DC Cinematic Universe: Re-Reboot in Progress

[sifth]

As someone who despises Man of Steel and all of it's sequels, I don't hate this news.

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by sifth

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

 

[Derfel Cadarn]

“Hi, Laura … it’s Henry. Has that Hemsworth guy actually signed the contract yet? … bugger! Never mind.”

“Hello, Barbara, Henry here! About Bond, any chance I could…”

[JGP]

He’ll land something at Marvel. 

Isn’t this interesting though. Bet Johnson will be given his walking papers too, shortly.

 

[Ran]

4 hours ago, sifth said:

As someone who despises Man of Steel and all of it's sequels, I don't hate this news.

 

Snyder was the problem with that. The best moment in all those films with Cavill was the Whedon Justice League -- badly-erased mustache aside, the opening bit and his talk with Lois in Smallville were absolutely the Superman a lot of fans (and, from remarks that Cavill has made, Cavill himself) wanted to see.

[DaveSumm]

So what does a story about a ‘younger’ Superman that isn’t an origin story actually look like? Is there some comic run where he was Superman at a younger age? Or is it just something to say to gracefully lose Cavill?

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

40 minutes ago, Ran said:

Snyder was the problem with that. The best moment in all those films with Cavill was the Whedon Justice League -- badly-erased mustache aside, the opening bit and his talk with Lois in Smallville were absolutely the Superman a lot of fans (and, from remarks that Cavill has made, Cavill himself) wanted to see.

Oh, yeah. That, "hope is like car keys" malarkey was just too damn good.

I've seen the version of the smallville scene that Snyder shot and Whedon shot. What's "more superman" about Whedon's version? That he was itchy?

Edited December 15, 2022 by Deadlines? What Deadlines?

[Ran]

15 minutes ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

I've seen the version of the smallville scene that Snyder shot and Whedon shot. What's "more superman" about Whedon's version? That he was itchy?

That he has a sense of humor is certainly one of the things that greatly separates Snyder's po-faced take on god-like Superman vs. Cavill's preferred take that hews closer to the Christopher Reeves benchmark.

19 minutes ago, DaveSumm said:

So what does a story about a ‘younger’ Superman that isn’t an origin story actually look like? Is there some comic run where he was Superman at a younger age?

There surely have been comic runs when he was younger, but those were Superboy and were generally in Smallville.

OTOH, there are a number of different "How did Clark get his job at the Daily Planet" stories, stretching back to the 40s. If I had a guess, and assuming Gunn is using something someone did before rather than doing something totally fresh, he has a few more modern choices. There's the post-Crisis of Infinite Earth's take in Man of Steel by John Byrne, there's the Superman: Birthright take from Mark Waid, and I guess technically there's Superman: Year One from Frank Miller (but I'm heavily doubtful that Gunn would draw from that). There's also the Superman: Secret Origins maxiseries... but that was scripted by Geoff Johns, and I'm pretty sure anything he's touched is out.

To me, it's either Byrne's or Waid's runs. 

[DaveSumm]

1 hour ago, Ran said:

That he has a sense of humor is certainly one of the things that greatly separates Snyder's po-faced take on god-like Superman vs. Cavill's preferred take that hews closer to the Christopher Reeves benchmark.

There surely have been comic runs when he was younger, but those were Superboy and were generally in Smallville.

OTOH, there are a number of different "How did Clark get his job at the Daily Planet" stories, stretching back to the 40s. If I had a guess, and assuming Gunn is using something someone did before rather than doing something totally fresh, he has a few more modern choices. There's the post-Crisis of Infinite Earth's take in Man of Steel by John Byrne, there's the Superman: Birthright take from Mark Waid, and I guess technically there's Superman: Year One from Frank Miller (but I'm heavily doubtful that Gunn would draw from that). There's also the Superman: Secret Origins maxiseries... but that was scripted by Geoff Johns, and I'm pretty sure anything he's touched is out.

To me, it's either Byrne's or Waid's runs. 

I should’ve mentioned this before asking;

 

[Relic]

Aside from fitting the Superman look what else did Cavill bring to that role? He's got pretty much zero range as an actor. Square jaw and dimpled chin aside I never understood the appeal. 

[Spockydog]

46 minutes ago, Relic said:

Aside from fitting the Superman look what else did Cavill bring to that role? He's got pretty much zero range as an actor. Square jaw and dimpled chin aside I never understood the appeal. 

I feel a bit sorry for him. He can't act for shit, but seems like a lovely bloke. A big, cuddly, lump of mahogany.

[kairparavel]

8 hours ago, Rhom said:

Man… that surprisingly hurts my feelings a bit.  He genuinely seems bummed out there and I hurt for him in his disappointment.

Very much the same feelings. 

I honestly won't miss his Superman - YMMV. His role in  Tudors was ok, given that it's you know, The Tudors and while his mustache was ridiculous in Mission Impossible he was fairly ok as action spy. I very much enjoyed him in The Witcher and he's particularly charming in the Enola Holmes movies. Again, YMMV.

Edited December 15, 2022 by kairparavel

[baxus]

1 hour ago, Relic said:

Aside from fitting the Superman look what else did Cavill bring to that role? He's got pretty much zero range as an actor. Square jaw and dimpled chin aside I never understood the appeal. 

What is there to bring to the role of Superman?

I mean, there is a reason why no actor in that role has ever won (or even been nominated) for a major award and it's pretty obvious why.

[hauberk]

3 hours ago, DaveSumm said:

So what does a story about a ‘younger’ Superman that isn’t an origin story actually look like? Is there some comic run where he was Superman at a younger age? Or is it just something to say to gracefully lose Cavill?

Lots of young supes stories with the Legion of Super Heroes.  The other early stories mentioned above are great options but the LSH checks some quirky group dynamics, cosmic story dynamics that Gunn did so well at Marvel. He’s also already name checked them at least once (pretty close to twice) - Matter Eater Lad in Peacemaker and TDK (Arm Fall Off Boy) in The Suicide Squad. 

[Ran]

2 hours ago, DaveSumm said:

I should’ve mentioned this before asking;

No, I know. While most of these stories were "Origin" stories, they also went past the origin to his first work reporting at the Daily Planet, and in the case of Byrne's Man of Steel well past that. You can certainly find stories of "young Clark Kent, rookie reporter" that are no longer "origin" material.

As to Cavill, I think saying he has no range isn't really fair. What he is is largely typecast as a big handsome hunk with a certain charm, but he's good at that (I quite liked him in The Man from U.N.C.L.E), and he also then played the heavy in MI: Fallout. His early role in The Tudors gave him more chance for range, and that was a fairly mediocre show so there's only so much he or anyone else could do with their parts. He's not bad at the comedic, to be honest. 

I don't need a Christian Bale-level actor to play Superman, personally. Christopher Reeve was never a top-shelf actor, and he was brilliant as Superman. Chris Evans is also not some great thespian, but he makes a great Captain America. 

[mormont]

24 minutes ago, baxus said:

What is there to bring to the role of Superman?

Charm. Inspiration. Warmth. The sense that you're a person who is the most powerful on Earth and you understand that but refuse to exploit it for selfish ends. Projecting a genuine interest in human beings as the most fascinating and valuable things you've ever seen, despite having travelled the universe. The idea that Clark Kent, not Superman, is who you really aspire to be, but you'll never stop being Superman, because you understand how important it is that he exists.

YMMV but honestly, Superman is a much more demanding role for an actor than Batman, for example.

24 minutes ago, baxus said:

I mean, there is a reason why no actor in that role has ever won (or even been nominated) for a major award and it's pretty obvious why.

How many nominations have ever been received for playing a superhero? Not a villain, not a supporting character - a superhero?

[Heartofice]

14 minutes ago, Ran said:

I don't need a Christian Bale-level actor to play Superman, personally. Christopher Reeve was never a top-shelf actor, and he was brilliant as Superman. Chris Evans is also not some great thespian, but he makes a great Captain America. 

I think this is pretty much the point I was going to make. Cavill fit an archetype for the role that he seemed pretty well suited to. He is certainly more memorable as Superman than say Brandon Routh. He ticked a lot of boxes in terms of projecting that superhuman vibe, that sense that Superman is something more. 

I think he was let down by the material however and never really got a chance to shine, especially as Clark. Reeves was brilliant at portraying two very different characters, but Cavill I think was never really asked to do that to the same extent. I think its possibly valid to say his Superman portrayal is a little bland, but really I think it's just that he did what was asked of him. I do think given a more in depth story he would be able to pull it off.

[sifth]

4 hours ago, Ran said:

Snyder was the problem with that. The best moment in all those films with Cavill was the Whedon Justice League -- badly-erased mustache aside, the opening bit and his talk with Lois in Smallville were absolutely the Superman a lot of fans (and, from remarks that Cavill has made, Cavill himself) wanted to see.

As a person Cavill seems like a standup guy and I respect him. That being said, his Superman was ruined by Zack Snyder and I honestly think no one can fix that.

[Myrddin]

Looks like a clean sweep of the old. I guess that's for the best, given the baggage of the last ten years or so. I can't fault Gunn for wanting a clean slate to start his tenure. Gunn did say in his tweet that they're looking to continue working with Cavil, so it's definitely a issue of vision rather than the actor. 

I'll miss the actors in these roles, but I'm also looking forward to the new version of these characters.

So... have they confirm who if any of the old cast they're keeping? Anyone outside of Gunn's projects?

[Corvinus85]

The irony if Cavill gets cast as Lex Luthor. He could probably do it.