Mark Millar's idea for Superman film trillogy

[Raph's Girl]

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23521

Mark Millar wants to create an epic 8-hour screen story which will follow the entire life of Kal-El from his birth on Krypton a thousand years ago, until he is the last being left on Earth.

Empire sat down for a chat with comic book writer and creator Millar, the man behind Wanted and the upcoming Kick-Ass, and he filled us in on his pitch for the follow-up to Superman Returns.

Mark has been working closely with a ‘big-Hollywood action director’ – who he refuses to name at this stage – on a pitch for what he is calling the Magnum Opus of Superman stories. His idea is for an 8-hour saga, split into 3 films to be released a year apart, in a Lord of the Rings fashion. Although several other sources have reported similar conversations with Mark, he went into further detail, fleshing out the story arc a little more.

“It’s gonna be like Michael Corleone in the Godfather films, the entire story from beginning to end, you see where he starts, how he becomes who he becomes, and where that takes him. The Dark Knight showed you can take a comic book property and make a serious film, and I think the studios are ready to listen to bigger ideas now.”

“The problem with Superman Returns was like releasing Star Wars in ’77, The Empire Strikes Back in ’80 and then waiting 28 years to release Return of the Jedi, it wasn’t relevant. I understand what Bryan Singer was trying to do, to pay homage to Richard Donner’s original vision, but I think you should pay homage by doing something completely different.”

“I want to start on Krypton, a thousand years ago, and end with Superman alone on Planet Earth, the last being left on the planet, as the yellow sun turns red and starts to supernova, and he loses his powers."

Certainly no-one can ever say that Millar lacks vision and if he and his ‘bigHollywoodaction director’ friend get backing for the project, and we certainly hope they do, it might just prove to be the Godfather of superhero films.

Well that's definatly different....I could see it in comic form but Im not sure about seeing it on film.

[ZariusTwo]

Keep Miller the hell away from Superman. His cynical dry style is better reserved for Marvel

[Mecha Cow]

Eh, I'm really not sure if Superman needs have an epic movie trilogy. This story sounds better suited for a comic series.

[Jester]

So...thousands of years compressed into 8 hours...how does that work? Heck, how do you divide 8 hours into 3 distinct movies. Even if they are all parts of one whole, there has to be 3 climaxes and 3 different pseudo-conclusions.

[gobo]

The end of that arc would be quite painful to watch, I'm sure. But, I can't say I'm very impressed by this idea.

[Drtooth]

Originally Posted by Jester

So...thousands of years compressed into 8 hours...how does that work? Heck, how do you divide 8 hours into 3 distinct movies. Even if they are all parts of one whole, there has to be 3 climaxes and 3 different pseudo-conclusions.

3 movies 2 hours in length add up to 6 minutes. SO they'd all be just over 2 and a half hours.

[Brodie]

Let him do it. COuldn't turn out nearly as bad as that whole Spider-Man trilogy.

[Archon_Turtle]

Originally Posted by Brodie

Let him do it. COuldn't turn out nearly as bad as that whole Spider-Man trilogy.

here here!

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Brodie

Let him do it. COuldn't turn out nearly as bad as that whole Spider-Man trilogy.

Seriously...Overrated as it may be, the Spider-man trilogy is still a great trilogy. Spider-man 2 is a well made and fun piece to watch. I'm definitely a true Spider-man fan and I love the movie. Thing's I would change? Of course...but this is hollywood, and we need to be open to interpretation changes. I say we made it out alive and then some with Spider-man.

As for this movie idea...It sound's awesome to me, but I'm not a loyal Superman fan by any means so I could see why some would not appreciate what Mark Miller is trying to do. As a casual fan, I'd go see it though.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

Cut out the bit with him being the last person left alive and I'd be open to the idea. That ending would just be too dark for Superman. I think Alan Moore had the right idea for a finale with "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?": Superman suffers a lot of loss during his last battles as Superman, but in the end he got to live happily ever after. I think the happy ending for Superman is a bit more fitting, because Superman's story has always been pretty optimistic.

[Raven]

I loved his Superman Red Son story, which in a slight way could be similar to this idea. Im all for him doing this, he has a great passion for the character.

Bryan had a chance, Superman Returns was okay but if I want to see a Donnar homage I'll watch the orginal movies.....