James McTeigue on A Darker Superman
I’m happy someone else has decided to state the obvious. Superman for lack of a better word needs to “man up.” James McTeigue, the director of the upcoming Ninja Assassin spoke to MTV about the need for a darker Man of Steel to hit theaters. McTeigue is one of the many rumored successors to the DC film franchise, and he discussed where he thinks the character should go next.
McTeigue wouldn’t confirm or deny his involvement with a new Superman film, but he did voice his opinions about where he thinks the next film should go.
“I think that the culture has sort of changed a little bit around Superman. If you’re going to do something with Superman, I think people would probably like something a little darker. I think it’s good that they just had a court case where, basically, if you make another Superman movie, you can’t touch Superman growing up—that’s part of the story that you can’t touch any more. That wouldn’t be a bad thing. I think everybody’s a bit sick of seeing the origin story.”
The court case he’s referring to is the one that caused Warner Brothers and DC Comics to forfeit the rights of Superman’s origin story to the families of creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster. Legally they were obligated to have a film in production by 2011 in order to continue using the material for the character. As you know that didn’t happen, and now that part of his life is off limits.
Without the crutch of an origin story, where can Superman go? McTeigue says, “”You need to take it and retool it. Make it something that appeals to audiences now a little more.” So would more violence be the key? Are we thinking the Richard Donner cut of Superman II?
Do you think McTeigue is right about the character? Should they make Superman darker?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 8:22PM
Superman being more violent is akin to Batman on ice skates. It's ridiculous and against the character. If his villains were to be more violent, that would be a good story, to see Superman's code of conduct pushed.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 12:35AM
dude's stupid; he just doesn't get Superman; just cuz his last couple of stories haven't been good ones doesn't mean the problem is him being darker or not; Batman on ice skates is most definitely the equivalent
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 1:16PM
Yeah, I agree with the other posters here. Superman is not a dark character. He represents us at our best, retaining his humanity in the darkest of circumstances.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 2:47PM
Superman not necessarilly "darker" but with an attitude. Someone like Darkseid…who will test all his abilities. We don't have to compromise Superman's integrity, compassion or his love for humanity. But he IS allowed to get angry and open up a can of "whoop-ass" when need be. And PLEASE….although I liked Routh and liked the Singer film (although the kid thing, the homage to Donner and the length of the miniseries…errr…movie could've been different)….PLEASE make the costume the most traditional we can and get someone to FILL IT OUT! When I see pics of Routh in "the suit" he reminds me of Michael Phelps!
Friday, August 28, 2009 4:08AM
I think it would be really funny if they made it darker and did a fu to the spiegel family and had the spectre as the villian
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:25AM
[...] for the mediocre response of its last film. Some even speculated that the studio would angle for a darker Superman movie, that could follow in the footsteps of The Dark Knight and Watchmen. According to [...]
Monday, October 12, 2009 6:54PM
He is asking if the movie should be dark…that doesn't mean Superman has to be. Read the comic books. There are plenty of really really good dark stories with Superman and they are all good. All they have to do is pick one of those. They retold the General Zod story line a few years back and they attacked an alternate Earth and wiped out everybody. Superman had to kill them before they came to his reality. Then he went slightly insane for the murders he committed and banished himself off-Earth until he could figure things out. He had a few other adventures there and eventually came back. But that was dark and good. So it is possible. I'm glad they aren't going to do another origin story though. Almost everybody gets the key points. Clark Kent/Superman, Daily Planet, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor. He's from another planet and is very strong and can fly. Give us the story of his next confrontation.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 3:34PM
"Superman is not a dark character. He represents us at our best, retaining his humanity in the darkest of circumstances." OK, but the tension could come from compromises he might have to make with an opponent who will not compromise. Think Obama versus Al Queda.
I think some of the ideas in the Justice Lords series from JLA could be used. Superman makes decisions trying to protect humanity, but ends up being a despot. Kind of like the step by step decisions being made in the UK WRT surveillance or the Patriot Act here….