Superman Could Get Dark Knight Treatment

[bluepilot]

It is hard to see superman`s real place in the movie world. He is kind of an outdated character, a flawless puire golden boy belonging to a time when people needed hope, a time when it was alwyas good vs. evil. Now, superheros are not really though of as good.

Spiderman filled the role of superhero sturggling with his personal life.

Batman filled the role of dark gritty gardian

The x-men filled the role of heroes against political struggle

Iron man did terrorists and weapons

I do not know what they could do to the character to bring something new to the superhero movie world. It would be better to lay this character to rest, I think.

 

[VanityGirl]

I could understand how it could be difficult to give it the "Dark Knight Treatment". I mean, like you said, Batman is a dark superhero, while Superman is a shining light.

I'd really like to see a fun, exciting and bright superman movie. Maybe Nolan can do that, but I doubt it. I hope he doesn't make Superman a super dark character. Fingers Crossed!

 

[Kuchinawa212]

But Superman to me is a boyscout. That's when I like him best. Not a dark hero that's misunderstood and tries to right wrongs where ever he sees fit.

 

[Outlaw Torn]

All they need to do is make Superman Vs. Batman like they suggested in I Am Legend, instant hit and we all get to see Bats kicking Superman's kryptonian buttocks. Possibly in 3D since no film could possibly go without it these days.

 

[samsonguy920]

But... Superman's style has never been "dark and angsty". I hope that's not the direction they're taking him.

I agree, but if they do bring in the darker villains that would be a help. I for one would love if they brought Brainiac to light, if not Doomsday. After all, Brainiac has history with Kal-el and his legacy.

*insert WROOOOOONG image here*

Continue on Returns. Returns is set after Superman II, deleting III and IV from existence. This is a good thing. Because that is the Superman a lot of people want to see. Or at least, the Clark Kent. You can definitely change the style around for this movie and class up the story by miles. For instance, you could kill off Supes kid. This would make an excellent segway in to a more Smallville-drama-esque story. Or even a heavy story like The Death of Superman or something like that.

Returns did go right by not acknowledging 3 and 4, as well as had Superman actually put his life at risk to save the day as opposed to the cheesy spin around the world deal. But in many ways it did slip on things, but nothing unforgiveable in my eye. For one Kevin Spacey made for an excellent Lex Luthor, but that caused Brandon Routh to be overshadowed, making the movie more to be about Luthor and not Superman.
Anyway, Smallville works on TV, but trying to translate it to the big screen would not be wise. Some drama would be okay, but the main focus of a Superman movie that we are long overdue for is some serious action. I think Doomsday or Brainiac would be a good turn. Maybe even Darkseid, but he may be better saved for the Justice League movie.

Afterthought: At the least they could revisualize Superman II, and bring Zod back.
Okay, so Doomsday, Brainiac, Zod, or Darkseid. I'm done now.

 

[CK76]

Are you dense, are you retarted or something, i'm the godamm superman!

Somebody should get this.

Indeed, and added I say

"Punk is nothing but death...and crime...and the rage of a beast."

Oh Batman and the terrible dialog they give you.

 

[samsonguy920]

But Superman to me is a boy scout. That's when I like him best. Not a dark hero that's misunderstood and tries to right wrongs where ever he sees fit.

I have faith that Nolan will apply the contrast where it is due. He can certainly have fun with the villain. And even if he stays in an advisory role it will be a good thing. Warner Bros. is playing the big studio with this(like they do), but Nolan won't overstep his bounds if he doesn't get the director's chair.
Be Prepared.

 

[Lamppenkeyboard]

I hope they adjust to Superman's image. It has been said above, he is quite different from Batman, he represents a different side of justice, and he is a fucking demigod.

 

[Kuchinawa212]

But Superman to me is a boy scout. That's when I like him best. Not a dark hero that's misunderstood and tries to right wrongs where ever he sees fit.

I have faith that Nolan will apply the contrast where it is due. He can certainly have fun with the villain. And even if he stays in an advisory role it will be a good thing. Warner Bros. is playing the big studio with this(like they do), but Nolan won't overstep his bounds if he doesn't get the director's chair.
Be Prepared.

Oh I know he's not going to ruin it or anything XD I'm going to go watch it. But I just hope he doesn't get tooooo dark on me

 

[SilverHammerMan]

To all the people saying that Superman is obsolete, I think you're wrong.

I forget where it was, but somewhere I read a very good point;
Superman doesn't need to be the superhero that we can relate too, we've got enough of those, Superman is the one hero that we can look up to. The one hero who's undeniably, unshakably heroic.
They are more than enough morally dubious and angsty characters, Batman, Spider-Man, the Punisher, Ironman to some extent, etc. That's why I like heroes like Captain America and Superman, they're undeniably heroes, they're not infallible but they're there to save us, and nothing can stop them.

Anyhow, on topic, for the movie I think it should have a Superman-sized threat, something that can actually give him pause, none of these stupid little people problems that he could logically take out in seconds, but a threat that can actually face him. It should also focus on the effect of Superman on people, like how they react to what is essentially a god in pajamas walking among them and saving them from harm, and then what they do when even that seems to be unable to save them.
I'm also interested to see how his costume turns out on screen, seeing as he doesn't need armor like Batman, thus losing the primary redesign excuse.

PS: That was quite well written if I do say so myself.

 

[samsonguy920]

But Superman to me is a boy scout. That's when I like him best. Not a dark hero that's misunderstood and tries to right wrongs where ever he sees fit.

I have faith that Nolan will apply the contrast where it is due. He can certainly have fun with the villain. And even if he stays in an advisory role it will be a good thing. Warner Bros. is playing the big studio with this(like they do), but Nolan won't overstep his bounds if he doesn't get the director's chair.
Be Prepared.

Oh I know he's not going to ruin it or anything XD I'm going to go watch it. But I just hope he doesn't get tooooo dark on me

Me, too. But like I said, he can make the villain(s) plenty dark, just not Supes.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

I think superman is a lost cause. Sure he has cool powers and at the time of his conception he seemed really neat and creative, but he's one of the worst written heroes ever. There's either no kryptonite and he's unstoppable or there is kryptonite and he's powerless. Plus he has no personality, he's just always this paragon of goodness. It's boring.

 

[Dr Happypills]

Apart from the big surprise that he actually killed (sort of) Superman, Doomsday is a boring, one note villain with zero personality. Sure, Superman vs Evil Hulk sounds good if you're trying to market it to the 12-14 year old demographic and exclude everyone else, but nobody in marketing is that crazy.

Darkseid makes a good villain. He's basically who Hitler wished he was. Completely evil and totally comfortable with it. He knows who and what he is, and he makes no excuses. He's exactly what a great Superman villain should be; an alternate take on what a Superman really is. Lex fits the mold even better when he's written well, but he's been so overused in such an underwhelming way (gee, another real estate scam! I'm surprised) that another reinterpretation might be pushing it. I hope not though, he's one of the most fantastically flawed and awesome characters, nevermind villains ever put to pen and paper and a personal favorite of mine. Brainiac works well with the "alternate Superman" theme of the villains and ties into Superman's origin and mythos really well, but he's probably a better choice for a second movie villain. He might be too much exposition and backstory for one movie on top of the origin and all.

There's plenty of good choices and plenty of fantastic Superman stories to draw inspiration from if they don't want to just straight up write a new one. I'm optimistic.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Man, this is the second time I've seen the Escpaist members get there before the 'official' news.

As I said in the user thread, I'm fine as long as they are just rebooting Superman, but the minute they make it dark and gritty they miss the point. Superman is a deliberate hearkening back to a time which didn't even exist when he was made, this wonderscape city of skyscrapers and gleaming surfaces.

You can't remake him like you did Batman, you can remake him, but he is quite explicitly not the dark knight.