| Superman Returns | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Bryan Singer |
| Screenplay by | |
| Story by |
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| Based on | Characters appearing in comic books published byDC Comics |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Newton Thomas Sigel |
| Edited by | |
| Music by | John Ottman |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 154 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget |
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| Box office | $391.1 million[3] |
Superman Returns is a 2006 Americansuperhero film directed byBryan Singer, and written byMichael Dougherty andDan Harris from a story by Singer, Dougherty and Harris, based on theDC Comics characterSuperman. It serves as anhomagesequel toSuperman (1978) andSuperman II (1980),[4][5]ignoring the events ofSuperman III (1983),Supergirl (1984), andSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).[4] The film starsBrandon Routh as Superman,Kate Bosworth asLois Lane andKevin Spacey asLex Luthor, withJames Marsden,Frank Langella,Eva Marie Saint andParker Posey in supporting roles. In the film,Superman returns toEarth after five years and discovers that his love interest Lois Lane has moved on from him and that hisarchenemy Lex Luthor is planning to kill him and reshapeNorth America.
After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrectSuperman following the critical andfinancial failure ofThe Quest for Peace,Warner Bros. Pictures hired Singer to directSuperman Returns in July 2004. The majority ofprincipal photography took place atFox Studios Australia, Sydney while the visual effects sequences were handled by a number of studios, includingSony Pictures Imageworks,Rhythm & Hues Studios (R&H),Framestore CFC,Rising Sun Pictures andThe Orphanage;[6] filming began in March 2005 and ended in November.
The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its visual effects, storyline and Singer's direction, but criticized its screenplay and runtime. While the film was one of the biggest films of the year, earning $391.1 million on a budget of $204–223 million and becoming the ninthhighest-grossing film of 2006, Warner Bros. was disappointed with the worldwide box office return and cancelled a sequel for release in 2009. TheSuperman film series was rebooted in 2013 withMan of Steel, directed byZack Snyder and starringHenry Cavill asSuperman. Routh later reprised his role as Superman in the 2019Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths".
Superman has been missing for five years, ever since he traveled to the location where astronomers believed they discovered the remains ofKrypton. His arch-nemesis,Lex Luthor, has recently been released from prison and married a wealthy widow to inherit her fortune upon her death. Having failed to find any survivingKryptonians, Superman returns to Earth and resumes his job at theDaily Planet inMetropolis as his alter-egoClark Kent. There, he learns that the woman he loves,Lois Lane, is engaged to Perry White's nephew, Richard, with whom she has a 5-year-old son, Jason. She has won thePulitzer Prize for her article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." Luthor travels to theFortress 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 aSpace Shuttle to belaunched into space from its piggy-back mounting on an airliner occupied by Lois, who is covering the story. Clark flies into action as Superman, launching the shuttle into the sky and stopping the plane from crashing.
The world rejoices at Superman's return, though he has difficulty coping with the fact that those he was once close to have moved on from him. When Superman gets distracted by an out-of-control vehicle, a diversion involving Luthor's henchwoman, Kitty Kowalski, Luthor stealsKryptonite from the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. Perry 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 an interest in the blackout story, which she connects to Luthor's experiment. He reveals to them his plan to use one of the stolen Kryptonian crystals, which he has combined with the Kryptonite, to grow a new landmass in the Atlantic Ocean that will supplant the United States and kill billions of people.
Seeing young Jason react to Kryptonite, Luthor asks Lois who his father is; Lois asserts that his father is Richard. The crystal begins forming Luthor's landmass as Lois attempts to escape. She is attacked by one of Luthor's henchmen, but a piano slams into the henchman from off-screen, originating from where Jason sits while the ship rocks in the waves. Meanwhile, Superman attempts to minimize the destruction in Metropolis caused by the new landmass's growth, and Richard pilots a seaplane to rescue Lois and Jason.
Confronting Luthor, Superman is weakened by the Kryptonite-filled landmass, allowing Luthor and his henchmen to brutalize him. Superman is stabbed with a shard of Kryptonite by Luthor, falls into the ocean, and is left to drown, but Lois and Richard rescue him. After Lois removes the Kryptonite shard from his body, Superman regains his strength and lifts the landmass, thanks to much of the island's mass being between him and the Kryptonite. Luthor's henchmen are killed, but Luthor and Kitty escape in their helicopter. Unwilling to let billions of people die, Kitty tosses away the crystals that Lex stole from the Fortress of Solitude before their helicopter runs out of fuel, leaving them stranded on a deserted island.
Superman pushes the landmass with the crystals into space. Weakened by the Kryptonite, he crashes back to Earth. At the hospital, after removing another shard of Kryptonite from Superman's body, doctors learn that they cannot penetrate his skin with their surgical tools, and he remains in a coma. While visiting Superman, Lois whispers something into his ear and kisses him. Superman awakens and visits the sleeping Jason, to whom he recites the last speech from his late biological fatherJor-El. As Lois starts writing an article entitled "Why the World Needs Superman", Superman reassures her that he is back to stay and flies off to low orbit, where he gazes down at the world.
Marlon Brando appears posthumously asJor-El, Superman's late biological father. Brando, who died in 2004, reprises his role from the 1978 film through the use of previous footage combined withcomputer-generated imagery, his footage, filmed before by Richard Donner forSuperman II before his dismissal, were rescued for the making ofSuperman II: The Richard Donner Cut. This required negotiations with Brando'sestate 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."[11]
Peta Wilson appears asNASA spokeswoman Bobbie-Faye.Jack Larson, who portrayed Jimmy Olsen in the 1950s television seriesAdventures of Superman, makes acameo appearance as Bo the bartender.Noel Neill—who portrayed Lois Lane in the television series and thefilm serialsSuperman (1948) andAtom 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 byAustralian Rugby League footballerIan Roberts.
Director, screenwriter and producerBryan Singer conceived the storyline of "Superman returning to Earth after a five-year absence" during the filming ofX2 (2003). He presented the idea toX-Men (2000) andX2 producerLauren Shuler Donner and her husbandRichard Donner, director ofSuperman (1978). Donner greeted Singer's idea with positive feedback.[12]
In March 2004,Warner Bros. Pictures was commencingpre-production onSuperman: Flyby (which Singer previously passed as he wanted to make his own story), which had a target theatrical release date of June 2006.McG was signed to direct with a script byJ. J. Abrams, but dropped out in June 2004. That same month, Singer was approached by Warner Bros. topitch his idea forSuperman Returns, as he was preparing to leave for Hawaii on a short vacation with hisX2 writersMichael Dougherty andDan Harris. While in Hawaii, Singer, Dougherty and Harris began to outline thefilm treatment.[13] In July 2004, Singer signed on to direct and developSuperman Returns.[14][15]
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.[14][16] With Singer's hiring, he dropped out ofX-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and also had theLogan's Run remake pushed back.[14]Superman Returns was financed 50/50 between Warner Bros. andLegendary Pictures,[17] and pre-production began in November 2004.[18] By February 2005, Dougherty and Harris had written six drafts of the script.[19] Early versions of the script contained references to theSeptember 11 attacks before they were removed.[13]
Jim Caviezel expressed interest in playing the role of Superman but Singer believed only an unknown actor would be suitable for the part of Superman.[20][21] Brandon Routh was chosen from thousands of candidates interviewed atcasting calls in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.[22] He had also auditioned forClark Kent in the television seriesSmallville, losing toTom Welling. Routh had also met directorJoseph "McG" Nichol for the role during pre-production ofSuperman: Flyby.Dana Reeve, widow ofChristopher Reeve, believed Routh's physical resemblance to her late husband was striking.[23] To obtain the muscular physique to play Superman convincingly, Routh underwent a strict bodybuilding exercise regimen.[12] Prior to Routh's casting, Singer hadX2 actorDaniel Cudmore audition.[24]Henry Cavill,Glenn Howerton,Sam Heughan andChris Pratt also auditioned; Cavill would later portray Superman in severalDC Extended Universe films.[25][26][27][28] Cavill later denied that he read forReturns and stated he only tested for McG.[29]
Kevin Spacey was the only actor considered for Lex Luthor, because of hisAcademy Award-winning performance in Singer's filmThe Usual Suspects (1995), and friendship with Singer. The writers specifically had Spacey in mind for the part when writing the script.[30]
For the part ofLois Lane, Spacey recommendedKate Bosworth to Singer for the role, because she had co-starred with Spacey inBeyond the Sea (2004) asSandra Dee.[30]Natalie Portman,Evangeline Lilly,Charisma Carpenter,Mia Kirshner,Mischa Barton,Claire Danes andKeri Russell were reportedly also considered.[31][32]Amy Adams, who would later be cast as Lois Lane in the 2013 rebootMan of Steel, confirmed in an interview that she had also auditioned for Lois in 2005. Adams had previously auditioned for Lois in 2003 whenBrett Ratner was planning to directSuperman: Flyby.[33] Bosworth studiedKatharine Hepburn's acting for inspiration, particularly inThe Philadelphia Story (1940) andGuess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967),[31] as well asJulia Roberts inErin Brockovich (2000).[34]
Hugh Laurie was originally cast as Perry White, but he was unable to film due to commitments to the TV showHouse,[35][36][37] so the part went toFrank Langella.
Parker Posey was the only actress considered for the role of Kitty Kowalski.[13]
Singer offered the role ofJimmy Olsen toShawn Ashmore, but Ashmore declined due to his commitments toX-Men: The Last Stand;[38] his twin brotherAaron Ashmore played the role in the TV showSmallville. The part went to Sam Huntington.
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Warner Bros. Pictures considered shootingSuperman Returns atVillage Roadshow Studios in theGold Coast, Queensland, Australia. After filming, this could have been used as an attraction for the adjoiningWarner Bros. Movie World theme park, but the idea was scrapped for being too expensive.[39] Set construction started in January 2005 atFox 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 fakeworking title ofRed Sun during filming.[30][40] Starting in late March 2005,principal photography lasted until November.[41] Filming ofSuperman Returns inNew South Wales 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 ninesound stages.[42] Scenes set inSmallville were shot atBreeza,[43] while theAustralian Museum doubled for the Metropolis Museum of Natural History.[44]
Superman Returns was shot usingPanavision'sGenesis digital camera.[45] Production designerGuy Hendrix Dyas was influenced byFrank Lloyd Wright'sJohnson Wax Headquarters for the design of theDaily Planet.[46] ESC Entertainment was originally set to design the visual effects sequences, but Warner Bros. replaced them with the hiring ofMark Stetson fromSony Pictures Imageworks as thevisual effects supervisor.[47] A total of 1,400 visual effects shots were created.[41] The script required a scene of Superman safely delivering aBoeing 777 in abaseball park wherecomputer-generated imagery was used as it would have been impossible to assemble the number ofextras for the shots. Asecond unit crew headed byDan Bradley andBrian Smrz traveled toDodger Stadium to photograph elements that were composited into the final images.[48] The scenes of Metropolis was actually a modified version of the skyline of Manhattan. Using footage from the originalSuperman (1978) film as a reference point,Marlon Brando was re-created byRhythm & Hues Studios using CGI.[49] The opening credits forSuperman Returns are presented in an intended recreation of the style used forSuperman, again to the accompaniment ofJohn Williams's theme music.[50]
Singer hired regular collaboratorJohn Ottman as editor andfilm score composer months before the script was written.[51] Ottman said in past interviews thatJohn Williams, who composed the 1978 film, had influenced his decision to become a musician.[52] He was both cautious and enthusiastic to work onSuperman Returns. Ottman commented: "Bryan [Singer] said he wouldn't evengreenlight 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 onSuperman Returns as ahomage to, not aripoff of, Williams.[53]
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 thedevelopment 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.[13][54]
Warner Bros. promotedSuperman Returns at 2005San Diego Comic-Con.[55] Singer and screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris came up with the idea of publishing aprequellimited series, spanning four comic book issues.[56] The stories were written byJimmy Palmiotti,Marc Andreyko, and Justin Gray, with artwork byKarl Kerschl andMatt Haley.[57] During production, a series of "video diaries" on the Internet were released atBlueTights.net, showing behind-the-scenes work being done. After 27 installments, the video diaries stopped for a while shortly before theteaser trailer debuted on November 18, 2005, withHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.[55] The main theatrical trailer debuted online on May 2, 2006.[58] That trailer appeared in theaters on May 5, with prints ofMission: Impossible III, while the international trailer came withThe Da Vinci Code andX-Men: The Last Stand.[59][60] DC Comics published a comics adaptation by artist Matt Haley and writerMartin Pasko,[61]Marv Wolfman wrote a novelization,[62] andElectronic Arts developed avideo game based on both the movie and the comics.[63]
The estimated cost of marketingSuperman Returns in the United States was $45.5 million,[citation needed] the second-highest of the year behindDisney's $53.5 million campaign forCars.[64] Warner Bros. madetie-in deals withGeneral Mills,Burger King,Cheetos,Duracell,Pepsi,Doritos,Papa John's Pizza,7-Eleven andColgate.[59] The film was also advertised withRed Bull RacingFormula One cars at the2006 Monaco Grand Prix.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.[65]NASCAR Sprint Cup championJeff Gordon also sported the "Man of Steel" look by promoting the movie on his #24ChevroletMonte Carlo in the 2006Pepsi 400 atDaytona International Speedway.[66]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 winningthat year's championship.[67] TheNational Geographic Channel releasedThe Science of Superman on June 29, 2006: atelevision special that studiedpopular science analogies with the Superman mythos.[68] 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".[69]
Bryan Singer convinced Warner Bros. not to experiment withtest screenings. In addition, Singer removed 15 minutes of footage fromSuperman Returns after showing it to some of his "trusted associates". The final theatrical time length ran at 154 minutes.[70] Warner Bros. originally slated the movie for release on Friday, June 30, but moved it up to Wednesday, June 28.[71]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, behindSpider-Man 2.[72][73] The film ranked at the top in its opening weekend, grossing $52.5 million.[74] With a total gross of $84.6 million,Superman Returns dethronedThe Matrix Revolutions to have the biggest five-day Wednesday opening for aWarner Bros. film.[75]
Superman Returns: An IMAX 3D Experience was released simultaneously in 111IMAX-format theaters worldwide, which included 20 minutes of converted3D film material. It was the first Hollywood full-length live-action film to be released in this combined format.[76] 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 IMAXreissue.[69] The film's second-week gross rapidly declined by 58% from the first week, due to the presence ofPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest andThe Devil Wears Prada.[77] By October, the film had crossed the $200 million mark, becoming the fifth film of the 2006 summer season to do so.[78]Superman Returns went on to gross $200.1 million in North America and $191 million internationally, earning $391.1 million worldwide.[74] Domestically, the film was the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2006.[79] In worldwide totals,Superman Returns was ninth-highest.[80]
OnRotten Tomatoes,Superman Returns has an approval rating of 72% based on 290 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. 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."[81] OnMetacritic, the film has a score of 72 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[82] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[83][84]
Richard Corliss ofTime praisedSuperman Returns, calling it one of the bestsuperhero films. He was mostly impressed with Singer's direction and the storyline.[85]Joe Morgenstern fromThe Wall Street Journal 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.[86]
Peter Travers, writing inRolling Stone, felt the film "perfectly updates Superman for the modern audience".[87]J. Hoberman ofThe Village Voice called it "surprisingly well made. It's a summerblockbuster filled withmythology and sensitivity."[88]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 ofgoose bumps."[89]
However,Roger Ebert 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".[90]Mick LaSalle of theSan Francisco Chronicle felt that Warner Bros. should haverebooted the series along the lines ofBatman Begins. He also felt Bosworth, at 22 years old, was too young to portray Lois Lane, and theclimax did not "match the potential of the tiring 154-minute-long film".[91]
On May 3, 2009, almost three years after the debut ofSuperman Returns, filmmakerQuentin Tarantino declared his appreciation for Bryan Singer's directorial work onSuperman Returns and that he would write a 20-page review about the film.[92]
On January 9, 2012, more than five years after the movie was released, the independent film community daily news siteIndieWire released a two-part video essay that probes themelancholic nature ofSuperman Returns. Produced by Matt Zoller Seitz and Ken Cancelosi, the critique was inspired by a review that Seitz wrote for theNew York Press 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."[93]
In 2013, Singer stated thatSuperman 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."[94]
Empire ranked the movie 496 on its "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list,[95] stating, "It may have been a slighter return than some people had hoped for, but Singer's vision of theMan of Steel is an heroic effort. Plenty of spectacle and a lot of heart helps Kal-El soar."[96]
Superman Returns was nominated for both theAcademy Award for Best Visual Effects andBAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects, losing toPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.[97][98] The film was successful at the33rd Saturn Awards, winningBest Fantasy Film, and categories forDirection (Bryan Singer),Best Actor (Brandon Routh),Writing (Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris) andMusic (John Ottman). Kate Bosworth, Tristan Lake Leabu, James Marsden, Parker Posey, and the visual effects department were nominated for categories.[99] However, Bosworth was also nominated aRazzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress.[100]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 79th Academy Awards | Best Visual Effects | Superman Returns | Nominated |
| BAFTAs | Best Special Visual Effects | Superman Returns | Nominated | |
| 27th Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Supporting Actress | Kate Bosworth | Nominated | |
| 33rd Saturn Awards | Best Actor | Brandon Routh | Won | |
| Best Actress | Kate Bosworth | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | James Marsden | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Parker Posey | Nominated | ||
| Best Young Actor | Tristan Lake Leabu | Nominated | ||
| Best Score | John Ottman | Won | ||
| Best Visual Effects | Superman Returns | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Michael Dougherty &Dan Harris | Won | ||
| Best Director | Bryan Singer | Won | ||
| Best Fantasy Film | Superman Returns | Won |
Superman Returns debuted onDVD 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.[101] That same day, a 14-disc DVDbox set titledSuperman Ultimate Collector's Edition was released, containing special editions of all fiveSuperman films, as well as the documentaryLook, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman.[102] It debuted at the top spot of the DVD charts, and also generated $13 million in rentals during its first week.[103]The film was also released in bothhigh-definition formats,HD DVD, which featured both standard and high definitions on the same disc, andBlu-ray.[101] It was the best-selling title on both formats in 2006,[104] and was among the best-sellers of both formats of 2007.[105]
In February 2006, four months before the release ofSuperman Returns, Warner Bros. announced a mid-2009 theatrical release date for a sequel, with Bryan Singer reprising his directing duties.[106] Brandon Routh,[107] Kate Bosworth,[108] Kevin Spacey,[109]Sam Huntington,[110]Frank Langella,[111] andTristan Lake Leabu were to reprise their roles.[112] Due to his commitment, Singer dropped out of directing a remake ofLogan's Run and an adaptation ofThe Mayor of Castro Street.[113] Writer Michael Dougherty wanted the sequel to be "action packed", featuring "other Kryptonians"[114] withBrainiac[115] andBizarro also considered for primary villains.[112] The "New Krypton" landmass floating in space at the end ofSuperman Returns would have served as aplot device.[116] AlthoughSuperman Returns received mostly positive reviews, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures were disappointed by the film's box office return.[117] Warner Bros. PresidentAlan F. Horn explained thatSuperman 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."[118] Singer reacted incredulously to the studio complaints, saying, "That movie made $400 million! I don't know what constitutes under-performing these days..."[119] $175 million was the maximum budget Warner Bros. was projecting for the sequel, asSuperman Returns cost $204 million.[13][54][120]
Filming for theSuperman Returns sequel was to start in mid-2007,[121] before Singer halted development in favor ofValkyrie.[122] Filming was then pushed to March 2008,[123] but writers Dougherty andDan Harris left in favor of other career opportunities.[124] The2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike pushed the release date to 2010.[125] Singer still listed the sequel as a priority in March 2008, saying that the film was in early development.[119] Routh expected filming to begin in early 2009.[126]Paul Levitz, president of DC Comics, expected Routh to reprise the title role fromSuperman Returns[107] before his contract for a sequel expired in 2009.[127] However, with Warner Bros. deciding toreboot the film series, Singer dropped out in favor of directingJack the Giant Slayer. 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. HadSuperman 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."[128]
Brandon Routh reprised his role as Clark Kent / Superman in the 2019Arrowverse TV series crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths", in addition to playingRay Palmer / The Atom, a character he introduced onArrow and played onLegends of Tomorrow.[129][130] Executive producerMarc Guggenheim was reluctant to call Routh's crossover appearance a sequel when addressing whether the character's appearance would constitute a sequel toSuperman 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."[131][132]
Set on Earth-96 in themultiverse of the Arrowverse, this version of Superman has become an aged and beleaguered superhero similar to theiteration from the DC Comics' mini-seriesKingdom Come; adopting a black belt and anS-shield with a black background as a sign of mourning after losing his friends, notably Perry White and Jimmy Olsen, as well as his wife Lois (having been married at some point after revealing his secrets to her) to a terrorist attack on theDaily Planet bya psychopath from Gotham City. He is also similar to another iteration,Kal-L (remained working as a newspaper's editor-in-chief instead of going into seclusion after what happened), making this Superman an amalgam of the two, as well as being a facsimile to Ray Palmer as a multiversal counterpart. As theMonitor recruited heroes from across the multiverse to avert a Crisis caused by theAnti-Monitor, he specifically wanted to find "a Kryptonian who suffered a greater loss than most mortal men could endure" called the Paragon of Truth. During the event, Superman also references the events fromSuperman III when the good Clark Kent fought an evil version of Superman, as well as his son Jason (implying that he had discovered his true paternity) fromSuperman Returns, which implies the Arrowverse retconned the Reeve/Routh Superman continuity so thatSuperman III, and possibly evenSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace andSupergirl, did happen after all, and possibly now take place afterSuperman Returns.[133][134] After the Anti-Monitor Crisis was averted and a new multiverse was created, Superman of Earth-96 is seen wearing a yellow S-shield and belt as he flies away.[135]
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location (link)My production budget on "Superman Returns" was $204 million. The approved budget was $184.5 million. We had projected overages for visual effects, and there was a sequence that I wanted that was going to cost an extra $2.3 million. So the hard, honest number is $204 million.
In terms of audience quadrants, Cinemascore gave Superman Returns only a B+ (A- for under-25, but only a B for over-25. So the studio is not getting the wide audience needed for the pic to make $200 mil.)
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