Superman was first thought up in 1933 by a pair of nineteen year-old kids named Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Their Superman couldn't fly, but he did a lot of leaping over buildings in a single bound. After five years of being rejected, Jerry and Joe got their character published for the first time in issue number one of Action Comics. It was 1938.
After wowing kids in print, Superman first took to the screen in 1941, when animator Max Fleischer created the first Superman cartoons. In 1953 Superman became live action, when he was played by a somewhat doughy actor named George Reeves on television. In 1978 he starred in what was then one of the most watched movies ever made, Superman: The Movie. Superman was played by Christopher Reeve, who would go on to forever embody the character in the minds of millions.
In his nearly seventy year career Superman has leaped to unheard of popularity, becoming the most famous comic book character in the world. Since his inception he's conquered nearly every form of media. Comics, radio plays, television series, feature films. Superman is more than just a character now, he's an American icon, a symbol for truth, justice, and the American way… whatever that means.
Now, after a twenty year absence from movie theaters, Superman returns. While he's been away, there've been other pretenders to the king of all superheroes throne. Spider-Man is now the biggest movie of all time. Batman is back and brings with him gritty realism. Marvel's X-Men have made cinema waves. But this is Superman. Super's in his name. Whether you like him or not, he'll always be top dog.
Below is our guide to everything you need to know to fight for truth, justice, and all that stuff. Get ready for Superman's return.
A retrospective by Rafe Telsch
The world has changed dramatically since Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman in 1938. It has even changed pretty sizably since Superman last flew into theaters. I remember, several years ago, diving through an old collection of comic books and finding a commentary page from the late '70s that was excited about the casting of Marlon Brando as Superman's father Jor-El. That made me start thinking what a different time we live in now, and how the online buzz would have been surrounding the previous Superman movies.
Much of the advance buzz for the movie would be exactly what has followed Superman Returns for the 1978 original Richard Donner film. Fans would have been excited about the casting of the legendary Marlon Brando, even though it was only in a bit part. That actor from The French Connection and The Poseidon Adventure (Gene Hackman) would have been considered a strange bit of casting for Lex Luthor, but fans undoubtedly would have given Donner the benefit of the doubt... or would they? At the time Donner was mostly a television director, only having really stepped to the big screen in the past few years for The Omen. How would fans have reacted to such a rookie taking on their beloved Man of Steel, especially when he made the most important decision of the movie: casting a relative newbie in the title role?
I suspect casting the then unknown Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent/Superman would have drawn the same suspicion and concern that newcomer Brandon Routh is receiving today. Could Reeve pull off the duality of Clark and Superman? Could he hold his own against the better known Hackman and Margot Kidder (another bizarre casting decision). Donner and Reeve would have had added pressure on them because Superman was not a solo picture. Both the original and the sequel, Superman II were being filmed at the same time.
Finally the film would be released and the online community would agree they really did believe a man could fly. The effects were incredible. Reeve captured both Clark Kent and Superman perfectly, portraying them as two separate characters still yet connected in some way. Brando's appearance was brief, but powerful. That's not to say Donner's film would be widely accepted. Many would offer disdain for the comedic portrayal of Lex Luthor and accuse his even more comedic sidekick Otis (Ned Beatty) of being the descendant of Lucas's Jar Jar Binks. And that ridiculous just-shy-of deus ex machina ending? "WTF?" would be response uttered by many movie forums across the internet. All in all though, the reaction would be positive, setting the stage for the fast following sequel.
Superman II is the perfect example of a movie that would have benefited greatly from the internet. For one, Richard Donner might have never been fired. The power of the internet sometimes helps studios realize when they have to hold onto directors even when problems may pop up. Secondly, after the negative reaction to the first film, the comedic Luthor and bumbling sidekick Otis might have vanished completely. Hackman attempted part of that, leaving when Donner did, forcing replacement director Richard Lester to use a look alike and voice-overs by an impersonator; something today's audiences aren't exactly tolerant of.
Following the release of the movie, the internet would go ga-ga over the real stars of the film. Sure, Superman is as great as ever even though he wusses out over Lois and gives up his powers. Nobody recalls that part of the movie when Superman II is mentioned. What does come to mind is the catchphrase that would have been everywhere online; three words that have forever changed the face of malevolence forever: "Kneel before Zod." Terrence Stamp had already had a successful start to his career, but nobody can deny his role as General Zod earned him his place in the cult figure hall of fame forever. Watching Supes take on three super villains almost took away the sting of Luthor and Otis... almost. Most likely fans would have hated the bumbling villain aspect even more once they started realizing how cool the movie could have been if Luthor had actually brought something significant to his team-up with Zod, Ursa, and Non. Despite Donner getting booted from the project, Superman II would be considered one of those rare sequels that surpassed the original, especially since it made up for the weaknesses of the original with some serious villainy this time and no silly time travel fixes.
As information began to leak about the third movie fans would really be drooling. Most of the cast would be returning with the added romantic conflict of Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole). If you've read any of the information for Spider-Man 3 you've seen the same kind of reaction this news would have received. The added good news: Lex Luthor and Otis were finally out of the picture, and legendary comedian Richard Pryor was taking his place. Actually, that second part would probably be just as worrisome news as Luthor's comedic treatment. If they were replacing the main villain with a comedian, what would that mean for the seriousness of Superman's opposition this time? Naysayers would officially begin declaring the death of the franchise when it was announced that John Williams was leaving scoring duties for the movie to someone else.
The third chapter in the franchise would probably be as well received as the recent X-film. Word about Reeve would continue to shine as he battles himself in the film, but the timely cause for that battle (anti-smoking message anyone?) wouldn't go over well at all. Pryor's part would be a tolerable follow up to his nefarious performances in The Toy and The Wiz, which is to say not at all. As a result, Superman III would actually make people wish Hackman's Luthor was back, a wish that would be granted with the fourth film of the franchise.
But wait, you say the internet would cause a fourth film to not even be made? I disagree. Although the response to III would be poor to say the least, studios still crank out chapters in successful franchises despite what we internet denizens say. By this point studio executives would probably stop listening to internet chatter all together. After all, we were the ones who wanted Luthor gone and then complained about Richard Pryor - what could we possibly know about the movie. For the fourth chapter, the studio would go all out, putting back in all the things we complained about in the first place. Luthor is back in, as is a timely message - hey, fighting the soviets worked in Rocky IV and the Superman vs. Superman aspect of Superman III went over well, so here comes an evil cold war version of Superman to do battle with.
Obviously the existence of the internet wouldn't change the response to the fourth film either, except for possibly giving it an even lower box office return. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was a horrific conclusion to the franchise; so bad that super villain actor Mark Pillow was never seen or heard from again. The movie was preachy and lacking everything that made the first movies work with the exception of Christopher Reeve. Even Reeve's performance seemed uninspired by this point, and Reeve had already announced he wouldn't be returning in front of the camera for a fifth film, although he had acquiesced that he might be writing and/or directing in the future. Only Batman & Robin, which came twelve years later would remove the taint from the fourth Superman film as the worst super sequel of all time.
Over two decades have passed since Superman opposed Nuclear Man and box office receipts tanked. Is the world ready for another chapter in the expanding Superman story? If television is any indication, the word is 'yes.' Both the teen-angst "Smallville" and the animated adventures of the man of steel in "Superman" and "Justice League" cartoons have proven successful. Some would argue the original Siegel and Shuster cartoons lend themselves more to televisions serialized possibilities. After all, we've already been made to believe a man can fly on the movie screen. Perhaps that's why new director Bryan Singer is throwing out the bad history of the Superman movies and continuing the work started by Richard Donner. Singer has already declared his movies more akin to "chick flick" versions of Superman, focusing more on relationships than special effects. Maybe in a world full of visual effects that's what we need for the Man of Steel - a character who thinks and has emotions. If anything, it'll save us from another spin around the world to turn back time. Isn't that worth something?
Superman Returns Reviewed
"Others have tried, but Bryan Singer has truly captured exactly what a Superman movie is supposed to be. Gone is even the smallest vestige of camp or tongue-in-cheek, in its place is a smart story about thinking, feeling people. One of those people just happens to be a god. Godlike is exactly what Superman is in this film, in a way he's never been before. He's Atlas, carrying the world on his shoulders. He's almighty Zeus, hurling thunderbolts at antlike mortal men. Kevin Spacey's Lex Luthor compares his fight with Superman to the ancient story of Prometheus, and when he does so it's not just a parable, he means it. So does Superman Returns ..." read more
Interviews with the Cast of Superman Returns
" Superman isn’t the only thing that returns in the new movie Superman Returns. The entire tone and style of the franchise born in Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman: The Movie is back thanks to director Bryan Singer’s love of all things Superman. Singer and his super cast showed up for interviews at a recent press junket for Superman Returns"... read more
Advertising Superman
"There's no better feeling than walking down the hallway of a movie theater and encountering a Superman movie poster. The advertising campaign used on the original and the "You'll believe a man can fly" tagline is now legendary. So with Superman Returns it seems like a good time to take a look at the posters for the new movie, and see how they measure up to the original, first two which it claims to be a direct sequel to..." read more
Editorial: Why America Hates Superman We’re no longer interested in achievers. Our idols are flawed, and in many cases failures. Our baseball players take drugs, our basketball stars rape women. William Hung has made a fortune out of humiliating himself so others can laugh at him. We choose a president who cheats on his wife with unattractive women, and then another with an IQ of 89 and a problem with word pronunciation. Superman stands above any of that. He’s not Batman battling dark demons. He’s not Spider-Man struggling to manage a hectic lifestyle. Superman has no flaws, and that makes us uncomfortable... read more
Editorial: Why We Need Superman Seriously, if super-heroes really existed, which would you rather have? A teenager who fights villains in between classes? A man who dresses up as a giant bat but doesn’t actually have any powers? Or would you rather have the hero who has no fine print. He’s there to save the day; that’s what he does. He’s all-powerful, indestructible, with powers just shy of God. Even with my Spidey love I can see that’s what we want in a hero – the guy who has time to fly in and save the guy who fell out of a building on his way to stop the giant earthquake in the first place. Cause and effect, he catches it all. He doesn’t expect payment. He never has to sleep. All he wants is to help make the world a better place, not because he thinks we deserve it, but because we do... read more
Images From Superman Returns - See Singer's new Superman in all his glory! Nearly 100 images to drool over.
Superman Returns - POST WHEN YOU SEE IT - (Spoiler Alert) See the movie and discuss your thoughts about it here!
Superman Returns - pre-release talk - Here's the place to post your thoughts before you see the movie.
Superman Returns - Bowling For Box Office - Play our box office prediction game and guess how much money Superman Returns will make in its first weekend!
