And in that spirit, I thought I would put my money where my mouth is (less chance of losing it that way) and try to find exactly what it would take to bring Superman to the big screen. Below are the ingredients that, I believe, would make for a great Superman film.
Vision
Like any film and perhaps more than most, a Superman movie needs vision. When you distill superhero concepts to their essence, they have an inextricable set of values and moods which are conveyed through their stories. Spider-Man is the journey from boyhood to manhood, so naturally its both painful and funny. The character himself navigates this difficult transition with the good humor and grace of Robin Hood. Batman, on the other hand, is a story of overwhelming, unfounded guilt (the guilt of a boy seeing the murder of his parents) expressed through an obsessive search for justice.
I read a quote by upcoming Star Trek director J.J. Abrams who said, "I feel like the thing about 'Star Trek,' which is kind of a relief in a way, is that it completely embraces optimism." Let's face it, optimism is pretty rare nowadays because we don't trust it. Whatever optimism we had, Walt Disney bought up and Coca-Cola bought Santa, so it is no longer a renewable resource. President-Elect Obama, whether he deserves it or not, has made optimism popular and perhaps even cool again. This is what Superman needs to be more than anything which is why this is the perfect social climate for a Superman movie (other than the obvious public interest in superheroes).
As for theme, the theme is personal identity in the modern world. It was there with Superman from the start. First, like his creators, Superman is an immigrant. Furthermore, he moves from the mid-western town of Smallville to the city of Metropolis. To put it in current political lingo, from "REAL AMERICA" to liberal America. From the farms where his super-hearing offer a chorus of crickets to the city where he is entertained by a chorus of traffic. Moral and ideological relativism is at the heart of the Superman concept which asks, "When one is all powerful, what should they do?"
When portrayed poorly (as he almost always is), Superman acts like Batman, James Bond, or any other quintessential American hero. That is to say, he reacts with frustration and anger. This isn't Superman. People who feel vulnerable and hopeless lash out like children, and yes, that includes Batman and James Bond. They only get away with it because (A) they are conniving, (B) they are dark, and (C) they are human. Superman is none of those things.
The writers need to recognize that Superman's is invulnerable and able to change the shape of the world single-handedly. He could rule the world in a day, but instead, he chooses to serve it. Now that is a role model, not only for children, but for all of us.
I hear talk about the next Superman movie "going dark" to chase the money from The Dark Knight. If they do, they will chase the money away. Dark Knight succeeded because it was true to the character, not because Americans are inherently dark, violent people. I mean, look at some of the other summer blockbusters like Iron Man or Wall-E, both of which can hardly be described as "dark." Superman has to go the other way with almost a Speed Racer or Wizard of Oz level of color saturation as an affirmation of life itself.
Because when you get down to it, that's what Superman is... an affirmation of life. If you aren't walking out of the theater feeling like everything in the world is at least a little better than when you walked in, they failed.
Next, Part 2 "Villains"
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