Now that IRON MAN 3 and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS have been released, my next most anticipated summer movie is MAN OF STEEL. Nothing else this summer has me quite as pumped as finding out if Zack Snyder, David Goyer, and Christopher Nolan are going to truly give us something special featuring Superman. From the trailers, it certainly looks like it is going to be a distinct take on the classic character, but will it deliver?
One big question mark for me has been how will they handle the scenes on Krypton. From the look of the costumes worn by Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon, the Kryptonian culture will have a resonant impact on the entire story. Everything from the architecture of the planet to the clothing and technology of the alien world is important in developing Superman himself. The stark white crystalline Krypton from the Richard Donner and Bryan Singer films gave those movies a very hopeful feel. MAN OF STEEL seems to be employing a darker version of Krypton than what we have seen before.
In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El (Cavill) is a young twentysomething journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond anyone’s imagination. Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question – Why am I here? Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Costner), Clark soon discovers that having super abilities means making very difficult decisions. But when the world needs stability the most, it comes under attack. Will his abilities be used to maintain peace or ultimately used to divide and conquer? Clark must become the hero known as “Superman,” not only to shine as the world’s last beacon of hope but to protect the ones he loves.
The latest MAN OF STEEL poster (an international one this time around) features Russell Crowe as Jor-El in full Kryptonian attire. The costume looks much more medieval than what we are used to. Jor-El also appears to be wielding a gun of some sort that looks very unique. There is a militaristic feel to Krypton in the trailers so far, and this seems to follow that trend.
The marketing so far for MAN OF STEEL has been tremendous. I hope we get a lot more character posters between now and when the movie opens on June 14, 2013.
And as a nice bonus, check out this cool piece of art featuring every Superman costume for the last 70 years. Very cool! Click to embiggen!
