Between work, conventions, and reviews, I am a bit behind on some Supergirl news. Better late than never I suppose.
About a week ago, news spread across the internet that a Supergirl big screen movie was being bandied about. This is about the most bare-boned of a rumor as you can get. No producer. No director. Someone tagged to be the screen writer. But maybe where there is smoke?
Here is a link to Deadline Hollywood's coverage:
https://deadline.com/2018/08/supergirl-movie-warner-bros-dc-comics-universe-oren-uziel-script-superman-1202440687/
And here is a blurb:
Warner Bros and DC are developing a feature film based around Supergirl, the heroine and cousin of Superman. Oren Uziel is working on the script, I’ve confirmed.
There is no producer on Supergirl at this point. According to DC mythology, the character was a teen when she escaped the doomed planet Krypton along with the infant who grew up as Clark Kent. Supergirl has been played by Melissa Benoist in the Greg Berlanti Warner Bros series creation that heads into Season Four on the CW.
Finding a different way back to the Superman universe through Supergirl reflects the differing mindset of DC priority titles to be a bit out of the box, and away from a slate which, with the notable exception of the Patty Jenkins-directed Wonder Woman, has resulted in too many films that have been leaden, dark, and not that fun. And expensive — Man of Steel, Batman Vs Superman and Justice League carried around $800 million in production budgets to gross a collective $2.1 billion, according to reported budget estimates.
My thoughts up next!
Okay, how can I complain about the possibility of another Supergirl movie heading to the big screen. Well, I guess I could complain given the unsteady creative approach the DCEU has had up to now. I would not want the gray-soaked, dour Snyder version of the character unless she truly was going to be the light to guide them.
That said, I am pretty sure that Wonder Woman fills that role now. Thankfully, Wonder Woman and Gal Gadot have really shined like a beacon in this film universe. Between Diana's movie and her presence in Justice League, she pretty much rules the roost.
I also think that with the Flash movie and the Shazam movie coming up, there is a sort of course correction with these franchises. Supergirl could continue that trend if they brought a more classic approach to everything.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/how-supergirl-could-lead-man-steel-2-a-henry-cavill-role-1132500
But a Supergirl film doesn’t just have the power to boost the cinematic power of DC’s leading women, it also has the potential to open up the world of Superman on film in a way that hasn’t been done before. Despite the fact that many are eagerly waiting for Warner Bros. to announce a new Superman solo film, a Supergirl film can keep the property alive, and hopefully feature Henry Cavill in some degree, while the studio figures out how to best reintroduce the character for a film of his own.
The seeds for Supergirl were planted, in 2013’s Man of Steel, when Clark Kent steps into the Kryptonian ship for the first time and discovers several pods, its inhabitants’ long deceased. But there’s one pod that’s open, the occupant seemingly escaped. For years, fans have speculated that this open pod was an Easter Egg pointing to the existence of Kara Zor-El, a theory given further credibility by the Man of Steel prequel comic written by Sterling Gates from a story by David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns, and Zack Snyder.
So the Superman we saw in the Justice League movie was not the one we saw in MoS or BvS. It was that creative dissonance which further fractured the already fragile DC fanbase. The idea of using Kara to further cement the classically heroic Superman into film canon is an interesting one.
And as mentioned above, the idea of Supergirl existing in the DCEU has always been around. Blink during the credits of MoS and you'll miss Argo City flying by. And then that empty life support pod!
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2013/05/man-of-steel-prequel-re-visited.html
No big surprise but with Sterling Gates as writer and Jerry Ordway on art, it is a winner.
So I won't be holding my breath. Without more details, without seeing how the upcoming Aquaman and Shazam movies do in the theater, without seeing how the Supergirl TV show continues to do, I think it is premature to think about this stuff. But it is fun to dream.
And now it seems that Warner Bros. is looking for a female director for this movie. Here is the Deadline link: https://deadline.com/2018/08/female-director-scorecard-warner-bros-superhero-wonder-woman-1202441259/
It all sound wonderful and crazy. I don't think the Anj who started this place in 2008 would believe this.
Let the casting discussions begin. How about Dove Cameron?
That's quite a list of projects. I hope they manage to put together some good creative teams to make at least some of it happen.
ReplyDeleteA lot of pressure could be brought to bear on Henry Cavill & the Superman Movie Team for the Price of one press release with a name writer attached to a Supergirl project....
ReplyDeleteJust Sayin'
But I suspect "Wonder Woman"who has finally demonstrated a super heroine can be big box office has finally been the leading wedge needed for a lot of DCU female characters...Supergirl, Batgirl, Birds of Prey etc...but until I see a producer/director attached this is all a "high end rumor" to me.
JF
As much as I like Gates writing, I don't want the Supergirl movie to build on the prequel comic. Retcon it away. I don't want a space ace Kara.
ReplyDeleteGive us a young Supergirl who can show us the DCEU from a new angle. A story of a child who lost everything and found a new life and new friends a long long way from home.
Cast someone 16 years old or younger. Make it a positive tale of belonging and being given and becoming hope.
But if they are gonna go forward with this, here is one hint Don't Build the Whole Movie around Her Origin...
ReplyDeleteA brawl with Brainiac top lining the "Hope, Help & Compassion" girl is all the audience wants.
JF
I agree. Don’t want the prequel. It’s too enmeshed in the Snyder stuff. She’s generations behind Kal in that story (I think).
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, why not start out with her already established. We can trust the audience to know how she got there.
No ideas about casting from my side because none of the fancasts sit right with me. But then again, I also said the same about Ms. Benoist and now I feel she wears the cape pretty perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI second people over here who want a simple origin story. I don't want something overly complicated, trying to set up the next Superman story or anything. Just give me a good origin story of a little kid who lost everything byt didn't lose hope. Let her find the Danvers , let her find the suit, give me balls to the walls action, give me the message of hope, help and compassion and I will be good. I must say, I am excited.
But hopefully, there will be no citywide destruction with Supergirl moping about how the whole world is bad. As you said anj, even if this was done I hope she is the one who shines the light
Just remember Orson Welles managed to give you the backstory of "Charles Foster Kane", in under five minutes at the outset of Citizen Kane. Quite literally the movie could open with a "Youtube" fan documentary....
ReplyDeleteAnd start up the Brainiac Smashy-Smashy...
:)
JF
"The seeds for Supergirl were planted, in 2013’s Man of Steel, when Clark Kent steps into the Kryptonian ship for the first time and discovers several pods, its inhabitants’ long deceased. But there’s one pod that’s open, the occupant seemingly escaped. For years, fans have speculated that this open pod was an Easter Egg pointing to the existence of Kara Zor-El..."
ReplyDeleteWell, Zack Snyder himself shot this fan theory down recently: https://www.comicbookmovie.com/tv/dc/supergirl/director-zack-snyder-says-the-open-pod-in-man-of-steel-wasnt-hinting-at-supergirl-a162928
However, since he's no longer seems to be guiding the future direction of DCEU movies following the resounding flop of Justice League (although Zack does have what probably is a cursory credit for "Wonder Woman 1984"), the mystery pod inhabitant could be whatever the new studio heads want it to be anyway, if it ever gets referenced again.
However, this week's announcement that WB is actively seeking a female director for a new Supergirl flick seems more like a move aimed at pleasing the MeToo movement rather than an actual creative decision.
KET
On one hand, given no specifics are given -- director, cast, a script -- I'm in "wait and see" mode.
ReplyDeleteOn the other, this has possibilities for sure, especially in light of the success of the Wonder Woman
movie. I'm also hoping they'll take lessons from the 1984 Supergirl movie. I _FULLY_ support the
"Hope, Help, And Compassion" version of Supergirl, alittle action doesn't hurt, Henry cavill in there
in a Justice League-version of Superman well would be nice. I LOVEDLOVEDLOVED the scenes they had in
TV Supergirl between Melissa B and Tyler H, and personally I think it was a huge letdown we never got
to see Chris Reeve and Helen Slater flying together. To see that brought onto the big screen.
I'm iffy about "another" origin movie myself. I'd love it if they just jumped right into the meat of
things... a big screen adaption of Superman:Brainiac tops my list, or a completely original story.
We'll see how this goes.
Regards
Well, Zack Snyder himself shot this fan theory down recently:
ReplyDeleteShrugs. When we made the MoS prequel comic in 2013, we were told to set up the open pod for Kara. If that plan changed, no one told us at the time.
You do not need that pod to tell Supergirl's DC Film story going forward.
However, this week's announcement that WB is actively seeking a female director for a new Supergirl flick seems more like a move aimed at pleasing the MeToo movement rather than an actual creative decision.
No. The #MeToo Movement is about acknowledging the experiences of women who have endured sexual harassment within the creative industries. Their stories deserve to be heard.
WB's search for a talented woman to direct SG is about finding someone who will lend their own perspective and voice to an icon's story -- a story which would obviously change drastically depending on the creative voices behind it.
Linking their director's call to the #MeToo movement is shocking, disrespectful, dismissive, and, frankly, sexist. I hope you'll rethink these types of comments and attitude when discussing the future of Supergirl.
Thanks,
Sterling
Thank you Sterling. As you say, #MeToo is a different subject, conflating a desire to look for a woman to direct with a movement to expose endemic sexual harassment is not a good look.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this week's announcement that WB is actively seeking a female director for a new Supergirl flick seems more like a move aimed at pleasing the MeToo movement rather than an actual creative decision.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that, other people have already pointed out that MeToo doesn’t have anything to do with jobs, it’s about sexual harassment.
If WB is actually seeking a female director for a female-led movie it’s more likely to be financially motivated. Wonder Woman had that combination and it had the largest domestic gross of all their current crop of films while also having the smallest production budget, stayed in theaters the longest, and got the best reviews. It’s more likely they noticed and are trying to repeat that success. Whether that was the cause of the success is another question.