SUPERMAN: The Franchise

[muthagoose]

The cast includes Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman

Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor.

Hugh Laurie as Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White and James Marsden as Richard White.

Kate Bosworth is in negotiations to play Lois Lane.

Sam Huntingtohas been cast as Daily Planet cub reporter Jimmy Olsen in Bryan Singer's Superman, says The Hollywood Reporter.

[The Duke]

It sounds as if Superman is shaping up to be a decent flick. I think that Kevin Spacey will make for an excellent Lex Luthor, but I am not so sure about Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane....something just doesn;t seem to fit there.

[CaticusRex]

Real...REAL skeptical on this one. Kevin Spacey sounds ok, but the rest of the cast is a tad on the lame side. I have seen this Routh guy who will playing Supes and he looks more like Clark Kent then the Man of Steel. You need someone who can be BOTH parts...remember they tried an actor who looked like only one of them and Lois and Clark really REALLY sucked ass.(Dean Cain)

Bosworth as Lois?? Ultra Lame!!!!! Lois Lane is a tough ass chick...not some pansy ass blonde "surfer" chick.

Not real high on it, but we shall see...

also that damn Bryan Singer is a turn coat dick!! hope the movies sux for that reason alone!

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: Lie to me: Johnny Lang

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[muthagoose]

Variety have revealed that Superman Returns is scheduled to be released on June 30th 2006 - this will be near Independance Day which is always a big time for movie-goers. The date is perfect for Superman's return to the big screen so keep it free!!

Also, in some early jockeying for summer 2006, Warners planted its flag on two key dates for its tentpoles. "Superman," which is preparing to lenselense this spring with Bryan Singer at the helm, is now skedded for June 30, next year's Independence Day frame. With July 4 falling on a Tuesday, the holiday frame runs five days.

Coincidentally, Warners has landed on a date that Fox has previously claimed for "X-Men 3." But the sequel is still looking for a director after Singer dropped out to take over the long-developed "Superman" for Warners.

[muthagoose]

Eva Marie Saint will play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent/Superman in Bryan Singer's Superman film for Warner Bros. Pictures. Brandon Routh is playing Superman.

Saint, who starred in the Alfred Hitchcock classic "North by Northwest," co-stars in Wayne Wang's "Because of Winn-Dixie," to be released by 20th Century Fox on Feb. 18, and will also appear in Wim Wenders' "Don't Come Knocking," to be released by Sony Pictures Classics in the fall.. She is repped by ICM and Jeff Sanderson.

[muthagoose]

Eva Marie Saint, Hitchcock's bottle blond beauty in the ultimate thriller classic "North by Northwest", made headlines last week when it was revealed she would be playing Martha Kent, mother of Clark Kent in the upcoming "Superman" movie about to begin shooting in Australia under the helm of Bryan Singer.

This past weekend, Eva confirmed to IESB that her shoot will be in March and will last for approximately three weeks. This matches reports that indicate the farm scenes will be shot first out in rural New South Wales before moving back to the Fox Studio complex in mid-late March.

More surprisingly she also acknowledged that she is playing a widow - as the storyline continues from where "Superman 2" left off, her character will be following the subplot that the previous two films left off on. She also mentioned that she is trying to convince Singer to let Superman take Ma Kent flying in the film.

Meanwhile, Bollyvista indicates that 'Kumar' himself - comedic actor Kal Penn has landed a role in the superhero production. What role specifically is unknown.

[Princess]

I would have to agree with Caticus Rex, Bosworth as Lois Lane, can't see it.. sorry...Too blonde, I always pictured Lois Lane as a dark haired vixon that wins Superman's heart, like Teri Hatcher did in the series..

[muthagoose]

Kal Penn has joined the cast of Bryan Singer's Superman movie for Warner Bros. Pictures. Penn, who starred in "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," will play Lex Luthor's right-hand man, a genius henchman named Stanford.

Kevin Spacey is playing Luthor. Penn joins a cast that includes Brandon Routh as Superman, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, Hugh Laurie as Perry White, James Marsden as Richard White and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen.

Producing the film are Jon Peters, Singer and Gilbert Adler. Chris Lee is executive producing, and Stephen Jones is co-producing. Polly Cohen is overseeing for the studio. Penn also has landed the starring role in director Mira Nair's latest project, "The Namesake," playing the son of Indian immigrants who wants to fit in with his fellow New Yorkers. He also just signed on to appear in the last six episodes of HBO's "Six Feet Under" as the boyfriend of Lauren Ambrose's character. Penn, repped by Gersh, Dan Spilo at Evolution Entertainment and attorney Michael Fuller, gained attention for his comedic performance in "Van Wilder."

[muthagoose]

The rumors began circulating today that Marlon Brando would make his return to film (digitally added of course) in Warner Bros. Superman Returns, today they've been confirmed. Below you'll find the story. Bryan Singer's film, which hits theaters June 30th, 2006, stars Brandon James Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn...

Latino Review confirms the reports:

"WE RECIVED NUMEROUS EMAILS FROM CLOSE SOURCES AND THIS IS NO LONGER A RUMOR BUT INDEED TRUE, MARLON BRANDO IS JOR-EL IN SUPERMAN RETURNS!

A few weeks ago I heard there would not be an announcement regarding the casting of Jor-El because he had already been cast...a long time ago. A few names have been going around, including Brian Singer's favorite Patrick Stewart, but to date those have been only rumors. Bryan Singer has mentioned that he will use items that are familiar to the first two films such as the design of the Fortress of Solitude and of Krypton. He has also mentioned that he will use part of the very well known John Williams score.

So who is Jor-El in Superman Returns you ask? Apparently, none other than Marlon Brando himself! Yes, yes we all know he is no longer with us so just how will this happen? As far as we can tell Brando will not be CGI, but Singer plans to use stock footage of Marlon Brando that was originally shot by "Superman" director Richard Donner. Considering that Jor-El's role in Superman Returns is very minor this might just work.

Brando and Christopher Reeve were once filmed interacting with one another to be used in Superman II, (here's the deleted scene image on your left) but due to a lawsuit against the Salkinds for a percentage of the sequel, the scenes were deleted and re-shot using the mother (Susannah York) instead.

Can this change? Yes of course all rumors do but it seems this is the way Singer wants to go. And if it's true you know where you heard or read it first!

No official comment from Warner Bros. at this point. Filming begins this month in Australia.

[muthagoose]

Parker Posey has joined the cast of Bryan Singer's Superman movie for Warner Bros. Pictures, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Posey will play Kitty Koslowski, Lex Luthor's villainous henchwoman.

Parker joins a cast that includes Brandon Routh as Superman, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, Hugh Laurie as Perry White, James Marsden as Richard White and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen. Kevin Spacey is playing Lex Luthor. Kal Penn will portray Stanford, Luthor's right-hand man. Jon Peters, Singer and Gilbert Adler are producing. Chris Lee is executive producing and Stephen Jones is co-producing. Polly Cohen is overseeing for the studio. Posey was most recently seen in "Blade: Trinity" and "Laws of Attraction."

[muthagoose]

Frank Langella has now joined the hot cast to take the role as Perry White and if anyone knows a thing or two about Langella's work then this should put a smile on your face as he seems to be pretty damn good for this role.

[muthagoose]

Virgin Head making Superman cameo?
Source: 'StaxTrax' April 7, 2005

News.com.au Is reporting Richard Branson will appear in Superman Returns

From: AAP
VIRGIN Group founder Sir Richard Branson will make a cameo appearance in a new Superman film being shot in Sydney.

Sir Richard, who is friends with the film's director Bryan Singer.
Branson filmed his scenes earlier this week.

"Brian invited me to appear in the Superman film and he's using a Virgin Galactic airship in the film," Sir Richard told Channel 9's Today Show. "I think today I'm going to be doing a fun little cameo role with my son Sam so it's going to be a good day."

But Sir Richard laughed and refused to give away too much when asked about reports the film's villain tries to shoot down the Virgin Galactic airship.

"I'm not allowed to say ... we'll see whether it survives but I'm sure it will be all right."

[muthagoose]

Warner Bros. Pictures' Superman Returns is taking a historic flight as the first movie to shoot with the Panavision Genesis digital cinematography cameras, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Director Bryan Singer is filming with a fleet of the latest digital cinema cameras developed over a three-year period as a collaborative effort between Panavision and Sony. In creating the Genesis, Panavision, the storied Hollywood camera house, took some of the best attributes of its professional film cameras and adapted them for the digital world. At the heart of the Genesis is a Sony high-definition digital imaging device that allows use of all existing Panavision 35mm lenses with which most Hollywood motion picture film crews are very familiar.

[muthagoose]

Superman is back.

On Saturday morning, some 6,500 sci-fi, fantasy and comic book fans jammed the frigid Hall H at the airport-scale San Diego Convention Center as director Bryan Singer introduced the first footage anyone has seen from Superman Returns, the latest attempt to revive the DC Comics movie franchise, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "It's one of the largest films Warner Bros. has ever made," Singer told the crowd. The fans at the 36th annual Comic-Con International gave the early assemblage -- for which Singer flew in from the set in Sydney -- a rousing standing ovation. "This is Comic-Con, and it is 'Superman,' " the director said. "If there was ever a time to make the long flight for a short visit, this was it." According to producer Chris Lee, Singer hasn't decided whether to post the teaser on the Internet, but the filmmakers will put it up swiftly if a bootleg version is posted. "Superman Returns" is scheduled for release June 30.

[muthagoose]

Dark Horizons and Warner Bros. Pictures are proud to present the exclusive world first premiere look at the "Superman Returns" final logo to be used in the poster for Bryan Singer's upcoming epic scheduled to fly into theatres June 30th next year.



In "Superman Returns", the Man of Steel comes back to Earth after a several year absence. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer spac

[muthagoose]

Check out Blue Tights Adventure Network for some awesome behind the scenes clips and production info...

www.bluetights.net/bulletin_list.php

Tons of Superman Returns stuff to stream or download.

[muthagoose]

Superman Returns: Article From Newsweek
By Sean Smith
Newsweek

Sept. 12, 2005 issue - Surely they're not going to kill Superman. Inside a soundstage in Sydney, Australia, Brandon Routh, as the Man of Steel, crawls across a black, wet wasteland, pursued by the evil Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) and Luthor's three henchmen. One of the thugs grabs Superman by his hair and shoves his face into a dark puddle, holding the hero's head underwater as he struggles for air. Luthor strides up behind Superman, stabs him in the back with some sort of Kryptonite shiv and whispers a sentence so horrifying (and, for now, top secret) into his ear that Superman cries out in agony. He staggers to his feet, stumbles and topples backward over a cliff. Luthor walks to the edge, looks down into the abyss and sneers, "So long, Superman." Playing this scene just once would be rough. Routh will be beaten and tormented for hours. "He's very heroic normally," says director Bryan Singer, sipping an iced vanilla latte. "You just happened to catch him on a bad day."

By the time "Superman Returns" lands in theaters next summer, it will have taken Warner Bros. 11 torturous years to get the movie off the ground. At one point in the mid-1990s, Tim Burton was going to direct Nicolas Cage as the man in tights. The next big plan was "Superman vs. Batman," directed by Wolfgang Petersen. Then, a few years ago J. J. Abrams, creator of the shows "Alias" and "Lost," chipped in a "Superman" script that whipped up a frenzy around the lot. It was teeming with huge action sequences, but altered the Superman myth. (In Abrams's version, the planet Krypton survived.) Director McG was dying to direct it, but couldn't because he had committed to make "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle." Brett Ratner signed on, but tussled with the studio over the budget—at one point it was estimated at more than $200 million—and left after six months. McG then stepped back in to direct, but location became a problem. By shooting in Australia, the studio could shave about $30 million off the budget. McG refused to fly, so the studio showed him the door.

Meanwhile, Bryan Singer was coming off his second "X-Men" movie for Twentieth Century Fox, and gearing up for a third. Years earlier he had passed on the Abrams script because he had his own idea for a "Superman" movie, if he ever got the chance to direct one. Now, with the job open again, he decided to take the leap, even though it would mean burning a bridge with Fox. At a dinner at studio chief Alan Horn's house last summer, Singer pitched his vision for "Superman": the Man of Steel has vanished for five years, then returns to Earth to find that the world is a different place and that his love Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has a 4-year-old son and a fiance (James Marsden). It's unclear which man is the boy's father, and Lois doesn't exactly give Superman a hero's welcome. She writes a story in the Daily Planet that includes the line "The world doesn't need a savior. And neither do I."

Until, that is, Lex Luthor takes another stab at world domination. "On an external level, the movie's about how an idealistic superhero functions in the modern world," Singer says, sitting in his trailer on the Sydney lot. "But it ultimately becomes a story about what happens when an old boyfriend comes back into your life, and about Superman trying to find a place in Lois Lane's world. I'm attempting to make a very emotional film. This is certainly the most romantic, and the funniest, movie I've made, and toward the end it gets a bit intense."

The atmosphere on set is surprisingly light. Spacey, with his head shaved for the role of Luthor, has turned his blue golf cart into the "Lexmobile." "This is Lex's Superbuster," Spacey says, giving a tour of the tiny vehicle. There are Kryptonite decals, like flames, on the sides. "We drove around the lot in it one day with a bullhorn, yelling 'Superman must die!'" On set, Singer and Spacey—who haven't worked together since Singer's film "The Usual Suspects" earned Spacey his first Oscar—joke around constantly. When Singer demonstrates how Spacey should arch his back when hit by debris, the actor observes his technique, then says, "I sense a little Brian Boitano in there."

As for Brandon Routh (rhymes with mouth), he does not get to play around much. The sunny, earnest 26-year-old, who hails from Iowa, has never made a film before; Singer found him on an old screen test done for McG. The role of Superman is, of course, dauntingly physical. Being strapped into flying harnesses takes more patience and endurance than you'd think—as does having your head shoved into a puddle repeatedly. Routh doesn't complain about any of this. You hear about how hard he's working only from other people. "Poor Brandon," says Parker Posey, who plays Luthor's girlfriend Kitty Koslowski. "He's got everyone touching him all the time. He's lying on his stomach and he's got five people coming up and pulling his underwear down, sticking their hands up the butt of his suit. I can't imagine what it's like." Well, what is it like? "I'm pretty OK with myself and with my space," Routh says, sitting in a "hot tent" between takes to keep warm. "I don't have special issues with people getting too close to my bubble."

Good thing, because his bubble's about to become public property. Once the skin-tight Superman suit was designed—mapped by computer to match Routh's physique—the actor couldn't gain or lose a pound until shooting was over. There was lots of early Internet buzz about the suit's being too dark, or the "S" 's being too small, but the biggest issue for the studio, according to costume designer Louise Mingenbach, was about Superman's trunks. Or, more specifically, what's in them. "There was more discussion about Superman's 'package' than anything else on the suit," she says, laughing. "Was it too big? Was it not big enough? Was it too pointy? Too round? It was somebody's job for about a month just working on codpiece shapes. It was crazy." And the final verdict? "Not big," she says, and laughs again. "Ten-year-olds will be seeing this movie."

So, no doubt, will a lot of other people when the movie opens on June 30. Still, after all the angst-ridden, conflicted heroes of recent years—Batman, Spider-Man, all of the X-Men—is Superman just too sincere, too simple, too good for modern audiences? Singer doesn't think so. "He's the ultimate immigrant," he says. "He represents what America is. We don't always get it right, but truth, justice—those are Superman's ideals." A little box office never hurts, either.

[muthagoose]

Today the official website for Warner Bros. Superman Returns has been updated with tons of goodies. Below you'll find new images and the new official synopsis from Bryan Singer's film, which stars Brandon James Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn, Marlon Brando and Parker Posey. Superman Returns to the big screen on June 30th, 2006...

Looks of pics, video journals, and other assorted goodness to ticjle your fancy!

Check out the site at:
supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/

[CaticusRex]

This had better not suck!

So far, it looks pretty lame...

VIVA LA CHRISTOPHER REEVE!!!!!!!!!

[Stomper]

Not too keen on this. As far as I am concerned Christopher Reeves is Superman.

[muthagoose]

The teaser trailer for Superman Returns is now online. It is worth a look...

supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/trailer.html

[CaticusRex]

I must say that so far I like what I see. It is hard to see anyone in the role of Superman besides Christopher Reeve, but Brandon Routh does look alot like Reeve and Superman. The costume still looks a bit corny though...
This trailer, short as it was, has given me hope that Bryan Singer (ya turncoat) and his team have lived up to the coolness of the first films. I approve!

[muthagoose]

Singer's Superman Returns Presentation!

Last Night Bryan Singer gave a lecture for "Princeton Library's Christopher Reeve Lecture Series" where he, joined by executive producer Chris Lee, showed the Comic-Con footage and spoke in great depth about Superman Returns (among other topics), with Chris Reeve's mom also in attendance. Here are some of the highlights from the evening:

* When a gentleman asked if the goofy aspect that he loved about the old Superman flicks would be in Returns, Bryan answered that he is trying to steer clear of "goofy" but it is definitely the most romantic and humorous film he has done to date.

* There is no truth to the rumor that there is a clause in Brandon Routh's contract to do a Superman/Batman crossover flick, only a standard Warner Brothers multi-picture deal. Although I was later told that even though it most likely will never be seen in the movie, the set was so detailed that the Daily Planet newspapers were all filled with stories, including a "Bat Creature" being spotted in Metropolis with a picture of a shadowy Batman jumping off of a building with Jimmy Olsen photo credits. Very cool. Bryan also mentioned that the only time he ever considered a Batman/Superman movie was when Wolfgang Peterson was attached, and just thought how he would do it. "Who would be the bad guy? It'd have to be Batman. But he can't be that bad...he's Batman!" He said tonight was the first time he had thought about it since then.

* As confirmed already Noel Neill (The Adventures Of Superman's Lois Lane and Lois Lane's mother in Donner's '78 film) will be making a cameo, which Bryan described as a important one, in addition to Jack Larson's cameo featured on Bryan's Video Journal #25 and in the Comic-Con footage.

* When asked about Kevin Spacey's portrayal of Lex Luthor (whether he was a scientist, billionaire, etc.), Bryan said that Lex is "fresh out of jail" and that his history with Superman and/or Clark doesn't tread one way or another over the groundwork left by Smallville. Only that the two characters have some kind of history as we join them in the movie.

* Bryan agreed with someone in the audience that the biggest change to the Superman mythos he made was giving Lois a kid with James Marsden's character (not a raised S logo). He thought this was something that you've never seen Superman deal with before that his version brought to the table. You've seen Superman save every disaster, but how would he deal with this? The world has moved on a bit, but it seems Lois has completely moved on.

* To keep Clark's disappearance under wraps, Martha Kent sent postcards to Lois during his Daily Planet hiatus. In the Comic-Con footage Martha asks Clark "What about that nice girl you used to talk about? The one you had me send post cards to?" or something to that effect.

* There's roughly 1,400 effects shots to be completed to the movie, and although obviously an expensive movie, the budget has been exaggerated a bit on the net, and is still roughly under 200 million.

* The opening credits will feature John Williams classic Superman march, with a new score by editor/composer John Ottman integrating old and new themes. I believe I also caught a mention that the opening credits will feature some of Superman: The Movie.

* There's a huge plane action scene, briefly seen in the Comic-Con footage, that may run 20-25 minutes and is going to be BREATHTAKING and UNBELIEVABLE.

* A huge amount of time and effort went into fighting gravity so there wouldn't be any "droop-age" when Superman flies, including clever camera maneuvers and several green covered men puppeteering the cape at any given time.

* Superman being able to breathe in space (and underwater) is addressed in the movie, and yes he has to breathe in Bryan's Super-World. He is "too logical" in his thinking to let these things fall under the suspension of disbelief category.

* The raised S under the suit is addressed, as is the costume's origin in some way.

* The sets are incredibly detailed, down to the stack of business cards on Perry White's desk, and some of the props have already gone on sale at the prop department for cheap as heck. (Someone has already snagged Lex Luthor's smoking jacket for twenty bucks.)

[muthagoose]

Theatrical 'Superman' documentary to be released

Superman Returns helmer Bryan Singer has engaged documentary director Kevin Burns to make Look Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, according to Variety. Singer, who is exec producing with Burns, is working with the studio on ambitious plans to get the feature-length docu a theatrical release through a Warner Bros. distributor and a TV viewing before WB unveils "Superman Returns" on June 30. read on for the story...

Variety reports:

Singer, who met the documaker when the helmer was a film student, said he always wanted to do a documentary with Burns. Singer loved "Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood," which Burns directed with Brent Zacky, and the Burns-helmed "Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy."

That Singer felt the need to remind audiences of the Superman legacy is unusual given how many filmmakers of remakes and franchise continuations distance themselves from the originals.

"I have such an admiration for the evolution of the character and what Superman has represented over nearly eight decades," Singer said. "I wanted a document that respects the legacy and the collective consciousness of Superman."

While WB didn't confirm distribution plans at this early stage of the game, Singer said his intention, based on discussions with the studio, is for the docu to be used in several incarnations.

Aside from a limited theatrical window, a TV broadcast would show a cut of the film that includes a scene from the new movie. Docu will also likely end up either on the DVD release of "Superman Returns" or in a free-standing DVD version.

"The two projects serve each other, and I think the time is right to tell a story of evolution and survival," Singer said.

Burns said that when Singer first approached him with the idea, the movie came to him faster than a speeding bullet.

"To me, the story of Superman is the story of America and what it means to be a hero," he said.



Burns, who has already done 40 interviews with artists and actors from the films and TV-series incarnations, said he'll deliver the film by the end of April.

Docu is a co-production between Singer's Bad Hat Harry Prods. and Burns' Prometheus Entertainment. Mark McLaughlin and Scott Hartford are producing and Kim Sheerin is co-exec producer.

Burns is responsible for producing and directing numerous other docus, and he is also creator and exec producer of E! reality series "The Girls Next Door" and an exec producer of WB's other big summer hope, the Wolfgang Petersen-directed "Poseidon."

Filming wrapped on "Superman Returns" last month.

Official Site:[/img] supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/

[MASON]

I just heard this on the radio (don't know if it is true). I heard that Brandon Routh's Midsection is going to be CGI. Apparently he is a little "flabby."