• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Chris Nolan looking for "Superman" director

JacksonArcher

JacksonArcher

Vice Admiral
Admiral
Superman reboot producers Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas are currently looking for directors for their planned re-imagining of the DC comics superhero. They currently have a shortlist and that list consists of: Zack Synder (300, Watchmen), Tony Scott (Crimson Tide, Man on Fire), Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, upcoming Let Me In), Jonathan Liebesman (upcoming Battle: Los Angles and Clash of the Titans 2) and Duncan Jones (Moon, upcoming Source Code).

Nolan and Thomas will be meeting with each of these prospective directors in the next few weeks and Nolan will submit his choice for director to the studio shortly after that. The film has a projected 2012 release date, so WB wants to fast track the movie soon before the rights revert back to the Seigels in 2013.

Out of all those candidates, Duncan Jones would be my first and at this point only pick. His directorial debut Moon was extraordinary and I've heard nothing but superb things about his next project, Source Code. After Jones, I think my next pick would be Matt Reeves. Even though I thought Cloverfield was so-so, the previews for Let Me In look fantastic and the film is getting rave reviews. Besides those choices, none of them really pique my interest.

What about you guys? Out of those potential directors, which one would you prefer?

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107703-emma-stone-in-the-running-for-spider-man-reboot
 
PsychoPere said:
Duncan Jones is on the shortlist? If there is a god, then he needs to direct this film.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. His next film, Source Code, is a cyber-thriller/action film and I hope that it will impress the studio and inform moviegoers that he could handle a movie like Superman.
 
JacksonArcher said:
They currently have a shortlist and that list consists of: Zack Synder (300, Watchmen), Tony Scott (Crimson Tide, Man on Fire), Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, upcoming Let Me In), Jonathan Liebesman (upcoming Battle: Los Angles and Clash of the Titans 2) and Duncan Jones (Moon, upcoming Source Code).



Out of all those candidates, Duncan Jones would be my first and at this point only pick. His directorial debut Moon was extraordinary and I've heard nothing but superb things about his next project, Source Code. After Jones, I think my next pick would be Matt Reeves. Even though I thought Cloverfield was so-so, the previews for Let Me In look fantastic and the film is getting rave reviews. Besides those choices, none of them really pique my interest.

What about you guys? Out of those potential directors, which one would you prefer?

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107703-emma-stone-in-the-running-for-spider-man-reboot
Click to expand...

I have to go with Duncan Jones also. I thought Moon was an excellent film. Yes Rockwell added to that but the way the film was shot helped to draw the viewer into the environment. If Jones could do that with Superman it would be awesome.

One of my many issues with Returns was that Superman felt to unapprochable. It didn't lure me in like Jones did in Moon.

Since this is the list and I had to pick a second choice I guess I'd take Tony Scott however I'll reserve that until I see Let Me In, just in case. Cloverfield alone while not bad doesn't sell me on him.
 
Also, since Clint Mansell is an oft collaborator of Duncan Jones, if he does get the gig it will likely mean he'd score the movie. A Clint Mansell Superman score is just... too tantalizing to pass up.
 
None of them.

Brad Bird would be perfect...won't happen...but that is who I would want.
 
GORILLA GRODD AIN'T GOT NOTHIN ON ME!!!


Wasn't there news of Nolan grooming his brother Johnathan to direct the movie while Chris acted as supervisor?
 
Samurai8472 said:
GORILLA GRODD AIN'T GOT NOTHIN ON ME!!!


Wasn't there news of Nolan grooming his brother Johnathan to direct the movie while Chris acted as supervisor?
Click to expand...

Those were probably just rumors. I have a hard time imagining a studio like WB giving one of their biggest properties to an inexperienced director like Jonathan Nolan.
 
They want this to come out the same year as the Batman sequel? I don't know if that's a good idea. WB would be in competition with itself. I guess it didn't hurt for "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" to come out the same year, but with Batman and Superman being such huge properties, I think they should be released in separate years as they might detract from each other in the same year.

I haven't even seen "Moon" and yet to me Duncan Jones sounds like the best choice on that list. If they chose him, it would seem like smartly following the train of thought that lead to Nolan himself getting hired to direct Batman movies. He was a filmmaker respected for coming up with an original, low-budget feature who got a chance based on the potential he showed with it.

The rest seem to be more experienced with movies that are successful more for spectacle than substance, and while some spectacle is necessary to make a Superman movie work, I think the best choice is probably the more low profile one. I've enjoyed some of Tony Scott and Zack Synder's movies, but I don't think characterization is their strong suit, and I believe that's key for a Superman movie to be satisfying. My favourite Superman movie so far is "Superman II", which I think has one of the most poorly rendered action climaxes ever (to be fair, that's mostly because of the constraints of technology at the time), but I don't mind much because the characters in that movie were so wonderfully written and acted.
 
Stephen Sommers - needs a second good movie

Jonathan Frakes - could use the work.
 
PsychoPere said:
Duncan Jones is on the shortlist? If there is a god, then he needs to direct this film.
Click to expand...

Even I think he should direct the movie, and I think that God stuff is a bunch of nonsense. :p

Although, honestly, I'd rather see Jones move onto Mute if it's a possibility, but if a Superman film is a stepping stone to that project, awesome.
 
I like Tony Scott but his kinetic jumpy style would be all wrong for a Superman movie. He'd be perfect for The Dark Knight returns, IMHO.

I also like Zack Snyder but have mixed views on him doing Superman. He'd need to tone it down on the slow-mo big time. Again, I think he's maybe suited to more adult or graphic comic adaptations (Watchmen, 300) than to an iconic character like Superman.

Matt Reeves - I liked Cloverfield. I'd have no problems with him taking the reins but it's hard to be overly enthusiastic on the basis of 1 movie.

Jonathan Lieberman I suspect is only there to make up the numbers because of his association with WB.

While I haven't seen Duncan Jones' acclaimed Moon, for some reason his name is the one which interests me most. He comes from a similar indie background to Nolan and Bryan Singer. He has shown an ability to make intelligent, thinking sci-fi and apparently did wonders with low-tech sfx. Maybe it's time for him to make the leap to the big budgets.

Wonder if the fact that Nolan cast Jones' father, David Bowie, in The Prestige, makes him favourite on the list?
 
^ Nah...its "Moon" for me, you need to see it, once you do you'll understand the high acclaim Duncan gets. There is just something about his story telling technique and visual style that I think would be just outstanding for a "Superman" movie, particularly the small bit of story that Nolan revealed back in March. As Jackson indicated in his post if Duncan gets the job then it's possible that Clint Mansell will be drafted once again to provide the score and to echo Jackson that is a tantalizing prospect. Just thinking about it makes me drool...
 
How about Bryan Singer? Most of the criticism against Superman Returns is about the script, not the direction.
 
^^^
If WB still trusted Singer with Superman we'd already have had a sequel to Returns. They don't and as far as Supes goes neither do I.

WB wants/needs a better approach. Nolan has performed with their star franchise so time to see if he can do it again with another.
 
Captain Craig said:
^^^
If WB still trusted Singer with Superman we'd already have had a sequel to Returns. They don't and as far as Supes goes neither do I.

WB wants/needs a better approach. Nolan has performed with their star franchise so time to see if he can do it again with another.
Click to expand...

Nolan and Batman simply fit together. But Superman is an entirely different hero. If he goes all Memento, Batman Begins, Dark Knight, Prestige or Inception with Superman, I certainly won't watch that.
 
^^^
No argument that Superman is a different creation. Batman and his motif play into Nolan's strengths which are the psyche. All his movies tend to play on the pscychology of the mind. How are perceptions affect are reactions to our environment.

You'd have to expect Nolan to bring that into a Superman story. Superman is more about awe, adventure and the astonishing. Those are still emotions, just different ones. So if Nolan can adapt that he may be fine.
 
Yeah if DC Entertainment was interested in having Bryan Singer we already would have got the sequel for "Superman Returns". Just because Nolan has done dark films in the past doesn't mean that he wouldn't mandate that type of tone for the character. I think he and Goyer would read source material for "Superman" in order to write a story they felt was great and in tune with the character just as they did for the Batman films. I think it's way too early to judge on what the tone is going to be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top