Warner Bros. "Re-Booting" Superman

Reportedly, Warner Bros. wants to "reboot" the Superman franchise. They're apparently unhappy with the reception Superman Returns received when it came out a couple summers ago.

Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov told WSJ Superman Returns "didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to. ... It didn't position the character the way he needed to be positioned...Had Superman worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009. ... But now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman without regard to a Batman and Superman movie at all."

The tone (as you'd expect) is going to be darker. Well, darker "to the extent that the characters allow it." But given the character's place as a cultural icon representing all that is good, true, pure and American, can Superman be dark? We don't think so.

We think a "darker" Supes would be fitting a round peg in a (very) square hole. We think the 1978 Superman had the right idea--when trying to portray a character who is super-naturally righteous, the best course of action is to make the movie as light as possible, but throw in some nudge-nudge-wink-wink to the audience, as if to say, "we know this dude is impossibly corny... but just sit back and watch! It's only a movie!"

In any case, look for a new Man of Steel in 2011.