Speculation has been circulating faster than a speeding bullet surrounding the story of the new Man of Steel movie which is set to start shooting this summer in Vancouver with Zack Znyder at the helm. The upcoming Superman reboot and the eagerly awaited Batman sequel are both being penned by Christopher Nolan’s collaborator, David S. Goyer and clues have begun to emerge about their possible storylines.
Whilst The Dark Knight Rises was said to be drawing ideas from the Prey comics, sources suggested that the new Superman movie might be based on the Birthright series. This assumption came about when a description given to casting agencies featured a Birthright storyline that sees a young Clark Kent stopping an assassination between two tribal factions in West Africa, then returning to Smallville to learn more about his alien heritage. Whilst the Birthright edition have a fresh take on the mythos, it seems that another comic series may also be serving as inspiration for the writer.
The Collected Edition of Superman: Secret Origin miniseries originally released in mid 2009, debuted last week with a foreword included by Goyer where he expressed his admiration for Secret Origin‘s author Geoff Johns and reveals the impact this version of Clark Kent had on him:
As I write this, I am midway through my first draft of a new Superman screenplay. It’s a task that has stymied many talented filmmakers in the years since Donner’s film. And for all I know, it will end up stymying me as well. But I’ve got one advantage that the screenwriters who came before me didn’t have—and that’s access to all the wonderful Superman stories written by Geoff Johns—first and foremost being the SECRET ORIGIN issues reprinted in the very volume you are now holding.
The Secret Origin comic doesn’t begin with the introduction of Krypton, but instead with Clark’s first memories growing up in Smallville.
The story sees him developing his alternate identity as a reaction to the alienation he feels for being different to those around him. Whilst Birthright is certainly stronger in tone and would lend itself to Snyder’s narrative style, Secret Origin has a familiar storyline but with an innovative take on the early years that has similarities to the current TV series as well as major contrasts.
Christopher Nolan‘s producing partner Emma Thomas recently confirmed that the script had been brought to an appropriate level and was now in Zack Znyder‘s hands but the filmmaker has been careful not to give away any details surrounding the story.
When Snyder spoke with Empire magazine in November he had this to say about Goyer‘s screenplay:
It’s a different story, I won’t say there’s a break from the canon or anything like that, but there is definitely an approach that makes you go, ‘Okay, that’s a way to get at it.’ David is very respectful of the canon and stuff like that. It has its roots in the canon and again, like I say, it has a point of view about who he is.
Both of these comics are excellent foundations and the possible fusing of the storylines would certainly make this version of Superman: The Man Of Steel an exciting film to look forward to in 2012.
via: Blastr Digital Spy
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