Why Did The Director Pick Such A Newcomer?
Stephen Sommers, director of "Superman Returns", starring Brandon Routh
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The director of “Superman Returns”, Bryan Singer,
chose a relative newcomer, Brandon Routh, to play the lead role of
Superman in the new movie. It was always the intention of Bryan to cast an
unknown in the part. Part of
his decision was based on looks. The
public seems to have a vision in their heads of how Superman should look. When you look at all the Superman lead roles in the past,
there does seem to be a common look to them.
First, they all have a certain build.
They all could look virtually normal, like Clark Kent, but then
transform into Superman with the caped outfit.
They all have brown hair with a little wave to it.
And they all seem to have a certain rugged, yet boy-next-door look
to them.
When you look at Brandon Routh, you can definitely see
how he could look like Superman. Then, when you see him in the film clips,
you feel as though he is Superman. That
feeling is what Bryan Singer wanted to have audiences feel when they watch
the film. He wanted them to feel as though in some ways, this film is a
continuation of past films, even though it isn’t. The new “Superman Returns” film is definitely a 2006
version of the Superman movies and shows everyone knows.
With this movie being the first Superman movie in 25
years, the director, Bryan Singer, needed to get everything just right.
He wanted to make sure Superman was recognizable to audiences yet
present the movie in a way that hadn’t been done before.
Bryan has said that he doesn’t understand how people have taken
other well-known characters and drastically changed them.
He did not want to do that with “Superman Returns”.