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Today's VARIETY
   

Singer's zinger: another 'Superman'
Helmer returns to the Man of Steel
By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK


Bryan Singer has inked a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to direct and produce a sequel to "Superman Returns," with Legendary Pictures expected to co-finance.

Pic is tentatively intended for release in summer 2009, although the studio stressed that there's not even a script or budget yet.

Sequel is apparently at the very beginning of the development process and, as with any other project, there are any number of factors that must be addressed before it is greenlit.

Pact with Singer signals that Warners isn't ready to walk away from the iconic franchise -- or Singer --even though "Superman Returns," while grossing more than $390 million worldwide, wasn't the performer studio had hoped for.

Warners and Legendary say they will still turn a profit from "Superman Returns," with Singer inking his deal just as the film crossed $200 million at the domestic box office.

Insiders say Warners and Legendary are sure to insist that the sequel's production budget comes in under $200 million.

"Superman Returns" fell under endless scrutiny for its production budget, which the studio puts at $209 million after tax rebates and incentives. The number is much higher when factoring in more than $40 million in development costs -- "Superman Returns" was in the works for years --even though those costs were previously absorbed.

Critically, "Superman Returns" was disparaged for lacking in action. Singer has said he would address this concern in the follow-up.

In terms of casting, Warners has an option on "Superman Returns" star Brandon Routh.

Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris penned the script for "Superman Returns" based on a story they created with Singer. It's not clear whether Dougherty and Harris will return for the sequel.

Legendary's involvement is key for the studio. Under the co-financing and co-production deal between the two, Legendary puts up half the money for films on which it's partnering.

Legendary is Warners' partner on the revived "Batman" franchise as well.

Wow, they don't seem to like using the old definite article very much, do they?

That's "Variety-speak'

Excellent news... I liked SR... there wasn't mindless action, but there could have been a great super battle in there...

Maybe a new villain this time.. no Luthor.  Bizarro would be cool or Toyman with his deadly gadgets... or Brainiac!

Hmmm... how about Terra Man?!?!?!?!?  YEAH!!!

I'm glad there's going to be a sequel; I just wish they could conveniently forget that Superman has a son. Didn't care for that idea. Brainiac would make a great villain, but I have a bad feeling that we'll see Zod and Luthor instead.

Well, if this series is a basic continuation of the Reeve Superman series (post Superman II), didn't Zod die in II?  Don't think he would make a comeback...

It certainly looked like Zod died in Superman II, but originally it wasn't to be so.  Donner's take had the de-powered villains taken into custody by some sort of North Pole Mounted Police...or something.  I guess we'll find out when the "Donner Cut" DVD comes out later this month.  Anyway, that scene was cut from Dick Lester's version (the one actually released to theaters), so the last we saw of the villains, they were plummeting into what looked like bottomless chasms, screaming all the way down.  In the movies, that usually means dead.

Superman's "execution" of Zod (with Lois cheerily killing Ursa) remains one of the many, many, many things I hate about this film, and I strongly suspect it influenced Byrne's decision to have Superman kill the Phantom Zone villains in the comics, since everything he ever knew about Superman he learned from watching movies.

I don't know if that was Donner footage.  I've seen an "extended cut" of the movie that was originally aired on network television many years ago.  It included the scene outside the Fortress that had Lois and Superman talking, and in the background the "Arctic Police" were loading the PZ criminals into a caterpillar-tread police van.

Another scene that I liked seeing restored in that same extended cut was one where Clark went back to the hotdog stand at Niagra Falls to pay for the hotdogs that he had run off with earlier.

Since there was a Niagra Falls scene restored, and I think the entire Niagra Falls sequence was Lester's, I doubt this was Donner footage.

Whether Donner is going to use it or not in his cut - we'll have to wait and see!

Rao I deleted the above for propiety's sake.

And LL --thats not Lois I was referring to, Ms. Teschmacher.  Nor is the ending for those who've read the script.

Rao writes:


Actually, I hope it's NOT Donner footage.  The concept of an "Arctic Police" force is the most ludicrous notion since the "Space Marines" in "Moonraker."  On the other hand, what an easy beat that would be...the Arctic Police would have less to do than the Maytag Repairman!

What I keep hearing is that the Donner version has an altogether different ending.  I hope this is true...the showdown the Fortress was always a damp squib after the fireworks of the Metropolis fight.  And if I never see "Super-cellophane" again, I'll be very happy.


I like that!  I certainly think it's more in character than what we got, with Clark going back to the diner to terrorize the bully who'd harassed him earlier.  Superman would never be that petty.


I wonder.  Certainly the "reveal" with Clark falling into the hotel fireplace seems to be a replacement for the "shooting blanks" scene that Donner shot, and I assume the bit with Lois jumping in the Niagra River replaced the bit where she jumps out the Planet window in Donner's version.  But in the clips I've seen from the new "Donner Cut" DVD, Perry calls Lois and Clark into his office to assign them the "Honeymooners in Niagra" job, so this seems to have been part of the plot in Donner's version, too.  Whether or not Donner actually made it to Niagra for any shooting I don't know.

Looking forward to seeing this thing.  I think the reason I so dislike Superman: II is that it had the potential to be a great Superman movie.  If it turns out a reshuffling, re-editing and tweaking of the plot can do that, it'll end 25+ years of daydreaming.  :)

Donner Cut review

http://iesb.net/index.php?option=com_d4j_ezine&task=read&page=1&category=11&article=458&Itemid=38



Another Singer directed Superman, count me out.

It was Donner footage, they were taken into custody by an Arctic patrol along with Lex and Superman flew off with Lois.  I vaguely remember seeing this when I was a kid on TV, but I have read about it and seen stills of it.  Then just afterwards, apparently is when he lands, destroys the Fortress of Solitude with his heat vision and then has a scene with Lois where they decide to end the relationship.  Like someone said, I guess we'll find out for certain when the DVD gets out, it's five days away, I can't wait!!