David S. Goyer: "We're Approaching MAN OF STEEL As If It Weren't A Comic Book Movie..."
Man of Steel scribe David S. Goyer talks in detail here about this realistic take on Superman, making it clear that the fact that he is an alien will play a pivotal role in how the world views him. He also dismisses using a tone similar to that on Richard Donner's take on the iconic DC superhero.
"We're approaching Superman as if it weren't a comic book movie, as if it were real," writer David Goyer told Empire in the latest issue of the magazine. As you should already know, Goyer played a key role in helping craft Christopher Nolan's realistic take on Batman, so it perhaps should come as no surprise that he decided to bring this same aesthetic to Man of Steel (and if nothing else, that means we probably shouldn't expect another Superman Returns). "I adore the Donner films. Absolutely adore them. It just struck me that there was an idealist quality to them that may or may not work with today's audience. It just struck me that if Superman really existed in the world, first of all this story would be a story about first contact."
"He's an alien. You can easily imagine a scenario in which we'd be doing a film like E.T., as opposed to him running around in tights. If the world found out he existed, it would be the biggest thing that ever happened in human history," he added when talk turned to how exactly you bring a character like Superman into a world similar to our own. "It falls into that idea of trying to humanise the inhuman. He's made out of steel, he's not made out of flesh, metaphorically speaking. We are portraying him as a man, yet he's not a man." So, Goyer clearly has a clear vision when it comes to this realistic and grounded take on arguably the world's most iconic superhero.
However, just how challenging is it to take a near indestructible superhero who can fly and fire blasts of heat from his eyes, and make him both relatable and a believable addition to our world? "It is obviously a much longer process with a character like Superman. It is much easier to do a realistic take on Batman. You know nothing can hurt Superman, presumably other than Kryptonite. The challenge was simply: can we figure out a way to make those elements work, quote unquote, in the real world? It's very much a story of a man with two fathers." How do you feel about this interpretation of Superman? Be sure to sound off with your thoughts on these comments in the usual place and pick up the latest issue of Empire for more on Man of Steel.
In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El (Henry Cavill) is a young twenty-something journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond his imagination. Transported years ago to Earth from Krypton, a highly advanced, distant planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question 'Why am I here?' Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Diane Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), Clark discovers having extraordinary abilities means making difficult decisions. When the world is in dire need of stability, an even greater threat emerges. Clark must become a Man of Steel, to protect the people he loves and shine as the world’s beacon of hope – Superman.
STARRING:
Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman
Amy Adams as Lois Lane
Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent
Diane Lane as Martha Kent
Michael Shannon as Zod
RELEASE DATE: June 14th, 2013.
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