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New Superman Movie: Brandon Routh Stars in Superman V, Superman Returns
Director Brian Singer’s 2006 reinvention of the Superman movie, entitled “Superman V: Superman Returns,” took an almost superhuman effort to develop, produce, promote, and release. Singer’s obsession with producing a new Superman movie revived a Warner Brothers project that took almost a decade to complete. In the end, audiences flocked to see “Superman V’s” familiar hero renewed with staggering special effects, new actors, and a new approach to the comic book superhero of all superheroes.“Superman V” received more attention before its release than most movies do even after they are in theaters. Fans around the world begged for information about how and in what ways the Superman franchise would be revived. First off, Singer wanted an unknown actor for the title role, which turned out to be Brandon Routh, a bartender from Iowa who wowed the director with his striking resemblance to the original role. Next was determining the design of Superman’s costume in “Superman V.” This time, Singer reverted back to the comic book costume from the 1930’s and 40’s, an old school approach that sparked initial criticism but won audiences over in the end. The “Superman V” cast was completed with Kevin Spacey playing Lex Luthor and Kate Bosworth playing Lois Lane. With the cast, costuming, and a continuously revised script in the works, Singer finally had “Superman V” ready for launch.After the studio had previously ditched numerous concepts and directors, it was Singer’s incessant effort and vision that got “Superman V” off the ground, and filming finally began in the US and Australia in 2005. Singer’s “Superman V: Superman Returns” actually precedes the 3rd and 4th Christopher Reeves movies chronologically, an attempt to reconnect with the first 2 movies and thereby make the reinvention more authentic.The plot of “Superman V” has Clark Kent returning to Earth (and Metropolis) after a 5 year absence only to find Lois Lane dating someone else and raising a mysterious son who could possibly be Superboy. The movie is complete with the Man of Steel stopping bullets with his eyes, rescuing an inferno of a 777 jetliner out of the sky, and stopping Lex Luthor from turning the entire planet into a private hideout.“Superman V” is nothing short of a special effects spectacle with incredible amounts of CGI and digital imagery used in connection with lavish studio sets. One of the most exciting scenes in the film has Superman rescuing Lois (and all passengers on board) from a plummeting 777 jumbo jet. Shooting the scene involved actual wings from a jet, an onboard set that tilted and rotated, actors literally puppeteer-ed from wires in front of “green screens,” and more digital imaging than previously imaginable. Several shots employ a digital stand in for Brandon Routh, a digital image created from scans of the actor’s body and face. Though overall audiences felt “Superman V” was slow paced and too focused on the romance, it still contains some of the most impressive action sequences ever caught on film.Brian Singer’s “Superman V” was a new look at a classic and wildly popular movie franchise. By staying true enough to the original and sparking a few new interesting concepts, Singer was able to re-launch the Superman juggernaut without turning off too many audience members. “Superman V” ultimately did well enough in theaters to garner another installment which is tentatively set for release in 2009. If “Superman V” was any indication, nobody should hold their breath.Sources:
Daly, Steve. “Stakes on a Plane.” Entertainment Weekly.com. 6 July 2006. Time Inc.19 June 2007. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1210654,00.html.Gleiberman, Owen. “Superman Returns (2006).” Entertainment Weekly.com. 21 June 2006. Time Inc. 19 June 2007. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1206674,00.html.“Superman Returns.” Entertainment Weekly.com 19 Jan 2006. Time Inc. . 19 June 2007. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1150506,00.html.