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.
I can’t believe how disrespectful you all are to Christopher Reeve.
..Wow, most of you guys are idiots. Getting your panties in a bunch over the fact that pansy, fairy boy Tom Welling-whatever didn’t get the role as Superman. I can’t even believe you could put him and Christopher Reeve on the same level. The point is, kiddies the movie is going to be made with that Routh guy, get over it, and stop whining like little prepubescent school girls…and to that idiot babbling about Christopher Reeve being Superman…He wasn’t…hence him falling off his horse and breaking his back…Grow up, it’s just a movie.
firstly, smallville sucks butt ……. they can sell that junk by just calling it beverly hills 9-0-shite ….. and news flash to u john campea (if that is your real name)… yeah u, who started this thread …. christopher reeve IS S.U.P.E.R.M.A.N ….. if u can have such a bold view that he’s just an actor, then its fair i have a view about u too …. i think ur just some fat guy who thinks he knows all there is to comic-book movies …. i bet u were bullied in kindergarten by someone NOT fat ….. gettit? NOT-fat ….. u probably dont even own a single superMan comic book …. u live alone and are just a plain poor fucking sap ……. wouldnt be surprised if u turned 38 this year and only had sex with your school janitor, the ugly german guy …. and u used to perv on your mom in the shower ……….. bryan singer is a loser for letting go of X-men at the most crucial moment with the phoenix rising ….. theres ur example for the typical $ hungry c**t!!!! ……. all i can say is, this better turn out to be a good movie …… spiderMan was a visually good movie … but those cheesy lines with peter and maryjane … puhleeeese!!!! ….. we dont need re-runs ….. only good thing i saw in spiderMan was kirsten’s nippies in the rain ……… Singer better do a good job on supes …. singer may look like a monkey, but that doesnt mean he can do monkey bussiness on a movie as epic as this ………
Not only does Brandon Routh suck, but what is this crap about Lois having a child to another man. Singer has gone overboard. I will not pay to see this movie. WB is greedy! They should have waited until Welling was available.
I’m a huge fan of Smallville also. I watch it religiously (meaning all the time) whether the episode be a rerun or not. I wish the WB and the Smallville writers hadn’t released the season 5 description so soon. The season 4 finale really left us hanging. Anyways, onto the movie. When I first found out Routh was cast as Superman I was apalled. I though (like many) that Tom Welling should have been cast and that Routh would look atrocious in the costume and not play the role well at all. As soon as I saw pictures of Routh in the Superman costume from the movie I began to eat my words. My opinion has totally changed. It would be Welling who would be a bad Superman seeing as how he plays the young Clark. Routh looks superb in the Superman costume and I’m dying to see the new movie.
Lastly, I’ve followed Smallville since the 3rd last episode of season 1 and I own seasons 1-3 on DVD and I’m getting season 4 for my high school grad. The thing I love most about Smallville is the storyline. In season 1, Clark was in his first year of high school and at the time, so was I. Now that we are dawning on season 5 and Clark is starting college, coincidentally, I am too! I think it’s awesome that Clark on the show and myself are the same age. Kinda gives me a reason to keep watching. Also, I’m a huge fan of Angel, and I’m utterly disappointed it is finished, but I’m glad to see James Marsters on TV again and on my favorite show too! I think I’ll find it easier to watch Smallville on Thursday nights though because I only have 1 class on Thursday and it’s from 8am-11am and no classes Friday so it gives me a night to occupy with Smallville and then I have Friday, Saturday and Sunday to complete my homework.
In conclusion, I’m planning on making an animated series (to be done using Macromedia Flash) about Super-Mike who is the son of Superman. The first episode should be released in early 2006 (alas, I have yet to learn flash but will do so as part of my Multimedia Design program in college) so keep an eye out on Newgrounds.com in January for it. Bye.
Super-Mike
At this point, I really only have three problems with SUPERMAN RETURNS: the title, Routh, and Singer. Of course, I’ll see the film. I’m just royally put off by these three elements.
Blah-de-fucking-blah-de-fucking-whinge.
I’ve seen the footage. I’ve seen Routh up close. I’ve spoken to him. He is Clark Kent. He is Superman. I have a feeling a lot of people will be eating their words come June…
Your feedback on the complaints from Smallville fans is pretty dead-on, but I believe what makes this entire discussion a contentious one is that the studio decided to follow the super hero bandwagon in hopes that a big budget and a hot director will assure quick success in the form of a Superman movie. This often means the following:
1) Rewrites, rewrites, and more rewrites
2) Hasty decisions
3) More action and less story for the summer crowd
4) Lack of smallville references to entice Smallville fans since the Smallville writers are quite occupied with the series.
5) Boycotting Smallville fans who will aggressively denounce the movie (seriously!)
What really should have happened when in discussion of an updated Superman movie should have been the thought of a fan poll.
Or they should have waited until perhaps the final anticipated season of Smallville, or a middle movie, ala X-Files in 1998 (a brilliant marketing decision btw). This was they can cast Welling and fans will be happy.
This hasty production of an updated Superman, in my opinion, is one of the poorest creative choices Hollywood has ever made (aside from Burn Hollywood Burn)
I just want to give a heads up to folks that may not know, when Brandon Routh was on One Life to Live (a soap), he was absolutely horrible. Eventhough the material at the time was abominable, the rest of the cast was acting circles around him. He tripped over lines, seemed to forget them, and showed no emotion. He was so bad that when it came time for One Life to Live to go live for one week, his role was recast.
Hopefully over the last couple of years he’s gotten better. Or maybe Singer forced him to go take some acting classes.
BTW forget the eyes – but what’s with his hair? Especially as Clark – makes Shatner’s rug look full of bounce.
I tried to watch “Smallville”. It was fine at first, but I just found myself getting annoyed with the on the nose “forshadowing” of future Lex villiany against Clark/future Superman. But folks, no bad comments ’bout the Beanery, please. Leave the damn Beanery alone.
I for one like the idea that Tom Welling isn’t the big screen supes; I was one of the few rooting for Jim Caviezel, actually. The blue eyes thing though is a new one to me: with use of minor CGI or contacts, those silly non-issues can be resolved.
In fact, I get downright peeved with “comic book geek fan boys” who seem to ignore the possibilities in makeup, dyed hair, an actor bulking up etc. Likewise, I must have failed to hear the cries when Hugh Jackman was cast as Logan/Wolverine. I think the idea was most no one had heard of Jackman at that time. But I do recall there was some disappointment with Dougray Scott, who Jackman replaced. I also remember the fanbase wishing for either Mel Gibson, Sean Penn, or metal rocker Glen Danzig.
One thing though, while we are on the Superman-Singer subject. There seems to be an anti-Singer backlash possibly due to him leaving the X-Men franchise. I may not hear much about the Smallville “whiners”, but I do hear over and over again how Singer’s new film is going to ‘tank’ – and Ratner’s X3′ too, for that matter.
I’m just bored with it all. Just let the films be made, get them released, and then we shall see. I don’t like all of Ratner’s films, but I think he’ll be okay, and Singer?
Singer again will exceed expectations.
I am old enough to have watched the TV show with George Reeve as Superman. He did both characters well. Chris did Supes OK but I loathed his Clark.
John you’re spot on with your comments! I too am a Smallville fan, but it’s not the same storyline. In order to properly use Welling (who does the Gee Shucks smallville thing extremely well) they’d have to make a movie out of a Smallville storyline. Enough people already bitch about how Smallville has raped the comicbook storylines (which ones I ask? They basically restarted the series mid-80’s) so the feature needs to keep its credibility and connection to either the features or the comic books. I think it’s a daring risk to make this film a sequel to the 2nd film and just ignore the other two. But really, even though Hollywood is in a comic craze, do you expect much? If you do, you’re a bigger optimist than I am…
And yes, we must trust Mr. Singer, who has already proved twice that he to is a comicbook fan and wants to make the best adaptation possible!
So to y’all who can’t handle the changes I say put-up or shut-up! Ifilm has lots of cool fan made comicbook films by fans with the chutzpah to put their vision on screen – they’ve EARNED the right to winge! So suck it up!! And if Routh and the film suck then mea maxima culpa…
I hate smallville. I love Tom Welling as Clark Kent and believe could pull of the job. So why am I so extremely happy that Welling isnt the next Superman? Because Smallville:The Movie would require including his 3 cardboard sidekicks and they are the absolute worst thing to happen to the superman universe. Even worse than Richard Prior.
Smallville just plain sucks because they turned an action hero into a cast member of a teenage soap opera. They tied him to an cute but annoying coffeeshop owning 15 year old and a parrot nosed reporter. Sorry, but superman is about super powers, not how to hook up with unnaturally short people. Singer is on the right track.
As a huge Smallville-fan(Commencement was one of the best episodes on TV EVER) i think they should keep the two things separat. I am also willing too give this guy a chance, cause contrary too alot of people i think the guy look great. People mention Jackman, what did he do before X-Men and he turned out graet
The problem i have is the casting of Lois Lane and the direction they are taking her character
I still remember when TMB scooped the news about the casting of the new Superman, that was also the day I discovered this blog and have been hooked since. How time flies!
I can only sympathize with those who preferred another actor to play Superman, really this is no different when it was announced that Tom Hanks will play Robert Langdon in Da Vinci Code and there has been an uproar about a wrong casting. I say for now, leave it to rest, wait for the film next year, and if proven correct, that Routh wasnt deserving to play the Man of Steel, rant again to John. LOL
First of all, I would like to say that I am obsessed with Smallville, lol, It’s my favorite show. And…. I completely agree with this post. I mean I think Tom Welling is amazing as Clark Kent, But Brandon Routh is going to make a great Superman. Bryan Singer is a great director, and once the movie is out, we shall all see that, although I already know it will be, lol. I’ve been happy with the casting of Routh the day it was announced, which I believe was in October or last year sometime. Not sure. Also, For those people complaining about him not having blue eyes, and those are the ones that wanted Tom Welling usually. Tom Welling has green eyes, not blue, so that arguement wouldnt hold up to well, lol. Well thats must my opinion on things, Goodbye.