According to an interview at the Wall Street Journal, the Superman franchise is going to get a complete reboot ala Ang Lee’s Hulk movie.  But this time Warner Bros. is actually taking something away from the big summit it had with DC and some of its creators and the recent success Marvel has had with its properties.
According to the interview with Jeff Robinov, Warner Bros. plans on releasing at least two tent-pole films a year based on DC characters.

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From his message board, Mark Millar says he’ll do a new Superman script completely for free.

It’s 8.58am right now, my guys at CAA get into the office in about seven hours and my call will be waiting for them to talk about this. I want to revamp Superman like Hillary wants thin ankles. Revamping this franchise is what I as given fingers for and so, invited or not, I’m putting my plan together now. I’ve been asked to work on half a dozen screenplays lately, but this is the only one I have ever truly wanted.

As most here know, I have literally hundreds of pages of notes and sketches just waiting for this opportunity. This would be my dream gig and, as a fan, I know exactly what this project needs to work. This has to be Superman for the 21st Century, keeping everything we adore, but starting from scratch and making the kids love it as much as the 30-somethings. I would honestly write this thing for free.

Anyway, my treatment is being polished as we type. Wish me luck. I want to do that Superman movie we all want to see.

ARE YOU LISTENING H’WOOD? Talk about getting around that whole writer’s strike thing…

Nope, didn’t think so.

via Millarworld

Over at the Bluetights.net, a fan ran into screenwriter Mike Dougherty and questioned him on the next film.

I asked him if he was apart of the sequal because everything I have seen says Singer and Harris are writing the script and that he isn’t mentioned. He confirmed that he is writing it with the two just like the last picture. I then expressed to him that I was hoping the delays of Superman: The Man of Steel weren’t true. He said that they were on track and that the goal is still to have the movie out in the Summer of 2009. He seemed a little hesitant about it but did his best to try and reassure that it will get done by then. I asked if he could give any more info on the film. He responded, “There are TWO villains,” and he smiled.

Interestingly the scooper claims s/he recognized Dougherty out of a crowd and approached him out of the blue. I’ve only just recently seen a (one) picture of the dude, and doubt I would remember his mug if I sat across from him on the bus, so some of this seems a little iffy. However, I have heard other rumors of multiple villains in the next film. We already know Spacey is returning as Lex Luthor, which leaves us with one other spot to fill. I’m personally hoping for a Animated Series-esque Brainiac.

via Bluetights.net

Word on the Interweb is Kevin Spacey will reprise his role as Lex Luthor in Superman: Man of Steel, set for a 2009 release.

Spacey hopes to shoot his Luthor role in a six-week block, as he did on “Superman Returns,” after he completes his run in David Mamet’s “Speed the Plow” in April.

I really really hope Lex Luthor in Man of Steel is not the central villain. I’m sick and tired of a watered down Lex Luthor in films. We need Braniac, a Parasite, a Darkseid. Heck, I’d be happy with a giant space gorilla. The film needs a bad guy Superman can really go toe to toe with.

Don’t be surprised if you also see less and less of Spacey as time goes by.

“My priorities have changed,” he admitted on the phone from London. “Theater is the No. 1 thing in my life. But I love movies and will continue to make movies when I can.”

via Variety

Variety is reporting that Bryan Singer has inked a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to produce and direct the sequel to Superman Returns. Even though there is no budget or script, the film should hit the screen in 2009. The deal comes shortly after the announcement that Superman Returns passed the $200 million mark domestically. Even though the film has made $390 million world wide, I believe the studio was hoping to make that money in less time.

Audiences were split on the like it or hate it factor, with many expecting the movie to have more action than it did. I’ve heard the rumor that Lex Luthor will not be appearing in the sequel. So who will the master villain be? Brainiac and Parasite come to mind, but knowing how well the first film did, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were two giant polar bears. Singer and company have two years before the debut, I hope that is enough time to salvage the franchise.

via Variety (link)

CGSociety has an excellent article on the art and graphics that make up the new EA Games Superman Returns: The Videogame. With a huge city the size of Metropolis, it becomes harder and harder to create a realtime CG Environment for Superman to fly around in.  I’ve written for years on the computer animation and video production industries, so I know how difficult it can be to generate high polygon counts in realtime and shade it on the fly as well.

The number of buildings made it impossible to do a time of day shift; it’s always the same time of day in Metropolis: the golden hour. However, in the Hyper Sector, it’s very dark at street level.

via CGSociety.org (link)

Check out this YouTube clip of footage from the upcoming Superman Returns video game.  A little blurry and chunky in spots, but it does give us a look at who the big S will be battling in the game - nearly everyone from Metallo, Braniac, Parasite, Bizarro and more.  Heck, this game looks a million times better than the movie.

Superman Returns will be available this Fall (Novemberish?) for $39.95 or $59.95 depending on where you buy and for which platform.