I’ve been stunned by the feedback a lot of people have been giving the casting of Brandon Routh. Oh he’s too young (I’ve said that too), oh he’s not experienced enough, Oh they should have got Tom Welling… and on and on and on. We all seem to have our reservations. However…
The main thing all of us armchair movie pundits must keep in mind is that NONE of us have read the script. Therefore, we have NO IDEA what type of actor should be cast to play the part. NONE of us were there during the read through auditions, so none of us have any idea who was great and who wasn’t.
The only thing I’m getting tired of hearing is people wanting Welling to play Superman. Look, at first I thought that might not be a bad idea, but the truth is that this is a SuperMAN movie… not SuperBOY. Welling is FANTASTIC as the young Clark Kent… but everything about him screams “young teenage kid”. That’s why he excels in Smallville (a show which I LOVE by the way). But could Welling even hope to pull off a totally different Kent character? One that isn’t supposed to be in his adolescence or teenage “aww shucks” phase of his life anymore? I doubt it. And for those of you who swear “sure he could!”, you’re just guessing, because you’ve never seen him is such a role. Neither have I. This movie is “Superman Returns”, not “Smallville: The Later Years”.
But here’s the bottom line folks: IF BRYAN SINGER SAYS BRANDON ROUTH IS THE RIGHT GUY TO PLAY SUPERMAN, THEN BRANDON ROUTH IS THE RIGHT GUY TO PLAY SUPERMAN! Singer is a MASTER at casting the right people for the right roles in his movies. I’ve always thought The Usual Suspects was the best cast movie of all time. Apt Pupil ranks right up there too.
I remember how much people complained when Singer cast a relative unknown by the name of Hugh Jackman to play Wolverine. “This sucks!” people wrote to me. “What the hell is Singer thinking?”, and “That’s it, X-Men will suck!”. I myself had serious doubts. I heard it all. But Bryan Singer made us all look stupid. Once again he showed us that he, and he alone, is the best person to know who would work best in a particular role for his films. Can ANY of us imagine Wolverine being played by anyone else now? I’d say Singer has earned our trust as far as casting goes. So if he says Routh is Superman… then as far as I’m concerned Brandon Routh is already Superman.
Would I have cast Brandon Routh? Honestly… no. But that’s why Bryan Singer is a multi-millionare successful film maker and I’m sitting alone in a dark room with no one but my pet Chinchilla to keep me company while I write for this stupid web site. I’m so lonely. :)
They couldve turn welling to look like what superman should look right now.. i think its so easy to do especially in todays make up and effects capabilities.. its really ok to see the young looking smallville welling today, and then see the “right-age-looking-superman Welling” after smallville season five ends, which is if im right that would exactly be when the movie will be shown..
im not saying that routh is a bad actor… its just that a lot of us superman fans now sees welling as the generations’ superman!!! ………….
and after seeing 4 seasons of smallville, i can say that welling can act a good superman.
I know Superman Returns will be a 5 star great Movie…. but it couldve been a 6 star Supergreat movie if its Welling.
ROUTH LOOKS LIKE HE SHOULD BE DELIVERING PIZZA, AND NOW THAT SUIT LOOKS LIKE CRAP TOO. WAY TO SINGER. MAYBE YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THE FANS. LOOK AT ALL OF THE POLLS, THEY TELL THE STORY.
SURE PEOPLE WILL STILL GO SEE THE MOVIE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT’S SUPERMAN, AND I’M SURE THE EFFECTS WILL BE GREAT. BOTTOM LINE THOUGH IS “IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER WITH WELLING, AND YOU SHOULD’NT HAVE SCREWED WITH THE COSTUME LIKE THAT, DUMBASS!
Brandon Routh is too young some same say. Yet he’s still a year older than christopher reeve was when he was cast. I always thought reeve was older. I guess he was cast about ’76 and was 25 or 26 when SUPERMAN came out. He’s an inch too short. Reeve was an inch taller than Superman was supposed to be(6’3″) He has brown eyes that they are going to make them blue using contacts. I’ve seen some very realistic colored contacts. Brian Singer’s great at casting people in movies. I can’t wait to see the Superman suit and I’ll bet they won’t have a theme as good as the john williams one. Maybe they can get hime to do an updated version of the song which I like very much.
Tom Welling would be the better Superman than this nobody named Routh. I’m very disappointed. I hope to God Welling gets to play Superman in another show after Smallville or in another separate Superman movie someday. Its sad that Singer and the WB couldn’t come up with a way for Welling to be Superman. Singer is starting to bother me.
TOM WELLING IS SUPERMAN YOU IDIOT. I, LIKE MANY OTHER SMALLVILLE FANS WILL NOT SPEND ONE PENNY ON THIS MOVIE OR ITS TOY LINE, SO GO SCREW YOURSELF DUMBASS!
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i agree welling isnt worth casting or arguing over, if the director listened to every idiot out there we’d end up with really horrible movies…like pluto nash or something…
Hey Glen.
I see what you’re saying… but people MUST keep in mind that this IS NOT a Smallville movie. This is also not a WB movie (the network that produces Smallville). This is Superman.
Just as Smallville is totally separate and independant from the previous Superman movies, so will the new Superman Movie be separate and independant from Smallville.
Sending “mixed signals” would be having Welling playing a teenager in high school in Smallville… then next week he’s supposed to be 10-15 years older as Superman… and then the week after that be a teenager again in Smallville. It doesn’t make sense.
Besides… what makes anyone think that just because Welling (who I’m a big fan of by the way) plays a good Young Clark Kent that he would make a good Superman? I know it’s odd to say, but they really are two totally different characters. Just my two cents worth.
I believe the casting of Brandon Routh will prove to be a big mistake. My kids watch Smallville faithfully and Tom Welling is the new face of Superman. This is one of Warner Brothers top rated series. You are fragmenting your audience and sending mixed signals by casting Routh in the new movie. This seems like a no brainer to me.
I’m guessing the movie will be set in an ambiguous continuity that takes place after all the movies and series (Smallville and Lois & Clark) that have come out. Singer has stated that the movie will acknowledge the history of Superman as a mythology. It makes sense to do that because the origins of Superman have essentially become common known folklore: Superman came from Krypton, grew up in Smallville, works for the Daily Planet in Metropolis, enemy is Lex, love is Lois Lane, etc., etc..
Thus, I just think it would be a waste of time and creativity to rehash Supes’ origins when pretty much lots of people know his history already, even kids. Just start a new movie and assume the majority of the audience know who Superman is and the basics of his history. Thus, this movie could probably follow the continuity of every major Superman project produced so far (of course there would be conflicts in certain specific details), but it doesn’t need to directly acknowledge any of them.
Is that all it takes to get into a major movie?!?!?! DAMN!!! I wish I had known that sooner. Heck, I’m easy! :)
Haha, nice punch line at the end! :D
i’m Mr. Singer just wanted to sleep with the lad… maybe the lad acquiesced and now the role is his!
I believe that the casting of a relatively unknown is a great idea for iconic roles such as this one. Brandon has no preconceived notions on what he is as an actor yet. Singer will be able to mold him into the cahracter that he wants. If rumors are true for the supporting cast (Spacey, Toby) than you can surround him with established actors who will only bring out the best in Brandon.
yep, I have my doubts. Even if Brian has made at least 2 stunning films, they all relied on heavy acting from some heavy weights. It might work though if some others parts are played by familiar faces. Christopher Reeve was also a first-timer, but then again, there was Brando en Hackman.
I think the “Welling is too young” argument flies out the window (excuse the pun) with the choice of Routh. After all welling is 27 and this guy doesn’t look much older.
Having said that, I’ve read that the movie takes place after Superman II or somewhere within the timeline of that story, where Superman has been gone for a long time and finally returns. The Welling Superman might not be a good fit for the story, as you suggest. I think any film with Welling would have to be a “first time he puts on the costume” deal.
It’s too early for me to form an opinion on this, but with Singer at the helm I’m hoping it will be great. Right now my hopes are pinned on Batman Begins. :-)
Vic