Chris Nolan Overseeing Superman for Warner Bros. and 'Batman 3' is In the Plans
Will Superman fly again? And how soon?
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
Deadline has just delivered news that is making a lot of comic fans (and movie fans) quite happy this morning with news The Dark Knight helmer, Christopher Nolan, will mentor development of a new Superman movie at Warner Bros. On top of this news the site adds their brief statement from yesterday is indeed true and David Goyer and Nolan's younger brother Jonathan Nolan are working on the script to Batman 3 based on an idea from Chris.
The report also makes clear Nolan is not likely to direct the next Superman film and that it won't be a continuation of Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, but an all new franchise.
Deadline's insider tells them, "Bryan [Singer] or Brandon [Routh] are not completely out of it yet. But Warner Bros doesn't have a handle yet on it, either. [Producer] Jon Peters is trying to make something happen since he stands to benefit financially. But [the studio] need to hear a great story that makes sense."
As far as what direction the new Superman film would go, that too is unclear, but another source told the site, "We know what we don't want to do. But we don't know what we want to do. We learned a lot from the last movie, and we want to get it right this time."
The rights to the Superman franchise will be in question very soon as in 2013, the Jerome Siegel heirs along with the estate of co-creator Joe Shuster will own the entire original copyright to Superman. So basically Warner Bros. had better do something to make the estate happy should they want a crack at the franchise when it falls in the hands of the Siegels and Shusters.
I wonder if Warner Bros. will use this opportunity to go down darker paths with Superman as was insinuated back in August 2008 when Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov said, "We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it… the plan is just to reintroduce Superman." That quote caused me to make the following poster, perhaps it wasn't too far off.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
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It would be nice if they did a period type of film for a Superman reboot. Like set in the 50's. Or something with the story depth of Morrison/Quitely's "All Star Superman" series.
Just a thought anyhow.
I really wish that Chris Nolan would stop wasting his time with Batman and super hero movies. Sure, Batman Begins was good, as was The Dark Knight..but he should do more movies like Prestige, Memento and the upcoming Inception.
I think that he is too talented for Batman and I hope that once he completes his trilogy he leaves it there.
I thought Routh was excellent as Superman, and I thought the last movie was very well done. NOT everything has to be in the line of the newer Batman look – which is excellent, by the way.
Routh is a perfect Clark Kent / Superman – and the only bash from most people comes from the fact that he isn’t a ‘name.’ Personally, I don’t need one to enjoy a well made movie – I just need good acting – and Routh delivered the goods.
I’ll be highly disappointed if anyone else takes over the role.
I like this piece of news! Of course I would also like to see more movies like Memento and The Prestige but I also love Nolan's Batman. Superman in the fifties sounds like a really cool idea.
@maja: I couldn't disagree with you more. The Dark Knight was one of the best films I've ever seen, not just the best "comic book-film." As long as they are of the same quality as The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan can remake The Toxic Avenger as far as I'm concerned.
@The Jackal: I really thought that the Dark Knight was completely overrated. It had some incredible action scenes, but as a whole the movie just did not come together – plus I thought the last sequence with the boats was one of the worst. It was definately one of the best comic book films i have seen, but in terms of actual cinema, is was way overhyped and wasn't even in the top 3 of 2008.
Nice poster!
So now that Avatar has made insane cash while being anything but dark and gritty, will studios begin to see that there isn't a formula to massive success and not just try to ape the style of the last success rather than finding out what works best for each property?
Nah. I look for Superman to be dark *and* 3D.
@maja: You mean like Inception this summer?
GET DA @#C% OUT!!! this is great news!!
@The Rake: Yes, I mentioned Inception in my original comment.
How can Superman go dark? He's a boring boy scout. But still, with Nolan involved it can be good.
Does this mean that Nolan will direct the 3rd movie?
Great news. Despite what most will say, I think this is a challenge to Nolan and chance to move outside his comfort zone. Sure, it's genre stuff, but it'll also be the most unique thing on his CV. And I say that as someone who loves Momento and The Prestige and even Insomnia (which is highly underrated).
Superman vs. Batman???
I'm Shoemakering this, I'm calling it. This is going to be that Batman/Superman movie that we saw a poster of in "I Am Legend".
Done.
I must say: I WANT BRANDON ROUTH AS SUPERMAN AND NOLAN TO DIRECT HIM. Now that I've said all of that in caps, I can continue as usual. Maybe Nolan won't direct, but as long as he's involved, I'm excited. And I hope Superman doesn't go dark. I just hope it's a damn good movie. And you can toss Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and get someone with more spunk. Someone like Anne Hathaway, who can act and not just stand there looking vapid.
And whoever came up with this poster is amazing.
Brad is Nolan coming back to direct Batman 3? Or will he just have some part involved for the story? As for the superman news it's kindof a mixed reaction for me. Nolan never makes bad movies in my opinion and if he can turn Superman into what he's done with Batman they i'm sold. If he leaves Batman for Superman i'd be very dissapointed.
Brandon Routh was solid taking over as Superman. I hope Nolan and Co. realize this and bring him back. Also, re-cast the Lois Lane role (They can do better than Kate Bosworth). And finally, give him a superpowered and iconic villain in the next movie for him to trade blows with. Hint: Brainiac? Darkseid?
Also..Superman should not follow the same template as TDK wherein the atmosphere is dark and brooding. That is NOT Superman. His world is completely different. That's what makes it so special when Superman and Batman cross paths in the comic universe because their differences often rears it's ugly head which results in an interesting dynamic between the two.
Nolan would not leave Batman to go direct Superman. I just see it as Nolan is going to help them maybe revise a script for the reboot of Superman. Nolan based on his somewhat off putting of doing another Batman seems to be wanting to get out of the superhero movie genre. I believe he has already accomplished it and he should move on and get himself an Oscar. He deserves it! But he should put an end to the Batman series. He should finish what he started.
I hope Nolan knows the difference between the two superheros, one is one of the darkest characters in comics (I know, not originally), the other is… well, superman. Not that I mind a dark superman movie, hell i don't mind any movies dark but it just isn't superman. In my opinion superman returns was good but singer paid too much homage to the original. Also superman wasn't given any interesting stuff to do. I want to see him fighting, not lifting things up every time he's on screen. I keep picturing superman having a fight like the showdown in "matrix revolution"
superman wouldn't have to go dark, Nolan would just bring a certain level of psychological depht that he did with Batman, I mean here you have an alian that for some altruistic reason wants to help mankind and its never really shown.
He can do it.
He saved Batman from the curse of the bat nipples, he can save anything. I mean, he could even turn the Twilight novel into a movie that's actually good!!!
He can do it!
Superman Returns sucked big time. It's closer to a romantic drama than and comic book movie.
Routh gets bashed because he can't act and has the charm of a dead fish. Luckily Nolan has far better taste and his choice won't be a failed daytime soap star.
I'm so glad they are killing all connection with the last movie. The actors were either too wooden (Routh) or too hammy (Spacey). The cinematography looked muddy and gray. The costume was ridiculous and maroon. The script was beyond stupid. And let us never speak again of SuperBaby and lifting Kryptonite islands.
It would be a difficult feat to make Superman more "edgier" but it has been done. If you have ever read "Superman: For Tomorrow" or "Kingdom Come" both of those show a more "realistic" version of Superman and in some parts it becomes dark. Not nearly as dark as Batman of course. But we have to take into consideration the roots of these characters. Batman was born as a "vigilante detective/crime fighter" of course it's easier to make him edgier. I don't think that we need to see Superman talking in a deep raspy voice and killing people, but we should see more of Superman's humanity. I would love to see a film that digs deeper into how he deals with the weight of the world on his shoulders. And like "For Tomorrow" and "Kingdom Come" maybe even explore how he would react to a mistake he made.
Just as I refuse to see any bond movies with Daniel Craig, I will do the same if Routh is not Superman in the next movie. I have nothing against Craig as an actor. However, until Craig took over the role, for 44 years the Bond character has been seared into the publics mind as tall, dashing, suave, witty and highly professional as a spy. That's the type Bond I want to see. So it is with Brandon. When I saw him in "Superman Returns" I knew that casting did Christopher and George Reeves justice.