How Warner Brothers Can Save the Superman Franchise

In light of The Dark Knight's record-breaking opening at the box office, one thing has become extremely clear: people love bad-ass heroes. While we admire Batman's ferocious quest for vengeance, marvel at Spider-Man's acrobatic feats and empathize with Iron Man'smid-life crisis, we feel little excitement for all-star hero Superman. Why is that?

Superman Returns (2006), the character's highly-anticipated return to the big screen, left audiences shrugging their shoulders and asking the question, "Is Superman still cool?" In a time when audiences demand realistic plots and jaw-dropping action, a story about an alien immigrant becoming Earth's biggest Boy Scout hardly fits that bill.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Superman fan. I've read the comics, seen all the movies, and watch Smallville weekly. And while I loved how Superman Returns paidhomage to Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie, I understood why average moviegoers left feeling uninspired.

First off, the movie was way too long, clocking in at 154 minutes. Secondly, it lacked the high-profile fight scenes we've come to expect from superhero blockbusters. Since a fist fight between Superman and Lex Luthor would hardly qualify as a challenge, the Man of Steel was relegated to saving doomed airplanes and tossing a kryptonite land mass into space.

Thirdly, Kate Bosworth did little justice to the Lois Lane character, leaving audiences dumbfounded as to why Superman would love her. A love triangle between Superman, Lois, and boyfriend Richard White (James Marsden) did create some drama, as did the revelation that Lois fathered Superman's illegitimate child, but these plotlines were just the groundwork for a future story arc.

Warner Brothers expected Returns to be a box-office smash, but as BoxOfficeMojo.com reports, its total domestic gross of $200 million didn't even match the $270 million production budget. Thankfully, its worldwide gross reached $400 million, at least giving the franchise a fighting chance at more movies.

Returns director Bryan Singer told Empire Magazine in a March 2008 interviewthat development for a Superman sequel is underway.

Singer also acknowledged that since Superman Returns' focus was on character development and story, the sequel will feature more action, with Superman fighting a villain of equal or greater power.

That's the first step to keeping the Superman franchise alive-more action. Audiences want to see Superman use his amazing abilities to, essentially, kick someone's butt, not move pieces of land.

Next, Singer needs to make the character a little edgier. While I think Superman is fantastic because of his morality and code of honor, having perfect values just doesn't resonate with our times. If the Man of Steel intends to stay relevant, he needs to, from time to time, question his beliefs and show some anger. Feelings of loneliness and unrequited longing won't keep audiences coming back for more.

Finally, the sequel to Returns needs to showcase more of the real Clark Kent. You see, Superman is essentially three characters: there's the hero who flies around in a blue and red costume; there's the bumbling, mild-mannered reporter who works at the Daily Planet; and then there's the sincere, Kansas farm boy who can only be himself around his family.

The first movie developed the Superman persona brilliantly and allowed the clumsy reporter to shine through, but the real Clark Kent only saw a few moments of screen time.

While some fans may disagree, I don't think it'd be a bad idea for Lois to discover Clark's secret identity in the next film. This would allow the real Clark Kent to appear in meaningful scenes with someone other than his mother, and it would add depth to the love triangle introduced in the first film.

Ultimately, Warner Brothers needs to make Superman less of a model citizen and more of a conflicted hero who has doubts and fears like anyone else. I'm not saying to discard the hero's aura of "truth, justice, and the American way." After all, that's what separates Superman from other characters and what's kept him around the last 70 years. But we want the Man of Steel to struggle with feelings of jealousy, revenge, and loss on a personal level.

So while Singer appears to be headed in the right direction with plans for more action, he needs to give Superman human emotions that will make him relatable to the viewer. There's no need to change the character's essence, just tweak certain aspects to make him more contemporary. Only then will Warner Brothers have a shot at saving the world's greatest comic book hero.