Zack Snyder Talks About Pop Culture Embracing MAN OF STEEL
With Zack Snyder's Man of Steel not due till next summer, any news or media for the Superman reboot has been few and far between. But in an interview with the LA Times for the "Ultimate Cut" re-release of his 2009 film Watchmen, Snyder offered some insight into their approach to the Son of Krypton and what the character means to him.
It's a more serious version of Superman. It’s not like a heart attack. We took the mythology seriously. We take him as a character seriously. I believe the movie would appeal to anyone. I think that you’re going to see a Superman you’ve never seen before. We approached it as though no other films had been made.
He's explained this approach, nearly word for word, multiple times before. I'm fully on board this fresh start on the character, and not just rediscovering the mythology but exploring it further and seeing them expand on it. Snyder went on to explain that they're not just looking to tell an exciting story, but that the film will also examine the qualities of the iconic character that pop-culture so faithfully latched onto.
I’m interested in Superman because he’s the father of all superheroes. He’s this amazing ambassador for all superheroes. What was it about him that cracked the code that made pop culture embrace this other mythology? What we‘ve made as a film not only examines that but is also an amazing adventure story. It’s been an honor to work on. As a comic book fan, Superman is like the Rosetta Stone of all superheroes. I wanted to be sure the movie treated it respectfully.
Superman's impact on the comic book superheroes that followed is undeniable. While Richard Donner's films were also a game changer for comic-book films, Bryan Singer's adherence and connective tissue to the Donner films in Superman Returns left the character feeling a bit dated.
With Chris Nolan lending help as a producer on Man of Steel it looks to be in good hands. But only time will tell if Superman can again set the trend for comic book heroes. It'll at least impact DC's upcoming franchises since Snyder has stated that his Superman will stand alone from DC's Justice League film in the works. I'd venture to guess that the tone of Justice League would have to be much different since there would literally be two big-screen versions of the character in different franchises. That or DC would have to get there sh*t together and pull on those contract strings that would have Henry Cavill suiting up for both franchises.