DC Entertainment has "no plans" to make another Superman film
One week ago Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI) announced it had created DC Entertainment Inc., a new company founded to “fully realize the power and value of the DC Comics brand”. But if you thought this move might result in a push to produce a new Superman movie, think again.
“We actually don’t have any current plans for Superman,” the head of DC Entertainment, Diane Nelson, told MTV. We’ve obviously done a lot of great things behind the property in our history, and it’s a key part of the family, but we don’t have current plans behind Superman,” she said.
Looks like for now Superman fans will have to be content with the upcoming animated film, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.
Gary Oldman has dropped a Batman 3 bombshell at the San Diego Comic-Con that offers all sorts of ramifications for fans of DC Comics.
Whilst fielding questions at The Book of Eli panel, Oldman was asked when the third Batman film would be out to which he replied:
“The next batman is next year, so I think it is two years away. But you didn’t hear it from me.”
Up until now reports have indicated Batman 3 was in limbo and not looking like going ahead any time soon. Whilst Christian Bale is under contract for the film, director Christopher Nolan has reportedly yet to commit to directing the third movie. Oldman’s statement is the first anyone has heard about production of the film getting underway in 2010.
Read the rest of this entry »
A week ago we learned that Superman Returns star Brandon Routh’s contract to play the Man of Steel had expired and that even he knows nothing about plans for a sequel.
Today a little extra news has surfaced and it could be considered good news, depending upon how you look at it.
It seems Warner Bros. may be under legal pressure to reboot the Superman franchise sooner rather than later.
Recently Warner Bros. and DC Comics won a favorable ruling in a lawsuit filed by the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerome Siegel. Although it ruled in their favor, the court also ruled that if Warner Bros. fails to begin production on a new Superman film by 2011 the Siegels would be entitled to sue for damages.
During the court case Warner Bros president Alan Horn validated rumors that Warner Bros. did not have a new Superman film in development, adding that neither did a script exist. However despite this news the ruling may now force Warner Bros into action on the sequel (or reboot, depending on which direction they take) within two years.
The upshot is if they don’t want to be sued then Warner Bros. will most certainly be turning the wheels on a new Superman film any day now and, if true, then fans can probably expect the new film to hit theaters within 3 years.
Source: Sci Fi Squad
Brandon Routh as Superman in 'Superman Returns'
Back in March we learned that a Superman Returns sequel was in stasis (rumored to be titled Superman Unleashed).
To add salt to Superman fans’ wounds actor Brandon Routh has confirmed his contract to return as Superman has now lapsed.
“The contract has expired,” Routh said. “I don’t know anything. I’m sure that Warner Bros’ are moving on it, but it’s all uncertain. I really don’t know.”
Although plans for the sequel remain unknown, Routh offers some comfort to fans.
“If they called me for another time I would return without a second thought.”
His comments came from the set of Scott Pilgrim vs The World and were published on The Omelete in Portuguese – the above translations are loose (thanks to a free online translator) but you get the point.
It seems Warner Bros aren’t rushing to fast track a sequel to Superman Returns. According to a report on Slashfilm, writer Mark Miller claims there won’t be a sequel any time soon, at least as far as he’s aware.
“Warner’s talked to us and a few other writer/ director teams, but things seem to be in stasis right now. As far as I understand, nothing is happening with Superman at the moment and so the director and I are just working on another project. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, no biggie. Kick-Ass taught me that creating your own stuff can be at least as much fun and you don’t have to answer to anyone. It’s the future, baby.”
Recently it was rumored that the title of the Superman Returns sequel had changed from Superman:Man of Steel to Superman Unleashed. This remains a rumor at this stage.
Superman 2 to be titled Superman Unleashed?
SlashFilm have reported credible evidence that Superman: Man of Steel, the sequel to Superman Returns, may have been retitled to Superman Unleashed. Their evidence was apparently a password protected page on the official Legendary Pictures website, and that the title was accompanied with the following synopsis:
“Ramping up the action of its esteemed predecessor, the sequel to ‘Superman Returns’ promises to raise the stakes and take the audience to heights of action that no other superhero movie can achieve.”
Certainly sounds believable. Personally, I like the Man of Steel title. In any case, SlashFilm took a screenshot of the page as evidence. See it here.
