- Superman: Legacy should embrace the hero’s classic look as seen in the 1978 film, which remains iconic and timeless.
- Big action set pieces have always been a staple of Superman movies.
- The movie can learn from the 2006 film Superman Returns by exploring other villains instead of relying on the repetitive Lex Luthor storyline.
With James Gunn set to introduce a new version of the iconic hero with Superman: Legacy, there are a number of important lessons that can be learned from each previous cinematic outing of the Man of Steel. Reflecting the leadership changes at DC Studios, the heroes of the DCU are set to get a new leader, too. Superman: Legacy will reboot the story of Superman within the DCU, replacing Henry Cavill’s Superman with a new iteration played by David Corenswet and marking the beginning of a new era for the franchise.
Superman: Legacy might be a new take on Superman, but the character’s own cinematic legacy provides a template of which ideas to embrace and which to avoid. As iconic as Superman may be, his movie history can be considered inconsistent at best, with a number of particularly divisive movies lurking in the hero’s not-too-distant past. However, careful examination of each of these previous versions of Superman comes with a specific lesson that, if applied properly, will help Superman: Legacy to become the hero’s best big screen outing to date. Here is one lesson that Superman: Legacy can learn from each other Superman movie.
8 Superman’s Classic Look Is Iconic For A Reason (Superman)
1978 saw the release of Richard Donner’s Superman, with Christopher Reeve making his debut as the titular hero. The film is still considered among the best Superman movies of all time, but the biggest lesson Superman: Legacy can learn from it is purely aesthetic. Put simply, the hero’s classic look in the film is one that’s well worth emulating.
Though subsequent iterations of the hero have attempted to bring something new to the character’s costume, his classic look remains iconic. The simple contrast of red and blue with the class S logo emblazoned on the chest is something that no successful Superman movie has moved away from, and Superman: Legacy would do well to keep that in mind. There’s no need to alter something that has been tried and tested over a period of decades, and Reeve’s original costume still looks great decades later.
7 Big Action Set Pieces Are Crucial (Superman II)
Christopher Reeve’s second outing as the Man of Steel saw him encounter the powerful villain General Zod, with the pair facing off in an epic showdown in the center of Metropolis. Though the scene is largely remembered for its blatant use of product placement, there’s something to be learned from the action sequence, dated though it may look by today’s standards. Having large action set pieces that aren’t purely created using CGI can still look good in modern superhero cinema, as evidenced by the timelessness of Superman II‘s Kryptonian grudge match.
6 It’s Okay To Embrace Sillier Superman Ideas (Superman III)
Superman III isn’t the most fondly remembered Superman movie, but it’s far from the worst, too. Moving away from the more traditional aspects of superhero stories, the film embraced a number of sillier aspects. Comedian Richard Pryor starred alongside Christopher Reeve, lending some much-needed levity to the story that many Superman movies seem to forget altogether. As James Gunn’s movies typically have at least some semblance of comedic leaning, it’s possible that Superman III provides a very valuable lesson ahead of Superman: Legacy.
5 Superman Movies Can’t Go Cheap On Special Effects (Superman IV: The Quest For Peace)
Widely considered the worst Superman movie (and one of the worst superhero movies ever made), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace also has lessons to offer Superman: Legacy. Among many other issues, The Quest for Peace suffered from budget cuts that resulted in particularly poor visual effects. Though excessive use of CGI has often proved detrimental to superhero movies, making sure that all visual effects look as good as possible is absolutely crucial to Superman movies. More recently, 2017’s Justice League featured less-than-impressive CGI, prompting the film’s effects to be ridiculed, making this an especially important lesson for Superman: Legacy.
4 Superman Movies Don’t Always Need Lex Luthor (Superman Returns)
It’s undeniable that Lex Luthor ranks as one of the smartest Superman villains, and his role as Superman’s nemesis is unrivaled, but that doesn’t mean that he needs to be present in every Superman movie. The 2006 soft reboot Superman Returns followed on from the events of Superman II and saw Brandon Routh’s Superman working to thwart an uninspired Lex Luthor plot involving Kryptonian crystals. Though the film itself isn’t without merit, one thing that’s clear is that Luthor wasn’t the most interesting choice as its villain.
In many ways, Superman Returns would have benefited from adding a new villain to the hero’s story. There’s a veritable wealth of compelling Superman villains who have yet to get the big screen treatment, and Superman Returns highlights how tedious repeated Luthor storylines can become. To that end, Superman: Legacy would do well to explore other avenues for its villain rather than yet another iteration of Lex Luthor.
3 Superman’s Powers Can Still Be Awe-Inspiring (Man Of Steel)
Even among superhero movies’ domination of cinema, Man of Steel offers proof that Superman’s powers can still provide a breathtaking spectacle when brought to life correctly. Though Man of Steel has its detractors, Snyder’s film featured a number of incredibly-realized sequences that demonstrated Superman’s abilities. Drawing inspiration from Man of Steel‘s first flight scene or some of its staggering action sequences is something that Superman: Legacy will need to do, particularly as Snyder’s film brought the hero’s powers to life so perfectly.
2 Major Superman Stories Can’t Be Rushed (Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice)
Perhaps the most divisive of all Superman movies, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice should serve as a cautionary tale to Superman: Legacy. As well as serving as the sequel to Man of Steel, it also introduced Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and Doomsday. More importantly, as a loose adaptation of the Death of Superman story, Batman v Superman fell decidedly short.
One of the most important lessons to be learned from the film is that big Superman stories shouldn’t be rushed. Batman v Superman sought to adapt an iconic story in just the character’s second outing, and it felt both far too soon and decidedly half-baked. As Superman: Legacy will mark a new beginning for the character in the DCU, it would do well to avoid the same mistakes as Batman v Superman.
1 Superman Works Well Alongside Other Heroes If The Story Makes Sense (Justice League)
Though 2017’s Justice League failed to impress critics and audiences alike, it actually showcased one very positive aspect of Superman’s cinematic potential. Although the hero wasn’t used to his full effect in the film, the scenes in which he leads the titular team are among its most triumphant. It highlights that one of Superman’s most important powers is his ability to inspire and lead those around him, making for one of Superman’s best movie moments (albeit in an otherwise underwhelming movie).
As Superman: Legacy will reportedly feature other DC heroes, Superman’s potential as a leader will need to shine through. Though Justice League only saw him join the team briefly, it highlighted how important his role in a shared universe must be, and that’s something that James Gunn’s movie will also need to do. When it comes to making Superman: Legacy a new beginning for the DCU, Justice League provides an excellent template of where Snyder’s movies succeeded and failed the character.
This content was originally published here.
