Superman (casting, rumors, pix till release)

[The Old Mixer]

Superman is a comics character who branched out into other media very early in his life, and has since known innumerable interpretations on and off the comics page. Much like King Arthur, his story grows and changes with each retelling...no two interpretations take place in the same continuity, but they all contribute to the general mythos.

 

[Broccoli]

It's also slightly odd that someone complaining about a costume change as a problem has an avatar of Superman in an altered costume.

​

 

[Nowhere Man]

^ Who says there isn't a reason? There is a very clear and distinct effort on this production to separate it from other depictions of the Superman mythos. That doesn't mean though that the casting or story is different just because they "want to change things".

Normally i'm not so much of a purist, but I'm very sensitive when it comes to Superman. I really want this to suceed, I believe there is a need for a Superheroe that is not dark and jaded, but optomistic and a"Boy Scout" and maybe a little nieve. Maybe i'm wrong, but that is just my hunch. Just like Star Trek(2009) if this does not do well, not only will we not Superman for a while, but we may not get a JLA movie or any secondary characters. It will hurt the franchise.

If they change things too much, the audience will not buy it or like it. You know how many people wear Superman shirts or have stickers, hats, key chains ect..? Sure they may not be comic book fans that grew up reading the comics, but they are familiar with the character and they don't want to see it get fucked up.

Maybe small changes don't mean a whole lot and really I don't mind them, but I just worry sometimes because I don't want this to fail.

I do like the new costume, but I don't love it. I love Fishbourne as an actor, but it's pretty simple, Perry White is white. How hard is it to adhere to what is in the comic book? I just don't want them to pick a black actor just because they are either(A) doing it because it will be edgy and cool or (B) because they think they have to or else they will offend somebody or some group. I just hope they are doing it for good reason.

So, can I get over these things, yeah I can if the story is good and they adhere to what the characters are. I'm not condeming at all, I'm just voicing a few concerns. I think the cast is excellent and i'm looking foward to the trailer. Anyway, maybe I overreacted, but I do believe this is going to be a very different Superman. Whether this is a good or not I don't know.

Stories are adapted to reflect contemporary times. If Man Of Steel were being done as a period piece set in the '30s, '40s or '50s then you would pretty much have to have a caucasian Perry White and Lana Lang and the rest because it just wouldn't be credible otherwise. But being set in the world of today then I don't see it as an issue. And I'm someone often seen as a purist.

For me what's more important in regard to Superman and his world/universe is character, overall sensibility and story. I could nitpick to death Nolan's take on Batman, but it really would be trivial because otherwise Nolan is doing a fantastic job with a live-action version of Batman. I could nitpick elements of the current approach to Bond in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace, but trivial nitpicks aside I think the feel of this Bond is much like the best of the original source materiel.

I agree, but i'm still a little weary of the Tumbler because I would rather see a Batmobile. With a bat design in it. That bieng said the Tumbler has grown on me. It's just Superman is my favorite character of all genres, so I'm just bieng a hardcore purist. I'm sure i'll get over these things, but I just get nervous when a bunch of changes come along.

Presently I'm still undecided about Man Of Steel simply because i haven't seen enough for me to get a real sense of it. I have to wait-and-see. Certainly being unhappy with elements of what we've seen of the new costume isn't enough to condemn the film yet. I was unhappy when I saw the first images of Batman's new ride in Batman Begins...and then found myself really liking it when I saw it in action. I was leery of Daniel Craig's Bond being blond...until I saw him onscreen and felt "to hell with it, he nails the character."

I'm still undecided as well, I just hope they don't fuck it up.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Everyone hopes that it succeeds and that "they don't fuck it up" but considering we don't know anything of the plot yet (except rumours), have just seen Superman in costume, and a bunch of random out of context set photos would say to me that it is far too early to be concerned or judge the production yet. I'm a HUGE Superman fan myself. I want to see the character treated the way he should be treated. So I get where you are coming from Hillbilly Rage I just prefer to have a more cautious optimistic and open look on things until there is something available to actually bitch about.

 

[Warped9]

Superman is the first superhero I became familiar with, firstly through reruns of the The Adventures Of Superman with the iconic George Reeves as well as the '60s Filmation animated series. Later I would discover other superheroes I would like, namely Batman and Spider-Man, of which Batman would be become my all-time favourite. But Superman is still right up there when he's done in a way that evokes how I felt when I first discovered the character.

I've been bitterly disappointed with live-action Superman since Superman II way back. The '78 film holds up, but just barely with its overt camp elements. The Singer Superman Returns was bust and felt like a thinly veiled rehash and with an actor that had zero screen presence in the title role. Otherwise Superman has been done justice only in animation firstly in the '90s series and since in the DCAU direct-to-dvd films.

I, too, hope he can return to prominence and hope they don'y fuck it up.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

I really want this to suceed, I believe there is a need for a Superheroe that is not dark and jaded, but optomistic and a"Boy Scout" and maybe a little nieve.

Oh, yeah?! Well, you're a big nieve!









What's a nieve?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I really hope they don't do any camp elements in this film (although, dare we hope for none at all?), but I gotta admit that I have even recently LOL'ed at some of the outrageous comedy in Superman (1978). The supporting cast of Hackman, Hagman, and Cooper IMO nail their comedic moments. Even the phone booth scene is still amusing.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

I really want this to suceed, I believe there is a need for a Superheroe that is not dark and jaded, but optomistic and a"Boy Scout" and maybe a little nieve.

Oh, yeah?! Well, you're a big nieve!









What's a nieve?

The word he was attempting to spell is "naive". I hope no one thinks me a large, gaping nieve for pointing that out.

 

[davejames]

I really hope they don't do any camp elements in this film (although, dare we hope for none at all?), but I gotta admit that I have even recently LOL'ed at some of the outrageous comedy in Superman (1978). The supporting cast of Hackman, Hagman, and Cooper IMO nail their comedic moments. Even the phone booth scene is still amusing.

Neither Nolan or Snyder really strike me as big fans of camp.

And I agree about the '78 film. I think all those comedy moments work brilliantly, and don't really stray too far into camp at all. It probably helps that most of the material Hackman and the others were working with was actually pretty damn sharp and witty (unlike, say, the awful stuff they were given in Superman IV).

That's not to say that same comedy would work as well today, but in the context of a 70s superhero movie, I thought it was just about perfect.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Everyone hopes that it succeeds and that "they don't fuck it up" but considering we don't know anything of the plot yet (except rumours), have just seen Superman in costume, and a bunch of random out of context set photos would say to me that it is far too early to be concerned or judge the production yet.

The most intelligent comment yet.

Superman is a comics character who branched out into other media very early in his life, and has since known innumerable interpretations on and off the comics page. Much like King Arthur, his story grows and changes with each retelling...no two interpretations take place in the same continuity, but they all contribute to the general mythos.

A close runner-up.

 

[JD]

I do like the new costume, but I don't love it. I love Fishbourne as an actor, but it's pretty simple, Perry White is white. How hard is it to adhere to what is in the comic book? I just don't want them to pick a black actor just because they are either(A) doing it because it will be edgy and cool or (B) because they think they have to or else they will offend somebody or some group. I just hope they are doing it for good reason.

Couldn't it just be that Fishbourne had the best audition and they decided to ignore the race thing and just cast based on talent and not adherence to the comics?

 

[Broccoli]

Everyone hopes that it succeeds and that "they don't fuck it up" but considering we don't know anything of the plot yet (except rumours), have just seen Superman in costume, and a bunch of random out of context set photos would say to me that it is far too early to be concerned or judge the production yet.

The most intelligent comment yet.

But it didn't contain any broad sweeping statements, opinions disguised as facts, holier than thou attitudes, staunched fanboyism, nor arrogant entitlement! As such, a comment like that has no place on the internet!

I do like the new costume, but I don't love it. I love Fishbourne as an actor, but it's pretty simple, Perry White is white. How hard is it to adhere to what is in the comic book? I just don't want them to pick a black actor just because they are either(A) doing it because it will be edgy and cool or (B) because they think they have to or else they will offend somebody or some group. I just hope they are doing it for good reason.

Couldn't it just be that Fishbourne had the best audition and they decided to ignore the race thing and just cast based on talent and not adherence to the comics?

Pffft...that only makes too much sense.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I love Fishbourne as an actor, but it's pretty simple, Perry White is white.

Not in this movie, and not when the character was conceived. He was a voice on the radio. Was he black? Was he white? Was he hispanic? Asian?

From a certain point of view, the comics made the 'politically correct' decision of making the character white when they brought him in from the radio show. According to the politics of the time, of course. Things change.

 

[Warped9]

I love Fishbourne as an actor, but it's pretty simple, Perry White is white.

Not in this movie, and not when the character was conceived. He was a voice on the radio. Was he black? Was he white? Was he hispanic? Asian?

From a certain point of view, the comics made the 'politically correct' decision of making the character white when they brought him in from the radio show. According to the politics of the time, of course. Things change.

This is disingenuous. When the character was created there was no question he would be white because at the time it was flat out impossible that a black man would be credibly accepted as the Chief Editor of a major newspaper. The alternative just never entered the creators' minds. There was nothing politically correct about it.

 

[Gaith]

Everyone hopes that it succeeds and that "they don't fuck it up"

Speak for yourself - I'm hoping that this film is a total disaster, thus paving the way for a new Supergirl movie, this time as a lipstick -

*ducks* *crashing of ceramic*

That was a joke, people, a joke!



2,200+ posts on this thread already. Gonna be a long two years!

 

[Captaindemotion]

Kinda off topic, but it may as well go here as anywhere (well, the Dark Knight Rises one too, I suppose). Here's one for the 'pinch of salt' department, but it's being suggested that the Superman v Batman movie might be back on. Yeah right. Go on. Read the link. You know you want to.

http://www.moviehole.net/201144072-batman-vs-superman-movie-back-on

But if you don't want to, then the gist of it is

In a classic case of covering your ass, what we’re hearing is two separate incarnations are being tooled. One version where the World’s Greatest Detective is firmly established and helps mentor an up-and-coming, fresh-faced Supes and vice versa. Essentially, they’re hoping they can woo Christian Bale back into the cape-and-cowl for a fourth time and in case the Oscar-winner tells them, “No thanks, I’m done!”, they’ll go for a new actor altogether. Both versions would feature Henry Cavill’s Last Son of Krypton.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I don't see a Batman vs. Superman movie happening... at least not anytime soon. You can also rest assure that Christian Bale won't do the movie, either, unless Christopher Nolan directs. Which won't happen.

The most feasible and realistic outcome after The Dark Knight Rises is that Warner Bros. reboots the Batman franchise as early as 2015. Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas could produce the reboot, which has been rumored, but their roles would likely be in an advisory capacity, similar to their roles on Man of Steel. Depending on the outcome of Man of Steel in 2013, I can see WB either green-lighting a sequel or just letting the franchise remain dormant. The future of the Superman franchise, as well as the future of DC Comics superheroes on the big screen in general, hinders on the success or failure of Man of Steel. Especially after Green Lantern tanked. That film has a lot more pressure now than it ever did (which is a lot, especially with people wondering if Superman can work as a contemporary character in the wake of the underpeformance of Superman Returns).

I just don't see WB moving forward with a separate Batman vs. Superman movie, at least not in the immediate future. If Man of Steel is a success, then you can rest assure WB will want sequels. I'm sure they'll want to continue the Batman franchise for as long as possible. It's also totally inconceivable to think Christian Bale would want to participate. I can maybe see a team-up movie after the Batman franchise has been rebooted, with Henry Cavill's Superman. Maybe.

 

[JarodRussell]

I love Fishbourne as an actor, but it's pretty simple, Perry White is white.

Not in this movie, and not when the character was conceived. He was a voice on the radio. Was he black? Was he white? Was he hispanic? Asian?

From a certain point of view, the comics made the 'politically correct' decision of making the character white when they brought him in from the radio show. According to the politics of the time, of course. Things change.

But Perry White is definately a man?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Doesn't have to be, no. At a certain point of divergence, though, the connection to the original character would be maintained by name alone, for the nostalgia of it. There would be nothing wrong with that.

"Peri White?"

Perry White is a character who serves a function in the Superman mythos: he's Clark's boss, he's a newspaper editor. At various times and in different media he's been portrayed as more grouchy or less so, as eccentric or staid, and generally in a somewhat comic vein. He is a hardworking person of integrity. He is usually a generation older than his staff. Those are the parameters of the character that define his traditional function in the stories, and they're fairly broad.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

I almost wish Fishburne was playing Franklin Stern so this whole Perry Black thing can be skipped altogether.