DC Comics' Man of Steel is being reimagined for the silver screen once again. Award-winning author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates will write a newSupermanmovie for Waner Bros., with J. J. Abrams and his production companyBad Robotattached to produce the film.
In an official statement to Shadow and Act, Coates said, “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.” Coates is an extremely accomplished award-winning novelist and essayist, whose work has been published in outlets such asThe Atlantic, The New York Times, The Village Voice, TIME,and more. He is known for writing extensively about social and political issues, mostly related to African-Americans and white supremacy. He has written several highly acclaimed non-fiction books includingThe Beautiful Struggle,We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy,andBetween the World and Me,which won the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
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Coates has also had some recent success writing forMarvel Comics,tackling runs on charactersBlack PantherandCaptain America. In fact, Coates' acclaimedBlack Panthercomic book run is even credited by previous Disney CEO Bob Iger with helping to greenlight theaward-winningBlack Pantherfilm from Marvel Studios.Furthermore, Coates received special thanks in the credits for theBlack Pantherfilm,Avengers: Infinity War,andAvengers: Endgame.
At the moment there are few details regarding the reboot apart from select quotes from Coates and Abrams, but The Hollywood Reporter sources claim the project is aiming to tell a Black Superman story. In 2019, there had been reports sayingMichael B. Jordanhad once proposed a similar take on Superman to Warner Bros., though such a project never materialized. THR notes that it is possible the studio may return to Jordan for Coates' Superman film, which does not have a director attached at this point. Actor Henry Cavill has been the most recent actor to tackle the character on the big screen, notably in Zack Snyder’s DCEU filmsMan of Steel, Batman v Superman, andSnyder’s upcoming re-release ofJustice League.Snyder has received some criticism over the years for his “dark and gritty” portrayal of Superman, who many believe should be a symbol of hope and optimism.
Superman has been rebooted on many different occasions throughout the years in both film and television. His first live-action debut was in the 1948 black-and-white serial, where he was portrayed by actor Kirk Alyn. One of the most memorable on-screen versions of the Kryptonian superhero was inthe 1978 film adaptation starring Christopher Reeve, whose portrayal is widely regarded as one the best live-action depictions of the character. The role later went to actor Brandon Routh, who portrayed the hero in the 2006 rebootSuperman Returns.Routh reprised his role in the CW’sCrisis on Infinite Earthstelevision crossover event.
There have also been many abandonedSupermanfilms over the years, including a Tim Burton-directed adaptation written by Kevin Smith and starring Nicolas Cage as the Man of Steel. The most recent actor to dawn the red cape in a live-action role is Tyler Hoechlin, who plays Clark Kent/Superman onthe CW seriesSuperman & Lois. The series premiere received high praise for Hoechlin’s positive and kind-hearted portrayal of the character.
TheSupermanreboot is being developed for Warner Bros.
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Source:Shadow and Act,The Hollywood Reporter
