EDITORIAL: Zack Snyder and Superman: Man of Steel

EDITORIAL: Zack Snyder and Superman: Man of Steel

How should Superman be brought back to the big screen? We all have an opinion, here is mine:

Editorial Opinion
By hovis5818 - Oct 26, 2010 03:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Man of Steel

The news that Zack Snyder (of 300, Watchmen and Legend of the Guardians fame) would be bringing Superman back to the big screen meant I was a very happy fan indeed. I waited since 1980 for a Superman film with some action. I never got it in 2006 and I have waited since then for another glimpse of him on the big screen.

Zack Snyder is a director that I think can really deliver a great film in the short time he has. With Christopher Nolan acting as the godfather I have high expectations for this movie.

We know the new film will focus on the days leading up to Clark Kent deciding to become Superman. I think describing it as the days leading up to his putting the suit on makes more sense than talking about "the early days of Superman" because of recent news about the possibility of an older Superman. That means in this new mythology Superman might not put the suit on until he is a lot older, maybe something happens to trigger this?

Nothing seems to have been said about the statement "this movie will not focus on any particular comic book arc." Usually something like this will set the fan boys crying WHAT?! I am happy to go in a different direction with this movie - I think the franchise needs it.

Who should be Superman? I was a fan of Brandon Routh in Superman Returns but with this being a reboot I think it's a long shot. I personally think Jon Hamm could do one movie as Superman. I don't think he would get on board for a series of movies. From all the names being thrown about Owain Yeoman is starting to look to be a good choice, but in my hands it would be Henry Cavill.

This new story should be an origin story. Now we all know origin stories can be a bit boring when you have paid to see a superhero film. I think Iron-Man has shown you can make an origin story interesting and give it those action beats we demand from our movies.

The film also needs a big enemy of Superman - I have really had enough of Lex Luthor and his real estate scams and I won't even talk about Nuclear Man... Either Brainiac, Doomsday, or Darkseid need to be in this movie. They should be the reason Clark decides to put on the suit and step in to become the world's savior.

The suit needs to be brought up to date and I quite like this one:



There has been a lot of buzz in the last few days about Superman: Earth One, the new graphic novel by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis and the possibility of this being the new basis for Superman: Man of Steel. Please no - from what I am reading it's like the Twilight version of Superman - let's not go there.
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LP4
LP4 - 10/26/2010, 6:25 PM
Ugh...lately there's been too many of these articles that don't really give us new information and they only rehash what we already know.

I wasn't even a fan of Routh in Returns- he had nearly ZERO dialogue so I don't get WHY people love him so much when he barely did anything with the role.

Jon Hamm could do a trilogy, people saying he can't based on his age are [frick]en dumb because RDJ is even older and he's holding down not only a trilogy but also a teamup film. Too many haters and narrow minded individuals are casting doubts on Hamm. He can nail it out of the park in my opinion. If not Hamm, i would easily say Armie Hammer is starting to grow on me as Supes and also Joe Manganiello is a good option.
marvelguy
marvelguy - 10/26/2010, 6:57 PM
Why do people keep bringing up RDJ not being too old to be Stark? It doesn't matter. He is Iron Man due to the suit not an alien that doesn't age, not a Norse god who ages slowly, and not someone injected with a serum that negates his aging.

As for your choice of who should wear the flight tights, remember he needs to have height, too. Dean Cain was barely over six feet tall and just didn't look the part.
jbak368
jbak368 - 10/26/2010, 7:08 PM
@LP4 - I'm with you man. Hamm's only 39, and he looks young for 39. I mean Tom Welling's 33 for chrisssakes - that's not a huge difference.

If they want to go young though I say Armie Hammer. Manganiello looks too Italian to me - Superman should look like he's a farmboy.
Ethic
Ethic - 10/26/2010, 8:37 PM
It's alll about Joe Manganiello, he's the perfect fit,
the other actors all have certain qualities that are right but none have so many as Manganiello in my opinion.

Just do some research on him he's ideal.
LP4
LP4 - 10/26/2010, 9:15 PM
@jbak368- Thanks man ;) yeah people keep ragging on the guy cuz of his age I mean shit...age has no effect on his performance and in fact he CAN look younger- look again i will use the RDJ example, he wears hollywood makeup to remove wrinkles and such, same could be done with Hamm. Hamm has the LOOKS and the ACTING CHOPS. I don't want welling...too much smallville already.

I think pretty much "Superguy1591" has summed up what we're all thinking.

Plus what I also like about Jon Hamm is that he looks like a Superman who would get his hands dirty in a fight. He seems like the type who will hit "below the belt" so to speak. That's what we need at this point- a TOUGH Superman. Not that same little wimpy, "pool boy" we had in the last film. Hamm seems like the type of Superman where "you [frick] with me, I [frick] with you" whereas Welling and Routh are just hollywood pretty-boys who would rather stay clean and tidy. NO MORE BOYS. We need a MAN.

HAMM IS OUR MAN!!
Protonite
Protonite - 10/26/2010, 9:36 PM
I kinda agree(surprisingly) with Superguy1591. At first I didn't much like the idea of a 40 year old Superman. But after considering the rights factor and the time limit that might allow only a one-shot movie, I wouldn't mind someone older like Hamm or Caviezel taking the helm. (BTW, Jon Hamm does not look much younger than his age, he actually looks right about his age.)
LP4
LP4 - 10/26/2010, 9:43 PM
@Protonite- Will WB/DC lose ALL rights to Superman? -_- I am worried...damn siegels. I hope this won't affect the comics and movies...
LP4
LP4 - 10/26/2010, 11:45 PM
@Superguy1591- Yeah but I'm just worried about Supes. -_-

Stupid heirs. [frick] it, no point in complaining i guess...
hovis5818
hovis5818 - 10/27/2010, 1:15 AM
@Anil Rickly - yea I was just basing my comments on the majority of reviews I have read, I do have it pre-ordered though so will be able to pass my own opinion.

@LP4 - I know there is not anything new here, but I clearly marked it as an editorial not news. In my opinion - Jon Hamm just looks a lot older than all the other 30 something actors being thrown about. I have no doubt he would do a great job - but lets fast forward to 2012 release - he is 41, then a second film in say maybe 2014/15 he is 43/44 then the final of a trilogy, in maybe 2016/17 he would be 46/47... IMO its just too old. Who knows what he will look like then!? I wouldn't mind Hamm as Supes - just don't think it will happen.

Angelus
Angelus - 10/27/2010, 4:41 AM
How I really want the suit to look like:


BMP!
steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/27/2010, 11:24 AM

JAMIE BAMBER!!!



steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/27/2010, 11:31 AM
steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/27/2010, 11:34 AM
Protonite
Protonite - 10/27/2010, 12:44 PM
Bamber is 5'9". No amount of bodybuilding and lifts is gonna make him look 6'3", unless he's always standing on a 6" platform or wear 6" heels. Even then, his body proportion's still gonna look weird.
7anteera
7anteera - 10/27/2010, 1:55 PM
we need a more muscular superman that is true to the comics
steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/27/2010, 6:30 PM

For sure. That's a big big big concern of mine. To me, whoever get chosen needs to go on some heavyduty steroids soon and be gigantic. Bigger than the peeps in 300. That would be badass mature f*cking man of steel.

The guy that's supposed to be able to take everything, cant look like a freaking lightweight, slightly fit, Emo looking actor. We are talking about superman goddamn it.
steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/27/2010, 6:49 PM

Tired of actors with no physical attributes that can match up with their roles. I miss Michael Jai White, he was fit and did Spawn justice.

Dare devil, freaking spiderman (most childish actor to portray him, I f*cking hate Tobey Maguire), and hell, even batman. C Bale is not big but he does the trick well. Green Hornet dude? WTF?? R Rynolds is not strong enough to be a superhero in my opinion either. Hugh Jackman is. That means its not impossible.

There are muscles in the comics, why there has to look like they are starving in the movies?

Wolverine gotta share his workout note with all these dudes. And a major one gotta be given to the new superman.
Angelus
Angelus - 10/28/2010, 2:36 AM
But you dont got any good actors that are big as shit. If you want a real superman to play superman then hire Jay Cutler, mr olympia. But thats just ridicoulus. Bale did bulk up as shit. Routh could've probably done that too but Superman doesnt really need to look like an anabolic steroid user, he is Supercharged, though some muscles would be cool.

BMP!
UltimaRex
UltimaRex - 10/28/2010, 5:53 AM
Armie Hammer and more gym work to finish off what the social network started.

Case closed.
steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/29/2010, 2:15 AM
@Angelus, definitely not talking about having a bodybuilder there, but just a person that is very fit. Fit enough that he can still be agile. It doesnt matter that we dont have any now, but they can work on it. All the actors that have been mentioned, even Hugh Jackman, could be bigger.

Actually he said he will be bigger in the next Wolverine movie, now that's what Im talking about. These guys need to bulk the f*ck up. I Wanna see veins, I wanna see muscle!!!! Goddamn muscle!!

How the f*ck people make a shit load of superhero movies with actors that are not strong built? Even Jason Statham (from Crank) is bigger than all these guys WTF????
steelrocks
steelrocks - 10/29/2010, 2:22 AM

For real, if you think about it, we have Nicolas Cage, Toby Maguire, Ryan Reynols and many more being superhero today without the proper body. It was a good time when the heroes all had muscle: Van Damme, Arnold, S Stalone. Those guys worked their ass up at the gym for the movies.

I dont think there is any strong superhero actor out there aside from Hugh Jackman, and may be, may be Christian Bale.

zelaznogb
zelaznogb - 11/2/2010, 12:17 AM
1) Superman is a man who was raised as Clark Kent... not a Kryptonian, though through his father's mentoring through his technology, learned and embraced his Kryptonian heritage... but, most of all, he considers himself a human, raised in a small town in Kansas... Smallville has done as best as it could in nailing Superman/Clark Kent's personality (with some glitches here and there)... Superman isn't a "badass"... yet Superman isn't a pansy... he's been labeled as "boy scout", "leader", and "hero's hero"... will he get his hands dirty... NO... that is Batman... so enough with "nah, a contemporary Superman needs to be TOUGH, a true badass"... c'mon... read up, already...

2) Superman's costume has actually more than one or two origins... the original was that his mother made it for him... another is that Jor-El made it for him during Kal-El's "re-education"... the latest is that Martha Kent took all she has learned from her son and his Kryptonian heritage and had one made (that as far as we know resembles the one in Superman Returns... should the costume change? I think the more you stick to the original theme the better off... however, most men would and do look ridiculous in what Superman wears, even if it is a "costume"... we gotta remember he wears this under his clothes... so, anything "robotic" looking is just absurd... Superman Returns did as good a job as they could, however it reminded me a bit too much of the "evil" Superman of the horrid Superman III. Keep the colors, maybe A SHADE darker, but not more... S-shield was good idea from SR... whatever... major changes, no... minor? It's not a big deal...

3) Who should be the next Superman...? Everyone dogs Brandon Routh, but watch his last two movies, and as far as acting cred... he DOES have it... and he DOES fit as far as the looks department... Tom Welling has done a good job and there are many begging for him to take up the roll... not bad, considering this being the last season of Smallville leading up into the age of Superman. The actors mentioned don't fit (as far as looks) as good as these two do. However, I agree Jon Hamm is a great actor... but Superman..? eh... Jamie Bamber... seriously...? I would much rather Cavill than that guy ANY day... but Cavill reminds me way too much of the first Superboy TV show... nah... but seriously... get an actor who first of all... LOOKS THE PART... why? must you ask...? Superman has never changed appearance in any version ever done of him... he's TALL and relatively built (the guy was an all-around athlete, for Pete's sake)... BLACK hair(dying would be alright...) BLUE eyes (contacts are an easy option...) and he is WHITE (no racism, it's just a fact...) it's just better if all this is already there... Secondly, and JUST as important, if not more, a credibility that he is Clark Kent/Superman... Cristopher Reeve did not necessarily LOOK the part, but once in the suit, he just WAS Superman... and in the reporter suit, he was just Clark... Routh pulled off the Clark Kent we all know really well, and Superman, well... only really up until that climactic scene where he is lifting the huge piece of rock... he already has a contract with WB to do at least one more Superman movie (I believe it is actually two)... so... whatever...

4) With Nolan taking the reins as far as where to go with this... we'll see what happens, but it can't be anything but pretty GOOD. I love most, if not all, his work so far... And, if you add on an awesome action director such as Zack Snyder... yeah... we may yet get to see the best Superman movie to date... all we can do is hope for the best (for the better, AT LEAST...)
zelaznogb
zelaznogb - 11/2/2010, 12:32 AM
Ideas for Superman movie(s)?:

Superman: The Man of Steel - Metallo and Parasite (Lex Luthor as orchastrator/puppeteer)

Superman: The Man of Tomorrow - Mongul, Brainiac and Lex Luthor

Justice League - Darkseid and his minions (Supergirl intro)

Reign of Superman - Doomsday and Cyborg (Hank Henshaw)

(Technically a "trilogy", with the Justice League being a "side" project")
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