First Look at the New Superman!

So, today, they released the first picture of Henry Cavill as Superman from the new Superman movie!

I'm going to crop this sucker so we can get a better look....

So, let's begin the whiny fanboy rant, shall we?

First up, the colours are too dark.  That could be the lighting in the photograph, so we'll let it slide. 

Cape it too big.  I don't like the texture of the suit.  They're trying to make it kind of scaly, like the Spider-Man movie costume.  And where's that trademark Superman spit curl?

But for the things I like...I do like the logo on the chest.  It's a little bigger and more silver age.  Plus, I like that this is the first time Superman is kinda ripped.  Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh were lean and mean.  But Cavill...he's big and mean. 

So let's recap what brought us to this place.  How did this new Superman come to be?

Flash back to 2006.  Superman Returns underperformed at the box office...both financially and critically.  "It made $400 million at the box office, what's 'underperforming' these days?" said director Bryan Singer.  "Yeah...our budget projections said it should have made $500 million," said the bosses at Warner Brothers.  So the decision was finally made to reboot the series.

And you know, Superman Returns had a few good spots, but when all was said and done, I think it's a movie that needed to be made.  The Christopher Reeve Superman films were so legendary, that something had to be done to pay homage to them or give that series a proper end or just plain get it out of our systems before a whole new cinematic Superman could be made. 

So, Warner Brothers started entertaining pitches for a new Superman film.

Meanwhile, down the hall, riding high on the success of The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan and Batman Begins/The Dark Knight co-writer David S. Goyer were beating their heads against the wall, coming up with a great idea for a third Batman film.  During a break, Goyer said, "It's too bad we're not doing Superman, I've got a great idea for Superman."  And Goyer shared his great idea.  Nolan said, "That is awesome," and they ran down the hall the Warner Brothers big brass and gave their idea.  Warner Brothers agreed that the idea was awesome.  Goyer was put to work writing the script, and Nolan was signed on as a producer. 

Nolan and Goyer then set out to find a director.  After searching through Hollywood, they finally settled on Zack Snyder, who directed 300, Watchmen, and this spring's Sucker Punch.  And then it was time to find the cast!

And what a cast!  I think it's fair to call this an all-star cast.  In our new Superman film, we will be treated to:

• Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent
• Amy Adams as Lois Lane
• Michael Shannon as General Zod
• Antje Traue as Faora, Zod's second-in-command
• Laurence Fishburne as Perry White
• Kevin Costner as Jonathon Kent
• Diane Lane as Martha Kent
• Russell Crowe as Jor-El
• Julia Ormand as Lara
• Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy, an army officer.

It was originally going to come out Christmas 2012, but it was decided it was more of a summer blockbuster, and it got pushed back to Summer 2013.  And taking a cue from The Dark Knight, this new Superman tale will be called....
 
Man of Steel.