Yes. This is exactly what the next Superman movie will be like.
  • Yes. This is exactly what the next Superman movie will be like.

Damn. Deadline's on a geek-news roll. First they broke that Emma Stone-as-Mary Jane business, and now they have the news that 300, Watchmen, and The Owls of Geeeeehoohieee director Zack Snyder will be helming the next Superman flick, which I'm guessing will either be called The Man of Steel or Superman Returns? What Superman Returns? Ha! There Wasn't Even a Movie Named Superman Returns! You're Just Imagining Things. Hey Look, Slow Motion!

"I've been a big fan of the character for a long time, he's definitely the king of all superheroes, he's the one," Snyder, who directed Watchmen and 300, told me. "It's early yet, but I can tell you that what David [Goyer] and Chris [Nolan] have done with the story so far definitely has given me a great insight into a way to make him feel modern. I've always felt he was kind of awesome. I'll finish Sucker Punch and get right at it."

Indeed, Superman is "kind of awesome"—but in the hands of creators like Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, he can be "straight up awesome," so here's hoping this new Superman movie takes a page outta those books.

I'm not the world's biggest Snyder fan (this Sucker Punch he speaks of can be glimpsed here, and here's my review of his latest), but I will admit that this choice isn't terrible. It isn't good, but it's not terrible. Snyder can crank out some of the prettiest images in Hollywood; with Christopher Nolan overseeing the film alongside his Batman screenwriting collaborator David Goyer, maybe those two will tackle the story and just let Snyder go nuts with the visuals.

(I know chances are slim of it happening—my guess is this film is gonna function as a hard restart on the series—but I'm keeping my fingers crossed they'll get Brandon Routh to come back as Clark Kent/Superman. He was easily the best thing about Bryan Singer's boring-ass Superman Returns, and he stole Scott Pilgrim whenever he was onscreen.

Well, either Routh or this Jon Hamm/Tina Fey business. But I know better than to get my hopes up for something as great as that. But oh, how magical that would be.)