Superman a go?

[Optimus Prime]

Updated: 12:10 PM EST
'Superman' Finally is Ready to Fly Again

By César G. Soriano, USA TODAY

Is Superman finally taking off?

After years of delays, false starts, mounting production costs and a revolving door of players, Warner Bros. has given the green light to the first Superman film in nearly 20 years.

The Man of Steel has not appeared on the big screen since 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, starring the late Christopher Reeve. Now, all the key pieces seem to be in place.

-- Superman and his Clark Kent alter ego will be played by Brandon Routh, 25, a former soap opera star. Producers wanted an unknown, as Reeve was before he became a household name with 1978's Superman. (Related story: New guy in the cape finds he's a snug fit)

-- Bryan Singer, who parlayed the X-Men comic-book series into a successful film franchise, will direct. The new Superman story was written by Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, who also wrote Singer's last film, X2.

-- The untitled film will begin shooting in Australia next year for release in summer 2006.

Warner Bros. is revealing little about the plot, but Singer has hinted that the film will pick up where 1980's Superman II left off. In that movie, our hero traded his superpowers for mortality, fell in love with Lois Lane, regained his powers to defeat his enemies but then lost the girl.

"How do you bring Superman back? That has obviously been a challenge for us," says Jeff Robinov, president of production for Warner Bros.

"It took a while to get the right combination of people and to find a story that was fresh and true to the mythology."

The studio's Superman saga began in 1993, when Warner Bros. bought the film rights from Superman producer Alexander Salkind.

Countless screenwriters and several directors have been attached to the project, including McG, Brett Ratner and Tim Burton. All have had vastly different story ideas and visions. Burton wanted Nicolas Cage to play Superman.

At times, it seemed as if every hot young actor in Hollywood was considered or rumored for the role, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Ashton Kutcher, Brendan Fraser, Josh Hartnett, Jude Law and James Caviezel.

During the turmoil, Warner Bros. subsidiary DC Comics, which created the film genre with its Superman and Batman series, was overtaken by rival Marvel Comics, the creators of the successful X-Men and Spider-Man.

"Superman is the crown jewel in the Time Warner crown," says filmmaker Kevin Smith, who wrote an early Superman script. "You're looking at a studio that has been pretty cautious."

By Smith's estimate, the studio already has spent $50 million without a single frame of film to show for it. Robinov won't talk money, but he says the project is now moving faster than a speeding bullet.

Fans such as Harry Knowles, editor of AintItCoolNews.com, say they are "cautiously optimistic. My feeling is that until they finish shooting and it's in thea-ters, I'm not going to believe a Superman movie exists."

New Guy in the Cape Finds He's a Snug Fit

Brandon Routh could not have chosen a more perfect Halloween costume last year.

He showed up at a costume contest at Hollywood's hip Lucky Strike bowling alley wearing a black suit, a tie and a pair of geeky thick-rimmed glasses. His starched white shirt was unbuttoned just so, revealing a blue undershirt emblazoned with the Superman logo. His hair was perfect, right down to the curl on his forehead. He was so convincing, he won first place.

Flash-forward a year. That Clark Kent-Superman getup is no longer just a Halloween costume.

The relatively unknown actor, 25, was thrust into the spotlight Oct. 21 when Warner Bros. announced that Routh would star in its long-awaited Superman movie. (Related story: Superman finally ready to fly again)

"He's always had a desire to play Superman," says his agent, Mara Santino, who notes that the Halloween costume contest occurred months before the movie role was even a possibility.

Routh (pronounced Rowth) was chosen from thousands of candidates interviewed at casting calls in the USA, Britain, Canada and Australia.

"Casting has always been a challenge," says Jeff Robinov, president of production for Warner Bros. Pictures.

"As you look to more recognizable people, it's hard to separate who they are and what they've done from the role of Superman. So we decided to look at unknowns.

"It takes a while to find that odd mix of strength, vulnerability, warmth, likeability. At the same time, you want them to have the size and physicality of what you'd think of as Superman."

Like longtime Man of Steel Christopher Reeve, who died Oct. 10, Routh has square-jawed, chiseled good looks and loves sports.

Routh was unavailable for interviews, but his agent said the actor likes shooting hoops with friends and also swam and played soccer in high school. Routh is 6 feet 2? inches tall; Reeve was 6-4.

"All his life people have told him he was very Clark Kent-Superman-like," Santino says.

Until now, Routh's most notable credit was a stint in 2001-02 as Seth Anderson on the ABC soap One Life to Live.

Other TV work has included bit parts on Gilmore Girls, Odd Man Out, Will & Grace and Cold Case. He recently finished shooting a small role in his first film, Deadly, opposite That '70s Show star Laura Prepon.

Brandon James Routh - his friends call him B.J. - was born Oct. 9, 1979, in Des Moines and raised in nearby Norwalk. That's not far from Woolstock, hometown of TV's original Superman, George Reeves. Routh attended the University of Iowa for a year.

Nearly every actor who has ever played the Man of Steel was unknown before donning cape and tights. Reeve had just one film role before he landed 1978's Superman and three sequels.




11/05/2004 07:07

Oh for *beep* 's sake