Brandon Routh to reprise his role as Superman

[Silver Nemesis]

The newspaper headline doesn't say who conducted the gas attack on the Daily Planet building, but presumably it'll follow the comic by having you-know-who be responsible.

Producer Marc Guggenheim confirmed that Routh's Superman is indeed the version he played in Superman Returns, which means the Reeve Kal-El diverges along the following timelines.

Donnerverse canon:

•   Superman: The Movie
•   Superman II
•   Superman III
•   Supergirl 84
•   Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Singerverse canon:

•   Superman: The Movie
•   Superman II
•   Superman Returns
•   Crisis on Infinite Earths

It's depressing to think that Kidder's Lois probably ends up being murdered by the Joker in the Singerverse timeline.

[thecolorsblend]

Producer Marc Guggenheim confirmed that Routh's Superman is indeed the version he played in Superman Returns, which means the Reeve Kal-El diverges along the following timelines.

Donnerverse canon:

•   Superman: The Movie
•   Superman II
•   Superman III
•   Supergirl 84
•   Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Singerverse canon:

•   Superman: The Movie
•   Superman II
•   Superman Returns
•   Crisis on Infinite Earths

It's depressing to think that Kidder's Lois probably ends up being murdered by the Joker in the Singerverse timeline.

I consider Superman Returns to be its own bizarre variant, "canon" be damned. On that basis, it's Bosworth's Lois that died in the Planet gas attack. There is enough discontinuity between STM and SR that separating the two isn't difficult anyway. If COIE is the SR character's conclusion, eh, I'm fine with that.

[The Dark Knight]

It's depressing to think that Kidder's Lois probably ends up being murdered by the Joker in the Singerverse timeline.

I'm cool with it. If they're doing Kingdom Come, adapting the key themes is logical. Which includes Joker killing Lois and a bunch of staff members.

Kill em' all, we're gonna take em' out a whole new door.

And I must add - I'm not the biggest fan of SuperRouth, but I have to say those images of him in the Kingdom Come suit are solid. I've warmed up to it - very faithful recreation of the source material.

[Silver Nemesis]

No disrespect to Bosworth, but if a cinematic Lois has been murdered by the Joker I'd prefer to think of it as her incarnation rather than Kidder's. I like to think Kidder's Lois is still covering Superman's press conference outside Milton Keynes bus statio--uh, I mean the United Nations building.

From what I gather, it sounds like most of the guest appearances in this special will be brief cameos at best. Eyewitnesses have described some of the actors looking up at the sky and reacting to something. So with Burt Ward, it'll probably just be him walking his dog...

...then turning to look up at whatever's in the sky and saying "Holy something-or-other."

Similarly, the Burton thing will likely just be Knox sitting on a bench reading that newspaper article about Bruce marrying Selina, then glancing up at the sky for his reaction shot. We might get a CG rendition of Burton's Gotham and a few notes from the Elfman score, but I doubt it'll be anything more than that.

It looks like the Smallville guest stars will have a slightly bigger role, but it will still probably just be isolated to one or two scenes on the Kent farm. I don't think we'll see Welling suit up like many fans are hoping.

But the Routh Superman appearance looks like it could be more substantial. I'm hoping he'll have a decent sized role throughout the crossover event.

[Silver Nemesis]

[thecolorsblend]

It looks like the Smallville guest stars will have a slightly bigger role, but it will still probably just be isolated to one or two scenes on the Kent farm. I don't think we'll see Welling suit up like many fans are hoping.

Yeah, that's pretty much the conclusion I'm reaching more and more all the time. It's like Welling is doing the cameo in part to say "Fine, whatever, I did it, stop asking".

Assuming I'm right (and who knows?), I can't help thinking that something a bit bigger and more ambitious would've happened if Rosenbaum had agreed to come back as Lex. I understand (and even agree with) his reasons for not doing it. Just saying though...

More and more, I think this season (and perhaps this crossover) will be my swansong with the Arrowverse. I can't say I've ever loved it. But the seasons are becoming more and more diminishing returns. The crossovers too. One might say, especially the crossovers. My wife and I are basically to the point where we MST3K our way through new episodes of The Flash, which is the only series we watch consistently.

People have sort of stopped predicting the demise of comic book cinema/television. But I've started to think the trend has begun winding down. We'll see what the next couple of years look like. But I think we should all start getting comfortable with the idea that the party is coming to an end.

And it's wide open to debate how much of that limelight Batman was able to enjoy. Maybe I'm wrong though.

[The Dark Knight]

People have sort of stopped predicting the demise of comic book cinema/television. But I've started to think the trend has begun winding down. We'll see what the next couple of years look like. But I think we should all start getting comfortable with the idea that the party is coming to an end.

And it's wide open to debate how much of that limelight Batman was able to enjoy. Maybe I'm wrong though.

The flow of content could reduce, but I don't think the comic book party will ever come to an end. It's too big now. The comics have always been lingering in the background, and they will remain there. Video games too. The iconography will always capture the imagination of children, and those who remember that same wonder when they were children.

[thecolorsblend]

People have sort of stopped predicting the demise of comic book cinema/television. But I've started to think the trend has begun winding down. We'll see what the next couple of years look like. But I think we should all start getting comfortable with the idea that the party is coming to an end.

And it's wide open to debate how much of that limelight Batman was able to enjoy. Maybe I'm wrong though.

The flow of content could reduce, but I don't think the comic book party will ever come to an end. It's too big now. The comics have always been lingering in the background, and they will remain there. Video games too. The iconography will always capture the imagination of children, and those who remember that same wonder when they were children.

Maybe. But I'm inclined to the view that most Hollywood directors, actors and the rest didn't enter the business to make Batman or Avengers films. I think they resent having to depend on comic book properties to make their livings.

And now, thanks to people like Jennifer Aniston, Francis Ford Coppola, Jodie Foster, Martin Scorsese and others, moviegoers who are getting tired of all the capes and heat vision now have a permission structure to stop watching all this comic book stuff.

I could be wrong. But it's kind of hard to believe that so many A-list celebrities (and B-list, in Aniston's case) can make such big statements without at least a few Joe Sixpack types agreeing with them and then watching less comic book stuff in the future.

[The Dark Knight]

Maybe. But I'm inclined to the view that most Hollywood directors, actors and the rest didn't enter the business to make Batman or Avengers films. I think they resent having to depend on comic book properties to make their livings.

And now, thanks to people like Jennifer Aniston, Francis Ford Coppola, Jodie Foster, Martin Scorsese and others, moviegoers who are getting tired of all the capes and heat vision now have a permission structure to stop watching all this comic book stuff.

Take a look at the upcoming DC and Marvel slates and there's your answer. The genre isn't going away any time soon, and all indications show the flow will remain steady. Just today there's word films for villains appearing in The Batman are a possible option. Those people you have listed have had nothing to do with the comic book genre. They're outside the tent and the genre manages to attract big name talent of its own. The likes of Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Joaquin Phoenix and others are always going to be encouraged to saddle up.

I could be wrong.

Yes...you could be.   

[Silver Nemesis]

Hoechlin's Superman looks a little out of his depth next to Routh and Welling's iterations.