“Even though you’ve been raised as a human being you’re not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all – their capacity for good – I have sent them you… my only son.” – Jor-El
Superman – born on a planet which has long since died – has been raised by adoptive parents on the Kent farm in Kansas. The young boy Kal-El is renamed Clark Kent, and though he has grown up among humans, he is not one of them. Under Earth’s yellow sun, he can do things humans can only dream of, but to co-exist with them he must live a dual life as mild, unassuming Clark Kent, secretly transforming into the Man of Steel when the world cries out for him. But now, the world’s crises have gone unheeded for five long years since Superman’s mysterious disappearance.
Without him, crime has risen in the city of Metropolis and beyond; that’s not even counting the future destructive acts of Lex Luthor, who has been sprung from prison with the specific intent of using Superman’s technological secrets for his own personal gain and glory.
Lois Lane, star reporter for the Daily Planet and the love of Superman’s life, has moved on since Superman left without a word. She has even won a Pulitzer Prize for her essay, “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman.” Lois has other issues to contend with – she is now engaged to the editor’s nephew and has a young son to look after.
But for Superman, the long search for his place in the universe ends back at the Kent farm, among the only family he has ever known. His destiny lies in Metropolis, where one look in Lois’s eyes tells him that this place, among the flawed but ultimately good people of Earth, is his true home. And with Lex’s plan coming to fruition hours after his return, the world will never need Superman more than it does now.
Superman Returns is a 2006 American superhero film directed and produced by Bryan Singer. It is based on the DC Comics character Superman and serves as an homage sequel to the motion pictures Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980), while ignoring the events of Superman III (1983) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). The film stars Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, with James Marsden, Frank Langella, and Parker Posey. The film tells the story of the title character returning to Earth after a five-year absence. He finds that his love interest Lois Lane has moved on with her life, and that his archenemy Lex Luthor is plotting a scheme that will destroy Superman and the world.
After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Superman on screen following the critical failure and box office disappointment of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987), Warner Bros. hired Bryan Singer to direct and develop Superman Returns in July 2004. The majority of principal photography took place at Fox Studios Australia, Sydney, while the visual effects sequences were created by a number of studios, including Sony Pictures Imageworks, Rhythm & Hues, Framestore, Rising Sun Pictures, and The Orphanage; filming ended in November 2005.
Bryan Singer convinced Warner Bros. not to experiment with test screenings. In addition, Singer removed 15 minutes of footage from Superman Returns after showing it to some of his “trusted associates”. The final theatrical time length ran at 154 minutes.[56] Warner Bros. originally slated the movie for release on Friday, June 30, but moved it up to Wednesday, June 28.
Superman Returns was released on June 28, 2006 in the United States and Canada in 4,065 theaters. The film ranked at the top in its opening weekend, grossing $52.5 million. Within five days, Superman Returns took in $84.2 million, a new record for Warner Bros., beating out The Matrix Revolutions (2003), which has since been surpassed by The Dark Knight (2008).
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Superman Returns (2006)
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Hugh Laurie, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey, Sam Huntington, Frank Langella, James Mersden, Marlon Brando, Tristan Lake Leabu
Screenplay by: Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris
Production Design by: Guy Hendrix Dyas
Cinematography by: Newton Thomas Sigel
Film Editing by: Elliot Graham, John Ottman
Costume Design by: Louise Mingenbach
Set Decoration by: Brian Dusting
Art Direction by: Hugh Bateup, Damien Drew, Lawrence A. Hubbs, Catherine Mansill, John Pryce-Jones, Charlie Revai
Music by: John Ottman
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some intense action violence.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: June 30, 2006
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