Brian Singer Talks 'Superman Returns'

[Tuesday, July 19th, 2005]
SupermanSuperman Returns director Bryan Singer says that his star, newcomer Brandon Routh, brings a new interpretation to the iconic superhero. "We looked at some of the original Superman [films and TV shows] just to take a look at it together," Singer told Sci-Fi Wire. "But by no means did I ever say, 'Act like Christopher Reeve.'"

"It's weird with Brandon. One moment he's a dead ringer for Christopher Reeve. The next minute you see that he's ... he's completely different. So it kind of captures moments that you'll recall. He'll have moments where you'll recall the first film [Richard Donner's 1978 Superman] and then moments where he's his own Clark, [when] he's his own Superman."

Singer also praised Routh's co-star, Kate Bosworth, who plays Lois Lane. "I saw the movie Beyond the Sea twice," he said. "And, yeah, she was phenomenal, and I really liked her, and I brought her in to read with Brandon. And they had a chemistry. ... It was a combination of her work in Beyond the Sea and the chemistry she had in the room with Brandon and ... the general sense that I had in the meeting. ... I've had a good record with casting, and it's sort of in the meeting is when I fully make that decision."

Singer revealed that Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olsen in the TV series alongside Neill and George Reeves as the Man of Steel, has a cameo role in the movie. "Jack Larson plays the bartender with Jimmy Olsen [Sam Huntington] in the scene, so it's great," Singer said. "They have a scene together. And it was ... fun to shoot that. It was a very long day. ... Jack came there, flew 15 hours to get [to Australia, where Superman Returns is shooting,] and then worked an 18-hour day. And ... he's not young, so he's got a lot of ... energy. I was really impressed."

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