SINGER RETURNS _ SEQUEL OFFICIAL

[Klar Ken T5477]

Today's VARIETY
   

Singer's zinger: another 'Superman'
Helmer returns to the Man of Steel
By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK


Bryan Singer has inked a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to direct and produce a sequel to "Superman Returns," with Legendary Pictures expected to co-finance.

Pic is tentatively intended for release in summer 2009, although the studio stressed that there's not even a script or budget yet.

Sequel is apparently at the very beginning of the development process and, as with any other project, there are any number of factors that must be addressed before it is greenlit.

Pact with Singer signals that Warners isn't ready to walk away from the iconic franchise -- or Singer --even though "Superman Returns," while grossing more than $390 million worldwide, wasn't the performer studio had hoped for.

Warners and Legendary say they will still turn a profit from "Superman Returns," with Singer inking his deal just as the film crossed $200 million at the domestic box office.

Insiders say Warners and Legendary are sure to insist that the sequel's production budget comes in under $200 million.

"Superman Returns" fell under endless scrutiny for its production budget, which the studio puts at $209 million after tax rebates and incentives. The number is much higher when factoring in more than $40 million in development costs -- "Superman Returns" was in the works for years --even though those costs were previously absorbed.

Critically, "Superman Returns" was disparaged for lacking in action. Singer has said he would address this concern in the follow-up.

In terms of casting, Warners has an option on "Superman Returns" star Brandon Routh.

Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris penned the script for "Superman Returns" based on a story they created with Singer. It's not clear whether Dougherty and Harris will return for the sequel.

Legendary's involvement is key for the studio. Under the co-financing and co-production deal between the two, Legendary puts up half the money for films on which it's partnering.

Legendary is Warners' partner on the revived "Batman" franchise as well.

[Permanus]

Pic is tentatively intended for release in summer 2009, although the studio stressed that there's not even a script or budget yet.

Sequel is apparently at the very beginning of the development process and, as with any other project, there are any number of factors that must be addressed before it is greenlit.

Pact with Singer signals that Warners isn't ready to walk away from the iconic franchise -- or Singer --even though "Superman Returns," while grossing more than $390 million worldwide, wasn't the performer studio had hoped for.

Wow, they don't seem to like using the old definite article very much, do they?

[Klar Ken T5477]

That's "Variety-speak'

[davidelliott]

Excellent news... I liked SR... there wasn't mindless action, but there could have been a great super battle in there...

Maybe a new villain this time.. no Luthor.  Bizarro would be cool or Toyman with his deadly gadgets... or Brainiac!

Hmmm... how about Terra Man?!?!?!?!?  YEAH!!!

[Composite Superman]

I'm glad there's going to be a sequel; I just wish they could conveniently forget that Superman has a son. Didn't care for that idea. Brainiac would make a great villain, but I have a bad feeling that we'll see Zod and Luthor instead.

[davidelliott]

Well, if this series is a basic continuation of the Reeve Superman series (post Superman II), didn't Zod die in II?  Don't think he would make a comeback...

[nightwing]

It certainly looked like Zod died in Superman II, but originally it wasn't to be so.  Donner's take had the de-powered villains taken into custody by some sort of North Pole Mounted Police...or something.  I guess we'll find out when the "Donner Cut" DVD comes out later this month.  Anyway, that scene was cut from Dick Lester's version (the one actually released to theaters), so the last we saw of the villains, they were plummeting into what looked like bottomless chasms, screaming all the way down.  In the movies, that usually means dead.

Superman's "execution" of Zod (with Lois cheerily killing Ursa) remains one of the many, many, many things I hate about this film, and I strongly suspect it influenced Byrne's decision to have Superman kill the Phantom Zone villains in the comics, since everything he ever knew about Superman he learned from watching movies.

[Great Rao]

It certainly looked like Zod died in Superman II, but originally it wasn't to be so.  Donner's take had the de-powered villains taken into custody by some sort of North Pole Mounted Police...or something.  I guess we'll find out when the "Donner Cut" DVD comes out later this month.

I don't know if that was Donner footage.  I've seen an "extended cut" of the movie that was originally aired on network television many years ago.  It included the scene outside the Fortress that had Lois and Superman talking, and in the background the "Arctic Police" were loading the PZ criminals into a caterpillar-tread police van.

Another scene that I liked seeing restored in that same extended cut was one where Clark went back to the hotdog stand at Niagra Falls to pay for the hotdogs that he had run off with earlier.

Since there was a Niagra Falls scene restored, and I think the entire Niagra Falls sequence was Lester's, I doubt this was Donner footage.

Whether Donner is going to use it or not in his cut - we'll have to wait and see!