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Post by **Ben** » April 22nd, 2005, 9:23 am

Well, we just posted the first pic of Brandon Routh as Superman on the front page:
http://www.animated-news.com/archives/00003363.html

Since we're likely to get into Superman territory I thought I'd start up an "official" AN forum thread for us all to discuss.

I think it looks like a spandex swimsuit, and it's the first thing in the Singer production that's let me down.

I'm not one for a Reeve-clone at all, but some of the things with this suit look so mis-judged. Hopefully there's time for tweaking??

Waddaya think?

Post by **ShyViolet** » April 22nd, 2005, 10:37 am

That is one hot Superman.

But I agree, I'm not crazy about the costume either. He kind of looks like a male stripper.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » April 22nd, 2005, 1:45 pm

Just got a look at the new costume on Newarama.com...

I'm really underwhelmed by it. Bad color choice, insignia's way too small on the chest, and I don't know why they repeated the insignia on the belt buckle.

Personally, the costume would have looked better with a darker blue, brighter/lighter red, and a bigger chest insignia with a regular round belt buckle.

If they really wanted a DIFFERENT costume, then maybe they should have gone with the Alex Ross' Kingdom Come Superman look or tried an outfit with Fleischer colors with a traditional insignia bordered in yellow shield.

I never cared for Singer's X-Men movies and everything I've heard and seen about this new Superman film has so far confirmed my worst expetations of the guy's choices.

Can't say my expectations for Batman Begins are high, either...

Post by **Ben** » April 23rd, 2005, 8:59 am

I agree about the belt buckle - waay too much detail.

And that neckline is horrible.

Post by **Meg** » May 31st, 2005, 5:04 pm

Where's Edna Mode when you need her?

Post by **Macaluso** » May 31st, 2005, 5:14 pm

http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=2861

Look through this.

Somethingawful is amazing.

Post by **Ben** » June 1st, 2005, 7:44 am

That's some funny - and clever - stuff!

Post by **Kaszubas** » June 1st, 2005, 1:34 pm

my little tweaked darker version

http://www.cgtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69337

Post by **ShyViolet** » June 5th, 2005, 1:31 pm

Bryan Singer always put these amazingly gorgeous guys in his movies. (Wolverine, Cyclops, Iceman, Pyro--ALL BABES!!!) Actually he's pretty hot himself. (Yeah I know he's gay...unfortunately!!

)

What Bryan looks like:

He's totally beautiful IMO.

Post by **Ben** » June 5th, 2005, 7:48 pm

Oooooo... kaaaaaaaaaaayyy...

I guess that explains the swimsuit Superman costume then

BACK ON TOPIC!

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » June 6th, 2005, 11:59 pm

One can only hope Brian Singer does a better job with Superman Returns than the X-Men movies. I seriously found those "bleh" and just not overly creative at all. Between the biker outfits of the X-Men, mediocre special effects, and the over-emphasis on Wolverine, the movies just paled in comparison to the golden years of the X-Men comic which to my money were issues 107-143 (~1977-1980) of the original comic. The X-Men movies came off as high-budget TV films as far as I'm concerned. That's NOT what I pay to go to movie theaters to see.

There's just no way to capture a lot of the comic book designs and action in a live-action film. Superheroes just beg for feature animation treatment but nobody at the major studios wants to spend the money on a decent hand-drawn feature for these characters! Even the Batman animated films were cheaply done and just not what they potentially could have been with top-flight American animation artists; they were produced at the same studios that did the animation for the TV series (for well under $5 million) and it shows at times in those movies!

Back on-topic to Superman... So far, Singer has not really convinced him he's doing anything other than aping the look of the original Christopher Reeve/Richard Donner Superman movie. I love the 1978 movie and feel that in many ways it's the most heart-felt superhero adaptation done so far -- yes, I think it's STILL better than the two Spider-Man movies after reflection --, but is it wise to follow so closely a movie that's so iconic?

Tim Burton's already seeing the fallout of following this philosophy (design-wise) on his Wonka movie and there's no question a lot of unfavorable comparisons are going to be drawn between the new Superman movie and its beloved predecessor as well.

Post by **Ben** » June 7th, 2005, 8:55 am

GeorgeC wrote:One can only hope Brian Singer does a better job with Superman Returns than the X-Men movies.

Even the Batman animated films were cheaply done and just not what they potentially could have been with top-flight American animation artists.

Superman - I love the 1978 movie and feel that in many ways it's the most heart-felt superhero adaptation done so far -- yes, I think it's STILL better than the two Spider-Man movies after reflection --, but is it wise to follow so closely a movie that's so iconic?

I think Bryan Singer is a good director - just not a great one - yet, and with such a blueprint, I don't think he can go wrong on this one. Not being an X-fan myself, I thought the movies were okay, but nothing special, but they were competently made (even if the CGI in the first one looks terrible now) and I have faith that he has surrounded himself with people that love the original movie enough to bring a decent continuation forward.

SO GLAD that some one else feels the same way about the Bat animated features. I went to see Mask Of The Phantasm because of all the hype surrounding it (mostly from the fans, who said it was better than Burton) and was majorly disappointed by the TV visuals. I have to say that, no matter how great a story is, in animation the technique has to be there too to really draw the audience in. Shame about these.

As for 1978 Superman - well, it's my favorite film of all time, and the one I can go back to as my "Laughing Place", so I toally agree with you on that George. Raimi's Spider flicks are fun, perhaps deeper than usual entertainment, but you just can't beat a superhero movie that really takes itself seriously and doesn't into the hero until 55 minutes in!

Post by **ShyViolet** » June 7th, 2005, 9:38 am

SO GLAD that some one else feels the same way about the Bat animated features. I went to see Mask Of The Phantasm because of all the hype surrounding it (mostly from the fans, who said it was better than Burton) and was majorly disappointed by the TV visuals. I have to say that, no matter how great a story is, in animation the technique has to be there too to really draw the audience in. Shame about these.

I felt that way too! I saw MOTP a long time ago and I don't really remember much about it although I did enjoy it. It was too much like an extended TV episode, the story was WAY too conventional with a stupid ending.

I really want to see Return of the Joker however, I heard that was more like a "movie movie" even though the animation was same as the TV series Batman Beyond. I totally agree that the animation is VERY important in a movie like this. I mean, why else does no know one know about these films except fanboys? (and girls!

)

One can only hope Brian Singer does a better job with Superman Returns than the X-Men movies. I seriously found those "bleh" and just not overly creative at all. Between the biker outfits of the X-Men, mediocre special effects, and the over-emphasis on Wolverine, the movies just paled in comparison to the golden years of the X-Men comic which to my money were issues 107-143 (~1977-1980) of the original comic. The X-Men movies came off as high-budget TV films as far as I'm concerned. That's NOT what I pay to go to movie theaters to see.

I do agree with you partially--the special effects were REALLY lame for the most part (especially in the first film and even in the second) and though I thought the directing was pretty good (you really got a good sense of the characters) BS (uh...awful initals to have!) messed up some stuff pretty badly, like Storm (she's supposed to be an African goddess for crying out loud!) and a bunch of other stuff too. Plus the "we hate those who are different" message got kind of beaten to death the first time around, and even more so the second time. That defintely added to the "blandness".
Also they did have too much on Wolverine, but in a movie it's much harder to have a plot without a main progtagonist than in a comic book. But Wolverine got SO MUCH play both in the comics and the TV series that I agree they have to shift the focus. Also, it may have been just me, but I had the distinct feeling when watching both the first and second X-Men that Singer was (maybe unintentionally) aping the original 1990's cartoon show, in plots and situations.

Plus am I the only one who is freakin' SICK of Magneto as a villain? I never liked him much to start with--I think the fact that he's a Jewish Holocuast survivor and that he's hell-bent on revenge is kind of offensive to those who survived the Holocaust. Also because it's the same old story again and again--Magneto was persecuted, now he wants Mutants to be superior, etc., etc....HO-HUM. It's getting really old.

My fave villain in the comics (and TV show--the good one) was Mr. Sinister, by far.

I've only seen parts of the Reeve Superman, but what I saw I liked. I never watched the WB series although I heard it's pretty good.

BTW I'm sure Margot Kidder was a WAY better LL than Teri Hatcher, who can barely act anyway. Do they know who's playing LL yet??

Plus this may be kind of dumb to mention here, but I was born the same year the first Superman came out.

(1978) It was also the same year one of Michael Eisner's kids was born. (Anders)

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » June 7th, 2005, 10:46 am

Kate Bosworth is playing Lois Lane in the new feature...

She's about 10 years too young to be Lois IMHO but they've made her up to look older.

I really find nothing wrong storywise and acting with the Batman animated features, but the animation is NOT feature-quality, it's not Disney-level like some fans think it is. It's very competent and better than the average TV series, but it pales in comparison to what done with the Fleischer Superman series back in the early 1940s.

Post by **Ben** » June 7th, 2005, 1:45 pm

ShyViolet wrote:
BS (uh...awful initals to have!)

Um, I have those initials.

But I do agree, and it NEVER fails to get the usual response.

You really should see Superman and Superman II, Vi. Not only are they great films (well, Superman and half of Supes II are), but the new film is going to springboard off the back of them in terms of picking up the story.

Don't bother with Supes III or IV. The new movie isn't.

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Re: Official SUPERMAN RETURNS thread