Scoop: Who Will Be The Next Supervillain? By El Mayimbe on January 05, 2009 El Mayimbe here...   HAPPY NEW YEAR!   TO THE LATINOS - FELIZ DIA DE LOS REYES!   Anyway, so what is REALLY going on with Superman?   Here is what I was able to find out...   According to my sources, the WB is actively hearing takes from writers for a new SUPERMAN movie.  WB is committed to re-making SUPERMAN into an interesting franchise.  At the moment, the execs haven't heard anything they like yet but the kicker is that WB wants a NEW VILLAIN from Superman's Rogues Gallery to be the main antagonist...NOT LEX LUTHOR!  Writers have been told to come in to the studio to pitch a story with a new villain but again, the WB hasn't bit on anything they heard yet.   In fact, Luthor is going to take a back seat. Whether he is altogether out or reduced to a contagonist character in the new script remains to be seen.   Personally, I think this is the way to go. Worked at first for Batman back in 2005, why not Supes?   Now I know that goes contrary to what Kevin Spacey said a couple of weeks ago, but I'm just relaying what I'm told...   So could we be seeing BRAINIAC, DARKSEID, DOOMSDAY, or even ZOD battling Supes on the big screen in the near future? Brainiac Darkseid Doomsday Zod How hot would that be? Source: Latinoreview Comments All 4 on 2009-01-06 00:20:44 :D Hell yeah No Luthor? Commented By: John on 2009-01-06 01:35:28 I agree with no Luthor for the main villian only because that is all we have seen and are tired of it.I would like to see the franchise begin again with maybe Metallo or Toyman .They could be fun if written write.I do hope that it was only a rumor to turn The Man of Steel into a dark franchise.That is not who the character is and would'nt work.I would use one of the lesser known villians mentioned then throw in Brainiac or Doomsday to lead into a second film then finish the saga with Darkseid in the finale. Lame Commented By: dude on 2009-01-06 01:56:17 Is this the big superhero scoop? How is this a scoop exactly? We all knew this would happen. What about...? Commented By: Steve on 2009-01-06 07:48:31 A few years back, there was a Supes story in the comics where he fought a group disguised as heroes and almost ended up killing the leader. I can't remember the name of the group, but I always thought it would make for a good movie. Brainiac has been the villain of late, so that could be interesting. Or the return of Zod. Lex 4 president! Commented By: supertrouper on 2009-01-06 08:23:28 There were some comics in which Luthor was the president of the USA, and there were also interesting villains. Maybe that could help producers... it would be pretty interesting! Millar trilogy! >_< Commented By: andrea on 2009-01-06 09:39:24 we want mark millar trilogy!!! any news about that? Scoop?!?! Commented By: Disappointed reader on 2009-01-06 09:44:47 WOW! What a scoop. Let's see, tell everyone that the WB is interviewing writers for the next Superman movie, add some unauthorized pictures and bam, you have a scoop. Dude how about getting some real info from your "sources" like who the writers are and what they're pitching. So is it a sequel? Commented By: AntoBlueberry on 2009-01-06 10:16:15 From the piece it reads like a sequel. Singer's writers pitched a sequel with Darkseid and one with Brainiac and neither was well received by WB executives. mark millar Commented By: engleburt on 2009-01-06 10:20:40 what up with mark millar - franchise ?? I agree with AntoBlueberry Commented By: Don on 2009-01-06 10:58:50 He said: "From the piece it reads like a sequel." Is it a sequel or a reboot? I would rather see a sequel. If Reboot Commented By: TheManWithNoName on 2009-01-06 11:09:51 Well even if it is a reboot (which I'd rather see a Singer sequel) I don't want to see them take it all the way back to Smallville. There is no need for that. Everyone knows the story and it can be told in the opening credits. Also you can pretty much guarantee it's not going to be Doomsday if it's a reboot. Probably not Darkseid either. blueyes on 2009-01-06 11:37:34 Make the sequel, WB Commented By: blueyes on 2009-01-06 11:40:15 Just make the sequel, WB. Superman Returns was fine, no, great. Let Singer do his 'Wrath of Khan" with it. He is talented and he cares a lot about Superman. And please, BRING ROUTH BACK!! Superman Returns? Commented By: El Cucuy on 2009-01-06 13:17:08 If WB is going to start from scratch with this franchise and not make a better sequel to Singers film, then thats totally fine with me. Superman Returns can take it's rightfull place as the new "Superman III" and let us move on from that same tired storyline with Lex Luther wanting land Bullshit. Not to mention it would also get us the Fuck away from all the Goddamn Jesus Christ referenses. That was retarded. I didn't need Singer to preech to me who Superman is. I know who he is, he's "Superman"! He's our savior! I get it! Thats's why I went to go see the film. Not to go see some Goddamn Judeo-Christian allegory on who he is. That was a complete waste of time and money. Now we have to wait until someone else can come along and start all over again. Goddamn Morons! Anyways, I think this is the way to go. I think Luthor should be in all the movies but he doesn't have to be the main villain. Brainiac, Metallo, Parasite, etc. would be great villains to name a few. Plus I'd love to see a 2 to 3 film arc epic with Darkseid and the entire Fourth World. But thats just me dreaming again. Supes Commented By: 420band on 2009-01-06 14:25:35 I didn't think Singers flick was all that mediocre. It had some bright spots BUT, I'm also tired of Lex Luther as main villain already. not to mention Spacey as good of an actor he is, didn't quite do it for me. also Parker Posey was terrible and annoying! Brandon Routh did his best Christopher Reeve impression and that was good enough to bring him back, I believe. Just most of the other villians are pretty weak in comparison to like Batman's (the only other D.C. movie to date) Doomsday kinda looks like the movie version of the abomination(hulk) to me.. It's gonna be hard to nail this one and please everyone like TDK did.. They should introduce another hero in the next one (or give us a taste) like Marvels doing if at all possible.. Bizzaro Superman anyone? Until then make mine Marvel! BRAINIAC Commented By: Tyke on 2009-01-06 15:40:46 Brainiac needs to be the supervillian, period. There are so many possibilities with that you could do 6 movies with Brainiac alone. AND BRANDON ROUTH NEEDS TO BE IN THIS ONE. HE WAS EXCELLENT. Keep Routh Commented By: scooby on 2009-01-06 16:52:37 Routh was great as Kent. Too quiet as Superman, but not his fault. As he ages he will look more and more like Superman. Routh for Supes. Keep Routh Commented By: scooby on 2009-01-06 16:53:29 Mark Millar news? Keep Routh Commented By: scooby on 2009-01-06 17:03:21 A story from Luthors perspective would rock. Maybe Nolan can knock one out before bat 3. Ah, to dream.... RANDOMGuy Commented By: Dude on 2009-01-06 19:13:45 I fear this reboot could follow the way of the punisher's reboot; All bad dialogue/accents, too much overly dramatic moments and it probably won't get a 1/3 of its $$$ back from the box office. Plus a superman film needs a Luthor in the loop (The character has only been in 4 films guy! No.3 had a cheap ripoff of him with some Texas Yahoo.) GEOFF JOHNS Commented By: Conrad on 2009-01-06 19:15:29 Will someone please connect the powers that be at WB/Legendary and connect them to Geoff Johns!?! This is frustrating. Are there writers out there that can tell a good story? Probably. But can any of them deliver a great story about the world's best hero worthy of a kick-ass movie and hold true? Ask Geoff Johns. D Commented By: DDD on 2009-01-06 21:13:30 thank GOD. no lex. please no lex. Man Of Steel Mini Series Commented By: House Of EL on 2009-01-06 21:54:19 If they used the Man Of Steel mini series as a blue print for a trilogy...I think it could work. Having Luthor in the back pulling strings thorugh other villians; but since Supes has no concrete proof to connect Lex to anything and he bides by human laws, and Lex has money & powerto by and make law, that's where the challenge for he& Lex comes into play...but Lex certainly doesn't need to be the focal villian in the new movie. Nico69 Commented By: Nicolas Duncan on 2009-01-06 22:59:22 There are just too many great Superman stories to convert into a successful franchise, which makes it so frustrating that WB & DC cannot get this right. They just need to dump Mark Millar’s 8-hour epic idea into the trash. It would be a horrible mistake to start on Krypton, a thousand years ago, and end with Superman alone on Planet Earth, the last being left on the planet, as the yellow sun turns red and starts to supernova, and he loses his powers. This is a major downer and possibly be the end of any “Superman” movies in the future. My favorite “Superman” writers are Dan Jurgens, Jeph Loeb, Sterling Gates, Joe Kelly, James Robinson and Geoff Johns. I would like to see the next movie(s) a collection of various “Superman” stories. The first movie scenario could be “Superman: The Death of A Hero”, which would introduce Braniac (as the main villain) realizing a Kryptonian living on Earth and this creates a great deal of conflict as a being that does not make errors. Braniac would conspire with Kal-El’s greatest Earth rival and infect Lex to genetically create Doomsday, which the movie ending with Superman sending Doomsday to the phantom zone - but shortly afterwards Superman dies in Lois’s arms confessing he is Clark plus Lex/Braniac with twisting the media coverage to make him look like the superior responsible for ridding the world of Doomsday. A part of the film could also include various “small” flashbacks of Superman’s history, and a Clark/Lois spicy & competitive relationship (please, not like the mousy Lois from Superman Returns & NO CHILD), they could be covering a story on Batman and different superhero beings sightings (A great connection to a spin-off “Justice League of America” The second movie “Superman: The Rise of SuperMEN”, which would include the comic book story line by Dan Jurgens. It would end with the original Superman, but Lex is president of the US. This could work, however, this story needs a great deal of improvement on modernizing the suspense, drama, and action. The movie could include Steel, Bizzaro, Matello and various genetic versions of Superman with one turning evil by Lex’s guidance, but dies by saving the original Superman. Also, it would include a stunning 21st century stylish/sexy Superboy. There could also be a spin-off of “Superboy: Creation”. The third film could be “Superman: The Family of Tomorrow”. This movie scenario could be converting various Superman stories. It could begin with the great Branic un-infecting Lex, which then Lex has a complete mental breakdown. Braniac invades Earth and kidnaps Superman and Lois. Lois is in a chamber observing Braniac zapping Superman into the shrunken Kendor. Superman then meets his uncle Zor-el, with his wife, and daughter. Lois later is able to reverse the device that zapped Superman into Kendor, but he is not alone. He returns with his cousin Kara. The movie could end with the wedding of Clark and Lois. There could be a spin-off “SuperGirl: Good Girl Gone Evil”, which converts stories from the resent Batman/Superman comic books. This movie could include Kara’s flashbacks of Braniac’s shrinking Kendor. She doesn’t know how to fit in. Batman and Lois convincing Superman that Wonderwoman should train Supergirl on Paradise island (Given that there has been a Justice League of America & Wonderwoman movies by this time). Then Darksied kidnaps and brainwashes Supergirl on Apokolips. We get to meet Granny. Superman has a face off with Supergirl gone bad, but overcomes and saves her. Supergirl defetes Darksied’s hold and forces him into the final barrier at the end of outer space - The Source Wall. The movie ends with Supergirl returning to Earth with Superman, Batman and Wonderwoman, where they are welcomed by members of JLA. The movie ends with her thanking everyone’s acceptance and announcing her goal of rescuing Kendor from Braniac. The fourth Superman movie “Superman: Man of Steel Vs Man of Steel”, which includes Matello. And, there are so many more successful movies the franchise could create. Most if not everyone knows the basic Superman story, but there are so many stories that could be converted into a successful movie franchise that includes drama, action, lust, good vs evil, and other common denominators of what people want. I just would like to see a great story. It could be old, new or combination there of...just my thoughts. Nico Commented By: Nico on 2009-01-06 23:13:49 There are just too many great Superman stories to convert into a successful franchise, which makes it so frustrating that WB & DC cannot get this right. They just need to dump Mark Millar’s 8-hour epic idea into the trash. It would be a horrible mistake to start on Krypton, a thousand years ago, and end with Superman alone on Planet Earth, the last being left on the planet, as the yellow sun turns red and starts to supernova, and he loses his powers. This is a major downer and possibly be the end of any “Superman” movies in the future. My favorite “Superman” writers are Dan Jurgens, Jeph Loeb, Sterling Gates, Joe Kelly, James Robinson and Geoff Johns. I would like to see the next movie(s) a collection of various “Superman” stories. The first movie scenario could be “Superman: The Death of A Hero”, which would introduce Braniac (as the main villain) realizing a Kryptonian living on Earth and this creates a great deal of conflict as a being that does not make errors. Braniac would conspire with Kal-El’s greatest Earth rival and infect Lex to genetically create Doomsday, which the movie ending with Superman sending Doomsday to the phantom zone - but shortly afterwards Superman dies in Lois’s arms confessing he is Clark plus Lex/Braniac with twisting the media coverage to make him look like the superior responsible for ridding the world of Doomsday. A part of the film could also include various “small” flashbacks of Superman’s history, and a Clark/Lois spicy & competitive relationship (please, not like the mousy Lois from Superman Returns & NO CHILD), they could be covering a story on Batman and different superhero beings sightings (A great connection to a spin-off “Justice League of America” The second movie “Superman: The Rise of SuperMEN”, which would include the comic book story line by Dan Jurgens. It would end with the original Superman, but Lex is president of the US. This could work, however, this story needs a great deal of improvement on modernizing the suspense, drama, and action. The movie could include Steel, Bizzaro, Matello and various genetic versions of Superman with one turning evil by Lex’s guidance, but dies by saving the original Superman. Also, it would include a stunning 21st century stylish/sexy Superboy. There could also be a spin-off of “Superboy: Creation”. The third film could be “Superman: The Family of Tomorrow”. This movie scenario could be converting various Superman stories. It could begin with the great Branic un-infecting Lex, which then Lex has a complete mental breakdown. Braniac invades Earth and kidnaps Superman and Lois. Lois is in a chamber observing Braniac zapping Superman into the shrunken Kendor. Superman then meets his uncle Zor-el, with his wife, and daughter. Lois later is able to reverse the device that zapped Superman into Kendor, but he is not alone. He returns with his cousin Kara. The movie could end with the wedding of Clark and Lois. There could be a spin-off “SuperGirl: Good Girl Gone Evil”, which converts stories from the resent Batman/Superman comic books. This movie could include Kara’s flashbacks of Braniac’s shrinking Kendor. She doesn’t know how to fit in. Batman and Lois convincing Superman that Wonderwoman should train Supergirl on Paradise island (Given that there has been a Justice League of America & Wonderwoman movies by this time). Then Darksied kidnaps and brainwashes Supergirl on Apokolips. We get to meet Granny. Superman has a face off with Supergirl gone bad, but overcomes and saves her. Supergirl defetes Darksied’s hold and forces him into the final barrier at the end of outer space - The Source Wall. The movie ends with Supergirl returning to Earth with Superman, Batman and Wonderwoman, where they are welcomed by members of JLA. The movie ends with her thanking everyone’s acceptance and announcing her goal of rescuing Kendor from Braniac. The fourth Superman movie “Superman: Man of Steel Vs Man of Steel”, which includes Matello. And, there are so many more successful movies the franchise could create. Most if not everyone knows the basic Superman story, but there are so many stories that could be converted into a successful movie franchise that includes drama, action, lust, good vs evil, and other common denominators of what people want. I just would like to see a great story. It could be old, new or combination there of...just my thoughts. Lex not needed, Routh is Commented By: Scooter on 2009-01-07 01:40:12 Lex should probably be introduced in the first movie, but not take a role as a main villain until the sequel (assuming it gets one). Brainiac is ideal. And as always, KEEP BRANDON ROUTH AS THE MAN OF STEEL!!! Less Lex!!! Commented By: Super Nanny on 2009-01-07 18:01:42 I'm happy with any supervillain as long Lex is in the background, and Brandon Routh is back in the tights. RJO Commented By: RJO on 2009-01-07 18:41:40 I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DARKSIDE AS THE VILLIAN HE IS RARELY USED KEEP THE STORY WERE SUPERMAN RETURNS AS IT ENDED AND TAKE IT FROM THERE . BRANDON ROUTH IS GREAT AS SUPERMAN! MAKE IT A STORY WERE SUPERMANS CLOSET ARE THREATENED IN THE PYSICAL SENSE! SINCE THERE HAS BEEN TALK OF SUPERMAN LOOSING CONTROL HERES YOUR OPENING! RJO Commented By: ron on 2009-01-07 18:44:30 I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DARKSIDE AS THE VILLIAN HE IS RARELY USED KEEP THE STORY WERE SUPERMAN RETURNS AS IT ENDED AND TAKE IT FROM THERE . BRANDON ROUTH IS GREAT AS SUPERMAN! MAKE IT A STORY WERE SUPERMANS CLOSET ARE THREATENED IN THE PYSICAL SENSE! SINCE THERE HAS BEEN TALK OF SUPERMAN LOOSING CONTROL HERES YOUR OPENING! Commented By: pradeep on 2009-01-08 06:30:06 Makes sense to me, in 4 out of the 5 superman films made, lex luthor has been the main villain. In the one film where he was absent they had a villain who resembled luthor in all ways but name anyway. Have a Brainiac themed film, where it follows on from S Returns. Ok here is my take Brainiac has travelled through space for thousands of years, collecting planets and alien life forms, however he has become unfufilled and depressed in his search to once again find the perfect specimen of intelligent beings as the Kryptonians once were. However detecting a piece of rock floating in space which bears a strong resemblance to Kryptonian architecture ( the island Superman threw into space at the end of Returns), he is intrigued and when he finds out its origination he heads for Earth. He meets Superman and initially they are friends, it seems Kal-El has found someone who can relate to his alien origins. However when Braniac realises that Superman lives among humans and has failed to install a higher morality (instead literally becoming one of them rather than encouraging them to surpass themselves) he decides to take earth by force as Superman is incapable even with his powers and superior Kryptonian background of saving the human race, Brainiac believes man is primitive and will never evolve into anything superior. Anyway Brainiac "kills" Superman's son due to his mixture of Kryonian and human blood which has polluted the once pure kryptonian race. in reality in is a trap that sends Superman into the phantom zone to search for him while Brainiac takes over Earth. While in the zone Superman is powerless, faced with all sorts of other villains he must make a choice to escape without his son and save the humans or remain and let earth be taken over. Think of Brainiac as an enacter of Nietzschen philosophy in its most brutal and literal form. To him Kal El is the Superman that should have enlisted a new set of morals into the human race so that they themsleves can evolve into what Krytonians became. Instead the greater being (Superman) has regressed and chosen to become something inferior (Clark Kent) for this Brainiac feels that the human race is incapable of learning and Kal El is unable to teach them. I would leav the film on this cliffhanger...until the sequel... plan into a 3rd movie or JLA movie Commented By: Scottie on 2009-01-08 20:42:04 Shit man....like really, lex was only in SR because Singer is a dork. Any of these characters would be great...Lets not do Zod as he's been done in theearlier movies as well as smallville. Doomsday is great, but i dont think you can lead into a third movie very well with doomsday.....what I'm saying to do is this......In SR he says he looked for his planet....but they said nothing of his adventure looking for it......Why not bring about darkseid or brainiac tangled in with that aspect from last movie.....(i prefer darkseid cause hes so sick ass cool) and have a sweet dark and powerful story/battle, with then end of the movie.....somewhat introducing......IMPERIEX.....which sets up an insane JUSTICE LEAGUE MOVIE.....any takers??? Sparton78 Commented By: D on 2009-01-09 14:58:31 Superman 1 and 2 defined a genre. It created an extended story arc. Beginning with the banishment of Zod and his followers and ending with their destruction. Richard Donner treated the massive Mario Puzo screenplay as serious and wanted the entire two films to be played straight. The approach of the talented director was to take the aspects of Superman, his origin, early years, education in the Fortress and finally his adventures in Metropolis and play them out in a real world setting. Avoiding any cliche's or campness associated with tights wearing superheroes i.e. Batman tv series. A reboot of Superman would be foolish. Both the Origin story and the Kryptonian story arc have been told excellently. To redo a story is to challenge the performance of Marlon Brando. There is no talent out there that could achieve such a task. Superman Returns was a very good movie that reintroduced the Donner/Reeve Superman masterclass and acted as a bridge from the classic films and to allow new adventures of Superman to be told . Batman Begins succeeded because it was the first film to tell the story of Batman and not his enemies. His origin had never told and therefore needed to be made. It paved the way for the excellant Dark Knight. A dark story dealing with the nature of terroism and the extremes the hero must go to to combat it. There is a wide canon of stories available to Superman that could present the character with new opportunities to grow and develop. The Singer contribution to Superman was to open up the character for further development. The introduction of the New Krypton planetoid, his half human son, a complex love triangle with Lois and her fiance has given the character numerous directions for his humanity to be explored. As he is Superman we all know how powerful he is physically, but the true measure of a hero is how he copes with personal danger/ tragedy etc.. A sequel would definitley be the best approach. Singer left so many elements that could lead directly into a sequel story. A new 2 or 3 film arc could be contructed allowing the time for his greatest enemies to develop and be brought properly to the screen. Each film could expand the scope of the dangers faced by Superman. The most dangerous enemy Brainiac could be the catalyst for all the enemies that arrive to face superman. Imagine a Character that would infect the Scientist Milton Fine who works for a secret Government project to control Superman and turn him into a weapon. His new found intelligence creates Metallo, locates the missing Kryptonian crystals and sets about creating a weapon to subdue or kill Superman(Doomsday?). A true dramatic device could be that the secret government responsible for so much of the human suffering in the 20th century during the Cold War would turn their attention to superman, making him question, truth justice and the American way. The WB perhaps should look further afield that comic writers or at the very least partner the best of that business with the best screenwriters to create something new and bold while keeping true to its origins as the worlds best and greatest Superhero. reinvigorated the franchise! Commented By: Dan on 2009-01-10 04:45:59 To invigorate the franchise, I think they need to go with the animated series approach. Start with Jor-El and Brainiac on Krypton, where Brainiac the computer withholds Krypton's destruction from the council, where as Jor-el is ostracized by the council for saying the sun is going to supernova. Then when Superman is grown Brainiac travels to Earth and Lex makes a deal with him, like in "Superman Brianiac Attacks" then Brianiac turns on Lex taking over all of Lex's systems. The only one that can stop Brianiac is Superman. Even Lex wants Superman to destroy Brianiac, to save his company. I"d love to see an innocent bystander get hurt at the end that opens the film up for a sequel villian, maybe Parasite? Steve - that was the Elite on 2009-01-10 20:11:54 Wow - that was one of the best superman comics ever - imho - Action Comics 775 - What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way Steve - that was the Elite Commented By: Mark on 2009-01-10 20:12:59 Wow - that was one of the best superman comics ever - imho - Action Comics 775 - What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way h Commented By: gghh on 2009-01-14 13:12:51 yggjgrit No Sequel Commented By: Frankie on 2009-01-15 14:34:11 I just hope it's a reboot. I mean, I really think they'd be wrong to continue on with a continuity wherein Superman got Lois pregnant and she thought the father was someone else. I don't even mind if they keep the Christopher Reeve films as the backstory; in fact, I'd rather it DID follow III and IV than [i]Returns[/i]. Like II was any better than those two films. Just as long as [i]Returns[/i] is stricken from the records. New villians Commented By: paul on 2009-01-27 13:44:29 Use Livewire and Toyman or even Bizarro in the new movie, that would be neat or have all 3 in it be really cool . Routh IS SUPERMAN!! Commented By: Mr. Magoo on 2009-02-07 17:36:48 Yes, Routh HAS to be back in the role. He was inspired casting. He embodies the character so well that is scary! Just saw recent pics of him from the "Fanboys" premiere, and he looks even better and more mature! I want to see Routh vs Brainiac!!! Come on, WB, make another Superman movie, and soon! Superman still has SO much potential and villains to explore! *sigh* Keep Routh...AWAY Commented By: Allan on 2009-02-11 18:19:05 Routh added nothing to Superman Returns, all he did was act as if he was playing someone playing Christopher Reeve playing superman...you follow? There is plenty talent out there that can replace Routh... As for the villain...Brainiac and Metallo would be my choices with a backseat story involving Lex Luthor! HOPES! Commented By: Michael McDonnell on 2009-03-15 10:44:51 Has to have villains that the movies haven't been used before. My choices are Brainiac or Doomsday. Warner Brothers said they want to dark, If you ask whats the ideal story for the reboot if you want to go dark, The Death of Superman storyline that's the perfect way to restart the franchise, you'll have more explosive action and fight scenes. We major hardcore fans out there are hoping that the reboot is going to be more action packed and more truer to the mythology then that shitty Superman Returns.