Now to all those Superman fans out there I feel your pain. Superman is hands down the most iconic figure in comic book history, but the live action versions of the great Superman tale have been failing to live up to that legendary status. The most recent adaptation of the "Man of Steel" might be the biggest boom of this saga, with a 270 million dollar budget Superman Returns only managed to rake in 200 million domestically and only 391 million world wide, even though this movie by the numbers looks like a failure (and in many ways it was) DC has put there secret weapon on the task of re-shaping the Legendary Kryptonian, and his name is Chris Nolan, now no matter if he is directing or producing one thing is for sure expect Superman to put up some big numbers for dc. Although Nolan is a master story teller, there are somethings that are desperately needed in the new Superman re-boot to make it a success and as always he is a short list of must needs:
1. Bad boys for life: If there is one rule to super hero movies its this, EVERY SUPER HERO NEEDS A SUPER VILLAIN!!! Probably the biggest factor of why Superman is so super is that his villains are the toughest S.O.B.s you can find. From Brainiac to the menacing Darkseid, Superman battles the greatest evil from all over the universe. So why in Superman Returns does he fight a plane and Lex on a mountain made of kryptonite, this won't due with Superman being a big budget movie we the fans deserve a much better villain. Now, although Lex Luthor is a necessity to the story of Superman, I think its time for him to step down from main villain spot and share the lime light.
2. The right man for the job: One thing is for sure when making a big budget movie big budget actors are not always necessary. I think that we can all agree that Christopher Reeve was the perfect Superman for his time, but its 2010 its time for a up dated look on Superman although he is "the boy scout" lets not forget that he has limitless powers in a very limited world, he is the only one of his kind, and he has to protect a world that would crumble without him, having said that I think we can agree that there is an edge to Superman no one has tapped into yet and with the right actor this could be a great addition to a great story. Now there are some characters that are easy space fillers but Lex Luthor is far from it and I believe Kevin Spacey was far from it. He was an awful choice for Luthor. Lex is charming and cunning a more suave actor is needed for the next Superman.
3. No eggs for me thanks: A lot of fan boys have been requesting for Nolan to add easter eggs to provide clues to the next movie, and while I share there enthusiasm for more DC movies, I feel easter eggs are movie mistakes. On one hand, you have fans eager to see what clues will tell about the next movie, and on the other, you have fans not truly paying attention to the story in front of them. DC and Marvel characters are different and have very different stories. DC focuses on the character and their development in the world around them, how they relate to the ever changing world they are sworn to protect and to throw a easter egg in Batman's or Superman's story wouldn't make much sense, they are two giants in a world of ants to find out there is another super hero like them in the world would make there roles in the world significantly smaller.
Superman is the world's greatest super hero because he is willing to fight the greatest evil for a people he doesn't belong to, he embodies the "True America," the ability to love for a people who are his family no matter where they come from, he chooses to fight in a world we common men hide, no matter how strong an enemy is he will stand tall and give his life for the ones he has sworn to protect, a story such as his is not just of the strength of his powers but of the strength of his heart, he is America and he fights for those who can not fight for themselves for Nolan to tell this story right he must always remember what Superman truly stands for and the shining symbol he is in his world.