Matthew Vaughn’s Superman Movie Plans

June 1, 2019 Movie News 49

You may recall that rumors circulated around last year that “Kingsman” director Matthew Vaughn was in talks to direct a new Superman movie.

In an interview with Polygon, Vaughn revealed that, while talks have since fallen through, his film would have been the first of a proposed trilogy in which almost the entire film would have been set on Krypton, and focused on Jor-El and the impending explosion of Krypton. Though the alien planet would still have faced destruction, although Kal-El would have grown up on his home planet and gradually become familiar with Earth, maturing into an adult before having to reckon with his loyalty to both planets.

Even though Vaughn is no longer in discussions with Warner Bros., he did say “It’d be hard to say no,” if he was offered the opportunity to helm a new Superman film in the future.

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NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 1, 2019 5:36 am

I’m usually very quick to give my blessings to different versions of and takes on Superman, but there’s something about this one that just doesn’t sit right with me. There’s also no reason why this wouldn’t work better as a Supergirl movie.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 10:48 am
Reply to  NeoRanger

We have to remember that this take was long before Man of Steel or any shared universes ever came out. He only stated that he would try to incorporate these ideas in a sequel, not that this was the blueprint for it.

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 1, 2019 3:44 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

Sure, I don’t have a problem with how this would affect the DCEU, I’m just really not hot on Kal staying on Krypton for this long or having a movie set almost entirely on Krypton. I just don’t really see it contributing anything to the character.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 4:01 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

I’m right there with you. Unless it’s to adapt ‘for the man who has everything’ I don’t need to see Superman on Krypton. In fact I think future adaptations should hold of on showing Krypton until late in the story. Establish his human upbringing first. As cool as it was to see Krypton in MOS, I would have preferred to see more with the Kent’s.

Marnoman
Marnoman
June 1, 2019 5:13 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

I absolutely agree. If the objective was to make him more relatable like Zack and others had already claimed, they should have made it more about his connections with the Kents and people around him and just make him a bit more “down to Earth” so to speak. The Krypton scene WAS cool but in reality, didn’t exactly add much to Clark’s story or his development which should have been first priority. This is why the line in which Clark reveals to his mum Martha that he “has found his people” sounds really out of place and strange. Just because… Read more »

JasEl
JasEl
June 1, 2019 9:50 am

Kinda glad he didn’t get it now.

Kal-Ed
Kal-Ed
June 1, 2019 10:02 am

I’m always willing to give a director who knows his stuff a chance to deliver a good if not great Superman film. Matthew Vaughn has proved he is an able filmmaker who really pushes for story and character development and also a great sense for visuals. Since the DC world on film is kind of multiversal I wouldn’t have had a problem. Though I’d suggest to start with Krypton and its inhabitants for part one. Part 2 when we see Clark grow up in Smallville. And Part 3 finally in metropolis operating as Superman.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 10:45 am
Reply to  Kal-Ed

I’m all for Vaughn if he wants to take the job, however I don’t need a full movie set on krypton. What I’ve actually always wanted to see and think would work well, if they ever decided to start over, would go in the direction that the 1986 Man of Steel Byrne comic went and have him not finding out about his heritage until late in the story. Thus establishing his human upbringing first. This (to me) would be an inspired way to do an origin story without doing it in a traditional way. If it were a trilogy I’d… Read more »

lurker
lurker
June 1, 2019 10:12 am

This sounds weirdly similar to the failed JJ Abrams/ McG concept from 2002 or so. And, no, that script was not good. When Iron Man was in pre-production, Marvel had this idea to fly out all the top Marvel talent to LA to talk about the script (you can see chatter about this on the Iron Man BluRay extras). Essentially they pointed out that the script had features of Iron Man but wasn’t really Iron Man. It was what a screenwriter without a real sense of the character would have done. Bringing the IP to the public without utterly recreating… Read more »

afriend
afriend
June 1, 2019 10:16 am

Sounds a little like J.J. Abrams “Flyby” story… *Shudder*

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 10:20 am

This take was actually from his original pitch he had with Mark Millar’s from the mid 2000s. He said that a potential sequel would try and incorporate some of these ideas. I would love if Vaughn or McQuarrie came on to direct, but only if they have some sort of a consultant to help guide them with the comic aspects. Any director who is a wordsmith is more than welcome as I’m tired of the Wordless Wonder takes on Superman we’ve seen since Superman Returns. However it doesn’t seem like any movement on a sequel is happening. Whoever comes on… Read more »

MattComics
MattComics
June 1, 2019 11:25 am

So once again someone’s big idea for a Superman project is to muck with the concept in some of the most needless ways imaginable.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 2:23 pm
Reply to  MattComics

When all they need to do is quit apologizing for who he is and be true to the character. I’m tired of the forced edginess… we don’t need an outrageous different take. We need someone who is going to come in and write an unabashed Superman story.

JasEl
JasEl
June 3, 2019 8:19 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

Right? If Marvel can pull off a Captain America without trying to make him dark and edgy, then why can’t WB do the same to Superman. Superman doesn’t need to be Batman to be profitable.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 3, 2019 9:51 pm
Reply to  JasEl

Yup. They made him too generic in the Snyder/Goyer movies pretty much only checking off certain boxes for him. He was basically a Wordless Savior from Superman Returns on… he was barely a character in either incarnation..(by no means the fault of the actors). I don’t understand when characters are written that way… where all the other characters around them react to him like a macguffin. It’s not compelling at all. That’s not Superman, that’s neo from the Matrix. I felt no connection to either version other than the pre existing love I have for the character. So Superman’s recent… Read more »

JasEl
JasEl
June 4, 2019 7:18 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

Yeah, and they really are wasting Cavill, in any other role and what I’ve seen of him in real life, the guy has bags of charisma. He could knock this out of the park if given half a chance

redcape
redcape
June 1, 2019 12:11 pm

This would have been considered a prequel. I for one have had it with prequels. Aside from the headlines, there’s nothing here.

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 1, 2019 1:32 pm

Not sure how I feel about Vaughn’s take on a Superman trilogy. If they do decide to go for another reboot, I would think that maybe instead of doing the whole origin starting from Krypton story again, they could already have Superman be established as Superman and maybe reference his Kryptonian origins while being interviewed by Lois.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 1:48 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Or have him find out when the audience finds out after he’s already Superman… like in Byrnes run.

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 1, 2019 2:00 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

And what if Superman monologues his scenes? It would be a good look into what Superman is thinking. For example he’s dressed as Clark and is about to take his glasses off. Clark: “ I should tell her I’m Superman. I don’t like keeping this secret from her. But can I trust her with this secret? Would she expose my identity to the world? Luthor would find out who I am. He’d would go after every one I care about. Ma, Pa, Lois, Jimmy every one I know could be in danger.” Lois: “ So what was this big secret… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 2:08 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I think monologuing is a double edged sword… if used correctly it’s great, but it can also come off as clunky and just become exposition dumps.. That being said…. I am and have been a huge advocate for giving Superman more to say in these movies. This to me is the biggest reason why the general audience hasn’t latched on to him in the last four outings… because he barely speaks and is given very little generic dialogue. Give him charm, give him personality. Give him little character traits that tell me about him… don’t TELL me he’s a dork…… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 1, 2019 2:45 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

What if the monologing only happens with Superman, Lois, and Lex? That way the audience also sees the perception of Superman,Lois, and Lex. We could hear Lois’s thoughts on how she feels about Superman, and Clark. Or on why Lex hates Superman so much and what goes on in his mind when he’s plotting something. Maybe Superman might face off against Metallo. A experimental Kryptonite powered cyborg Luthor created to fight Superman. And maybe towards the end of the film, Superman finds brainiac, and he might start out as a friendly robot Superman finds but by the end of the… Read more »

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 1, 2019 2:53 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

And instead of making Clark bumbling and shy, what if he just keeps to himself. Doesn’t say much. Is a hard working reporter, and has a reputation of being to serious about the job, and doesn’t like to socialize, whereas Superman is very positive,Confident, social. Classic like both Reeve,and Reeves? And he would have a lot of things to say when he’s on screen.
Just an idea. I know that they wouldn’t use any of my ideas, but maybe I could make it into a fanfic story.

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 1, 2019 2:21 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Of course the dream of Krypton would only be a minute long and the dream would take place in the middle of the film. It would save time for more plot rather than doing the whole 20 min of Krypton’s destruction

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 2:29 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Right! C’mon Spidey… let’s go write this thing!

redcape
redcape
June 2, 2019 12:01 am
Reply to  Superman2878

Yea maybe we could show his thought bubble whiles he’s being rocketed to Earth saying, Whos’s gonna change my diaper??

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 2, 2019 9:50 am
Reply to  redcape

It’s a dream scene, he could have monologue since he’s already grown. As opposed to a scene where he’s actually still a baby.

Superman2878
Superman2878
June 2, 2019 10:15 am
Reply to  Superman2878

Plus it would be something different from the previous versions of Superman. Instead of starting out as a baby in the beginning of the film, we see him dream about it for two minutes instead of twenty. Leaving room for plot and story. And who’s to say that there can’t be a little bit of humor in the scene. Maybe instead of a diaper issue he dreams about, it’s actually his dog Krypto that is a bit smelly. So then he wakes up and says ” Krypto! Do you need to go for a walk?” And what if Krypto doesn’t… Read more »

Nate1986
Nate1986
June 1, 2019 3:05 pm

Yeah, Steve you’re gonna have to write this to point out that these ideas were for a trilogy BEFORE MOS existed. And now, some of his ideas, not all, he could retrofit for a MOS2. But yeah, in my POV, and others have agreed: this is WAY too different that it violates the rules of the mythos. Now: I have liked and know for a fact that the Abrams’ Superman idea where Krypton wasn’t destroyed actually works. Granted, the first part needed to be rewritten to be a solo film without a cliffhanger and eliminating Krypton from its narrative until… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 3:25 pm
Reply to  Nate1986

I wish I knew what was preventing them from hiring someone to direct a sequel. They’ve passed on both Vaughn and McQuarrie and I’m just baffled as to why. Now they’re both wrapped up in their own kingsman and mission impossible movies. They should have capitalized on the McQuarrie and Henry Cavill team when they had the chance.

Yeah i wouldn’t have been very interested in vaughns initial pitch, but I’d be on board for whatever ideas he had for a MOS 2. I loved what he did with X Men.

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 1, 2019 3:50 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

He did First Class, right? It’s probably the only X-Men movie I found legitimately good, so I wouldn’t mind him either. Still haven’t seen the Kingsman movies, though. WB most likely doesn’t want to take another risk with Superman. I’m still pretty sure that he’s now in the same place Wonder Woman was before Snyder and Jenkins came along. Our guy exists in contradiction; on one hand, he’s not guaranteed to bring in the big bucks like Batman and on the other hand he’s still big and important enough to WB to not want to undersell him and risk damaging… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 4:14 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

Yup. It was mishandled to begin with and was burdened with unrealistic expectations. My suggestion would be to lower the budget and try to make a more personal film without world ending stakes. Bring in a QUALITY writer/director combo and don’t cheap out by hiring people like David Goyer and Will Beale. That alone could pique enough interest. I think people would have been excited for a Chris McQuarrie/ Henry Cavill team up and Aside from Kingsman 2, Vaughn has proven himself to be a dependable filmmaker when it comes to adaptations so again, there would have been excitement. Unfortunately… Read more »

Nate1986
Nate1986
June 2, 2019 4:54 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

I’ve had my theories as to what’s going on, especially in relation to the other films. This is from a WB exec recently, who said that they want a “powerful” Superman movie akin to their recent Aquaman. I get that, and I feel nothing they’ve seen is what they’re looking for. Look, we don’t know about McQuarrie and he’s gone on record saying he didn’t have a meeting with them. So passing on him didn’t happen. But Vaughn, given what I said above, even he may not be the right choice if his ideas wouldn’t be what either one wanted,… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 3, 2019 12:51 am
Reply to  Nate1986

I don’t put much stock in a supergirl movie actually happening. I feel like that’s a negotiation tactic they used against Henry. I feel like Aquaman was an outlier making the money that it did. It wasn’t necessarily a good movie, but it wasn’t divisive, the visuals were cool, James wan had enough talent story wise and Momoa was charming enough to carry the movie. These are things that Superman’s films simply did not have and that is the real problem… Snyder, while good at visuals, is terrible at storytelling and his dialogue is abysmal, they wrote Superman generically to… Read more »

Steve Eden
Steve Eden
June 1, 2019 4:37 pm

First, let me say that I have greatly enjoyed the “Kingsmen” movies. If I’m remembering right, The “Superman” radio show of the forties had the same concept… but that was radio… in the forties. Back then it was more important to get the character into action ASAP. Once the Krypton story was addressed, Kal-El (who entered the rocket as a baby) landed on Earth as grown man and immediately went to work. So, for radio, it worked. But all of the later versions included the raising of Kal by the Kents, who instilled old school morals and ways which have… Read more »

LarGand
LarGand
June 1, 2019 6:10 pm

This idea has nothing to do with ‘Man of Steel’ – it would’ve been a complete reboot, which is really not what the character needed. What ‘Man of Steel’ needed in the sequel was to show the period between the end of that movie and the confrontation with Batman from ‘BvS’. It needed to show Clark settling in at the Daily Planet and Superman becoming a beloved hero, not just the unknown alien half the world blames for the destruction caused by Zod and his cronies. It needed an epic confrontation between Kal-El and a major villain and it needed… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 6:32 pm
Reply to  LarGand

All of this was from a pitch for a Superman trilogy him and Mark Millar presented in 2008. I don’t know why it’s being reported that this is the direction the sequel would have taken. What Vaughn said was that he would’ve tried to incorporate some of his ideas into a potential sequel.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 6:34 pm

Hey Steve, I agree that this article needs to be amended. The plan for the trilogy was pitched in 2008. He only recently said that he would try to incorporate some of those ideas in a potential sequel. The trilogy was not proposed for the sequel.

Steve Younis
Author
Steve Younis
June 1, 2019 6:40 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

I’m only quoting what the article states he said

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 1, 2019 7:16 pm
Reply to  Steve Younis

I think the actual article from a polygon is misleading. ‘As the filmmaker explained, the pitch he’d presented with Mark Millar (whose comics Kick-Ass and The Secret Service Vaughn adapted into films) just didn’t fly. Millar has described how, in 2008, he and Vaughn pitched WB on a Superman film — the first in a proposed trilogy — that was “a massive, uplifting, hopeful thing,” but further details about the pair’s vision have been sparse. As Vaughn tells it, his Man of Steel 2 would have lifted many of the same ideas.’ From the same article. I don’t mean to… Read more »

redcape
redcape
June 3, 2019 1:46 pm

It may just boil down to money. If you look at movies in general it seems more like a crap shoot as to whether or not they become a box office success. Doesn’t matter how good or even how bad they may be. If it trips the movie goers interest then it’s gets attention. I thought this new Godzilla movie was going to make a killing but it’s not exactly packing the theaters. Then you take a disorganized mess like TDKR’s and it makes big money just by playing off the success of the previous DK. You can’t make a… Read more »

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 3, 2019 8:13 pm
Reply to  redcape

It is a little bit of a crapshoot, but there are also clues that point to which ones will be more successful. For example, yes TDKR was riding high off of The dark knights success, but at this point it was also going off of Nolan’s success as he was coming off Inception as well. Personally I think DKR is the least Batman movie of the 3, but it is still a well made film. As a film fan I can see why it was so successful. Movies like WW and Black Panther had an untapped audience. While not the… Read more »

redcape
redcape
June 4, 2019 12:25 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

It’s easy to get overly analytical with all these superhero movies. Everything gets looked at now a day like there’s actually a degree of realism in them. The WB/DC movies we got were simply nothing more than trying something different. How we got to the JL was almost (and still is) un-explainable. I still can’t figure out why WW gets the credit it did. Not saying it was bad but certainly nothing controversial about it. I think in this day and age playing off a female director is token-izing at best. I don’t think Henry presents ANY lack of desire… Read more »

JasEl
JasEl
June 4, 2019 7:21 pm
Reply to  redcape

I think it likely they just don’t know what to do with the character, so they are stalling.

redcape
redcape
June 5, 2019 12:12 am
Reply to  JasEl

That’s the problem isn’t it? They give us absolutely nothing. We all don’t have a clue as to what they’re moving towards. For gods sake WB…..give us something will you.

sundevil82
sundevil82
June 5, 2019 5:20 pm
Reply to  redcape

WB also just announced they won’t even be at Hall H this year for comic con… so they are really taking a wait and see approach. As far as Wonder Woman goes… again I think you underestimate the untapped market of female fans who were looking forward to a properly done female led superhero film. Same thing with black panther. The African American market was under estimated as well. I remember going to both films and while I enjoyed them about as much as any other film, I could tell it would never mean as much to me as it… Read more »

redcape
redcape
June 6, 2019 12:42 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

sunde….No disrespect intended regarding female fans. The more the merrier!! Maybe that’s why WW was edited the way it was. There was no “risk”(if I can use that term)in movie content through out the entire movie. They made sure there was nothing controversial about it. And there wasn’t!!! And your 100% correct about Jim Carrey. God was he along with Tommy Lee, bad. Let us pray that the WB/DC doesn’t ever stoop to that level again. And more so introduce buffoonery of that nature in ANY up and coming possible WB/DC movies. You know regarding the next WW. I hope… Read more »

redcape
redcape
June 6, 2019 1:44 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

Just saw the new WW costume. Hideous deluxe! When they start making this kind of change, they’re trying to change EVERYTHING. Seeing something like this tells the time interval that has been established for it’s theater debut has a reason attached to it. And I would suggest it’s to totally divorce previous WW look and personality from what the public’s formally seen into something totally different.

redcape
redcape
June 18, 2019 1:11 pm

I just picked this thread to post on. ZackS has just released more story info from his JL. Hopefully Steve will post article. I know some are tired of it.