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Rumor: Bryan Singer Won't Be Directing Superman: Man of Steel?

by Alex Billington
January 3, 2008
Source: Thompson On Hollywood

Bryan Singer on the set of Superman Returns

Variety blogger Anne Thompson wrote a piece last week titled Dark Knight's Nolan and DC Comics Pics (thanks for the link, too, Anne!) that most of us missed in the Holiday haze. Her last paragraph is the most discomforting, but from what I can tell, it may be more speculation than truth. It reads, "speaking of DC Comics pics, it is highly unlikely that Bryan Singer will return to shoot the next Superman movie." Wait, what?! This would be disastrous if it were the case! Not everyone liked Superman Returns, but if they (or specifically, if Bryan) pulls this again, then it's going to be another X-Men 3! And everyone know how that turned out.

Here is the full final paragraph from Anne's article.

"Speaking of DC Comics pics, it is highly unlikely that Bryan Singer will return to shoot the next Superman movie. (The director is finishing up Tom Cruise's Nazi film Valkyrie, and prepping The Mayor of Castro Street). The next Superman we will see on the big screen will not be Brandon Routh, but a younger Superman among a cast of youthful superheroes in The Justice League. That movie will likely not be shot, however, until after the WGA strike is resolved."

Now, I need to tread lightly in the case that Anne actually is right and is just hiding the truth in speculative writing. Superman: Man of Steel, as the sequel has been officially titled, has already had plentiful discussion. But we all know Bryan Singer is out working on Valkyrie and we suspected something along the lines of working on The Mayor of Castro Street quickly in between Valkyrie and Superman: Man of Steel. But if this is the case, his future may be set on Valkyrie and The Mayor of Castro Street and not Superman: Man of Steel. Especially considering that the Justice League movie with a newer, younger Superman is already in the works and moving into production quite soon.

If you remember back in October, this rumor came up once before. And there was the big online fiasco surrounding Mark Millar's pitch for a real Superman movie. Unless someone comes out and proves this rumor wrong, it's starting to seem like everything is pointing towards Singer NOT directing this sequel. Quite a shame, because I think he could've pulled off better a movie this time around than Superman Returns.

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http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

YEAH! No maybe the movie can be canceled next ! I hated the first one and it didn't do to hot in the Box Office either. Why make another? Let me watch the originals instead.
Spider

I think that now is a good time to seriously consider Mark Millar's pitch! If he can also direct, then why not? He seems genuinely passionate about the whole project! Think- Sam Raimi's passion for "Spider-Man". I think this will help Warner Bros. and DC establish that not only Batman could be a viable franchise! Half assing a Superman franchise and a half assed "Justice League" movie is going to sink the vast potential of DC.
Heckle

Also not a fan of Singers Superman. Let Millar do it or perhaps Joss Whedon.
Arei2005

I really liked Superman Returns. He had to kick start a dead franchise and did very well if you ask me, yes, it has it's faults but overall was enjoyable and i think he'd do better second time around. In addition, he said he'd "go all Wrath of Khan on it". LMAO So i hope he does direct a second Superman.
Tirrell

Thats the best news I've heard on Superman. Get rid of him. Superman needs to go in a whole new direction. No more Luther, no more natural disaster stories. Lets get some great DC villians in there able to challenge Superman physically instead of Luther using Kryptonite to weaken him and beat him down like a whimp!!! The best part of Singers Superman returns was the plane scene, that is it!!! So good bye Singer and bring on someone talented and creative enough to push the envelope.
Heckle

I agree Tirrell. Hmmm....do we want to see superman fight a human villain? NO We want to see an all out battle with another person with super powers.
Arei2005

Wikipedia Among the plans for the sequel include more action sequences, an alien villain, and Singer's promise to "go all Wrath of Khan on it". The film is scheduled for release in summer 2009'. Obviously, somethings have changed e.g. the writers etc but he's putting an alien villain in the second one.
mamagaea

That last sentence didn't make sense. "he could've pulled off a movie this time around than Superman Returns." Looked like a word was missing. What did you mean to say?
Arei2005

If your talking to me. "he could've pulled off a movie this time around than Superman Returns." was not how i worded it soz. I'm confused.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

Thanks for catching that... The word missing was "better." I fixed the sentence above.
Arei2005

Eeeeeek never mind lol
Brat

thats good news, cos Singer sux
John

And what would be the problem with Singer leaving? Superman Returns was a good Superman movie, but it was not the movie it should have been. Even if we all know the origins of Superman, we all knew the origins of Batman, and look how Nolan's version turned out. Granted, a character like Batman is a bit more flexible than Superman in terms of moral flexibility, but making a sequel to movie that is over a decade old was just bad form in my opinion. They should have rebooted the franchise with the same cast and a director that was not Brian Singer. Why not Brian Singer? Because unlike Spiderman and Batman, where there is always a sort of gray area of moral flexibility, Superman rarely encounters that gray area. And since Singer is clearly not a capable action director (action does not include lifting a continent to the sky), Superman is not the film for him to direct. Imagine if they would have rebooted the franchise: 1st movie-Origin story with Lex Luther the scientist/rich guy. 2nd movie: Superman dies in the end. 3rd movie: Superman comes back and battles the impostors/Mattell sells a bunch of action figures. Instead, we are given a movie that after a decade of delays is a good sequel to the previous Superman movies, but just not a great film on it's own. Oh, and we get a not so subtle allegory that Superman is Jesus/Allah/Yaweh/ other gods.
http://www.kogmedia.com Patrick Roberts

sounds okay to me, i like the original superman tho
Jerry

Let Singer's Superman fade from memory. If movies could literally take human shape, Singer's film would have been an annoying Mime in white face, grating on your nerves. A poorly done imitation Donner film resurrecting the Seventies, and attempting to make the audience believe they were indeed reliving the Seventies was a moronic direction to take with the Superman franchise. As Nolan and Bale breathed new life into the Batman franchise, so does the Superman property need that same fresh breath of life. Anyone who thought Superman Returns was a well made film needs their head examined. Remove all the eye pooping special effects, and it's revealed the boorish garbage it truly was. I've got an idea for those of you who thought Returns was such a great film..Since you're so much into retro, begin a letter campaign to Nolan of the Batman films. Maybe you can gather up enough influence to turn Bale's Batman into a mimicry of the 60's Adam West Batman...
Rocky

I thought Superman Returns was a good start for the new franchise. Maybe I need my head examined. I don't know. It was 10 times better though than that piece of crap Spiderman 3. I also thought it was better than Batman Begins (made more money worldwide too).
Jazzy D

I whole heartedly dissagree. I thought Superman Returns was not at all what the franchise needed. I felt like they were trying too hard to revive the Christopher Reeves 70's Superman. Christopher Reeves was a great man in real life, but the whole idea behing these Superheroes is that they are bigger than life. And honestly, I don't think there has been anyone in movies that has ever really done the Man of Steel and justice. No director, no Actor, none of it. They need to scrap the whole thing, and start over at page one like they did with Batman. Make a movie that starts right at the beggining of Supermans career. Get someone, MINDBLOWING to play Superman, stay more in line with Comic book History, AND MAKE LEX LUTHOR A GREATER VILLAIN THAN A REAL ESTATE CON ARTIST!!!! He's the greatest criminal mastermind of all time! He even made his way into the presidency at one point! Do him some justice! Lastly, before anyone rushes headlong into a Justice League movie, they really ought to do a simple Batman Superman crossover first. Develop their relationship first. After all, in the comics the two are besr friends. Think about it.