Warner Bros. searches for Black star and director for new Superman film
By Dan Selcke
A couple months back, we heard that J.J. Abrams was producing a new Superman movie, with journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates set to write it. Word was that they were looking for a Black actor to play the main role, and while the process is still very early on, The Hollywood Reporter cites “insiders” who confirm that this is indeed the case.
As for who it could be, that’s an even bigger question mark, although Michael B. Jordan took himself out of the running a while back. THR wonders if it could be a relative unknown, like how Brandon Routh played Superman in 2006’s Superman Returns.
Warner Bros. is also reportedly looking for a Black director, with one source saying that putting Abrams in that spot would be “tone-deaf.” As for Coates’ script, it will follow the traditional Superman story, with Kal-El hailing from the planet Krypton and coming to Earth. It’s possible that the movie could be a 20th century period piece, but the details haven’t been decided on yet.
Warner Bros. appears in no rush, with Coates scheduled to turn in his script around December. Superman is an important character and the studio wants to get this right.
Will the new Superman movie be part of the DC Extended Universe?
As for where this movie will fit into the “DC Extended Universe,” THR says that the Superman movie will be its own thing. After the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Warner Bros. seems to have cooled on the idea of a shared universe all together; Robert Pattinson’s upcoming Batman movie will also stand on its own.
That said, the upcoming Flash movie starring Ezra Miller will still connect back to the “Snyderverse,” and Jason Momoa and Gal Gadot are still playing Aquaman and Wonder Woman respectively. Frankly, I’m all for easing off the shared universe concept. Marvel had a hit with it but that doesn’t mean that everyone has to do it.
Next. Marvel execs tease Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ future in the MCU. dark
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