He is the king of all superheroes. The farm boy raised in Kansas has abilities and morals that are above any to ever suit up and fight for truth, justice, and freedom in the American way - and is my favorite fictional character. Currently, the DCEU began with Man of Steel in 2013 and continued his alien-on-Earth storyline in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Many longtime fans of the character have been outspoken about how he has been misrepresented so far in the DCEU, but I think there is a plan to fulfill his story-arc and have him be the savior that fans want him to be (just hang-in there).
After announcing the active development of Man of Steel 2 (or whatever they decide to name it), many people have been wondering or speculating as to what the movie might be about. That had me thinking about the possibilities of the movie’s plot, so I came up with a few things I would love to see. For the record, I have complete faith in the DCEU and what Geoff Johns, Zack Snyder, and Henry Cavill have in store. This is just my speculation and hopes.
Brainiac
He is the reported villain of the standalone Superman sequel at the moment. Personally, I would be extremely excited if this news is in fact true. According to the 2009 graphic novel Superman: Brainiac, Brainiac is a “Supremely intelligent alien who has collected countless cities across the galaxy in his endless pursuit of absolute knowledge.” Essentially, he is like AI on steroids. He is normally associated with the symbol of an equilateral triangle with circles at each corner. IGN has him ranked as the 17th best comic-book villain of all-time.
My personal belief is that this novel will be the inspiration for the movie. Geoff Johns wrote this graphic novel, so he has a clear understanding of the source material. Superman: Brainiac is considered one of the best Superman stories ever written. As for whether or not the actor will have to do performance-capture or not is completely unknown, but it would also be a great opportunity for racially-diverse casting.
A More Classic Superman
So we’re clear, I’m not one of the people that are angry or upset with how Superman has been portrayed so far in the DCEU. I think Cavill is great in the role and has only gotten better. For those not knowing what I mean, this newer incarnation of Superman – brought to life by Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer, and director Zack Snyder – has been a darker, realistic, and grounded approach. He isn’t so happy-go-lucky due to the events that have happened to him so far in the two movies he’s appeared in. Fans of the Christopher Reeve version (Superman: The Movie, Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace) have been outraged over the “mishandling” of the character, but I think they need to reign it in and wait to see what Justice League brings us.
Something tells me that when Superman does return from his “absence” in Justice League, he will be more like the character those fans from the Christopher Reeve days. Geoff Johns actually began his film career as a protégé of Richard Donner, the director of Superman: The Movie. Johns has since become a world-class comic-book writer for DC Comics characters and bringing to life not only the successful television show of The Flash, but also DC Rebirth in the comics, which has been a raging success. With Johns now in charge of the DCEU after Suicide Squad entered theaters, he has written a draft of Wonder Woman, helped re-tool the Justice League script to provide more humor, and is near completion of co-writing The Batman with Ben Affleck. I’m willing to bet he will at least write a draft of Man of Steel 2 and include more of the classic take on the character – which is at the heart of Superman in Superman: Brainiac.
A New Director?
I love Zack Snyder as a director. I love his style and I have a deep appreciation for the work he has done. It almost pains me to admit that I do think a different director should take over the helm of the Superman sequel. I know Snyder wants to direct it, but he also wants to do a remake of 1949 drama, The Fountainhead and a possible spin-off of 300 – which he also directed. It might be best for him to try to do something different and maybe come back to direct a different DC film in a few years.
Who should direct it then? One person confirmed to have met with Warner Bros over directing the movie is J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens). Abrams almost got to make a Superman movie back in 2003 titled Superman Flyby, which would have seen Henry Cavill in the lead role! It never made it past pre-production, but his familiarity with the character and his recent success of Star Trek and Star Wars films have Warner Bros and DC interested in working with him. Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Secret Service) is another popular name among film fans that would seem to fit.
The Hans Zimmer Soundtrack
In my opinion, the soundtrack in Man of Steel was not only the best part of the film, but also my favorite soundtrack ever. The soft piano tones of Smallville with the Kent family provide a vulnerable, yet sweet feeling. The upbeat drumline (featuring Pharrell Williams), inspiring brass-blaring, and alien-like synethizers really set the tone of the film and made the movie much more caring and intense. It gave heart to certain scenes and had me on the edge of my seat for the action sequences.
That aspect has to stay with Superman, despite Hans Zimmer retiring from scoring superhero films. I believe Debra Snyder (wife of Zack Snyder) has said that even though Zimmer isn’t scoring Justice League, those same musical themes will still be a part of the movies going forward. Junkie XL (Deadpool, Mad Max: Fury Road) scored Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with Zimmer, so it will be interesting to see how he incorporates the soundtrack for Justice League.
Closing Thoughts
What do you think of my list? What do you want to see in the standalone Superman sequel? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!
