Den of Geek I would buy a Director's Cut, though I must admit Superman Returns is a bit too long Superman Returns is heading to Netflix next month along with a bunch of other movies heading to the streaming platform. In 2006, Superman Returns brought the Man of Steel back to the big screen with Routh in the title role. "It didn't position the character the way he needed to be positioned. It's Superman. A second unit crew traveled to Dodger Stadium to photograph elements that were composited into the final images. It is the sixth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a homage sequel to Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980), while ignoring the events of Superman III (1983), Supergirl (1984), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). The crystal begins to create Luthor's new landmass, while Lois attempts to escape but is attacked by a henchman. [96] Due to his commitment, Singer dropped out of directing a remake of Logan's Run and an adaptation of The Mayor of Castro Street. [31] Scenes set in Smallville were shot at Tamworth,[32] while the Australian Museum doubled for the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. Superman Returns was likely “billed” for pre-production work done on the many iterations of the development hell cautionary tale, Superman Lives, and the J.J. Abrams penned Superman: Flyby. Since the sequel was never actually written, it will never be known who they would have settled on, but two choices that have been discussed with those involved are Bizarro and Brainiac. Clark flies into action as Superman and stops the plane from crashing onto a baseball stadium. [69] Joe Morgenstern from The Wall Street Journal also gave a positive review, but observed Routh's and Bosworth's acting was "somewhat dead or super average. There’s no reason these themes of Superman coming to terms with a world that has moved on without him couldn’t have been explored within the framework of a more exciting villain (Brainiac has long been waiting in the wings as Superman’s best big screen option, and has recently been realized brilliantly on the Krypton TV series). Superman Returns writer Michael Dougherty has said that a sequel would have introduced new Kryptonians, but doesn't expand on how they'd fit it into the story, though Dougherty has said that they wouldn't have been evil - or, at least, not at first. Although Superman Returns received mostly positive reviews, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures were disappointed by the film's box office return. Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Sam Huntington, Frank Langella, and Tristan Lake Leabu were to reprise their roles. Jason throws a piano at the henchman, killing him and showing that he is actually Superman's son. Marlon Brando appears posthumously as Jor-El, Superman's biological father. Next: DC Movie & TV Reboots Are Meaningless After Crisis On Infinite Earths. [117] After the Crisis was averted and the multiverse was rebooted, Superman of Earth-96 is seen wearing a yellow s-shield and belt; indicating that events on his Earth have also changed. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. “There were several conversations with me over the years, but I was never that involved,” he told us in 2016. His favorite actors are Tyrone Power, Charlton Heston, and Eleanor Parker. [38] The opening credits for Superman Returns are presented in an intended recreation of the style used for Superman, again to the accompaniment of John Williams's theme music. When you consider that the budget for the movie was reportedly $270 million, something doesn’t add up. Superman Returns was likely “billed” for pre-production work done on the many iterations of the development hell cautionary tale, Superman Lives, and the J.J. Abrams penned Superman: Flyby. Despite receiving positive reviews from both critics and audiences alike, as well as a strong performance at the box office, the sequel that was set up was ultimately scrapped. Despite its critical reception, Warner Bros. was disappointed with the worldwide box office return of the film, cancelling a sequel planned for 2009 as a result.