Zack Snyder Talks Superman Reboot
Posted 10.05.10 by Ryan
After a long search that had producer (and Superman reboot "godfather") Christopher Nolan meeting with a list of directorial candidates for Warner Bros.' upcoming Superman: The Man of Steel, Nolan ultimately decided on 300 and Watchmen director Zack Snyder. Snyder expressed his excitement about the project to MTV.
It is pretty awesome. I'm really excited, and I feel like it's an amazing opportunity.
Snyder explained that he won the job after a casual meeting with Nolan and his wife and producing partner Emma Thomas.
It was really just talking about, in really sort of civilized and fun terms, who [Superman] was to us and what he could be. I think that those conversations felt free from the pressure of an "audition" and felt more just talking about a character that we both liked. It was really, at that point, I was content if I was the one picked or not, that I had had a great visit. From a creative and fan point of view, I was satisfied, and that was cool.
Snyder is still working on his upcoming action-fantasy Sucker Punch and has plans in place to work on Xerxes, the follow-up to 300, which Snyder has been adapting with writer Kurt Johnstad from Frank Miller's in-progress comic book. Snyder has even revealed the synopsis for Xerxes, but says that the movie will be delayed so he can work on Superman.
This is what we're doing right now. We're going to finish Sucker Punch and get right to work on [Superman]. Basically, I'm going to start working on it when I'm done with Sucker Punch.
While Snyder couldn't reveal any casting details (though Variety reports that Superman Returns star Brandon Routh "isn't likely" to return) or who the villains of the upcoming movie might be ("I can't say," explained Snyder), he did have some encouraging words for fans about the progress Nolan and screenwriter David Goyer have made so far.
All I'll say is that those guys — Chris and David — have created an amazing story. The "Why [remake] Superman?" is definitely being looked at with care, that's all I could hope for as a director. Everyone always says, "Why Superman? Why is he relevant? Who is he now?" I think those guys have done an amazing job with that. That's the real trick.
Superman: The Man of Steel (working title) has already been given a tentative release date, targeting a December 2012 release.