different characters. As much as I love Christopher Reeve's performance as Superman, I feel like he played Clark as Superman pretending to be Clark. It was slightly over the top. I want the actor to play Clark as if that's who the character really is. He's a very boring guy that you would just kind of ignore. He slouches, he wears clothes that are slightly too big, and he speaks softly. The point of the Clark Kent identity is to keep a low profile so he doesn't get noticed. To emphasize how much people don't notice him there could be a scene with some of the workers of the Daily Planet talking about "Lois and uhh... what's that guy's name again?" There can still be hints of him being wimpy, nerdy, and clumsy but it should be subtle and believable.
When he's out saving people as Superman, he's much closer to his real personality, but he's not fully himself. Every person acts differently according to the situation they're in. A person is one way on the job, but slightly different when they're among friends and family. Being Superman in public is kind of like a job for Clark. This movie is about him seeking acceptance when the concept of someone with super powers is new to the world. He would carry himself a bit more formally and professionally because his early days as Superman are almost like a job interview. He's not trying to fake something, but he's trying to present the best of himself to the world. He has very good posture and his voice is stronger and deeper than Clark's. When Clark meets Lois as Superman, he feels that he can trust her so he lets his guard down a bit and shows her more of his relaxed, true self. Another way to do this is by having more scenes with his parents. These scenes, in which the audience gets a feel for who Superman really is, are crucial to having them connect to the character. A problem people have with Superman is that they feel they can't relate to him. The movie needs to make Superman feel like a real person.
In the early scenes, before he creates the dual identity, he's being himself, but he's more unsure of who he is and where he came from. I don't want him to start off weak and self-doubting, but he shouldn't be exactly at the place where he's the Superman we know and love until the end. As he becomes more comfortable in his new role, he becomes more sure of himself and his confidence grows. As for the personality of Superman, the actor must be able to convey his strength and toughness, but also make him feel kind, warm, and caring. He's should seem like a person that you would really want to know and be around in real life.
When casting Superman, I would probably go for an actor in his late 20s to early 30s. He can't be too young because Superman feels like a mature character. In my opinion, traditional Superman seems to be in about his mid-30s, so since this is the beginning he needs to be younger to capture a bit of how he comes to be the character audiences are used to. He also can't be too old. Like I said before, this is the beginning. Also for practical purposes, if you want a franchise, you have to cast young so the actor doesn't seem too old by the end. I've seen suggestions for actors like Jon Hamm to play Superman. He's 39, so he's already pushing it to the upper limits for how old Superman should be. To cast him in what would hopefully be a franchise doesn't make sense. Before the casting of Henry Cavill, I was really leaning toward Matt Bomer for Superman. He's 32, but he looks pretty young. I'm haven't seen him in much, so I'm unsure about his acting ability, but he definitely had the look I'm going for. After I started liking him for the part of Superman, I found out that he's even played Superman in a few car commercials. I also saw quite a few fans who were with me on this one.
While I would have liked to see Brandon Routh get another chance, I'm afraid I have to say no to a Routh-boot. It's a new story and a new Superman so it really just doesn't make sense to have an actor from an unconnected story. Plus, if you bring back Routh, would that mean bringing back everyone else? If not, then having one actor reprise his role, playing a different version of the same character while surrounded by a new cast playing different versions of their characters is just weird. Sorry, Routh. Blame Singer for not making a Superman movie that would have gotten a sequel.
In the end, Henry Cavill was chosen to play Superman. I really don't know much about him so I can't say if he's a good choice or not. Cavill is currently 27, so he's definitely young like I wanted the character to be. However, he has a mature face and doesn't look too young so I think he's a perfect fit age-wise. Some of Cavill's credits include The Count of Monte Cristo, Stardust, and The Tudors. It's still early, but I've got a good feeling about him.
Lex Luthor
"I'm the only sane inmate of asylum Earth. I'm not eager to hand tomorrow over to an interplanetary extremist with laser eyes. There's only room on this world for one leader, Superman. When I'm finished with you, every last gibbon out there will know you for the menace you are and they'll realize that Lex Luthor is their savior."- Lex Luthor, Superman Birthright
Most of what I have for Lex's story arc is already included in the conflict section so I won't repeat much of that. I think the best point of reference for the actor playing Lex is Clancy Brown's portrayal from STAS. (Michael Rosenbaum's Lex from Smallville is also a pretty good take on the character, but most of what the show focused on was before Lex was actually a villain)The version of Lex I want to see is the powerful businessman/ genius scientist. Lex is Superman's arch nemesis, so he has to seem like a formidable opponent. Lex's greatest strengths are his mind and his unlimited resources so he has to be incredibly intelligent but with a definite slyness. Most of the time he has an air of arrogance because he feels like he's in control. He does what he wants without anyone really challenging him. He controls a lot of Metropolis, including a good portion of the press, so he's able to control how he's perceived by the public.
When Superman shows up, people are suddenly interested in someone else. Lex isn't nearly as interesting to write about as some guy who can fly. To make things worse, Superman doesn't want to tolerate Lex's behavior. He dares to stand up to the most powerful man in the city. He's someone that Lex can't buy off or control so it angers Lex. Throughout the movie, Lex tries to hold on to his calm, smooth demeanor, but you see him slip at times. When Superman refuses to work with Lex and tells him that he will try to bring him down, you see Lex angry after Superman has left. However, he always has a plan so you can see his slyness and tell that he has something up his sleeve. You only see him truly lose it at the end when his plan has fallen to pieces around him. In the scene where he beats Superman, you get a sense that he's truly a cruel and hateful person. Lex should be in his late 30s to early 40s. I really have no idea who I'd cast for Lex. I know what I'm looking for, but can't think of anyone who fits it exactly. There have to be a few big names in this movie, so Lex would likely be one of them. My difficulty casting Lex is partly due to the fact that you have to look at an actor, then imagine him bald to get Lex.
Lois Lane
"Lois, everything you've written since you've been here may be full of passion and misspelled words, but they all tear something down. Sometimes those things deserve it sometimes they don't. Sometimes, believe it or not, something that looks good is actually that- good."- Perry White, Superman: Secret Origin
Lois Lane, like the two other major characters in the movie, is more than meets the eye. There are two major sides to Lois. First, there's the tough side of her that comes to mind first when anyone thinks of the character. She's very driven, and wants to prove herself as a reporter. Even with her focus on her career, she has a good sense of integrity. In her job, she sees a lot of the negativity in the world, so she's grown to be a very guarded and distrusting person.
Lois tends to see Clark as an annoyance. She doesn't treat him well so both Clark and the audience perceive her personality as abrasive near the beginning. She doesn't buy into the lies that Lex Luthor has put out to fool the world into believing he's a good person. Lois has a strong desire to figure out the truth and wants to expose Lex as the evil person she knows he is. When Superman arrives, she has a natural interest in him as a story, but isn't as quick to jump on the Superman popularity bandwagon as some people. When she goes to interview Superman, she fully expects to drill him like she would anyone else and prove that this guy really is too good to be true. This is different than things have been in the past, but I think it really makes sense. In Superman: The Movie and many other versions, Lois seems to fall for him right after he saves her and has shown what he can do. Having her be so taken with him so soon makes it seem more like she's attracted to him more for what he can do than the good person he is. She has about as much reason to be attracted to him at this point as anyone who has seen him on T.V.
This brings me to the other side of Lois. When Lois actually meets Superman, she is taken aback when she realizes that he's such a genuinely good person who wants to help other people. She begins to let her guard down and show Clark who she really is, and as they get to know each other Clark sees that the rude Lois Lane he thought he knew is about as much of a disguise as the Clark Kent she knows. Deep down, Lois is a very caring person. They both feel a connection and because Clark is comfortable around her, he is able to be himself. Superman renews Lois's belief that there is good in the world and helps her to find more of a balance between her tough side and her inner kindness. When she reaches this point, she's still a very strong character, but she comes off as less of a b!+(#. Lois should have attitude and spunk, but still be likable. Her feelings for Superman grow from the time she meets him, so when Lex begins his scheme to make people think that Superman can't be trusted, she doesn't believe it. This kind of shows that she has come a long way over the course of the movie. She starts off looking for the bad in everything, but now she has come to the point where she wants to believe in good. Lois doesn't abandon Superman and cares enough to risk her life to save him.
When casting Lois, I'd look for someone who went well with whoever was cast as Superman, so it would be someone in her late 20s or early 30s. My ideal choice for Lois would have been Rachel McAdams.
However, Amy Adams was chosen. Although, I've got nothing against her, I'm still not quite sure if she's the perfect choice for Lois, but she is an accomplished and well-respected actress. Some of her credits include Enchanted and The Fighter. Fun Fact: Amy Adams appeared on Smallville back in 2001 for the season 1 episode "Craving."
Jimmy Olsen
"My parents lived above a newsstand. Every morning I'd sneak down and buy a copy of the Daily Planet. I'd cut out every picture in it. I had scrapbook after scrapbook of all these interesting places. I made a picture in my head of Metropolis, but like most of my photographs, it was out of focus."- Jimmy Olsen, Superman: Secret Origin
I don't have much to say about how they should do Jimmy in the movie, other than that I just want to see more of him. Give him more of a back story and show more of why he wants to be a photographer. In Superman Secret Origins, Jimmy revealed to Superman that his parents didn't believe that he could make it in Metropolis. This was a really interesting idea because it sets up a motivation for Jimmy and shows that he has a desire to prove himself and become someone great. Most of the scenes with Jimmy would probably be with Clark and Lois. Jimmy feels like he can talk to Clark because since Clark is the new guy and Jimmy is the "kid," they both are in a similar position of trying to gain respect. In this movie he should meet Superman and probably be one of his biggest supporters, but I'm not sure how much Jimmy/Superman interaction would fit into the story. The scene I mentioned from Secret Origins with their conversation would probably be a good main scene with them for the movie. They're on the roof and Jimmy feels depressed because of the thing with his parents, so Superman offers him some words of encouragement and allows Jimmy to take the first good picture of him. It's pretty amusing because Superman is standing regularly and Jimmy tells him that the picture feels like something is missing. He then asks Superman to put his hands on his hips (in the iconic Superman pose) and Superman makes a remark about how it feels strange but complies. The scene works on several levels: giving Jimmy more depth and more of a story, establishing their friendship, whatever Superman tells Jimmy can serve to show him as an inspirational figure/nice guy, and has the humor of the pose being a nod to the whole Superman history.
Casting Jimmy, I would go for someone in their early to mid 20s. They can be a little bit older as long as they look young enough. I don't think I've ever seen a live-action Jimmy Olsen I haven't liked. My top choice for Jimmy in this movie is Anton Yelchin. He's another one who has a lot of fan support behind him for this role, and for good reason. Something about this guy just screams Jimmy Olsen!
Jor-el
"Be brave, my son. Remember who you are and the legacy you carry inside you."- Jor-el, Superman The Animated Series
I talked a lot about Jor-el earlier, so I won't restate too much. He's much more emotional than versions of Jor-el we've seen in the past. He knows that his world is ending but no one will believe him. The feeling of powerlessness is torture for him so you see him in a frustrated, almost a panicked state. Later in the movie, when Clark sees his message, you can see the sadness in him and you realize the pain he feels in knowing that he will not be able to be there for his son and see him grow up. Like I said before, my version of Jor-el would be younger than many of the previous versions and take inspiration from the animated series Jor-el. My top choice for Jor-el is Matthew Fox. Fox's role as Dr. Jack Shepherd shows him in kind of a heroic leadership position, which works for what I have in mind for Jor-el. He also bears a good enough resemblance to STAS Jor-el and looks passable as Henry Cavil's father.
Thanks for reading! Please check out the video version of this article here! As usual, it's a little more flashy than the article and it's a nice alternative for people who don't feel like reading everything. If you enjoyed this article, please help me out by pushing the like button! Even if you completely disagree, comment anyway and tell me your ideas for how things should go! I'm always up for a civilized debate.