Brandon Routh...is SUPERMAN

[yas3r]

What do my fellow C2F-ers think of the 'new' costume?

heres a link to a big full body shot...
http://www.brandonrouth.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=994&fullsize=1

Changes:

The 'S' is smaller and higher up-and is also now a plate instead of a paint. Personally i think the S could be bigger, but i dont mind it much.

The buckle. Thought it was overkill 'brand-ing' (geddit). but...looking at the blank gold rectangle of other suits, i think its a good call.

Colours have been toned down. I think they needed to be, comic book colours are too garish on screen in this day and age. Its not as dark a tone as they used for the Spidey suit, but more in line.
...red could have been a little brighter-but the photo doesnt have strong lighting on it-maybe it is.

-I think its probably the most faithful C2F costume of the last few years. It really still has the classic feel to it.

Its amazing how different he looks to his Clark Kent as well, good job!

He fills the suit well and looks the part. That gaze is very Superman. Cant wait to see this in action. If the film works-the costume will too...

I'm very impressed by it, did 'kinda' think he wouldnt look good in the suit but, the dude is Superman!

[This message has been edited by yas3r (edited 04-22-2005).]

[This message has been edited by yas3r (edited 04-22-2005).]

[norrinraad]

Yep, I like it. It's almost got a retro vibe to it but it seems strangely appropriate. The whole thing says more Super "Boy" than Super "Man" but that's okay, there's been a general de-aging trend in comics for years now anyway. Even Aunt May these days looks like a poster girl for cosmetic surgery. At any point, it works well, it's not tacky, and Routh definitely looks the part and fills the suit.

Yep, this is Superman...

[FireStormTrooper]

Yuck. The colors are horrendous. His cape and boots and underwear look brown, the belt insignia looks tacky, the haircut is all wrong. I don't get it ... Routh's Kent was the spitting image of Reeves, why is his Superman so dorky-looking?

I'll allow that maybe the lighting is off and maybe the colors will look better in the future. But that haircut! It's so ...

Maybe this is just a test run to fool people. That's happened before somewhere, right?

If this is it, I'm not looking forward to June 2006.

[yas3r]

Flipping between work and the posts.

The red really is a bit too muted, but anyone with a keen eye for it will notice that the pic is very poorly lit.

Its desaturated like a newspaper picture-compare how stark his skin is compared to the warmer glow he had as clark-the red WILL be redder.

The shield should be bigger, but Im basing that on Jim Lees work and Birthright, not to mention ALex Ross.

I like the 3d design to it, but am concerned it will 'pop' forward with certain movements/poses.

I remember an interview where Singer stated he'd pay tribute to the other Supermen with the suit-i can see it.

Kirk Alyns hair, Max Fleishers smaller/higher insignia, George Reeves neckline, Chris Reeves blue, Dean Cain maroon.

And something new. I can still look at that pic and satisfyingly call it Superman.

If all the Supermen costumes were the same, none would be iconic. It needs to be unique in some way, and from all the concept sketches Ive seen for various Supes projects, Im surprised they got such a classic look.

Im also surprised at how he can lok identical to Chris as Clark, but COMPLETELY different in costume...ladies and gents, its Routh Superman, whatever changes there are-have been made to achieve that goal.

[Kombat Wombat]

I quite like it. I have to agree with firestorm in that he does look a little dorky and with Yas3r on the shield, it should be much bigger, reminds me too much of the . The only other problem I have is that the boots look a little short, they should have come further up the leg.

Apart from that, I love the colours. The darker red was much needed imo and the darker yellow looks good.

Have to admit that they don't bring as much hope to me as the CK pictures did but we'll have to wait and see won't we.

[D.K.HOOD]

Honestly when first seeing the smaller image from the frontpage I thought it was photomanip of a male model. But after seeing the larger image provided by yas3r its pretty clear that its the real deal. Its a bit disappointing. The emblem on the belt makes him look like a toy and combined with the low riding underwear I'm not sure if he's getting ready for a swim meet or about to do a striptease. The chest insignia, although it is clearly reminiscent of the 30's Superman in its size, just doesn't look right in real life being that small. I actually like the darker red but it seems too dark compared to the blue.

yas3r is right, he does look alot different than he does as Clark but I'm inclined to agree with FireStormTrooper. Routh looked great as Clark, so what happened here?

[Glaken]

MAN am I disappointed. They really cast the wrong guy for this. I realize that supes wasn't originally big, but he could have been a little bigger. And were the changes made from the guys on QEFTSG? The shorts are WAY too small (must have been Brian's request) the torso is too long and too narrow, the symbol is too small and the colors are too dark. Here's the changes I would have made:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/powerplaygraphix/supermandchangecomp.jpg

[This message has been edited by Glaken (edited 04-22-2005).]

[yas3r]

Wow, that does look good Glaken. That would definately have no arguments from anyone, hes a little broad, but very reminiscent of how Jim Lee draws Supes-awesome.

I like the yellow, i think the blue could be darker, or the red lighter. Its a fault of saturation and angle (its virtually looking up his super-skirt!).

I was also thinking, after reading agreement from DK and the Kombat Wombster, about the shield.

Im sure the shield will look better front on (and maybe the superturkey thighs will be less jpeg-consuming).

One comment that has been repeated a lot is that the red is very similiar to that of evil-superman from S3-a fair criticism.

I am really happy about the casting of Routh from the pic, but only concerned about the costumes lighting leading to negative net-chat. Not that it makes a whole lot of difference, how often do you ACTUALLY think about a costume when watching a film?

Also, the muted colours would work better next to Bales Batman...cant wait for the manips to start pouring in, I DO need a new desktop.

[Kombat Wombat]

Well done Glaken. That's much better although I still prefer the darker Red. I just have this thing for darkening up comic movies, bright primary colours hurt my eyes ;-)

The sheild is spot on my good man, that's why the torso looks so long becaue of the sheild size. Anyway, i'm not gonna bitch too much about this, don't want this turning into an AICN talkback session do we!

[The Xenos]

Yeah, the emblem is a bit small, the color's a bit more muted than I thought, the belt is a bit different... but I'm happy. We got a decent Superman. No big changes and the guy looks good. I gotta wait ot hear more aobut the story. As with all griping geeks, I want something new, but I don't want big changes. I hope they keep things simeple and pure to the character. The costume looks like a godo indication, so here's hoping the story follows suit.

-Xenos

[norrinraad]

Wow Glaken, it's amazing the difference a few cosmetic changes can make. Nice work, but I think it re-inforces yasr's point. The bright reds look great on the comic page but for a live action figure, I definitely prefer the more muted colours.

As for Routh's look, I think they nailed it. Superman is not and has never been a "hip" or "trendy" or "cool" superhero. He's a Boy Scout of the highest order and his look should reflect this. One of the coolest things about the character is that he can shatter mountains with his fists, but his appearance is about as intimidating as a puppy dog. I think they captured that well here, and the vaguely geeky look creates an interesting dichotomy.

[D.K.HOOD]

The more I look at it the more I think the costume is supposed to be an homage to the way he looked inSuperman #1 (http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/myth11.html) back in 1939. Okay, as fan I can respect that, but then why add the emblem to the belt? Its way too self promoting for a character like Superman and it doesn't represent the comic at all.

[cubee12]

I can understand that there are some fans that like the classic superman look, but for heavens sake, why can't we get rid of the underwear.
The shield is too small but I do like the boots and the belt.
I also agree that the haircut sucks but I think that will change

[Zac]

I hate it. Hate hate hate. I have officially given up on this movie, Singer has disappointed me so much.

He's wearing burgundy, not red. I doubt the lack of light is causing THAT much of a difference.

Molded rubber/plastic shield.... WTF? that doesn't even make sense, why would he have that on there? As for having it on the belt, meh, it's ok, but it stands out too much. If it HAD to be done, it should be all yellow.

Not to mention the chest symbol is way too small.

Those boots look like they belong on a Lord of the Rings character.

Too much hair

Cape is too long. Batman has a big cape to hide/shield, but thats not the purpose of Superman's cape. It's supposed to be thinner and shorter and really for nothing but looks.

Ugh. I want to vomit.

[dperceful]

well it's a costume alright. personally, i'm not digging it...but if theres a kick ass movie to go along with this costume....then i really don't care.

the logo is a bit small on the chest, but that could be an issue with closeups and such. batmic over at heromorph made that observation, and it's a very valid observation. the bigger the logo the farther you have to pull back for framing the image.

i personally like the darker muted colors. i still think the blue is too light (i thought that with the 80's one too), i think a darker color of blue would be nice. hell singer took wolverine out of yellow and blue, why not go all out and try a darker blue (but i'm sure they went thru tons of tests before this was agreed upon)?

the belt is kinda cool, the boots...well they are boots. the cape looks leathery to me....as long as it flows well then it should be fine.

routh is not the biggest of supermans, and thats fine. i think they should do some subtle sculpting on the suit, like they did the spidey suit, nothing outrageous...but something to give him some more definition (i'm sure the guy has it, it's just lost in these long johns). and it does look like he is wearing underwear, but i have no idea how you fix that without changing the look or workings of the suit.

again, it's a costume, i'm more interested in the final product than the costume.

dan

[DS]

http://img230.echo.cx/img230/6762/wahl3pn.jpg

Who says Ken Wahl's career died after "sex in the City?"

[D.K.HOOD]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dperceful:
<B>the logo is a bit small on the chest, but that could be an issue with closeups and such. batmic over at heromorph made that observation, and it's a very valid observation. the bigger the logo the farther you have to pull back for framing the image.
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm sorry but I don't buy that for a second. We've seen enough of Alex Ross' work with Superman to know you can pull off having a gigantic emblem on his chest and still make Superman look great.

[dperceful]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by D.K.HOOD:
I'm sorry but I don't buy that for a second. We've seen enough of Alex Ross' work with Superman to know you can pull off having a gigantic emblem on his chest and still make Superman look great. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

it's just a thought...nothing more, nothing less. batmic mentioned it was also an issue in the spiderman 2 movie, and i recall the comments on the dvd stating that a large spider logo caused some framing issues. not saying that's why this was done like it is....it's just a possibility as to why it is the size it is.

also alex ross' superman has a HUGE, broad, barrel chest, routh does not have that(neither do i). yes it could be bigger, but this is the design they went with, i'm sure after a million or so tests. i'm still startled at the comments:

Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic action-adventure Superman Returns, a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world's most beloved superheroes. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.

when did he disappear, at the age of 12, he still has a very youthful look. i'll assume clark kent has either been exposed or explained off in the absence. i'm far more interested in stuff like that than the size of the logo. it's a superman costume for the most part, i wouldn't mistake him for green lantern in this outfit. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/smile.gif

lol on ds' comments. his career was dead after wiseguy.....damn that show was good back in the day.

dan

[This message has been edited by dperceful (edited 04-22-2005).]

[DS]

:::lol on ds' comments. his career was dead after wiseguy.....damn that show was good back in the day.:::

Too true. Unfortunately, I mistook him for Chris Noth, from "Sex" and "Law and Order." I swear... Wahl, Noth and Routh could be triplets! http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/smile.gif

However, none of them look like "Superman."

[This message has been edited by DS (edited 04-23-2005).]

[This message has been edited by DS (edited 04-23-2005).]

[WC]

Well, I have mixed feelings about the costume. I guess I'm a little disappointed. I like some of the modifications, but I do think the red is too desaturated and too similar to the rogue Superman from Superman 3. I also think the chest logo is a bit too small and leaves too much blue around the chest area. This makes it more obvious that Routh isn't muscled enough, which the logo might've hidden. I think this IS one costume where they could've had muscles built into the suit rather than rely on Routh's own physique, as Superman often doesn't seem quite big enough on film - I was hoping to see a broad chested Superman more like the comics. Didn't Chris Reeve hit the gym and work out for months before any filming? He might've been more like Routh is now, before he bulked up. Why wouldn't Routh do the same thing?

Also, I don't like the hairstyle. I prefer the shorter Reeve look than this longer look. Dean Cain had a longer Superman/Kent hairstyle in the pilot of Lois & Clark and the early 1st Season, but switched to a shorter, more classic style later on. It certainly looked better.

And I agree that Routh does look a bit goofy as Superman - not quite as chiselled a look as Reeve, who looked more like he had just stepped out of a comic page. Routh doesn't immediately look like that. In fact, there is almost a Nicholas Cage/ Jonathan Ross sort of goofiness to him, making him more like Superboy than Superman.

Finally I wish that cape didn't look so leathery - I realise Singer is into giving heroes leather, but Superman should not be one of those. Why can't they just use the bits that worked from previous incarnations and build on that, rather than feeling the need to reinvent the wheel?

------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Majik1387]

I'm not that thrilled about the guy but I think he will work best for the movie except for some minor things.

-I would rather the red in the suit be just a little more reddish than brownish
-He could at least have gelled his lower hair in the back
-For som odd reason, I hate the boot's design and where the cape connects to the neckline

I like that the shorts aren't so big covering his stomach, but i think they coul be like an inch higher. The blue of the suit looks perfect to me. And I want that belt for myself.

[The Xenos]

Well, I'm home this weekend for Palm Sunday (Eastern Orthodox Church) and just showed the pic to my mom.

She said he did kinda look like Reeves, the orginal movie's Superman. She did comment that the red was too dull and it was a brighter red for Superman.

-Xenos

[TRYGONEZ]

Just some thoughts. When I first saw the costume I kinda liked it, but to be honest, the more I look at it, the more I hate it.

First, it is not the logic path to go considering the storyline they are going with, let's see, Superman has been in space like 6 years, where? we don't know, but if he found some alien cultures one would expect he came back with an updated and more sleek costume, not the kind of costume one can buy for Halloween.

One of the things I wanted to see most in the movie was when Clark rips open his shirt and then we would see the superman logo ACROSS his chest (John Williams music at the background), now I will see some fashion T-Shirt with a tiny logo on it (Heavy Metal at the background). Personally, I loved the new logo and I kinda like it with some volume, you see, for me the perfect SUPERMAN costume is the one we can see in the LEX LUTHOR, MAN OF STEEL miniseries from DC, (sans the red underwear of course), so I would make the logo a lot bigger, and somewhat reflective.

Next, the neck line. This I hate the most. Superman uses a neck line just above the logo, so it is a little lower than one would expect, and therefore it justifies the fact that the cape starts from there, but it is very 70's-80's still, but I prefer it to the Halloween costume version here, I'd go with a higher neck line below the head, covering almost all the neck, and the cape would start in the upper sides of the logo. Many DCGer's have mannipped Superman that way, including me. I think that is the 21 Century way, considering that Superman should be in his mid 30's since he came back from a long trip to space and not like a surfer kid who looks younger than Tom Welling, wait... he IS younger than Tom Welling.

The colors I am fine with but not the WAY too dark shade and texture of the boots. Another highlight of the Chris Reeve's Superman Movie was when the burglar is climbing up a building and then he stops and looks at the Superman boots, NOW, THOSE WERE BOOTS, not these. I agree that they belong to some Lord of the Rings character.

The belt I like, but I would have used the stylized S from the Kryptonian alphabet, maybe as some kind of Kryptonian amulet...

The red underwear... well... if they are not going to design it at least at Chris Reeve standards and instead they go with an Olympic Swimming Team Model, then DON'T USE THEM. It is like 10 year from now that they are out of Superhero fashion, except in Superman. And they are illogical (is that the word?) I just don't understand that part in SuperHero mythos that they should look like Wrestlers. You don't see them in X-Men movie, you don't see them in Batman movies anymore... Why go with them and in such a ridiculous way?

Just to finish and continue later... If Christopher Reeve used this costume and then we saw the original Christopher Reeve costume now, then there would be an update. This is going back.

SEE YA!

[This message has been edited by TRYGONEZ (edited 04-23-2005).]

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Majik1387:
<B>
-He could at least have gelled his lower hair in the back.</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There's a better solution to that problem: get a haircut!

------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[dperceful]

you know what i just noticed...the eyes. someone put some blue contacts on those eyes.

[theguilty1]

i've been kinda disappointed with most of the things i've heard about this movie. it seems too much like a spidey movie. i was hoping that when the costume was finally revealed it would give a little bit of hope back, but it hasn't. my biggest problem is with the shield. it's WAY too small. supes look is suppose to be iconic. if you want an epic/ iconic look, like singer said he wanted, why would you make supes' most identifying mark smaller? makes absolutely no sense. thats my two cents.

[theguilty1]

so, i just posted my first impression of the new supes costume, and now that i've had a chance to look at it for a while, my opinion has changed a bit. i still think the shield should be bigger, but other than that, i mean really, all this complaining isn't going to change anything. people are complaining about his hair. HIS HAIR!!!! if the movie ends up being terrible, then so be it. but i highly doubt the movie will suck because of his hair.

[kalel67]

it seems i;m not the only one who disagrees with the casting of superman i always thought they should go with a slightly older and bigger actor to portray supes now the story takes place 6 years after part 2 superman was around 30 or so in part 2 so he should be around 36 in the new movie brandon is what 25 and he looks 25 singer should look at these comments and recast now before its to late heres my top 3 to play superman 1 brandon frazer 2 batista(yes batista) 3 howie long i now he's older then 36 but he's got the look and the size

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kalel67:
it seems i;m not the only one who disagrees with the casting of superman i always thought they should go with a slightly older and bigger actor to portray supes now the story takes place 6 years after part 2 superman was around 30 or so in part 2 so he should be around 36 in the new movie brandon is what 25 and he looks 25 singer should look at these comments and recast now before its to late heres my top 3 to play superman 1 brandon frazer 2 batista(yes batista) 3 howie long i now he's older then 36 but he's got the look and the size<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I would've gone with Jim Caviezel personally. He's the right age and has the messianic thing down already.

------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[The Xenos]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kalel67:
singer should look at these comments and recast now before its to late heres my top 3 to play superman 1 brandon frazer 2 batista(yes batista) 3 howie long i now he's older then 36 but he's got the look and the size<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


1) use capitlization and punctuation it makes sentences easier to read dont you think

2) I doubt Singer visits these boards. I know some directors have and you never know, but I don't think Singer would notice this. than again, right now they are so far beyond recasting, it's not even funny to suggest it.

3) Howie Long?! Baptista? Um.. we want actors, not sports stars. Being in Broken Arrow does not count as acting. Plus starring next to Terri Hatcher in Radio Shack ads does not make someone Clark Kent.

-Xenos

[kalel67]

and what do we know about brandon routh he's only had small parts so far and 80% of wrestling is acting and anyone can pull of being the nerdy kent we need someone who can be superman and if singer can contact project blue tights what makes you think we would come to c2f

[FireStormTrooper]

No comment on the previous post.

Anyway, after seeing the pic a couple days ago and having my initial reaction to it (blech), I went outside for some sun ... unfortunately here in Detroit we've got 3 inches of snow and rain and slush everywhere (f**kin' winter can't leave here fast enough). Then, I looked at the pic again with fresh eyes. Maybe I had been too harsh.

Always trust your first instinct.

I remember all the bad rumors when BATMAN & ROBIN was still in production. They were nicknaming the flick SUCKFEST '97 back in the summer of '96. Initially I thought they (i.e. the denizens of the internet) were being too narrow-minded. Oh, how right they turned out to be.

It's happening again. The costume is retarded. The alleged storyline is ludicrous even for Superman. This movie will have a strong opening weekend and then plummet due to bad word of mouth. I just know this.

Ladies and gentlemen, I christen this movie SUCKFEST '06. Between Joel Schumacher and Bryan Singer, I kinda wish gay directors wouldn't take on superhero flicks anymore.

That superspeedo Routh's wearing doesn't help things, either.

[WC]

Is Joel Schumacher gay?

------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Zac]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Welshcat:
<B>Is Joel Schumacher gay?

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The Batnipples didn't give it away?

[The Xenos]

Actually, isn't Bryan Singer gay? There was a debate over in the Batboard about if the Sueprman outfit made Superman look gay. I found this rather moot as the outfit and most superhero ones are flamboyant and have tights and a number of things that, off the comic page and into real life, would be associated with the gay community and sterotypical gay fashion sense.

Yet this reminded me of a Yellow Lighted rumor from the Tuesday September 7, 2004 Lying in the Gutters (http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=litg&article=1982) over at CBR.

And I quote:
-----------------------------------
WARNERS VS SINGER

[Yellow Light]This week the Knowles Vs Millar fight broke out. I say "fight," I mean "marketing opportunity." When Rich Johnson (no relation, honest) of New York's Page Six column picked up on Mark Millar's declaration on Millarworld.biz that Caviezel, the actor who played Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ," was to play Superman in the new movie, Harry Knowles smacked the rumour down. With each now pledging $1000 to charity depending on whether the story is right or not, each is very sure of their sources.

I understand that Harry Knowles' sources are very close to Bryan Singer. And, I'm told, that Bryan Singer has a particular theme in mind regarding this film. As an openly gay activist, he's wanting to give the world a new young gay role model, and is looking to employ someone who is either openly gay or closeted gay, who'll come out during publicity for the movie. Superman itself can also be seen as an allegory for closeted homosexuality (and is also the topic of a superhero comic project I'm working on called "The Glamour") and Singer wants to add that meta-textual element to the movie. As of yet, Singer has not plumped for any actor over another, though many are being considered.

Warner Brothers, however, are definitely in favour of Caviezel, and they love the whole Jesus-As-Superman angle they'd be able to play off. They've made the decision and Singer was part of the loop.

If Caviezel is cast as Superman (and I've heard that's pretty much a lock now), that tells us Warners' wishes have won out. Or that Bryan Singer isn't telling us something about Caviezel. Yet.

Now, wouldn't that be a Mel-Gibson-provoking headline.
-----------------------------------

Again, this was a while ago, yellow lit (medium rumor control), and coming from Harry Knowles. Yet at the same time I wouldn't be too surprised if Singer attempted this. I hope not. Doing such a push for gay rights and notice in your big movie is one thing. Doing it using Superman? No, I don't see htat as Kosher at all. Speaking of which, I wouldn't mind some Jewish and Jewish immigrant subtext as Singer is Jewish as were the character's creators.

-Xenos

[kidcomix]

I saw the costume and I quite agree with the majority of the panel on this board that the color scheme is really off. I really hate the rubber insignia and the shades of the blue and red really wash Routh out. He looks paler as Superman. Perhaps he wasn't the best choice for Supes. What they should've done was stick to the old spandex number or recycled the designers from the old Superman films and from the Lois and Clark television show. At least with their combine efforts, the costume would be much more palatable.

As far as Singer being gay or not, who cares. He did a great job with the X films and I don't think he's using the Superman flick for some hidden agenda to appeal to the gay market. Seriously, people we're reading waaaaaaaaay too much into this. Besides if he were, he really needs to get the Queer Eye guys over because he seriously needs help in his fashion sense for the Superman flick.

[DS]

:::As far as Singer being gay or not, who cares. He did a great job with the X films and I don't think he's using the Superman flick for some hidden agenda to appeal to the gay market.:::

Why not? He did it with X-Men, just as Joel Schumacher did so with Batman. There's a precedent with both directors that understandably makes many fans worried about the film.

[norrinraad]

"With Brandon Routh confirmed to play Clark Kent in the upcoming "Year One"-type Superman movie, the rumor mill is picking up steam regarding director Bryan Singer (of X-Men and X2) and what some are calling a gay agenda. "As an openly gay activist, he's wanting to give the world a new young gay role model, and is looking to employ someone who is either openly gay or closeted gay, who'll come out during publicity for the movie. Superman himself can also be seen as an allegory for closeted homosexuality... and Singer wants to add that meta-sexual element to the movie." Routh is an unknown on all levels, so I guess we'll see."

I find it hard to believe that a studio as cautious as WBs would support something like this, but good grief, why is it that Hollywood always wants to play the "gay card" whenever someone wants to drum up some interest in a project? We've got lesbian affairs and "is he or isn't he" type controversy on TV shows, and now this. I fully support Bryan Singer's politics and I found the subtext in X-Men refreshing, but I'm not so sure a Superman movie is the right place to be making grand statements. Furthemore, it smacks more of a ploy from the Madonna school of marketing than a genuinely noble intention.

I'm all for directors putting their personal stamp on a project, which is preferrably to the cookie cutter approach so prevalent in movies today. However, looking at the greater good, I can only imagine Middle America's response to a film that is being billed as an obvious gay allegory. For the sake of the film itself, and C2Fs in general, I think it would be better for Singer to make a good old fashioned adventure film with Superman and save his politics for a more appropriate vehicle, fully assuming of course that there is any validity to the above claim.

[brokenstatue2001]

You know what? Looking at the picture, I can imagine the costume being designed to attract women to the movie. It seems that they made the "S"sheild and tiny funderoos in order to show off Routh's abs. Trust me when I say this, but women love a washboard stomach. I took a girlfriend to go see Blade Trinity and she went wild whenever Ryan Reynolds had his shirt off. So WB thinking might be "guys will go see it because it's Superman, but girls want some sex appeal".
I like Glaken's picture, it does look like the Superman we all know and love. As far as the hair goes, wtf does "he has too much hair" mean? You want him balding? If had hair like Slash from Velvet Revolver, goddamn, that's a lot of hair, Routh's hair seems fine.
As far as a "gay agenda" in the film, I'm sure Singer is clever enough to either to mask it as something else, maybe the whole "fish out of water idea", you know, maybe an alien stranded on Earth, or a country boy in the big city. I mean according to Ian McKellen, the X-Men movies did have a gay undercurrent. McKellen being a gay activist himself, compared the mutants and their problems to homophobia, only with more explosions.

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by brokenstatue2001:
You know what? Looking at the picture, I can imagine the costume being designed to attract women to the movie. It seems that they made the "S"sheild and tiny funderoos in order to show off Routh's abs. Trust me when I say this, but women love a washboard stomach. I took a girlfriend to go see Blade Trinity and she went wild whenever Ryan Reynolds had his shirt off. So WB thinking might be "guys will go see it because it's Superman, but girls want some sex appeal".<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That might be WB's reasoning, but how do you know that the speedoes won't be pulling certain men in, instead of the women they're targetting?

As far as the hair goes, wtf does "he has too much hair" mean? You want him balding? If had hair like Slash from Velvet Revolver, goddamn, that's a lot of hair, Routh's hair seems fine.

But there aren't 2 extremes - either long hair or balding, otherwise people like James Marsden, when filming X-Men should've been asked: Which haircut do you want? Patrick Stewart's or Hugh Jackman's?

The Superman hair needs to be the right length - that means not too long that it can look untidy and doesn't look classic, and not so short that he would be mistaken for Lex Luthor.



------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[FireStormTrooper]

Christopher Reeve, when he was all done up, looked like the comic book character come to life. Brandon Routh, done up like this, looks like some guy who got himself a souped-up Superman costume.

Why not dye his hair black and get a proper super-haircut? And why not get the kid some blue contact lenses? The audience has to be able to buy into this guy being Superman. So far, I'm not buying.

The old costume (and actor) were a much better match than this ... good God, what about his voice? Has anyone heard him speak? Does he even have a suitably deep, reassuring voice or it is nasal and whiny?

metaphorically biting on fingernails,

Your friendly neighborhood weapon of mass destruction.

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FireStormTrooper:
<B>... good God, what about his voice? Has anyone heard him speak? Does he even have a suitably deep, reassuring voice or it is nasal and whiny?

metaphorically biting on fingernails,
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He speaks camply with a lisp, and sounds like Julian Clary. He also over-gesticulates a lot. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/biggrin.gif



------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[DS]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Welshcat:
<B> He also over-gesticulates a lot. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/biggrin.gif
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

EWWW... I hope he uses protection! :O

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DS:
EWWW... I hope he uses protection! :O<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Er... gesticulation = lots of hand movements, usually done more by females. What do you think I meant?

------------------
Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[DS]

I know. It was a joke. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/smile.gif

[brokenstatue2001]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Welshcat:
<B> That might be WB's reasoning, but how do you know that the speedoes won't be pulling certain men in, instead of the women they're targetting?
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Eh, money's money to those people.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Welshcat:
The Superman hair needs to be the right length - that means not too long that it can look untidy and doesn't look classic, and not so short that he would be mistaken for Lex Luthor.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can't believe there is this much discussion over a spit curl. Routh's hair looked fine as Superman. At least I think so.

[norrinraad]

"Casting genius Lynn Stalmaster introduced the producers and director to Christopher Reeve. Reeve was tall and lanky, he didn't work out, but Stalmaster saw something in Reeve's face and performance that, to hm, exuded Superman's essence. The Salkinds, especially dad Alexander, were very keen on getting a big-name star to play Superman, but Donner felt strongly that only an unknown actor could wear the iconic costume and actually be believable AS Superman. Names like Robert Redford, Sylvester Stallone, even Muhammed Ali were bandied about by the Salkinds. But Stalmaster kept trying to reintroduce them to Reeve who had auditioned early on and passed under the production team's radar screen".

"The initial reaction to Reeve's casting was mixed at best, and hostile at worse. Generations of film-goers had grown up with George Reeves as the definitive Man Of Steel and Christopher Reeve, with his lanky frame and softer demeanor, was seen as an inferior substitute. In those pre-internet days, angry letters of protest flooded into the production office, to the extent that even Donner was second guessing his decision as production proceeded."

So it seems, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I would guess that just about everyone who posts here grew up with Christopher Reeve as the definitive Superman. Will new generations of kids accept Routh as their hero?

As someone somewhere once said, "this is getting good"...

[Jakerman]

I am very mad. (hince the mad face on my message) The suit looks terrilble, Routh looks like a dork and he's way too scrawny. Now don't give me that "well Superman gets his strenght from the sun he doesn't have to have muscels" crud. The way we think of Superman is big and ripped, not a little toothpick. And they're saying there may be a World's Finest with Routh and Bale, how weird would it be for Batman to be bigger and more ripped than Supes? Have you seen the pics of Bale shirtless? He looks like Batman. Routh looks like Robin. I have a lot of doubts about Superman Returns I think Spacey will be good but the others I'm not so sure. I think we fans really blew up Brian Singer's ego when we praised him for the X-Men movies and now he thinks he can make anything work.

[FireStormTrooper]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by norrinraad:
"The initial reaction to Reeve's casting was mixed at best, and hostile at worse. Generations of film-goers had grown up with George Reeves as the definitive Man Of Steel and Christopher Reeve, with his lanky frame and softer demeanor, was seen as an inferior substitute.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Touche, norrinraad. I wonder if there's ever been an example of a casting choice for a c2f being universally accepted upon first glance ... wait, Christian Bale was wanted as Batman every since his turn in 2000's AMERICAN PSYCHO. So yeah. But that has to be the only major example. Anyway, yeah, I recall there being dismay over Dean Cain and Tom Welling when they were initially cast for Lois & Clark and Smallville (respectively) and people seem to have been happy with the end result. So maybe Brandon Routh will be a welcome surprise after all.

But then again, maybe not. Reeve bulked up before shooting, Routh obviously did not. He looks ripped, not big. Superman's body-type is more like a young Arnold Schwarzennegger than like Bruce Lee.

Reeve also wore a costume that was as faithful a translation of the comic book as could be. Routh wears an altered costume with brown colors in place of red colors, brown eyes instead of blue ones, brown speedos instead of red shorts, goofy brown hair instead of short black, an extremely tacky-looking belt buckle with another S-shield on it (so has Clark gone country now?) instead of a simple loop.

I'm just saying, as far as first impressions go, this is a bad one.

[norrinraad]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FireStormTrooper:
I'm just saying, as far as first impressions go, this is a bad one.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No arguement there, Firestorm. In fact, you're in very good company. All you have to do is go to any Superman fan site and read the reactions. They're overwhelmingly bad. And not just negative, we're talking "Catwoman" level venom here. This does not bode well for the film so far. I guess being a Marvel Zombie this isn't that big a deal to me, but I suppose I'm in the minority.

Just for fun (and to pass the time at work) I showed Routh's Superman pic to some of my co-workers to get an objective opinion outside of the internet community. Five people saw it, three guys and two girls, ranging in age from 22 to 35. Of the boys, one thought it was "okay" and the other two could care less. However, the ladies both loved it, saying that Routh is much more appealing to them than Reeve was. I believe it was Broken who stated that WB is obviously after the girls where Routh is concerned, and it seems he has a point. In order for this to be a huge hit, the film has to have a broad based appeal so perhaps this is what the studio is banking on.

Anyway, before Routh was cast I had no clue who he was, and even now I wouldn't have considered him for Superman. I personally think even Marsden would have been a better choice, but this is what we've been given so I'm dealing with it. And yes, you're right that Reeve hit the gym hard to prepare for his role, something Routh doesn't seem to have done. I'll guess we'll all see how this turns out.

Time for the weekend, norrinraad out.

[FireStormTrooper]

From everything I've heard so far about SUCKFEST '06, it's going to be a disappointment at best (think BATMAN RETURNS), an absolute travesty at worst (think BATMAN &amp; ROBIN).

I don't have a problem with the casting of Brandon Routh. They went with an unknown and that's good. I have a problem with what appears to be the finished product. I cannot believe that WB though releasing that pic would generate positive buzz. Burgundy? Really? Two s-shields, small one on the chest and redundant one on the belt buckle? Low-cut leather boots and speedo? Goofy brown-hair style? Bulking up optional?

Seriously, has cocaine become a mandatory part of WB (and esp Bryan Singer)'s diet now? :evil:

[The Xenos]

I think the costume will be the least of the problems. I'm more worried about the story. The Lois has a son rumors, the whole returing from exile thing, the Brando thing, the possiblity of a death of Superman too. It all sounds too jumbled even for such an early and rumor filled point. I got a bad feeling they're going to cram things into this movie and it won't be as pure of a Superman film as it should be.

-Xenos

[FireStormTrooper]

OK, I'm pretty sure that the son will be Richard White's, not Lois' biological offspring and she's assuming the role of stepmom. Otherwise, Singer has completely lost it. The Brando footage is a cheap shot on Singer's part, proving he's directing SUPERMAN III REDUX, not an original story. Bringing back the Phantom Zone villians, Zod in particular, again shows utter lack of imagination on Singer's part. The fact that Routh looks nothing like Superman (not buff, different supersuit, brown hair, etc) is only going to compound the problem.

I probably won't see it opening weekend. I'll wait to let others let me what they thought ... and then I may not go at all if the word-of-mouth is bad.

[fadexero]

I'mjust glad they FINALLY did something...it looks good, period.

[FireStormTrooper]

No, that is your own opinion. The majority of others who have voiced their opinion disagree. It doesn't look good. It looks good only when you consider they could have completely changed the costume and hired Will Smith as Clark Kent and tried to sell that package as Superman. But the buzz seems to be very negative and I can't blame them. The casting is bad (they could have done a lot better than Routh, Spacey and whoever they got for Lois). Actually, in hindsight, they could have got a lot better than Singer, who is looking more and more like the wrong director for this job. He should have stayed with the X-MEN franchise and finished off his trilogy.

[trapdinsteel]

Wah, wah, wah. That is all I hear on every Superman message board. What a bunch of women, or as Arnold says "girly men." As far as I am concerned, all of you that are whining about Superman Returns are not true fans. True fans of Superman would embrace the mere fact that finally after all the problems since 1996(or perhaps even earlier), they are finally making this film. And yes, things could be changed about the suit or Routh's hair or whatever else you want to complain about, but the bottom line is that every single one of us has our own opinion of how Superman "should be" and it just so happens that Singer's is slightly different then most, so what, get over it. Theres nothing that you can do about it. If you call yourself a fan, give the film the respect to prove itself worthy before you crap all over it and ruin it for yourself and others. As everyone has there own opinion about how Superman "should be," yes I expect people to not be thrilled with some of news that has come out, but some of you are crying like little school girls. Voice your opinion, yes, but no one likes a whiner. What is even more ridiculous than asthetic nitpicking is people ranting on how the plot is going to suck. Well if you have the current version of the script, please share with the rest of us. If you don't (which is pretty much the case for every whiner on here) how bout you do the rest of us a favor and not cry about every script or plot rumor that you hear. I'm sure I will hear the backlash of every naysayer out there while they are furiously typing at all hours of the night, well ya know what, who cares, I am going to be sleeping soundly regardless and looking forward to this new adventure of Superman.

[Zac]

And easy alternative to that post would be to just disregard it. Yeah, people are going to whine, so what? It's not like they're talking directly to you, you don't have to pay attention.

[norrinraad]

Wah, wah, wah. That is all I hear on every Superman message board. What a bunch of women, or as Arnold says "girly men."

Whining about how other people are whining is still whining, isn't it?

:P :twisted: :roll:

[trapdinsteel]

Nope, just stating my opinion on whiners and crybabies that can not look for the light in the darkness of situations. Anyone can come on and agree with the norm of bashing the film, I choose to adverse that opinion. As any topic worthy of debate, there are always two sides.

[FireStormTrooper]

Hey, you're entitled to your opinion. By all means, please enjoy this movie despite the warning signs. Enjoy it like you must have enjoyed BATMAN &amp; ROBIN. Enjoy it like you must have enjoyed CATWOMAN and ELEKTRA. God knows those were thoroughly delightful works of art that were simply misunderstood and never given a chance.

Please.

There's a small chance that everything we've been hearing and seeing will somehow redeem itself. But didn't we think that about the above three fiascos? Good buzz and bad buzz can't really be manufactured. Not really. Either people like what they're hearing or they don't. BATMAN BEGINS has had tremendous buzz, and I can't believe it's all been studio plants. It may not break any records, but it'll probably turn a profit. BATMAN &amp; ROBIN had horrible buzz prior to release, and deservedly so.

The point is all the negative buzz surrounding SUPERMAN RETURNS is a gut reaction from everything that has been released so far, from the Routh pic as Supes, to acknowledgment from Singer about various plot points. Now, maybe there is something in all this that will ultimately relieve people's fears, but if history's any indicator ... don't bet on it.

And if you really think women are weak in mind or spirit, then I pity you.

[fadexero]

Look...FireStormTrooper obviously disagreed with my opinion..and I agreed with with disagreement of my opinion...I've read other things he's written, and agreed. He's not whining...he's just very long winded about his opinions (no offence FireStormTrooper, couldn't find another word for it). And I like that...what's the point of a forum...if you can't express it. If your going to call people whiners...grab a box of tissues...and call off work, cause according to what you consider a whiner...you just named 99% of the message boards.

[Zac]

and fadedxero just hit the nail on the head... 99% of people on message boards are whiners who don't back their statements, usually because the other 99% agree. I someone posted a message on here simply saying "Brandon Routh's costume sucks!!!!" he wouldn't need any more explaination, he got his opinion across and that's all that matters.

[trapdinsteel]

It seems that the point that I was trying to reach was not accomplished, let me clarify....Yes, you have all of the right in the world to critique the costume and the general look of Brandon Routh because we have all viewed that. Personally I think it could be better but who knows what Singers plan for the costume is in the movie, and who is to say he didn't publish that picture to get a fan reaction on it before it is actually put to use. We all know that they are only filming Clark scenes right now, and until someone takes a picture of them filming Routh in "that" suit, I will have hope. On the other hand, what I was getting frustrated with is people making statments that the content of the movie is going to suck, the plot is going to suck, Routh's acting is going to suck, etc. And yes I know the point of the message board is to view your opinion on issues about Superman, but not one of us has seen the movie, not one of us has seen Routh as Superman in action(besides clips of him running into an alley, doesnt count), and not one of us has seen the script. And don't worry, if the movie turns out to be a big steaming smelly turd then I will be the first one on this message board to crucify Singer, Routh, Bosworth, whoever. For example, I feel as though this last season of Smallville has spiraled down the crapper, and I can make that judgement because I have seen the result and my opinion is based on that end product. Bottom line is that not one of us knows all of the intricate plot lines and details, or how the acting is going to pull together, or the lighting, or anything of the finished product of the movie for that matter. When people make those assumptions you help to create that "negative buzz" which was referred to, helping to kill the movie before it even comes out.[/u]
P.S. I do not think women are weak, so thanks but I don't need your pity so you can get over yourself with that holier than thou attitude. I was aluding to a humorous quote made by the Governator, thats all.

[FireStormTrooper]

Fair enough about not reading the script or seeing/hearing Routh in action. Maybe I am being a little harsh on SUPERMAN RETURNS. But that's the double-edged sword of being a fan of the particular hero. Let me explain: I've never read the Fantastic Four. Just saw the trailer last weekend. Looks ... good. I'll probably see it opening weekend. Don't care about the story, or the actors or anything. Because I'm not a fan of FF. Don't know or care if they changed the origins or dramatically departed from common-sense casting. I'm just looking for a good movie there. No emotional attachment. I can go strictly as a viewer, like everyone else, and I won't nitpick the flick at all. Either it'll be good or bad or so-so, and that's the end of it.

Would that it were so simple with Supes. I've read his adventures since I was little up until I stopped collecting comics. That's a lot of years. I know his origins (all of them), his powers, his supporting cast, his rogues gallery, everything. I taped LOIS &amp; CLARK when it first came out because it was Superman and seemed to respect (at least initially) my hero. Likewise, with Batman and Hellblazer. That's why I'm loving what I'm hearing about BATMAN BEGINS and knew that CONSTANTINE would have been such an unpleasant experience for me that I still refuse to see it on dvd (the character was butchered beyond belief, according to the script). You just hate to see "your" hero done wrong that you'd rather it not get done at all if it can't be done right.

Anyway, in a sense, you're correct. I shouldn't care as much. It's not like I (or you or anyone else on this board) can change anything Hollywood does. Let the new Superman movie come as it may. Maybe it'll be good or bad or so-so. Maybe it should be just another movie after all.

[fadexero]

I'm honestly just Happy someone got off their lazy butt...and is making the movie, granted no matter how much someone dislike this or that. One aspect remains...CUriosity will win...and you will want to watch it...Why? Cause it's a Super Man movie. Yes...The suit is so-so in my mind...Yes I would've cast someone different...No...Bryan Singer is not right for job. But, I will watch it, because it's Super Man movie...just like I sighed when I payed for the Batman &amp; Robin BOMB...I knew it was gonna stink like a monkeys bed room, but I watched it because it was a Batman movie...and Ahnold, lol.

Seriously, people will have agrrements, and disagreements. But blowing it out of step, and insulting someone is not needed, period. I respect all peoples opinions in a forum,because it's an aspect I then can as well look into, and nod, or shake my head. I will Say I NEVER saw Cat-Woman, only because Halle Barry is a greedy ($^&amp;#. She needs to go back to her Roots...."The Last Boy Scout" Rocked, lol.

Ok..I'm done here, and please...if your gonna insult somebodiys opinion, because you disagree, don't. It makes yourself look bad.

[trapdinsteel]

Hey Firestorm, my apologies for blowing up and the holier than thou comment, I too have that connection to Superman and want nothing more than the movie to succeed, and maybe I'm just more of a glass half full type of guy. I appreciate you stepping back and considering the side that I had to offer. The fact of the matter is that I, like you were described, can be long winded and my point may get lost from time to time.

As for fadexero, if you are referring to me insulting peoples opinion then you are still obviously missing the point completely, let me try a different approach.

-Pictures of the movie and overall look of Brandon Routh = Bash away, everyone is entitled to there opinion on that.
-Movie script, acting, plot details, finished movie = no one has a basis for opinion because none of us know the full details or have seen the end product.
-People making assumptions and judging (the movie script, acting, plot details, finished movie) based on rumors = creation of negative buzz for the film.

Hopefully that is clear enough for those still thinking I came in here insulting peoples opinions. And if you weren't referring to me then......"yeah.......mmmmk."

[fadexero]

I apologise trapdinsteel if you took offense to that. Wasn't meant in a threatening matter. Obviously we're all highstrung about this...one of the most anticipated films of well...the last 15 years. We all have our expectations...that it's not meeting. trapdinsteel I do get what you mean...I just felt you were coming off a little harsh about it. I apologise if you didn't mean it that way.

[FireStormTrooper]

No hard feelings all around. But this conversation did make me realize something I should've known a long time ago: these icons coming to the big screen are not my heroes anymore. In fact, the movie Superman and the comic book Superman are two seperate and distinct entities.

The Superman I read and loved in the '90s is not the one coming to the big screen next year. That's a different Superman. Likewise, with Batman Begins. The movie versions of these characters are just that: movie versions. They are their own things and only share a superficial relationship with their source material (movies like SIN CITY, where the comic book not only served as the storyboards but are co-directed by the comics' creator are an extremely rare exception).

I guess I realize that I'm getting all worked up over just another version of the character I grew up with. But that's all these comics2films really are, anyway. They're an addition to (not a replacement of) the mythos. I may not like the changes made to this version, but if I don't, I still have the memory of what I think the icon should be like. And that's enough.

So bring on SUPERMAN RETURNS. Maybe it'll rock. Maybe it'll suck. Maybe it'll be so-so. I don't care anymore. I'll pay the $10, grab a bucket of popcorn and try to enjoy it like I would MR &amp; MRS SMITH or MADAGASCAR. It's just a movie, nothing more.

[D.K.HOOD]

Have there been anymore pictures of Routh as Superman released to the public? Maybe I'm getting my hopes up, but could the picture of Routh that many of us loath just be a temporary look that will be changed later on to fit the man of steele we are more familiar with?

[trapdinsteel]

After seeing the latest picture as Brandon in the suit (linked to bluetights.net below) the suit is growing on me more and more. Originally not being the biggest fan of the suit when we all first saw it, this picture is definately changing my mind. My main original concerns were the neck line and the smaller s-shield on the chest. In the latest picture you can see that the "S" is very proportioned to Brandon's face. Point is, that this picture looks like Brandon is flying at you in motion, so I think that in the movie when he is flying and moving around in the suit it will work compared to him just standing there like a goon in that first picture that we all critiqued. One another positive note you can clearly see Brandon's blue eyes which a lot of people were concerned about.




http://bluetights.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&amp;cat=0&amp;pos=4