Zack Snyder directing Superman

[Sedition: The Rev]

For those who haven't heard yet, Zack Snyder has signed on to direct the new Superman movie. Snyder has previously directed the remake of Dawn of the Dead, 300, Watchmen and that weird Owls movie with the confusing title that just came out.

Snyder will direct, but the movie has been developed by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer who were of course behind Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

I have mixed feelings on this, so prepare for a rant. I'm about as big of a Superman fan as it gets, and for the longest time I was convinced nobody would do a new movie right. Despite many people's criticisms, I was a huge fan of Bryan Singer's Superman Returns. I think the reason I loved it is the same reason some didn't like it. I knew I was going in to see a semi-sequel to all the classic Superman movies, and most people were hoping for and even assumed it would be a complete reboot. I'm 100% against a full reboot, as in retelling the origin story. It was told flawlessly in 1978, so there's no reason to redo that. It will feel redundant. Thankfully Nolan and Goyer developed a story that, while not a sequel, is told from an audience POV as if Superman already existed. It will start with him already on earth and already well known as a hero. That's a good thing. Another bonus is that Nolan, Goyer and Snyder all have done great jobs with comic book adaptations in the past. Watchmen was just about as close as you can get to being completely faithful to the original material.

Now the negatives that I see. Zack Snyder makes VERY violent and VERY flashy movies. This just doesn't fit Superman. I didn't see 300, Dawn of the Dead or Watchmen and think "this guy would be a great fit for a Superman movie!" His visual style is just about as far away from what Superman is as you can get. Having said that, even though it's animated, this Owl movie doesn't look violent or flashy, so maybe he's willing to abandon his signature style. The other negative is the villain choice. Everyone always complained that Superman Returns just used Lex Luther again. Everyone is so tired of only seeing Lex Luther. So of course the filmmakers want to introduce a new villain. Who do they choose............. the only other villain that has previously appeared in any of the previous 5 films. We get General Zod again. I think Zod is a great villain, but it's been done already. In fact, it's kind of been done to death. He appeared in Superman 1, appeared in Superman 2, appeared again in the alternate version of Superman 2, and we just finished seeing him in 22 straight episodes of Smallville. I find it sad that with this being the 6th movie, they have only used 2 villains from the comic books. In 6 movies nobody could find room for Bizarro, Darkseid, Metallo, Brainiac or Doomsday? Lex Luther needs to be in the movie whether he's the main villain or not, but why use Zod yet again. I can't be the only person disappointed by the villain choice.

Having said all that, I'm glad another Superman movie is being made at all, and despite the obvious style clashes of Nolan, Goyer and Snyder, I'm sure they're all aware that a Superman movie can't look, feel or be told like Batman or Watchmen.

[Michael Saint]

This could be interesting. I am a HUGE fan of all the Superman movies even Superman Returns. Chris Reeve is was and always will be Superman to me though. The guy who played him in Superman Returns was alright. The guy on Smallville is great, but I think he has stated he does not want to be the character in a movie if I remember right.

As for Zod if done right it could be good. Once again using Smallville as an example. I thought the guy who did Zod was awesome. They were able to make him almost a sympathetic character in a way. I think using Doomsday as a villian is a mixed bag. Doomsday "killed" Superman technically. I think killing off Superman in a movie and bringing him back later in it would sort of be pointless. Then again you know that if they kill him off at the end of the movie some people would complain. Doomsday would be a mixed bag. I think Bizzaro would be a great idea. Brianiac would be different.

I am satisfied with Zod as long as he says three words.

Kneel Before Zod

[Miss Mina]

There's really only 5 villians in Superman, so they were limited as to what to do anyway.


Bizzaro would require a sense of humor.

Which Nolan doesn't have.

Doomsday can really only be used as a be all end all.

And it would cost 200 million to do Darkseid alone.

So that's out.

So really, it was a choice between Luthor, Zod, or creating an entirely new villian for this movie alone.

The latter never works, it's always Luthor (Zod may have had 22 eps on Smaville, But Lithor has what? 22 seasons?), or Zod.

Really, Zod was the only choice they could've made.

[Sedition: The Rev]

I don't know if I really agree with Zod being the only choice, plus he's technically the least original choice. I mean most people forget that the Zod character was basically a creation for Superman 2, so he's not even a true comic book character. There was a very small character who was like Zod in a couple of issues in the 60s, but he was never named or given a real character. Everything that Zod is know for now came from Superman 1 and 2. As far as I'm concerned he is a movie creation that has been used in the comics sporadically since. So to use him is just recycling a villain who was only developed for past movies. Even Smallville has been basing their Zod on the movies. And as far as Smallville goes, he's so recent in memory that it just feels like overkill to use him right now. If he had been used 4 or 5 years ago it would be easier to live with.

Bizarro could be done more seriously, it would just be changing a bit from the comics. Even The Joker in Dark Knight wasn't as "funny" as the comic character, but it still worked brilliantly. I'd kind of like to see a darker version of Bizarro. Doomsday would definitely have to be saved for a sequel. Darseid would be hard to pull off, but would be amazing to watch if done right. In my opinion that leaves Brainiac as the best choice as a villain. You have many variations of the character to choose from, and because Brainiac has so many different forms, they could alter him drastically from the comics and not upset too many people. There's also an option of using a much lesser known villain and developing them for the film, which is exactly how Zod started in the first place. Batman Begins proved that it was possible to take a second rate villain that most people never heard of and still make it interesting with both Falcone and Ra's Al Ghul.

[Mr. Dangerous]

I've always wanted to see a movie with the Parasite as the villian.

[Miss Mina]

I feel you Rev. I'd still prefer Zod over anyone else. I haven't watched Smallville in years, and I'm actually kind of stunned it's still on. Doesn't he become the Superman we know before moving to Metropolis when he finds out who he is in that ice? And wasn't that right after High School?

How can they still be milking this Smallville thing? (I'm told they've turned Clark into Neo. That makes about as much sense as anything).

But to me, the villian just needs to be good. And I don't think they'll be basing the movie off the show. Zod will be a better villian than Luthor could be in a film involving Nolan and Synder, I think.

Although, I think they will get into a fist fight oer whether or not "KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!" gets into the movie.

Chris "Comedy is the tool of the devil" Nolan will be opposed.

But Synder will go for it, hard.

And if nothing else, Synder (as a director) know how to make a comic book come to life better than anyone.

[Sedition: The Rev]

They have been milking Smallville for years. The original creators left after season 7, and ever since then it's just been repetitive with the unfortunate addition of "Neo Clark". This is the final season, and judging from what I've seen, it will be the first good season in years. I have a feeling everyone ran out of ideas years ago, and they've been planning an epic final season all along. I'm still curious how they will wrap things up, considering he's pretty much Superman now, without the costume, name or ability to fly. There would have to be some huge memory wipe to end with him becoming Superman, which you can tell they still intend to do. The full Superman costume was shown at the Fortress in the season premiere. I'm hoping for a final image of Clark in costume flying.

[Ian DeTornado]

I wish to see (Evil)Bruce Wayne at Superman movie as same as Wolverine in spider-man movie or Iron man in Hulk movie, I think ... Super heroes killing each other in a movie is some kind of awesome to watch!