Reel Facts & Opinions: The Death of Superman. Or is it?

Superman, arguably the most famed superhero of all time, will make his return to the big screen this summer in Zack Snyder’s MAN OF STEEL. Earlier this week, the film’s screenwriter, David S. Goyer, spoke about the differences between this new reboot of the character and the Richard Donner versions from the late 70’s and early 80’s which starred Christopher Reeve:

"We're approaching Superman as if it weren't a comic book movie as if it were real.... I adore the Donner films. Absolutely adore them. It just struck me that there was an idealist quality to them that may or may not work with today's audience. It just struck me that if Superman really existed in the world, first of all this story would be a story about first contact… If the world found out he existed, it would be the biggest thing that ever happened in human history."

There is a lot that be taken away from Goyer’s approach to the character. First of all, most people have a cemented image of Superman in their heads from those early films. From Donner’s direction, Reeve’s performance, and John Williams’ magnificent score, the first two SUPERMAN films are nearly perfect. It seems clear that Goyer and Snyder aren’t looking to top the earlier achievements, but to present Superman in a way we have never seen before. 

Looking at the latter-half of Goyer’s quote; it seems they are on the right track so far. Here’s a shocking fact: Superman is from outer space. He’s an alien! An illegal alien! This is one aspect that was quickly glossed over in the Donner films, and something that can go in many different directions. They are looking to make a man who flies around in blue tights more realistic, and what better way than to explore how a post-9/11 world would react to a man who is impervious to modern weapons and answers to no one. It’s a fascinating and fresh angle. 

Perhaps the most questionable of choices being made lies in Goyer’s initial comments, in which he says this version of Superman will not be as idealistic as the older films. Superman has always stood for truth, justice, and the American way…and Donner’s films never shied away from that; in fact, it was pushed in our faces nearly constantly. It wasn’t a bad thing, but the decision to veer away from the flag-waving seems to point towards a more realistic superhero. It’s a post-DARK KNIGHT world, where the audience numbers have pointed at a preference towards grounded heroes which don’t look or feel like they just fell out of a comic book. 

But realistic doesn’t necessarily mean darker. The ideals of Superman that we’ve known through all these years may still be there; they will just be presented differently. Think about this: what better way to test the goodness and decency of Superman than to put him up against a skeptical and fearful society; a world which will certainly not understand him and reject him at the outset. Perhaps Superman’s greatest foe isn’t another alien or a monster or a General Zod; maybe it’s the very people he’s trying to protect. 

The mythology and history of Superman is tough to get by when entering a new SUPERMAN film. However, if we aren’t open to filmmakers' attempts to make the character new and interesting, then Superman and all of his amazing friends will be restricted to the comic pages and the movies will be all the more dull without them. 

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MAN OF STEEL opens on June 14^th. It stars Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Michael Shannon. It is directed by Zack Snyder (WATCHMEN, 300) and written by David S. Goyer, based on a story by Christopher Nolan (both of THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY). Check out the awesome trailer HERE