SUPERMAN RETURNS: Post-release Discussion - Page 21

I've never heard anyone float that theory before, but it's an interesting possibility.

A lot of friends, my parents included, were geared up to go and see it, but never actually got around to it. I don't know how that works. My mother is a Superman geeks, and actually went to see POTC2 instead. The movie got excellent critical reviews, but stalled at 180 million smackeroos. Fucking "Devil Wears Prada" made more money this past weekend.

My father pirated a copy of SR and gave it to a bunch of people at his work. Fucking guy. I am a saddened Superman fan. End rant.

One more figure for those interested, courtesy of BoxofficeMojo

Domestic: $185,806,000 62.8%
+ Foreign: $110,000,000 37.2%
= Worldwide: $295,806,000

I'd say it'll hit $315,000,000 by the end of August, worldwide.

Exactly the same thing happened here (Latvia). People were cheering and clapping during POTC2 and that usually never happens here. On the other hand, there were only about 25 people in the theater when I saw SR last friday. And it looked like most of them were from US or Europe.

Finally saw this on IMAX today. It was my first IMAX experience and 3D one (in a theater, that is), too. The 3D scenes were loads of fun, and my fave one could be the corn field sequence. Just stunning to watch with those images flying by at breakneck speed. The 3D effects in the water left me in sheer awe.

My opinion of SUPERMAN RETURNS has been elevated after today's experience. I like it even more than before. Brandon Routh's Clark Kent is one of the best performances in a superhero film. Kate Bosworth's Lois Lane works in the context and tone of this film. Bryan Singer got the look and visual bravado down pat with RETURNS. He just needed a more exciting and meaty script to work with.

Am I misreading The Numbers' daily chart, or did the latest Garfield, Ice Age and Omen movies each make more money than SR on Tuesday. How is that possible? Has to be a misprint, right?

Weird thing is that although I can't for the life of me understand why the movie isn't doing better, I haven't been to see it yet myself. I've been meaning to, but...

JPT, that was kind of my point (hence the "although"). I think it is weird that SR isn't doing better, yet I have to admit that I myself haven't seen it yet. I wonder how many are like me, we care but not enough to get off our butts.

I have a hard time articulating it, but I guess I'd say that I feel like I already know exactly how the movie will go and what I'll think of it. As opposed to something like Pirates 2 where I really wanted to see "what will they think of next."

Well, Multiple Miggs, go see the film before it completely vanishes from theaters, which should be happening in the next week or two. And if you have an IMAX near you, definitely go that route.

I think that's it. There was nothing fresh in the trailers.

"Oh, look there's Supes' again. Let's see.. he's facing Lex Luthor...again. Who wants to beat him with... Kryptonite... again. Oh and there's another clumsy romance between Clark & Lois.... again."

I hope Batman 2 doesn't face the same problem 2008 (though the Joker in general is a way more interesting character and didn't appear in two long-running tv-series (like Lois & Clark / Superman), as Luthor did).

No, but between uber-camp-maestro Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson (and endless Mark Hamill-ing), you can argue that the burnout quotient for the Joker is potentially higher. For me, that was a huge reason the choice of R'as was brilliant for the first one; it neatly side-stepped the issue.

It's alive!

This is the first news article on the future of the Superman Returns franchise that has me on the joyus side for once. Looks like WB is happy with it afterall.

Click Here for the Hollywood Reporter

From the linked Article...
Um...I dunno about that.

That article sounds off. As if someone a WB wanted some spin control.

I liked this little byte, myself. I am willing to swallow just about anything to see more Superman films by Singer. Villan speculation aside, I want to see him do some fucking sweet stuff. The Airbus sequence almost feels like a teaser.

Singer gets a sequel. Argue his talents all you want, but do the face-saving tactics at WB extend all the way to NEVER, EVER admitting that maybe Singer wasn't the right choice for this material? Or is this story just more bullshit?

Let's see some confirmation aside from "phone conversatios with numerous studio insiders" first. A film that came out in June limping past $200 million in the middle of October isn't the kind of thing that should kick in an automatic greenlight for a sequel.

And I can't imagine a studio that's going to make a sequel that'll cost as much money as this would just to save face. It's all about money. If they don't think that they're going to turn a buck on the sequel, they won't do it. If they want to save face, they'll do it by squashing Singer.

I for one am pumped from this newsbyte. Singer got a "Get out of Jail Free Card". This makes me happy.

Let's see.... Superman Returns made 108 million in seven days, and 92 in 110. Now that it finally reaches 200 they've decided "YAY, it's a success" (which, according even to the most frugal of budget reports, hasn't reached profitability) and are greenlighting a sequel?

Now, I'm not saying they won't do it, and I'm not saying there isn't room for improvement, and that they may get it right the next time. May. But on most planets this seems like really bad decision making, and if this does happen, my guess it has more to do with contractual obligation than anything else. Then again, I think they were talking Battlefield Earth sequels too, even though that didn't connect Box Office wise.

If this turns out to be legit, there's a lot of people who posted in this thread that deserve a big, heapin' plate o' crow. I'd wait until the Variety announcement before serving though.

As an unabashed fan of the movie, this news puts a smile on my face, box office be damned.

Aside from the disappointing ticket sales to the general population, I think WB is using SR to gauge the size of the fanbase. Once a realistic return has been determined, they can measure what they can afford to spend against what they would need to spend to make a decent picture. Let's just hope they don't decide Superman IV level budgets are in order.

I would be glad to see the studio take a gamble on a sequel. Nearly all the criticsms I've read have centered on the sameness of the storyline. The actors, direction, cinematography, FX, music, etc. have largely been applauded. Move those components into a story that doesn't feel like a retread. Could be a Wrath of Khan sized comeback. (Maybe that's what Singer meant?)

Wow, the WB sure are dumb.

So that "Return to Krypton" scene that was suppose to open the film? It's not as "amazing" as it was advertised. I'm really glad it was cut because it shows Superman returning to a world where every speck of dust can kill him, and who the hell would be that stupid?

 

I guess that footage will never be used in Singer's purported sequel that will never happen. Wasn't that the plan originally?
 

 

Wasn't sure where to post this, but my love of Superman Returns as the most emotionally rich of the superhero movies remains. And Matt Zoller Seitz gets it.

He's done a BEAUTIFUL two-part video essay that nails the strengths of this film.

 

Check them both out here. http://blogs.indiewire.com/pressplay/video-essay

Those two videos are AMAZING. And he covers every single reason I continue to unabashedly LOVE this film, viewing after viewing. Thanks for posting, Gabe.

Not a fan of the film, but I really enjoyed those two video essays.  Made me want to give the film another shot and definitely made me appreciate some of its ambition.  Also, I didn't know Tarantino was such a fan of it.

I want to love Superman Returns, but it works more effectively as a thesis about the nature of Superman within the context of the original two films rather than as a stand-alone narrative. For every moment of beauty and grace, there's another of someone staring at shaking desks and rippling glasses of water.

Guess I need to revisit "Superman Returns" this weekend. If only it could've been a meditation on letting go of the past interspersed with some robot-punching...