“Brightburn” – Superman as a Horror Film

If you thought Zack Snyder’s take on the Superman origin story was too dark in “Man of Steel,” then wait until you watch the trailer for Sony Pictures’ “Brightburn”.

A young couple, unable to have children of their own, are shocked from the home one night when a small spacecraft crashes nearby… with a small baby inside. They raise the child, who begins to exhibit powers and abilities far beyond those of a normal child…

Scheduled for release May 27, 2019, the trailer for “Brightburn” even mimicks some of the shots from Zack Snyder’s film.

Elizabeth Banks stars in Sony PIctures’ BRIGHTBURN.
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MattComics
MattComics
December 9, 2018 5:06 pm

Pass.

superhero
superhero
December 9, 2018 7:15 pm

me: watches trailer. thinks it’s a well made fan film trailer, with elizabeth banks.

me: looks up brightburn on imdb. realizes it is indeed real.

me/matt comics: pass.

Superman2878
December 9, 2018 7:41 pm
Reply to  superhero

Um, Superboy prime the movie???…….
That’s just the impression that I’m getting from this trailer . That and why? Just why?

redcape
redcape
December 9, 2018 7:46 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Looks like a rip off to me. And you’re right….WHY??

Superman2878
December 9, 2018 7:52 pm
Reply to  redcape

this movie looks pointless and bad in my opinion. This will not do well in theaters I bet.

Superman2878
December 9, 2018 9:41 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I do think that an opinion poll for this movie would be a good idea. My vote would go to the ” No,I don’t think that this film will be a success in theaters” option of the voting ballot.

Just sayin.

MattComics
MattComics
December 9, 2018 10:08 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Superboy Prime. Injustice. This. IMO all seems to be the same crass and cynical idea. That Superman abusing his power is what would “really” happen.

Superman2878
December 9, 2018 11:12 pm
Reply to  MattComics

I’ve never been a fan of the “ what if Superman were evil scenario“. Superman is the good guy. He’s meant to inspire people because he’s the ultimate good guy. This film, will do the opposite. And that’s not cool.

cpm72586
cpm72586
December 9, 2018 8:25 pm

We should consider ourselves lucky this isn’t an actual Superman movie from WB. With them doing one-off/elseworld films like Joker we’re lucky someone else beat them to the punch. It wouldn’t have surprised me at all if WB tried to do something like this in lieu of a proper Superman film considering their failures to get him right. As for the film itself, I’ll probably give it a watch. Doubt it will be anything earth shattering, but it could be entertaining. I am curious about any copyright infringement that could be going on here, and if WB will make any… Read more »

SupermanArmy
SupermanArmy
December 9, 2018 8:57 pm

Someone read Injustice and decided to take it a step further by making Superman evil or morally absolutist from his very beginnings.

Superman2878
December 9, 2018 9:50 pm

“We believe that you came here for a reason”.
??????? I just……… What? Can they legally use that line???

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
December 9, 2018 10:53 pm

It looks interesting. It’s produced by James Gunn and written by two of his brothers. I don’t see the problem, this isn’t new territory outside of movies. “Incorruptible” was a similar-ish idea and though Mr. Majestic was a super-hero, he was another example of someone using the Superman template to tell a different story. This isn’t a Superman movie, you can all relax.

LarGand
LarGand
December 10, 2018 7:46 am

Looks pretty promising to me – it looks like a story that embodies all the human fears of a superpowered alien that ‘Man of Steel’ touched on, and takes them to their extreme. I guess I’ll never understand why so many Superman fans were offended by the more nuanced portrayal of Superman in ‘MoS’. Seemed like all the whining about the need for Superman to smile more and never face a moral dilemma is part of the reason why we ended up with the half-baked mess that was ‘Justice League’. ‘MoS’ still stands as the best, most promising movie of… Read more »

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
December 10, 2018 8:36 am
Reply to  LarGand

I wouldn’t go as far as your last line, Brightburn very obviously subverts the super-hero expectation and turns the protagonist into a horror movie monster; but I’m with you on the rest, particularly in the allergic reactions the fandom and the mainstream audience seem to have toward anything Superman that doesn’t adhere to their absurd, ultimately vacuous standards.

Marnoman
Marnoman
December 10, 2018 10:43 am

Accchh I’m okay with this. I think it’s an amusing idea and actually kind of funny. A Superman horror film. I enjoyed this trailer even just for the comment someone wrote on it: “A brooding, joyless, terrifying alien in a red cape leaves death and destruction in his wake. But hey, enough about Man of Steel…” C’mon. That’s funny. Plus we have an Aquaman movie, a Shazam movie, a Wonder Woman sequel, a Joker “Elseworlds(?)” rebooty/originy/revampy….thing, a bunch of Harley Quinn films and now even a PLASTIC MAN film apparently in the works…PLASTIC MAN!! Let’s face it. There is no… Read more »

SuperVaso
SuperVaso
December 10, 2018 2:05 pm

I much rather have Hollywood make a dark non superman, superman like movie … than have them make a darker Superman just because it’s hip

Super Kal
Super Kal
December 10, 2018 5:41 pm

i think the reason i can wholly accept this premise is because I, along with everyone else, know that this is not connected to the Superman franchise. like a lot of you here, I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE the thought of Superman being evil… i have not read anything from Injustice, and I never will, nor will I ever play the video game… but i can enjoy this for what it is, because while it does have similarities, we all here know this has nothing to do with Superman… and that’s why i actually do want to see it. i can separate… Read more »

MattComics
MattComics
December 10, 2018 11:18 pm

Nothing to do with Superman except that they clearly want you to be thinking about Superman the entire time and the trailer is practically flashing a neon sign telling you to do so.

Clark_Jo
Clark_Jo
December 11, 2018 6:21 am

“Based on Zack Snyder’s first draft for MoS.”

I joke, but not really.

krispynachos
krispynachos
December 11, 2018 10:20 am

I’m going to see it, just because it’s so easy to ‘insert Superman here’ but with a different perspective. I’m surprised though that it got this far, considering how clearly it’s a rip off.

RAS
RAS
December 12, 2018 11:49 am

Hard pass.

Kal-Ed
December 14, 2018 1:07 pm

I always have judgement reserved after I have watched a film…I’ll let myself be surprised and see what Brightburn will bring to the table. I’m glad on one hand that it is not an actual Superman film. On the other hand though…I’d like that to be a good horror film that could be a very good homage and a crossover between Superman and The Omen. (Both directed by Richard Donner)

Hollywood
December 19, 2018 8:48 pm

I doubt I’ll see this in theaters, as I get the the theater less and less these days, but I’ll probably check it out if it’s ever on Netflix or Redbox. Looks intriguing.

sman1938
sman1938
December 20, 2018 11:59 am

Looks like fun…. I am a horror movie fan too so this is kinda a mix of both my favorite worlds….also I am glad its really not in the DC universe