You know, I just can’t believe how many emails I still get every week about Brandon Routh being cast as Superman. All by devout Smallville fans (as a side note… I really like Smallville). From the first day that the casting of Brandon Routh as Superman was announced, Smallville fans (and ONLY Smallville fans) have been complaining that Tom Welling (Whom I also really like) wasn’t cast as the Man of Steel.
I know I’ve written about this before, but here are the 3 most frequent complaints I hear about this, and why I don’t think the complaints are valid.
Regular Complaint #1 – Christopher Reeve wanted Welling as the next Superman
My response to this one is simple. WHO CARES!?! I loved Christopher Reeve. I think he was magnificent (you gotta see him in Noises Off). But I can not emphasize this enough… HE WAS JUST AN ACTOR. Reeve was not Superman. He was only an actor who was hired and paid to play a role (and he did it well). Christopher Reeve did not own the rights to Superman. Christopher Reeve did not make the Superman Movies. Christopher Reeve did not write the script or the line or came up with the villains. Christopher Reeve has never cast a major motion picture and knew nothing about casting. Christopher Reeve was awesome… but the fact that he once suggested Welling would make a good Superman holds no more significance than my local paper boy wanting the same thing.
Regular Complaint #2 – Tom Welling Already Is Superman
NO HE’S NOT. He’s Clark Kent in Smallville. Superman, and Smallville are two different entities. The timelines are different, the background stories have major differences and the feel is totally different. Both work well for what they are… but they are two different things (just like Lois and Clark was a separate entity). This is “Superman”… not “Smallville The Movie”.
Regular Complaint #3 – Brandon Routh Doesn’t Have Blue Eyes
Are you serious?!?!?! I can’t believe more than 5 people have written to me with this as a complaint. It’s a sad sad sad day when eye color is more important that acting ability and suitability for a role. Give me a break.
My Bottom Line
The fact of the matter is Bryan Singer is a MASTER as casting. Remember how many people cried when he cast Hugh Jackman as Wolverine? So many people whined that X-Men was going to suck. Well look who laughed last. Now most people can’t imagine X-Men without Jackman as the Canucklehead. His perfect casting also MADE The Usual Suspects (one of my favorite films of all time) and Apt Pupil. Bryan Singer has proved he knows what he’s doing. If Bryan Singer says Brandon Routh is the best guy to play Superman… then Brandon Routh is the best guy to play Superman… period.
Besides… all the footage I’ve seen so far has looked amazing. So to all you Smallville fans out there (of which I am one)… just let it go. Brandon Routh is Superman… and it’s going to be great.
