Mark Millar, comic book writer extraordinare, had an interview with G4 that offered up some insight into his plans for writing a Superman movie as well as some news about KickAss.
“I’ve had this plan for like 10 years for a big three-picture Superman thing, like a big Lord of the Rings epic, starting over from scratch again with a seven-hour Superman story. And hopefully release them one year after another,” continued Millar. “If it works out, we’ll have to start shooting next summer.”
I do have a lot of faith in a comic book writer being put in charge of a comic book movie.
Especially when he sets his goals this lofty. Some might be nervous about someone plotting a story this big, but honestly as much as I like the majority of the previous generation of Superman movies, I am really curious about a reboot. Millar is just the guy for it.
I doubt that Millar will come up with something that will be distant from the Superman tale and he will be a good fit for a remastering of the franchise. When Marvel Comics decided to reboot their universe in a parallel version called Marvel Ultimates, he was responsible for penning the first 33 issues of Ultimate XMen as well as helping out with writing Ultimate Fantastic Four. I am also a big fan of his less than mainstream works such as the Authority.
With such a vast and clean slate ahead of him, I wonder if he would be so bold as to chronicle the whole story of the Death and Life of Superman. I could see it in an Epic Superman film with Doomsday taking him out in the first chapter. A tragic and epic heroic tale of DC’s most noble hero taking down the toughest threat Earth has ever seen. Then in a second chapter, we have the 4 Supermen, they can have their own story shrouded in mystery as they all claim to be Superman reborn. Then one last chapter with Superman actually returning to redeem his name and face off against the Superman replacement that had plans to take over the world in the name of Krypton’s Last Son.
Cue John Williams soundtrack. As much as I like Luthor as an opposition, I honestly don’t need another movie with him as the main villain. Let him be in this plotting on the side. Likely in real estate.
His adaptation of Kickass (also a comic he wrote) is on its way to the big screen as well and with an impressive $30million budget, hopes are high. But later in the above article, Millar brags that it is more like $70million which ironicly gives me flashbacks of Superman Returns and I have only to wonder just what that kind of money hopes to buy? $30m was already a LOT for a movie of this degree of buzz, but over double that? I just don’t know.