Let us lament the Superman movie that never was...
Back in 2005, Warner Brothers was trying to get their shit together, in regards to their superhero properties. They had a fairly successful go in rebooting Batman with Batman Begins, wiping the slate clean of the bad taste left by Batman and Robin and that wretched Halle Berry Catwoman. They had just hired Joss Whedon to write and direct a Wonder Woman film (NEWSFLASH: It didn't happen) and had snagged up Bryan Singer (fresh from his success on the X-Men films) to give the Big Blue Boy Scout a proper makeover. After the success of Begins, everyone was curious to see what Singer had cooking for his Superman project, now titled Superman Returns.
The first teaser debuted in late 2005, and judging from it alone, you'd have thought we were in for not only the best Superman movie possible, but quite possibly the best superhero movie ever made. The teaser was beautifully put together, using the best cue from John Williams' original score ("The Planet Krypton") and the Jesus-ifying monologue delivered by Marlon Brando in the Chris Reeve Superman - all set to some truly breathtaking imagery that recalls the old-world Americana out of which Superman was born. It promised a movie that understood Superman on the most fundamental level - the daydreams of two young Jewish immigrants raised up believing in the American dream; creating a hero who not only saved the day, but inspired and brought out the best in everyone who he encountered.
What we got... was not that. A dull, plodding affair in which the most heroic thing the titular hero does is lift an array of increasingly heavy objects, Superman Returns was too tied down to the past, far too reverential to the Donner movie of old. Even with an impressive cast (esp. Brandon Routh as Superman, who is really deserving of a far better movie here), the film falls flat at every turn, making some rather boneheaded decisions along the way (*cough* Superman's a dad *cough*). It made just enough to recover its production costs (although not nearly enough to cover pre-production costs - see the excellent Superman vs Hollywood for more on the project's troubled legacy), but it was clear that the public was just not taken with this version of Supes - effectively shelving any sequels or a possible franchise.
But we still have that original teaser. One that promises a far better Superman movie... And possibly one we'll never get. Here you go:
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