Bad Robot's SUPERMAN produced by J.J. Abrams (TBD) 0

[Bosco685]

Quote

J.J. Abrams is producing the feature, which according to sources, is being set up as a Black Superman story.

Acclaimed essayist and novelist Ta-Nehisi Coates has been hired to pen the --script for a feature reboot of Superman that will be produced by J.J. Abrams.

 

“To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor,” said Coates in a statement to website Shadow and Act, a website dedicated to the African diaspora in the arts. “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America's most iconic mythic hero."

 

“There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with the brilliant Mr. Coates to help bring that story to the big screen, and we’re beyond thankful to the team at Warner Bros. for the opportunity,” said J.J. Abrams in the statement to S&A.

 

According to sources, the project is being set up as a Black Superman story. This is something that the studio has been trying to wrap its head around for months, if not a year or two. Michael B. Jordan tried to develop a Black Superman project when he first arrived at the studio with his deal in 2019, but that did not go very far at the time, according to sources. It is possible that the studio could return to him to star down the line.

 

Coates is a superstar author whose books include We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy, The Beautiful Struggle and Between the World and Me, the latter of was adapted by HBO. In the comic book space, he has worked on Captain America and Black Panther, with Disney’s Bob Iger crediting his influential run helping him decide to greenlight the groundbreaking movie starring Chadwick Boseman.

Calvin Ellis

Edited February 26, 2021 by Bosco685

[sagekilz]

Yes!  Nothing like another Superman reboot!

[Larryw7]

I assume this won't place in the DCEU. 

[Bosco685]

38 minutes ago, Larryw7 said:

I assume this won't place in the DCEU. 

Too early to tell. With the news coming through Shadow & Act (a black entertainment industry publication), this was done specifically because of the writer announced (less likely) or because the entire story will be geared toward a very specific audience (more likely).

Or, there was marketing spin mixed in as well to counter the Ray Fisher investigation (even more likely) as Toby Emmerich took time to be part of the announcement of the news this time.

[▫️]

Maybe they should find someone who has written at least one -script to write the next Superman film. Just saying.

[Bosco685]

2 minutes ago, Oddball said:

Maybe they should find someone who has written at least one --script to write the next Superman film. Just saying.

A smart move would be to build upon the Multiverse theme, and convey via marketing and fan events this is all part of that plan. This way all the pieces come across as logical and fitting.

But when you have long-time studio executives with no link to comic books driving these projects, the road ahead could be/is bumping continuously.

[theCapraAegagrus]

I'm personally not interested in Black Superman, but I would give it a watch.

[Bosco685]

Quote

While promoting his Amazon Prime film Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse in late April, Michael B. Jordan put a Kryptonite pin in any rumors that he might suit up as Warner Bros.’ next Superman. “I’m flattered that people have me in that conversation,” Jordan told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s definitely a compliment, but I’m just watching on this one.”

 

With that, a whole new guessing game has kicked off centered on who will play the Man of Steel. And arguably more pressing: Who will direct? Sources say J.J. Abrams, who is producing the film, is not among the many possibilities being considered. When Warners announced in February that celebrated author Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing the screenplay and Abrams is producing, it did not address the matter of helming. But insiders say Warners and DC are committed to hiring a Black director to tackle what will be the first cinematic incarnation of Superman featuring a Black actor, with one source adding that putting Abrams at the helm would be “tone-deaf.”

 

In a fitting twist, the director search is pitting DC against none other than Marvel. As Warners looks to fill its Superman vacancy, Marvel is on the hunt for a Blade helmer and is combing through the same list. But the question will come down to what kind of filmmaker Bad Robot and Warners want: an up-and-comer who can be backed by Abrams, who knows his way around tentpoles and franchises? Or an established filmmaker like a Barry Jenkins or a Ryan Coogler?

 

The former list can include Creed II’s Steven Caple Jr., J.D. Dillard, Regina King — who got raves for her drama One Night in Miami — and Shaka King, who is popular at Warners thanks to best picture Oscar nominee Judas and the Black Messiah. Some potential directors have met with both studios for both films, even as one agent said the process was “phenomenally early.” Meanwhile, Coogler may be a nonstarter for either assignment given that he will be occupied with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which releases July 8, 2022.

 

[Bosco685]

By the way, interesting that WB dropped this on Henry Cavill's birthday.

Total coincidence.

[Bosco685]

 

[chezmtghut]

8 minutes ago, Bosco685 said:

 

I'm pretty sure they've treated many of their employees badly, not just ones with darker skin, which is evident from people speaking out as a result of Ray Fisher standing up to them. They deserve an apology, but it's more likely to be a financial one, as I doubt the studio wants to make it a public one. The question is, will people with lighter skin be marginalized & excluded with these new measures? It's not really a step in the right direction to just reverse roles.

[Bosco685]

6 minutes ago, chezmtghut said:

I'm pretty sure they've treated many of their employees badly, not just ones with darker skin, which is evident from people speaking out as a result of Ray Fisher standing up to them. They deserve an apology, but it's more likely to be a financial one, as I doubt the studio wants to make it a public one. The question is, will people with lighter skin be marginalized & excluded with these new measures? It's not really a step in the right direction to just reverse roles.

But it also comes across disingenuous when you mistreat former recent minority and female actors and then make an announcement the studio going to make sure they do right by future actors and creators.

It's not like in 2021 we haven't seen a series of Variety and THR articles crafted by WB Studios to trash Ray Fisher and warn off other actors from coming forward with the investigation. Right? So when it gets away with that behavior and makes it look like it is a just a Ray Fisher issue but then it finally comes out Gal Gadot even had to escalate her treatment to force the studio's hand, things are really bad.

[chezmtghut]

5 minutes ago, Bosco685 said:

But it also comes across disingenuous when you mistreat former recent minority and female actors and then make an announcement the studio going to make sure they do right by future actors and creators.

It's not like in 2021 we haven't seen a series of Variety and THR articles crafted by WB Studios to trash Ray Fisher and warn off other actors from coming forward with the investigation. Right? So when it gets away with that behavior and makes it look like it is a just a Ray Fisher issue but then it finally comes out Gal Gadot even had to escalate her treatment to force the studio's hand, things are really bad.

I agree & they won't get away with it anymore, because people aren't afraid to stand up for themselves or others against the studios at this point. Still, if only aboriginals should be in charge of America because of the abuses they endured by invading forces, many would likely move away. I'm definitely not defending them, I'm saying that their actions may create new prejudices. If we say women have been marginalized, so they should be given positions of influence to marginalized men in return, have we really made any progress?

[Bosco685]

Quote

J.J. Abrams will significantly impact DC Films' cinematic future via his Bad Robot production studio. However, he isn't interested in directing a DC movie himself. Abrams and Bad Robot will produce an upcoming reboot of the Superman film franchise, with Ta-Nehisi Coates writing a story about a Black Clark Kent. Previous reports suggested that Abrams was not in contention to direct the film as the studio considered such a move tone-deaf and will search for a Black director to helm the project instead. In some new comments provided to Collider, Abrams says that after spending years working on Star Trek and Star Wars, he's passing on directing another pre-existing property like Superman or another DC Comics hero to focus on original ideas.

 

“I know that Hollywood is a place where it used to be that people would be inspired by something that they would see or an old film or a show or something and think, ‘Oh, here's my response to that. Here's a version of that that.’ It's become a place where, more often than not, you see something and people get inspired by it and go, ‘Let's redo that exact thing.’ I feel like, as someone who started writing in television and telling original stories on film and in TV, it is something that I really do miss. The few things that I'm working on now, as a writer, are original ideas. I just feel, as a director, I really would love to have my next projects be things that didn't pre-exist me necessarily.”

 

[D84]

33 minutes ago, Bosco685 said:

 

I'm for J.J. Abrams not directing any and all DC movies.

[theCapraAegagrus]

36 minutes ago, D84 said:

I'm for J.J. Abrams not directing any and all DC movies.

I think that he's a great director. I don't think that he's any good at writing conclusions, though.

[D84]

15 minutes ago, Angel of Death said:

I think that he's a great director. I don't think that he's any good at writing conclusions, though.

I see your point. He is very good at adding energy to a scene, but don't let him near Final Draft.

[theCapraAegagrus]

10 minutes ago, D84 said:

I see your point. He is very good at adding energy to a scene, but don't let him near Final Draft.

I view him in a similar light as Zack Snyder. Both fantastic Directors, both with signature styles (lens flares, slow motion), both tend to have great music perfectly cued within their movies, and both with questionable writing skills (though Wonder Woman and ZSJL give me confidence in Snyder for the comic book genre).

Lucasfilm made a grave mistake in not having a singular writing team streamline the sequel trilogy. I think that Abrams did fine with whatever he setup in TFA. I can't really blame any of the writers for TROS after TLJ turned out to be dogwater. It looks like he did not write any of the Star Trek films, and I mostly enjoyed those.

Edited May 17, 2021 by Angel of Death

[Bosco685]

 

[Bosco685]

So the new Val-Zod news is not this project. It is a new project.