Even "Superman" Doesn't Want a Dark Superman

Regular readers may recall my extremely negative reaction to a statement from a Warner Bros. film executive this past August. In a nutshell, Warner Picture Group president Jeff Robinov was so pleased with The Dark Knight's success, he (insanely) believed that forthcoming DC adaptations should be "bathed in the same brooding tone" as the Batman movie.

Read the original post to see just how vigorously I disagreed with Robinov's assessment. Well, it appears that I'm in good company, since Brandon Routh (the star of Superman Returns) also seems skeptical of a darkened treatment of Superman.  In a recent interview with IESB.net, Routh...who may or may not reprise the role of Superman...nonetheless had this to say about a possible darkening of the character:

"I don't know, I don't think the character necessarily has to be darker, I think he is kind of dark in a sense, emotional dark, in Superman Returns, and the movie as a whole was slightly dark, they could have had more prowess in it I suppose, and I think that's one thing that can be done in the sequel, so I don't know how much darker you want to make it necessarily. You make the stakes higher, you make the villain darker, I think that's a way to do it. But I don't think Superman himself needs to be darker. He definitely has to struggle, how does Superman be a part of the world? And does he have to make sacrifices to be a part of that world? To fit in and what purpose does he really play in the world? Those are all kind of dark places to explore. But, I don't think Superman should ever be dark and brooding, that's not his nature."

Absolutely right.  Although I've never gotten the impression that Routh is some kind of lifelong Superman fan, he obviously understands enough about the character to know a gratuitously darker Superman isn't the way to go. Strangely, this shouldn't be something you'd pick up only after portraying the character in a movie...it's something most people who've ever been exposed to the character seem to understand.

That is, unless they're film executives of the company that actually owns the character of Superman!

Comments

[Pat Curley]

Thanks for keeping on this topic, Mark. One of the things that has dismayed me about the last 20+ years of Batman has been the degeneration of the character from a guy who had strong motivation to an obsessed psycho, but at least (mostly) Superman retained his Boy Scout qualities. One of the reasons I stick with the Silver Age is that at least back then, heroes were heroic.

The real problem with Superman Returns wasn't that the hero was too good; it's that the story sucked eggs.

[Ivan Wolfe]

I had a conversation with a friend recently. He said that the success of "Dark Knight" relative to "Superman Returns" proves that our culture prefers darker heroes.

I said that while our culture may prefer darker heroes, his evidence stunk, as the reason DK did better than SR is because SR was not a very good movie (Superman as a stalker. Heavy handed Christ imagery. Lex Luthor's bizarre plan that makes no sense. etc.)

Having Superman "go dark" is silly. I know! He can split into a good Clark Kent and a bad Superman and they can fight in a junk yard! That'll be cool!

[greyman24]

I just wish Routh had some clout to make the execs see logic. Course, his neck wouldn't be directly on the line if the movie tanked, so I doubt he'd ever be able to convince them of anything.

[DrNobody]

The only thing that needs to be darker in a Superman movie, is the villains... And by villains, I mean other than just Lex Luthor and Zod (& co.)... Yes, have Lex in the next movie... But he doesn't need to be the ONLY villain... This, honestly, is the only thing that should be darker when they make the next one. Trying to make a new Krypton or own tons of real estate was fine for back when the movies were first made, but I think Lex needs a new motive..

[Brian]

I loved Superman Returns, and what I loved about it was that, for whatever darkness in the story, it was ultimately about the affirmation of commuity-- for me the final point was not that we need a hero to rescue us (be he from Krypton or Gotham) but that WE are all heroes. Superman saves us, and we save him, and in that bond of mutuality, we find our own inner heroes. Hokey? Perhaps, but refreshingly optimistic in these times, and one of the wonderful things that superhero stories can teach us.

[De Baisch]

I have to agree with Brian here. Superman's greatest power isn't the ability to lift mountains or fly supersonic, it's inspiring others to do good. I guess you can put me in the hokey category too.

[Mark Engblom]

Although my own feelings toward the movie have dimmed a bit from when I first saw it in the theatre, I still don't understand the crazy negatives Superman Returns continues to generate from some quarters. Lots of missed opportunities and indulgent elements on Singer's part (mainly revolving around the use of Luthor), but so much more to cheer about. Routh did a good job and I wouldn't mind seeing him reprise the role if he's given the chance.

That said, they've GOTTA pump up the action for the next Superman movie....whomever they tap to play the title role.

[greyman24]

Yeah. I never got the negatives, either. Actually enjoyed the complexity and emotion of SR.

Course, I never understood why so many people loved The Dark Knight, either.

[Futon]

You know a while back there was a Gen13 and Superman crossover comic which explained why Superman was more than just the sum of his powers. I wish they could convey the spirit of that in a movie form.

Thing is, the execs would have to be capable of getting the concept before that could happen. :(