''Superman Returns'' is a 2006 American
superhero film directed by
Bryan Singer and written by
Michael Dougherty and
Dan Harris from a story by Singer, Dougherty and Harris based on the
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
character
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
. It is the sixth and final installment in the original
''Superman'' film series and serves as an
homage
Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to:
History
*Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance
*Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts
*Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
sequel to ''
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' (1978) and ''
Superman II'' (1980),
while
ignoring the events of ''
Superman III'' (1983), ''
Supergirl'' (1984), and ''
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace'' (1987).
The film stars
Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman,
Kate Bosworth as
Lois Lane,
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles before gaining a leading man status in film and television. Spacey has received various accolade ...
as
Lex Luthor, with
James Marsden,
Frank Langella
Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American stage and film actor. He has won four Tony Awards: two for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance as Richard Nixon in Peter Morgan's '' Frost/Nixon'' and as André in Flor ...
, and
Parker Posey. The film tells the story of the title character returning to Earth after a five-year absence. He finds that his
love interest Lois Lane has moved on with her life, and that his archenemy Lex Luthor is plotting a scheme to kill Superman and reshape North America.
After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect ''Superman'' on screen following the critical and
financial failure of ''The Quest for Peace'',
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of li ...
hired Bryan Singer to direct and develop ''Superman Returns'' in July 2004. The majority of
principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as ...
took place at
Fox Studios Australia, Sydney, while the visual effects sequences were created by a number of studios, including
Sony Pictures Imageworks,
Rhythm & Hues,
Framestore
Framestore is a British animation, visual effects company and creative studio based on Chancery Lane in London. Formed in 1986, it acquired (and subsequently merged with) the Computer Film Company in 1997. It works on feature films and telev ...
,
Rising Sun Pictures, and
The Orphanage; filming began in March 2005 and ended in November.
Upon release, the film received generally positive reviews from critics, who complimented its visual effects, story, and Singer's direction. However, it received criticism focusing on its runtime and lack of action sequences. Even though it was the ninth
highest-grossing film of 2006, Warner Bros. was disappointed with the worldwide box office return of the film, cancelling a sequel planned for 2009 as a result. The ''Superman'' film series was completely rebooted in 2013 with ''
Man of Steel'', directed by
Zack Snyder, starring
Henry Cavill as Superman, and launching the
DC Extended Universe. Routh later reprised his role as Superman in the 2019
Arrowverse crossover "
Crisis on Infinite Earths".
Plot
Superman has been missing for five years, since traveling to the location where astronomers believed they had discovered the remains of
Krypton
Krypton (from grc, κρυπτός, translit=kryptos 'the hidden one') is a chemical element with the symbol Kr and atomic number 36. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas that occurs in trace amounts in the atmosphere and is of ...
. During his absence, Superman's nemesis
Lex Luthor was released from prison and married a rich widow to obtain her fortune upon her death. Superman, having failed in his quest to find surviving Kryptonians, returns to Earth and, as Clark Kent, resumes his job at the ''
Daily Planet'' in
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big c ...
. He subsequently learns that
Lois Lane has won the
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
for her article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." Meanwhile, Luthor travels to the
Fortress of Solitude and steals Kryptonian crystals, which he uses for an experiment that causes a power outage on the East Coast. The power loss interferes with the flight test of a
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program n ...
to be
launched into space from its piggy-back mounting on an airliner, occupied by Lois Lane, who is covering the shuttle story. Clark flies into action as Superman and stops the plane from crashing onto a baseball stadium.
The world rejoices at Superman's return, but he has difficulty coping with Lois' fiancé, Richard White, nephew of ''Daily Planet'' editor-in-chief
Perry White, and their 5-year-old son, Jason. With Superman distracted by an out-of-control vehicle (a diversion involving Luthor's henchwoman, Kitty Kowalski), Luthor steals
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a unique, poisonous r ...
from the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. Perry then assigns Lois to interview Superman while Clark investigates the blackout. Lois and Jason inadvertently board Luthor's yacht and are captured after Lois decides to hold interest in the blackout story, which she connects to Luthor's experiment. He reveals to them his grand scheme of using one of the stolen Kryptonian crystals, which he has combined with the Kryptonite, to grow a new continental landmass in the Northern Atlantic Ocean that will supplant the continental United States and kill millions of innocent people.
Seeing Jason seemingly have a slight reaction to Kryptonite, Luthor asks who Jason's father really is; Lois asserts that the father is Richard. The crystal begins to create Luthor's new landmass, while Lois attempts to escape but is attacked by a henchman. Jason throws a piano at the henchman, killing him and showing that he is actually Superman's son. Meanwhile, Superman is attempting to minimize the destruction in Metropolis caused by the new landmass' growth when Richard arrives in a sea plane to rescue Lois and Jason. Superman soon arrives to help and then flies off to find Luthor.
Meeting Luthor, Superman discovers the landmass is filled with Kryptonite, which weakens him to the point that Luthor and his henchmen are able to brutalize and torture him. Superman is stabbed by Luthor with a shard of Kryptonite before he falls into the ocean and is left to drown. Lois makes Richard turn back to rescue Superman, whereupon she removes the Kryptonite from his back. Superman, after regaining his strength from the sun, lifts the landmass after putting layers of earth between him and the Kryptonite. Luthor and Kitty escape in their helicopter; Kitty, unwilling to let millions of people die, tosses away the crystals that Lex stole from the Fortress of Solitude. She and Luthor are stranded on a desert island when their helicopter runs out of fuel. Superman pushes the landmass into space with the crystals trapped on the landmass, but is weakened by the Kryptonite and crashes back to Earth. Doctors remove more Kryptonite from Superman's wound, but after it is removed they cannot penetrate his skin with their surgical tools. While Superman remains in a coma, Lois and Jason visit him at the hospital where Lois whispers a secret into Superman's ear and then kisses him. Superman later awakens and flies to visit Jason, reciting his father Jor-El's last speech to Jason as he sleeps. Lois starts writing another article, titled "Why the World Needs Superman". Superman reassures her that he is now back to stay, and flies off to low orbit, where he gazes down at the world once again.
Cast
*
Brandon Routh as
Clark Kent / Superman: The Kryptonian superhero whose alter-ego is a mild-mannered farmer-turned-journalist.
*
Kate Bosworth as
Lois Lane: A reporter who works with Clark Kent at the ''Daily Planet'', and former lover of Superman.
*
James Marsden as Richard White: The nephew of the ''Daily Planet'' editor-in-chief Perry White and fiancé to Lois Lane. Marsden said Richard acts as an emotional challenge for Superman, since the hero comes back to find that "Lois Lane picks somebody who's very Supermanesque".
*
Frank Langella
Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American stage and film actor. He has won four Tony Awards: two for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance as Richard Nixon in Peter Morgan's '' Frost/Nixon'' and as André in Flor ...
as
Perry White: The editor of the ''Daily Planet''.
*
Eva Marie Saint as
Martha Kent: Clark Kent's adoptive mother.
*
Parker Posey as Kitty Kowalski: Lex Luthor's henchwoman. She served as a prison nurse and would give Lex his examinations. The character is based on Eve Teschmacher from the
1978 film, portrayed by
Valerie Perrine.
*
Kal Penn
Kalpen Suresh Modi (born April 23, 1977), known professionally as Kal Penn, is an American actor, author, academic lecturer, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration. As an actor, he is known for his role portrayi ...
as Stanford: One of Luthor's
henchmen
A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose value lies pri ...
.
*
Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington (born April 1, 1982) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Josh Levison, a werewolf in the Syfy series '' Being Human'', and for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the superhero film '' Superman Returns''. For i ...
as
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Olsen is most often portrayed as a young photojournalist working for the '' Daily Planet''. He is close friends with Lois Lane and Clark Kent, and ha ...
: a photographer at the ''Daily Planet'' and a friend of Clark.
*
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles before gaining a leading man status in film and television. Spacey has received various accolade ...
as
Lex Luthor: A
sociopath armed with vast resources and an extensive knowledge of science who is Superman's nemesis. Spacey's version of Luthor has the same comically exaggerated
vanity and pompous arrogance of the earlier
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is an American retired actor and former novelist. In a career that has spanned more than six decades, Hackman has won two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, two BAFTAs ...
version, as well as the same strong interest in
real estate
Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more genera ...
, but Spacey's version is far less
campy and more serious. Spacey later said that director Singer told him to play the character as "darker and more bitter" compared to Hackman and not to use the earlier portrayal as an inspiration.
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
appears posthumously as
Jor-El, Superman's biological father. Brando, who died in 2004, reprises his role from the 1978 film through the use of previous footage combined with
computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The image ...
. This required negotiations with Brando's
estate for permission to have his footage used. Singer explained, "We had access to all of the Brando footage that was shot. There was unused footage that had Brando reciting poems, trailing off subject and
swearing like a sailor."
Tristan Lake Leabu stars as Jason White, the son of Lois Lane and Superman. The question of whether Superman or Richard is Jason's father is initially unclear. He suffers from asthma and other ailments, but it is later revealed that he is the son of Superman, when he displays superhuman strength and discomfort around Kryptonite.
Peta Wilson
Peta Gia Wilson (born 18 November 1970) is an Australian actress, lingerie designer and model. She is best known as Nikita in the television series '' La Femme Nikita''.
Biography
Early life
Wilson was born in Sydney on 18 November 1970. She ...
appears as NASA spokeswoman Bobbie-Faye.
Jack Larson
Jack Edward Larson (February 8, 1928 – September 20, 2015) was an American actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer best known for his portrayal of photographer/cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on the television series '' Adventures of Superm ...
, who portrayed Jimmy Olsen in the 1950s television series ''
Adventures of Superman'', makes a
cameo appearance
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
as Bo the bartender, possibly based on
Bibbo Bibbowski
Bo "Bibbo" Bibbowski is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is typically shown as a good friend and supportive advocate of Superman.
Bibbo Bibbowski first appeared in '' The Adventures of Superman'' ...
.
Noel Neill—who portrayed Lois Lane in the television series and the
film serials ''
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' (1948) and ''
Atom Man vs. Superman'' (1950)—appears as Luthor's elderly wife Gertrude Vanderworth.
Richard Branson cameos as the engineer aboard the space shuttle. Another of Luthor's henchmen (Riley) is played by
Australian Rugby League footballer
Ian Roberts.
Development
Director, screenwriter and producer
Bryan Singer conceived the storyline of "Superman returning to Earth after a five-year absence" during the filming of ''
X2'' (2003). He presented the idea to ''
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' (2000) and ''X2'' producer
Lauren Shuler Donner
Lauren Diane Shuler Donner (born June 23, 1949) is an American film producer, who specializes in mainstream youth and family-oriented entertainment. She owned The Donners' Company with her late husband, director Richard Donner. Her films have ...
and her husband
Richard Donner, director of ''
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' (1978). Donner greeted Singer's idea with positive feedback.
In March 2004,
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of li ...
was commencing
pre-production on ''Superman: Flyby'', which had a target theatrical release date of June 2006.
McG was signed to direct with a script by
J. J. Abrams, but dropped out in June 2004. That same month, Singer was approached by Warner Bros. to
pitch his idea for ''Superman Returns'', as he was preparing to leave for Hawaii on a short vacation with his ''X2'' writers
Michael Dougherty and
Dan Harris. While in Hawaii, Singer, Dougherty and Harris began to outline the
film treatment
A film treatment (or simply treatment) is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards (index cards) and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detaile ...
.
In July 2004, Singer signed on to direct and develop ''Superman Returns''.
Although he was not a comic book fan, Singer was most impressed with Donner's 1978 film, citing it as an influence of his, Dougherty and Harris's writing.
With Singer's hiring, he dropped out of ''
X-Men: The Last Stand'' (2006) and also had the ''
Logan's Run'' remake pushed back.
''Superman Returns'' was financed 50/50 between Warner Bros. and
Legendary Pictures, and pre-production began in November 2004. By February 2005, Dougherty and Harris had written six drafts of the script. Early versions of the script contained references to the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
before they were removed.
Casting
Jim Caviezel
James Patrick Caviezel Jr. (; born September 26, 1968) is an American film and television actor who played Jesus Christ in '' The Passion of the Christ'' (2004) and starred as John Reese on the CBS series '' Person of Interest'' (2011–2016). ...
expressed interest in playing the role of Superman but Director Singer believed only an unknown actor would be suitable for the part of Superman. Brandon Routh was chosen from thousands of candidates interviewed at
casting calls in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. He had coincidentally auditioned for
Clark Kent in the television series ''
Smallville
''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/G ...
'', but lost to
Tom Welling. Routh had also met director
Joseph "McG" Nichol for the role during pre-production of ''
Superman: Flyby''.
Dana Reeve
Dana Charles Reeve (née Morosini; March 17, 1961 – March 6, 2006) was an American actress, singer, and activist for disability causes. She was the wife of actor Christopher Reeve and mother of television reporter and anchor Will Reeve.
Early ...
, wife of
Christopher Reeve, believed Routh's physical resemblance to her late husband was striking. To obtain the muscular physique to play Superman convincingly, Routh underwent a strict bodybuilding exercise regimen.
Prior to Routh's casting, Singer had ''
X2'' actor
Daniel Cudmore
Daniel Cudmore (born January 20, 1981) is a Canadian actor and stuntman. He is perhaps best known for his roles as the superhero Peter Rasputin / Colossus in the ''X-Men'' film series, and as the Volturi Felix in ''The Twilight Saga'' film ser ...
audition.
Henry Cavill,
Sam Heughan,
Glenn Howerton and
Chris Pratt
Christopher Michael Pratt (born June 21, 1979) is an American actor. He rose to prominence for playing Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom '' Parks and Recreation'' (2009–2015). He also appeared in The WB drama series '' Everwood'' (2002–2006) ...
also auditioned; Cavill would later portray Superman in several
DC Extended Universe films.
Kevin Spacey was the only actor considered for Lex Luthor, because of his
Oscar-winning performance in Singer's film ''
The Usual Suspects'' (1995), and friendship with the director. The writers specifically had Spacey in mind for the part when writing the script.
For the part of Lois Lane, Spacey recommended Kate Bosworth to Singer for the role, because she had co-starred with Spacey in ''
Beyond the Sea'' (2004) as
Sandra Dee.
Claire Danes
Claire Catherine Danes (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress. She is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2012, '' Time'' named her one of the 100 most influenti ...
and
Keri Russell were reportedly also considered.
Amy Adams, who would later be cast as Lois Lane in the 2013 reboot ''
Man of Steel'', confirmed in an interview that she had also auditioned for Lois in 2005. Adams had previously auditioned for Lois in 2003 when
Brett Ratner
Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the ''Rush Hour'' film series, '' The Family Man'', '' Red Dragon'', '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', and ''Tower Heist''. He is also a producer of several film ...
was planning to direct ''Superman: Flyby''. Bosworth studied
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
's acting for inspiration, particularly in ''
The Philadelphia Story'' (1940) and ''
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'' (1967),
as well as
Julia Roberts in ''
Erin Brockovich'' (2000).
Hugh Laurie was originally cast as Perry White, but he was unable to film due to commitments to the TV show ''
House''; the part went to Frank Langella.
Parker Posey was the only actress considered for the role of Kitty Kowalski.
Singer offered the role of Jimmy Olsen to
Shawn Ashmore
Shawn Robert Ashmore (born October 7, 1979) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles as Bobby Drake / Iceman in the ''X-Men'' film series, Jake Berenson in the television series ''Animorphs'', Agent Mike Weston in the television drama s ...
but declined due to his commitments to ''
X-Men: The Last Stand''; the part went to Sam Huntington.
Production
Warner Bros. Pictures considered shooting ''Superman Returns'' at
Warner Roadshow Studios
Village Roadshow Studios are a set of film studios located in Oxenford, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The studios are owned by Village Roadshow and consist of nine sound stages as well as a range of other production facilities. The stu ...
in the
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. After filming, this could have been used as an attraction for the adjoining
Warner Bros. Movie World theme park, but the idea was scrapped for being too expensive.
Set construction started in January 2005 at
Fox Studios Australia for the film's 60 setpieces, while the start date was pushed back for two weeks. In an attempt to avoid public attention, ''Superman Returns'' carried the fake
working title
A working title, which may be abbreviated and styled in trade publications after a putative title as (wt), also called a production title or a tentative title, is the temporary title of a product or project used during its development, usually ...
of ''Red Sun'' during filming.
Starting in late March 2005,
principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as ...
lasted until November.
Filming of ''Superman Returns'' in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
constituted hiring thousands of local workers, generating over $100 million into the local economy. 80% of filming took place at Fox Studios Australia, occupying all nine
sound stages. Scenes set in
Smallville
''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/G ...
were shot at
Breeza, while the
Australian Museum doubled for the Metropolis Museum of Natural History.
Design and effects
''Superman Returns'' was shot using
Panavision's
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
digital camera. Production designer
Guy Hendrix Dyas
Guy Hendrix Dyas (born 20 August 1968) is a British American production designer. He collaborated with Christopher Nolan on his science fiction thriller ''Inception'' which earned him an Academy Award nomination as well as a BAFTA Award for Best ...
was influenced by
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
's
Johnson Wax Headquarters for the design of the ''
Daily Planet''. ESC Entertainment was originally set to design the visual effects sequences, but Warner Bros. replaced them with the hiring of
Mark Stetson from
Sony Pictures Imageworks as the
visual effects supervisor. A total of 1,400 visual effects shots were created.
The script required a scene of Superman safely delivering a
Boeing 777 in a
baseball park
A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimensions can vary widely from place to pla ...
where
computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The image ...
was used as it would have been impossible to assemble the number of
extras for the shots. A
second unit crew traveled to
Dodger Stadium to photograph elements that were composited into the final images. The scenes of Metropolis was actually a modified version of the skyline of Manhattan. Using footage from the original ''Superman'' (1978) film as a reference point,
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
was re-created by
Rhythm & Hues using CGI. The opening credits for ''Superman Returns'' are presented in an intended recreation of the style used for ''Superman'', again to the accompaniment of
John Williams's theme music.
Music
Singer hired regular collaborator
John Ottman
John Ottman (born July 6, 1964) is an American film composer and editor. He is best known for collaborating with director Bryan Singer, composing and/or editing many of his films, including '' Public Access'' (1993), '' The Usual Suspects'' (19 ...
as editor and
film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...
composer months before the script was written. Ottman said in past interviews that
John Williams, who composed the 1978 film, had influenced his decision to become a musician. He was both cautious and enthusiastic to work on ''Superman Returns''. Ottman commented: "Bryan
ingersaid he wouldn't even
greenlight the movie if he couldn't use the John Williams music. It was important for me to preserve the Williams theme right down to every single note for the opening titles". Ottman referred to his work on ''Superman Returns'' as a
homage
Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to:
History
*Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance
*Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts
*Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
to, not a
ripoff of, Williams.
Budget
Originally budgeted at $184.5 million, Warner Bros. placed the final production cost at $223 million, coming down to $204 million after factoring in tax rebates and incentives. Taking into account the
development costs since the early 1990s, total expenditure is estimated to be around $263 million, with up to a further $100 million spent on worldwide marketing.
Release
Marketing
Warner Bros. promoted ''Superman Returns'' at 2005 San Diego
Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...
.
Singer and screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris came up with the idea of publishing a
prequel limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
, spanning four comic book issues.
The stories were written by
Jimmy Palmiotti,
Marc Andreyko
Marc Andreyko (born 20 June 1970) is a comic book writer and screenwriter, best known for the true crime series '' Torso'' he co-wrote with Brian Michael Bendis and for co-creating the character Kate Spencer for DC Comics.
Career
Marc Andreyk ...
, and Justin Gray, with artwork by
Karl Kerschl and
Matt Haley
Matt Haley (born June 10, 1970) is an American film director, art director and book illustrator artist. He was the art director of Morgan Spurlock's ''Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope'' feature documentary, which debuted at the 2010 Toronto Inte ...
. During production, a series of "
video diaries
''Video Diaries'' is a BBC television programme produced by the Community Programme Unit. The series of programmes was created in 1990 by producer Jeremy Gibson. The programme's production team offered members of the public basic video training a ...
" on the Internet were released a
BlueTights.net showing behind-the-scenes work being done. After 27 installments, the video diaries stopped for a while shortly before the
teaser trailer debuted on November 18, 2005 with ''
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. It follows Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts ...
''.
The main theatrical trailer premiered online on May 2, 2006. The trailer appeared in theaters on May 5, with prints of ''
Mission: Impossible III'', while the international trailer came with ''
The Da Vinci Code'' and ''
X-Men: The Last Stand''.
DC Comics published a comics adaptation by artist Matt Haley and writer
Martin Pasko
Martin Joseph "Marty" Pasko (born Jean-Claude Rochefort; August 4, 1954– May 10, 2020) was a Canadian comic book writer and television screenwriter.
Pasko worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his superhero stories for DC C ...
,
Marv Wolfman wrote a
novelization, and
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the ...
developed a
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...
based on both the movie and the comics.
The estimated cost of marketing ''Superman Returns'' in the United States was $45.5 million, the second-highest of the year behind
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's $53.5 million campaign for ''
Cars''. Warner Bros. made
tie-in deals with
General Mills
General Mills, Inc., is an American multinational manufacturer and marketer of branded processed consumer foods sold through retail stores. Founded on the banks of the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, the company or ...
,
Burger King
Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based restaurant ch ...
,
Duracell,
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi wa ...
,
Doritos
Doritos () is an American brand of flavored tortilla chips produced since 1964 by Frito-Lay, a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo. The original Doritos were not flavored. The first flavor was Toasted Corn, released in 1966, followed by Taco in ...
,
Papa John's Pizza,
7-Eleven and
Colgate.
The film was also advertised with
Red Bull Racing Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
cars at the
2006 Monaco Grand Prix
The 2006 Monaco Grand Prix (formally known as the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2006) was a Formula One motor race held on 28 May 2006 at the Circuit de Monaco. The 78-lap race was the seventh round of the 2006 Formula One season. Prior to the ra ...
.
David Coulthard managed to get the team's first top three finish that day; on the podium, he wore a Superman cape in celebration of his achievement.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
Sprint Cup champion
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
also sported the "Man of Steel" look by promoting the movie on his #24
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ou ...
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
in the 2006
Pepsi 400 at
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NASC ...
.
Troy Bayliss appeared in promotional "Superman" leathers and sported a cape on the podium following a win and a 2nd place at the 2006 Brands Hatch Superbike World Championship round on his way to winning
that year's championship. The
National Geographic Channel released ''The Science of Superman'' on June 29, 2006: a
television special
A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of e ...
that studied
popular science
''Popular Science'' (also known as ''PopSci'') is an American digital magazine carrying popular science content, which refers to articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. ''Popular Science'' has won over 58 awards, incl ...
analogies with the Superman mythos. Singer admitted at 2006 Comic-Con International that he was dissatisfied with the marketing and promotion. "A lot of people did their job, and a lot didn't".
Box office
Bryan Singer convinced Warner Bros. not to experiment with
test screenings. In addition, Singer removed 15 minutes of footage from ''Superman Returns'' after showing it to some of his "trusted associates". The final theatrical time length ran at 154 minutes. Warner Bros. originally slated the movie for release on Friday, June 30, but moved it up to Wednesday, June 28. ''Superman Returns'' was released on June 28, 2006, in the United States and Canada in 4,065 theaters. During its opening day, it earned $21 million, becoming the eighth-highest Wednesday opening day and the second-highest for a superhero film, behind ''
Spider-Man 2''. The film ranked at the top in its opening weekend, grossing $52.5 million.
With a total gross of $84.6 million, ''Superman Returns'' dethroned ''
The Matrix Revolutions
''The Matrix Revolutions'' is a 2003 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the third installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, released six months following ''The Matrix Reloaded''. The film stars ...
'' to have the biggest five-day Wednesday opening for a
Warner Bros. film.
''Superman Returns: An IMAX 3D Experience'' was released simultaneously in 111
IMAX
IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating.
Graeme ...
-format theatres worldwide, which included 20 minutes of converted
3D film material. It was the first Hollywood full-length live-action film to be released in this combined format. One of the key scenes Singer took out was "the Return to Krypton sequence". Ten million dollars was spent on this sequence alone, but it was deleted. Singer noted that it could not be released as part of a DVD featurette because it was converted to IMAX 3D. He hoped it could have appeared in an IMAX
reissue.
The film's second-week gross rapidly declined from the first week, due to the presence of ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' and ''
The Devil Wears Prada''.
By October, the film had crossed the $200 million mark, becoming the fifth film of the 2006 summer season to do so. ''Superman Returns'' went on to gross $200.1 million in North America and $191 million internationally, earning $391.1 million worldwide.
Domestically, the film was the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2006. In worldwide totals, ''Superman Returns'' was ninth-highest.
Critical reception
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
, ''Superman Returns'' has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The site's critical consensus reads, "Bryan Singer's reverent and visually decadent adaptation gives the Man of Steel welcome emotional complexity. The result: a satisfying stick-to-your-ribs adaptation." On
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, the film has a score of 72 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by
CinemaScore
CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data.
Background
Ed Mintz founded Ci ...
gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
Richard Corliss of ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' praised ''Superman Returns'', calling it one of the best
superhero films. He was mostly impressed with Singer's direction and the storyline.
Joe Morgenstern from ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' also gave a positive review, but observed Routh's and Bosworth's acting was "somewhat dead or super average. Nothing special." Morgenstern believed Lex Luthor's characterization was "well written by the writers and well played by Kevin Spacey". He also praised Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography and Guy Hendrix Dyas's production design.
Peter Travers, writing in ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', felt the film "perfectly updates Superman for the modern audience".
J. Hoberman
James Lewis Hoberman (born March 14, 1949) is an American film critic, journalist, author and academic. He began working at '' The Village Voice'' in the 1970s, became a full-time staff writer in 1983, and was the newspaper's senior film critic ...
of ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' called it "surprisingly well made. It's a summer
blockbuster filled with
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...
and sensitivity."
James Berardinelli reacted positively to the movie, comparing it favorably with Richard Donner's 1978 film. He felt Spacey was better than Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, describing him as "more cruel and less flippant" than Hackman. "There are no miscasts to be found in the supporting cast, either," Berardinelli said. "''Superman Returns'' is near the top, if not at the top of the superhero movie pile. It offers nearly everything: romance, action, humor, and plenty of
goose bumps
Goose bumps, goosebumps or goose-pimples are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which may involuntarily develop when a person is tickled, cold or experiencing strong emotions such as fear, euphoria or sexual arousal.
The ...
."
However,
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
argued the film was a "glum, lackluster movie in which even the big effects sequences seem dutiful instead of exhilarating." He also felt that "Brandon Routh lacks charisma as Superman", surmising that he "may have been cast because he looks a little like Reeve".
Mick LaSalle of the ''
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The pa ...
'' felt that Warner Bros. should have
rebooted
''Rebooted'' is the third season of the computer-animated television series '' Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' (titled ''Ninjago'' from the eleventh season onward). The series was created by Michael Hegner and Tommy Andreasen. The season aired fr ...
the series along the lines of ''
Batman Begins''. He also felt Bosworth, at 22 years old, was too young to portray Lois Lane, and the
climax
Climax may refer to:
Language arts
* Climax (narrative), the point of highest tension in a narrative work
* Climax (rhetoric), a figure of speech that lists items in order of importance
Biology
* Climax community, a biological community t ...
did not "match the potential of the tiring 154-minute-long film".
Other commentary
On May 3, 2009, almost three years after the debut of ''Superman Returns'', filmmaker
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...
declared his appreciation for Bryan Singer's directorial work on ''Superman Returns'' and that he would write a 20-page review about ''Superman Returns''.
On January 9, 2012, more than five years after the movie was released, the independent film community daily news site
IndieWire
IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Holl ...
released a two-part video essay that probes the
melancholic nature of ''Superman Returns''. Produced by Matt Zoller Seitz and Ken Cancelosi, the critique was inspired by a review that Seitz wrote for the ''
New York Press
''New York Press'' was a free alternative weekly in New York City, which was published from 1988 to 2011.
The ''Press'' strove to create a rivalry with the '' Village Voice''. ''Press'' editors claimed to have tried to hire away writer Nat Hen ...
'' in 2006, in which he stated that "From the moment its hero returns to the sky to rescue Lois Lane from a plummeting jet, ''Superman Returns'' flirts with greatness."
In 2013, Singer stated that ''Superman Returns'' was made for "Perhaps more of a female audience. It wasn't what it needed to be, I guess." Singer stated that he would have cut about the first quarter off of the film and started it with "the jet disaster sequence or something. I could have grabbed the audience a little more quickly. I don't know what would have helped. Probably nothing. If I could go again, I would do an origin. I would reboot it."
''
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' ranked the movie 496 on its "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list, stating, "It may have been a slighter return than some people had hoped for, but Singer's vision of the ''Man of Steel'' is an heroic effort. Plenty of spectacle and a lot of heart helps Kal-El soar."
Accolades
''Superman Returns'' was nominated for both the
Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
The Academy Award for Best Visual Effects is an Academy Award given for the best achievement in visual effects.
History of the award
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first recognized the technical contributions of special effects ...
and
BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects, but lost to ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest''. The film was successful at the
33rd Saturn Awards, winning
Best Fantasy Film, and categories for
Direction (Bryan Singer),
Best Actor
Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play.
The term most often refers to the ...
(Brandon Routh),
Writing
Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically inscribed, mechanically transferred, or digitally represented symbols.
Writing systems do not themselves constitute h ...
(Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris) and
Music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
(John Ottman). Kate Bosworth, Tristan Lake Leabu, James Marsden, Parker Posey, and the visual effects department were nominated for categories. However, Bosworth was also nominated a
Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress.
Home media
''Superman Returns'' debuted on
DVD on November 28, 2006, in two versions, one with a single disc, and a double-disc edition which featured over three hours of behind-the-scenes features.
That same day, a 14-disc DVD
box set
A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists and bands ...
titled ''Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition'' was released, containing special editions of all five ''Superman'' films, as well as the documentary ''
Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman''. It debuted at the top spot of the DVD charts, and also generated $13 million in rentals during its first week.
The film was also released in both
high-definition formats,
HD DVD, which featured both standard and high definitions on the same disc, and
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...
.
[ It was the best-selling title on both formats in 2006, and was among the best-sellers of both formats of 2007.
]
Legacy
Cancelled sequel
In February 2006, four months before the release of ''Superman Returns'', Warner Bros. announced a mid-2009 theatrical release date for a sequel, with Bryan Singer reprising his directing duties. Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Sam Huntington
Sam Huntington (born April 1, 1982) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Josh Levison, a werewolf in the Syfy series '' Being Human'', and for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the superhero film '' Superman Returns''. For i ...
, Frank Langella
Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American stage and film actor. He has won four Tony Awards: two for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance as Richard Nixon in Peter Morgan's '' Frost/Nixon'' and as André in Flor ...
, and Tristan Lake Leabu were to reprise their roles. Due to his commitment, Singer dropped out of directing a remake of ''Logan's Run'' and an adaptation of '' The Mayor of Castro Street''. Writer Michael Dougherty wanted the sequel to be "action packed", featuring "other Kryptonians" with Brainiac and Bizarro also considered for primary villains.[ The "]New Krypton
"New Krypton" is a 2008–09 comic book story arc featuring character Superman, published by American company DC Comics; it was written by Geoff Johns, James Robinson and Sterling Gates, with art by Gary Frank, Alex Ross, Renato Guedes, Jamal ...
" landmass floating in space at the end of ''Superman Returns'' would have served as a plot device. Although ''Superman Returns'' received mostly positive reviews, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures were disappointed by the film's box office return. Warner Bros. President Alan F. Horn
Alan Frederick Horn (born February 28, 1943) is an American entertainment industry executive. Horn became President and COO of Warner Bros. from 1999 to 2012. Horn next served as the chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 2012 to 2020. During his ...
explained that ''Superman Returns'' was a very successful film, but that it "should have done $500 million worldwide. We should have had perhaps a little more action to satisfy the young male crowd." Singer reacted incredulously to the studio complaints, saying, "That movie made $400 million! I don't know what constitutes under-performing these days..." $175 million was the maximum budget Warner Bros. was projecting for the sequel, as ''Superman Returns'' cost $204 million.
Filming for the ''Superman Returns'' sequel was to start in mid-2007, before Singer halted development in favor of ''Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters"Orchard (1997: ...
''. Filming was then pushed to March 2008, but writers Dougherty and Dan Harris left in favor of other career opportunities. The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike pushed the release date to 2010. Singer still listed the sequel as a priority in March 2008, saying that the film was in early development.[ Routh expected filming to begin in early 2009. Paul Levitz, president of DC Comics, expected Routh to reprise the title role from ''Superman Returns''][ before his contract for a sequel expired in 2009. However, with Warner Bros. deciding to reboot the film series, Singer dropped out in favor of directing '']Jack the Giant Slayer
''Jack the Giant Slayer'' (previously titled ''Jack the Giant Killer'') is a 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney, from a story by Lemke and David Dobki ...
''. In August 2008, Warner Bros. President of Production Jeff Robinov reflected, "''Superman Returns'' didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to. It didn't position the character the way he needed to be positioned. Had ''Superman'' worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009. Now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman without regard to a Batman and Superman movie at all."
Arrowverse
Brandon Routh reprised his role as Clark Kent / Superman in addition to playing Ray Palmer / The Atom in the 2019 Arrowverse TV series crossover " Crisis on Infinite Earths". Executive producer Marc Guggenheim was reluctant to call Routh's crossover appearance a sequel when addressing whether the character's appearance would constitute a sequel to ''Superman Returns''. "I don't know if it's for me to say. We're picking up so many years after the events of that movie, maybe a coda is a better word than sequel." Set on Earth-96 in the Arrowverse, this version of Superman has become an aged and beleaguered superhero similar to the iteration from the DC Comics' mini-series '' Kingdom Come''; adopting a black belt and an s-shield with a black background as a sign of mourning after losing his friends and wife (having been married to Lois at some point after revealing his secrets to her) to a terrorist attack on the ''Daily Planet'' by a psychopath from Gotham City. He is also similar to another iteration, Kal-L (remained working as a newspaper's editor-in-chief instead of went into seclusion after what happened), making this Superman an amalgam of the two, as well as being a facsimile to Ray Palmer. He is later recruited by heroes from across the multiverse to avert a Crisis caused by the Anti-Monitor
The Anti-Monitor is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He served as the main antagonist of the 1985 DC Comics miniseries ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' and later appears as an enemy to the Green Lantern Corps ...
. During the event, Superman also references his son Jason (implying that he had discovered his true paternity), as well as the events from '' Superman III''. After the Crisis was averted and the multiverse was rebooted, Superman of Earth-96 is seen wearing a yellow s-shield and belt.
See also
* Superman in film
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Official DC Comics website
*
*
*
*
*
Pictures of filming in Tamworth, Australia
{{Authority control
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