Superman is Back? Judge Orders Warner Bros to Develop NEW Superman Film by 2011

[Kane]

This is making headlines on all the sites today; thought I'd post it here:

http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/07/08...superman-case/

Last year a federal court awarded the Siegel heirs half of the copyright in the Superman material in Action Comics #1. Remaining to be decided, however, was how much that copyright interest was worth.

Today the court released its ruling on the first issue related to this question
Here is the link to the court document.

http://uncivilsociety.org/siegel_070609.pdf

Given that Mr. Horn testified that the release of a sequel to Superman Returns movie could occur in 2012, it is certainly now possible, based on the only competent evidence related to this issue introduced at trial, that filming of such a sequel could occur within the 2009 to 2011 time frame.

Unless and until it can be shown at that point in time that no filming of a sequel to Superman Returns has commenced, it cannot be said, with any degree of certainty, that the Superman film agreement’s failure to contain a reversion clause keyed to continued and regular development of the property in film has caused any harm.

In making this statement, the Court is certainly mindful of how close this market deficiency in the Superman film agreement is from shifting from speculation to concrete harm. Even under Mr. Horn's hopeful estimate, no filming of a Superman sequel will commence this year nor is it likely that it will commence next year. Without a script, and there is none at present, filming cannot be commenced. It is only the possibility that filming could begin on a Superman sequel in 2011 that has stayed the Court from making a finding on the reasonable certainty of harm having occurred.

Given that the potential for said commencement of filming exists at the present time, plaintiffs have not shown that the Superman film agreement, sans a reversion clause, is below the reasonable range for what a willing buyer would pay for the property from a willing seller. If, however, by 2011, no filming has commenced on a Superman sequel, plaintiffs could bring an accounting action at that time to recoup the damages then realized for the Superman film agreement's failure to contain a reversion clause.

Mr. Horn testified that, aside from his “hopes†to develop the Superman character, at present the property is not under development at Warner Bros. (Trial Tr. at 166). No script has been written, filming has not commenced, and the earliest a Superman film could be theatrically released would be in 2012. (Trial Tr. at 155). As Mr. Horn explained, “we had hopes to keep the [Superman] character alive and to once again reinvent Superman. We are — our hope is to develop a Superman property and to try again. What hurt us is that the reviews and so on for the Superman movie . . . did not get the kind of critical acclaim that Batman got, and we have other issues with Superman that concern us.†(Trial Tr. at 153).

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118005806.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=bd_film

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/697249/Superman-Sequel-2012-At-SOONEST.html


So apparently DC/WB can either get started on a Superman theatrical release by 2011; or get sued badly and possibly lose the rights to the character.


It sounds like we may get a new Superman franchaise by 2012 at the earliest.


The good news is, Alan Horn and the current Warners staff want Brandon Routh back. So with this project rolling again in the short-term, there's a very good chance they'll strike up a new contract with him for this reboot franchaise or whatever it will be.

He's likely the only actor who has the look for Superman and wants to play the big blue boyscout. atriotic:

 

[ForeverRed]

From what I've heard that Brandon's contract has been expired. There could be a chance that Brandon Routh to come back as Superman for the sequel. Let's see what'll happen in the future.

 

[Kane]

His contract for Superman Returns and the options tied to that expired.


Same with Spacey, Langella, Singer etc


However, this is standard in Hollywood (contracts expire and are reissued all the time if there's more than a 3 year gap between films).


It's very unlikely this will be a sequel to Returns. There's a good chance it will be a standalone 'reintroduction' of the character, like what Robinov hinted at.


Routh is very tight with Horn and WB. The problem was that Horn was leaving his job in 2012 (that would have been the end for Routh), but with the project being forced into development by 2011, things are looking bright.

 

[ForeverRed]

Hmph. Robinov is a fucking dumbass.

Superman reboot with Brandon Routh, I'm up for it.

 

[Kai Yamato]

Yeesh. Right before their rights to Superman expires? Will they even pull it off in 2 years?

 

[Akiyama]

Hey maybe he can actually fight a baddie in this one. No giant spiders though please ((see an evening with kevin smith to get the joke))

 

[Quark]

Anyone else want to see Mark Millar's three part Superman epic come to fruition?

 

[Kamen Rider Oni]

Angry God Superman on a destroyed earth...? Not really...

 

[ForeverRed]

Anyone else want to see Mark Millar's three part Superman epic come to fruition?

Keep Mark Millar away from this.

 

[Kane]

Anyone else want to see Mark Millar's three part Superman epic come to fruition?

The studio laughed Miller off already.

Miller is just an attention whore and even he revealed that his Superman pitch is just a pipedream now that won't happen.