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Keanu Reeves as Superman
M.C. Hampster writes "Fox News is reporting in this article that Superman is back in the planning stages at Warner Bros. with a possible Keanu Reeves playing the title role. Is this possibly the worse fit for an actor in a superhero role since Michael Keaton in Batman?" Perhaps they too will rotate in a new actor for each feature.
was the best for the part of batman, i thought.
Woah
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Some schmuck from Warner Bros. must've been smoking something when watching the final scene in The Matrix.
Neo zooms off into the sky with the coat flapping like a cape and the lightbulb goes off. Hey! He looks just like Superman!
Say... there's an idea!
NOT!
Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
Maybe they'll create a new super-character! Think about it, SuperNeo would have no weaknesses! "There is no kryptonite."
My other sig is funny!
Is this possibly the worse fit for an actor in a superhero role since Michael Keaton in Batman?
Most people I've talked to thought he played the best Batman. Oh, and about Keanu, isn't he Hawaiiian? And isn't Superman white? I'm not racist or anything, but I just thought they'd cast someone who matched the character better.
No sig for you.
Didn't you see tbe last movie were he FLEW at up into the sky after emerging from the telephone booth?
I'd just love to hear superman say "Whoa!" when he starts flying. Oh well...network suits just don't get it do they.
Is this possibly the worse fit for an actor in a superhero role since Michael Keaton in Batman?
Personally I found Michael Keaton to be the better of the movie version Batmans. The rest were pretty wussy and really didn't fit into the role.
Keanu Reeves as Superman, now that's another story all together...
Can anyone second the opinion that at least he wouldn't be as bad as the other proposed Man of Steel - Nicholas Cage? (Hey at least Reeves has hair...)
"Nothing is so important that you cannot make fun of it." -Clarke
Hey! This isn't aintitcoolnews! what the....?
(seriously, why is this story here...?)
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
title says it all
Hey, the first two Batman movies were the *good* ones.
M0571y H@rml355.
George Reeves played the original superman on TV.
Christopher Reeves played him in the movies from the late 70's early 80's.
So logically they want Keanu Reeves now..
Well, Keanu Reeves DID leap ACROSS tall buildings in a single bound. I guess that qualifies him...
Michael Keaton was excellent for an older Batman, but if they do 'year one', they'll need a younger actor. Keaton is a bit insane, just like Batman. Reeves is just cardboard.
Hey, wait a minute... I _LIKED_ keaton as batman! The first (OK, not first, but you know what I mean) movie was by far the best of the lot. Of course, that could be attributed to Nicholson...
-- Minds are like parachutes... they work best when open.
They should do what they did with Spiderman - find a little known but good actor and have him re-invent the role. That way, the audience won't bring any misconceptions into the cinema, which will ruin the whole experience.
Woah...I know kung fu.
Bugs are just features that have been fixed.
Michael Keaton played THE BEST batman, everyone I know agrees. He brought the perfect mix of mystery, drive, and intellect. You could see the dark motivations in his face, a person driven by the slaying of his parents. George Clooney? That was a cruel joke.
If this "mistake" is as bad as batman, I'll be first in line for the theater.
"I don't know that atheists should be considered citizens, nor should they be considered patriots." George HW Bush
The only movie I've seen this guy work well in was The Matrix, basically because he was perfect for the roll without needing to act. (Ok, I was entertained somehow by Speed, but don't ask me why. I haven't figured it out.)
o ve ry.ap/index.html
In all fairness, it's probably pretty hard to find someone who can play the role. My take on it is that they should find some actor who isn't known to the public. If someone has played other characters, it's kinda hard to get over that association. No one thinks of Superman as someone you'd know from somewhere else.
(Sort of on topic - I was very glad to hear the news that Christopher Reeve has regained some sensation and muscular control.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/09/13/reeves.rec
There's a real story of inspiration and hope. My hat's off to him. This is why you never give up.)
"I object to doing things that computers can do." -- Olin Shivers, lispers.org
because he has charisma, that's why. lots and lots of charisma. I'm sure he can play a just as over-the-top and goofy superman as christopher reeve di-Oh Wait! they have the same last name! that's why they picked Keanu - he's the son of superman!
"Teachers leave us kids alone
Christopher Reeve, the previous movies' Superman has managed to regain sensation below the neck and can now move his right wrist to some degree.
Doctors aren't sure exactly why, but think it might have to do with the constant excercise regime that Mr. Reeve went on shortly after the accident.
The strength of will required for Mr. Reeve to be able to accomplish this after all these years is simply remarkable. Some casting agent knew what he was doing when they chose Christopher for the Superman role.
That Jesus Christ guy is getting some terrible lag... it took him 3 days to respawn! -NJ CoolBreeze
Keaton's choice was also greeted with skepticism by fans, but I think he did a good job. Which is why I would be willing to give Keanu Reeves the benefit of the doubt. But unfortunately Keanu is a lousy actor IMO -- he did okay in Matrix, but he stunk in just about everything else (his "performance" in Much Ado About Nothing was embarrassing).
Maybe the Hollywood execs thought they were 'honoring' Christoper Reeve by having an actor with nearly the same last name play Reeve's most memorable role. ;-P
But Christopher Reeve will always be the "real" Superman for me -- he was born to play that role IMO.
Cheers,
Ethelred
Everyone wants to be Ethelred. Even I want to be Ethelred.
I don't know how well built Reeves (oh, just an extra 's' on the end, another 'studio' connection for him being in the role)... but wouldn't he have to a bit of 'beefing up' for the Superman role, I mean doing martial arts is one thing, but the Superman role has always been a case of filling as much of the lycra suit with as much muscle as possible.
Is this possibly the worse fit for an actor in a superhero role since Michael Keaton in Batman?
OK then, who was the best Batman then? out of the original series and the films? I honestly think Keaton was the better one of the films... but then the first two films were really Tim Burton driven (very dark and gothic) and much better than the rest. Plus who can forget Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.. meeeow indeed!!
Are you local? There's nothing for you here!
Michael Keaton would be a horrible Batman, but I think he surprised people. He played it with a dark subtlety fitting to Frank Miller's vision.
Now, he didn't have the chisled features of comic book hero, but who does? Maybe Val Kilmer, who wasn't nearly as good, in my opinion.
I also think that Keanu Reeves' bad reputation as an actor is not really deserved. He doesn't show great range, but he does have a certain presence and magnetism. Reminds me of Clark Gable.
Instead of kryptonite, his enemies will just use big words to stop him.
The one thing about the Matrix was that I was expecting him to break into air guitar during every scene.
Yeah at least he wasnt cross-eyed(Kilmer) or in the biggest disgrace in recent hollywood(Clooney in BM&R)
I am interested to hear who people think should play Supes.
Obviously, Keavu Reeves is a poor choice. But who would work well in this role?
How about Chris Klein?
Superman is not a caucasian, he's from another planet.
Why would he be white? He was created by two jewish guys as a continuation of the golem myth (protecting the weak and all that), with some resonance of Nietchze thrown in.
And I think Keaton was the best Batman too, and I'm not a Keaton fan.
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
I think it's just because first they had George Reeves, then Christopher Reeve, and they wanted to continue the trend.
They just got to get Miller to write the script!
"Lord, grant that I may always be right, for Thou knowest that I am hard to turn" -- A Scots-Irish prayer
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Michael Keaton MADE THE ROLE as batman. he was brooding and angry, not a prissy happy go lucky supermodel type with latex nipples on his costume, and not a softhearted wimp like clooney. as for the superman thing, it's horrible news. I don't know why they're going for scrawny actors, but a few years ago they were talking about a superman film starring nick cage. while cage doesn't seem to physically fit the role, he's a very good actor and I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. with keanu at the helm I think even watching a trailer for the film will be painful.
One of the few movies I like Keanu in (Matrix), he doesn't say a lot. One of his biggest lines is "Whoa!" And that's a Good Thing.
Neo can get away with that, but Superman is suppose to give patriotic speeches and such, which would require Keanu to talk, which is bad. I don't have any evidence for this, but I bet as the number of words Reeves says in a movie increases, the quality of the movie decreases.
Why do we need ANOTHER superman anyway? Four wasn't enough? 3 Indiana Jones' wasn't enough? 2 Home Alone's was pushing it. Why so many sequals. Oh, that's because the movie industry is just reusing old ideas to make big bucks instead of making quality films with new stories in new directions. Maybe something with a little social commentary here or there.
Matt Fahrenbacher
James Tiberius Kirk: "Spock, the women on your planet are logical. No other planet in the galaxy can make that claim."
Uhhh. I really liked Keaton as Batman.
My
Limekiller
as mentioned on the above referring article, a batman vs superman movie is currently being worked on. how ironic if the poster of this /. article (M.C. Hampster) didn't realize that in making that comparison.
..and if you understood the "real" batman, not the Adam West-inspired ones, you would know that Michael Keaton's version was by far the closest to home. batman is a dark and angry man, whose purpose is to scare the shit out of criminals. that first scene with batman holding the punk over the edge of the roof is classic batman.
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Yeah at least he wasnt cross-eyed(Kilmer) or in the biggest disgrace in recent hollywood(Clooney in BM&R)
To be fair, the script for BM&R was so lousy that nobody could have pulled it off. One can only blame Clooney for accepting the job.
Yet Another Web Site
His psycho bent on it was fantastic. Who did you prefer? VAL KILMER? GEORGE CLOONEY? Please ...
In recent news, for those of you who missed it...
(shortened - please excuse any bad english since I'm translating from Swedish.. perhaps anyone has a good link?)
Christopher Reeve Defeating His Paralysis
"For the first time since his spinal paralysis, Christopher Reeve can move fingers and toes. This makes his doctors believe that he might be able to walk again.
- No one that have been affected by such severe injuries have regained motion and feeling in the way Chris has, said doctor John McDonald at Washington University of Science.
Breathes On His Own
In the last months, Christopher Reeve's health has dramatically increased. Besides his motion and feeling abilities, he can breathe on his own for one and a half hour. He is grateful of the progress and says the best thing is that he can feel the hugs from his wife Dana and his three children.
- To feel the smallest touch is truly a gift, he says in the coming issue of People Weekly.
Reeve also mentions that he can feel needle stings over large parts of his body, make difference between warm and cold and sharp and blunt.
But the treatment hasn't been free. His muscle stimulation and special training has cost the 49 year old movie star more than 2,5 million per year (not sure if that's 2,5 million swedish crowns or USD). The costs has partly been covered by his insurance and partly by collections made by his friends in Hollywood."
So, to me, Superman will still be the only super man to me, especially after reading this.
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According to this article at Superhero Hype, the Reeves thing is just a rumor and not actually true--though all the article really has is hearsay, so it's hard to say whether it is or not. There's a an interview with Brett Ratner in Latino Review, where he mentions he wants Anthony Hopkins for Jor-El, but he doesn't mention Keanu there.
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
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Keaton might not have been the best choice for Batman, but the producers quickly remedied their mistake by casting a couple of even-worse actors for the role, Val Kilmer and George Clooney both sucked really bad as Batman. While I'm at it, I think the series also went to hell when they took Tim Burton off; Schumacher's visual style is completely opposite to the great, dark atmosphere Burton had created on the first two films.
If he takes the part, that will be the third actor named Reeve(s) playing the role of Superman. Kind of bizarre...
George Reeves (TV Series)
Christopher Reeve (Movie)
Keanu Reeve (Movie)
Heck, if you're going for the original 'Superman', you could probably tie in Steve Reeves as Hercules.
That's a whole lotta Reeve's
Superman: Woah... Lois, I know kung-fu.
Lois: Show me.
I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.
George Reeves, the first TV superman, committed suicide.
Christopher Reeve is paralyzed.
Hope Keanu has better luck.
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Has there ever been an actor who has ruined a movie so horribly and so single handedly as Keanu ruined Francis Ford Coppala's Dracula?
"Like, take off, your Royal Vampire Dude!"
The only other that comes close is perhaps FFC's daughter in Godfather 3, but that's only a marginal possibility.
Keanu excels at goofy/surfery types. He was great in Rivers' Edge, Bill & Ted and My Own Private Idaho. He even managed to pull off drama.
I don't know about Superman; I mean Supe's so bland even Andie MacDowell could play him.
As long as they turn Krypton into Planet Malibu where everybody uses anti-grav surfboards as personal transportation devices, then he won't have to give up his accent and he might be able to concentrate on acting.
Where the hell did he get that accent anyway? He grew up in Suburban Toronto, ferchrissake!
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Then again, that's what everyone said about Tobey McGuire as Spiderman.
According the rumors, the script does the whole origin story. Keanu might be a good fit for a Superman just starting out.
Well, Whoa-man is probably at least better than Nicolas Cage, who was previously on board the project.
http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/superman5.ht ml
Cheers
-b
Ok. Here goes...
Keanu Reeves is a pretty good actor, so long as he's in a cyberpunk movie. Most of my friends and I agree that the man has no talent outside of this realm (Think Don John in Much Ado About Nothing). However, when placed in the Matrix, or Jonnie Mnemonic, he actually does a pretty good job. The reason is simple. He's adept at playing spacy young iconoclasts, which pretty much describes every cyberpunk role he's had.
Of course, this means he's going to completely fuck up the role of Superman.
Offtopic: Keaton was the best fucking batman EVER. Possibly the best cast superhero ever, though I'm rooting for Nick Cage to kick his ass in the upcoming Ghost Rider. (Who else would you pick as better? Dolf Lundgren in The Punisher? LMFAO).
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
The role of Superman does indeed seem to be a stretch for Keanu; "I can fly, dude! Excellent!"
However, is anyone familiar with the movie Little Buddha?? For those of you not tainted by viewing this flick (God help the rest of us), Keanu played the Buddha... Even having watched it myself, It's hard to imagine the seat of Eastern wisdom being portrayed by the same actor who I cannot disconnect from the Bill & Ted movies (Keanu's best work, in my opinion).
No matter how dopey-dudalicious he is playing Superman, it cannot compare in terms of pure cheek-biting evil.
Tank! Load the fly program!
"I know kung-fu!"
"For the last time, no you don't."
"The meek shall inherit the earth, the rest of us shall go to the stars." Isaac Asimov
He was just twisted enough, as played by Keaton, to be plausible. I'd much rather see a messed up, dark, brooding person as Batman than someone whose most popular role was as an elvis-alike...
IBM had PL/1, with syntax worse than JOSS,
And everywhere the language went, it was a total loss...
http://www.latinoreview.com/moviereviews/2002/redd ragon/brettratner.html
Latino Review is a quite reputable source of film info (as reliable as online sources get, at least). They have a brief interview with Brett Ratner and Anthony Hopkins (both much more probably attached than Keanu, as of yesterday), and in the course of it deny the Keanu rumour.
-spc
Wait hear me out. Look at the history of the role. Every actor who has played The Man of Steel has fallen. The part is cursed. Let's see George shot himself, Christopher broke his neck, We could be rid of Keanu for good.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
This is awesome. Time to stock up on weed.
What makes Keanu a worse actor than say Sean Connery? As near as I can tell, what most people mean when they say he can't act is that he has a particular style that tends to come through no matter the role. That's definitely true of Sean, and he's one of the world's favorites. I'm really curious, because I think he's done a good job in a wide variety of roles.
Actually, it turns out none of these actors can fly. It's done with wires attached to the actor. So Christopher Reeve can still do the job and fly as well as any of the others. They can leave the wires on to do other things, such as walking, and he would still be a better actor than almost anyone in those Batman movies (other than Keaton)
Remember Christopher Reeve doing the "Hey Superman is drunk!" sequence?
To Keanu's credit is his work in "The Gift", he was spot on in that role and not a "Whoa" in sight.
is that they are trying to keep the Reeve[s] => Superman trend alive.
i.e.:
George Reeves => old Superman B&W show
Christopher Reeve => Superman moves we know and love.
Keanu Reeves => now.
I guess it makes the decision for who to star easier on the producers.
This post was generated by a Cadre of Uber Monkeys for Monkey-Man2000 (603495).
Why not Dean Cain respising the role of Superman? Dean Cain did an excellent job, IMHO, on TV.
"Don't mind me cutting myself on Occam's Razor"
Superman: "whoaaaaaaaaa" (in a grimacing about to die way)
If I were Keanu I would be veeery leary of taking on this role:
George Reeves committed suicide (or was murdered);
Christopher Reeves became paralyzed;
Reeve(s)-Superman is statistically a cursed combination;->
Indeed, any actor should probably stay clear of this one...
Best
Samawi
I second that!!!!
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You must be a complete moron!
Keaton was the only batman I could take seriously, most of the other batmans were seriously pitiful.
[wil@hollywood]$ mv /actor/unemployed/wil.wheaton /actor/rich/famous/wil.reeves
Nah, Hollywood would auto stereotype him as a jive talking, white man joke cracking pimp.
Even the ugly mutant guy from The Goonies who pretends to be Superman would be better.
One word: Putty
batman was never supposed to be a superhero. he was meant to be the anti-hero in ways much more apparent (and believable) than any other comic... no superpowers; just drive, revenge, money, and ingenuity. the latter movies simply tried to pull off batman as being a gadget pimp without a care in the world... which just doesn't work when people know otherwise. keaton managed to convince us that there was a method to the madness, and a purpose to the gadgets, while kilmer and clooney's versions put the gadgets in because they were cool and the killing in because he 'had to'. come on! the whole reason batman goes after the joker is because he wants revenge... he's pissed and he wants the smiling face on a platter... there was no 'had to' there... he could have just been a worthless playboy, but he had a reason.
you can say that the cinematics are incredible in today's movies, but you'll never convince me that a movie without believable motive is anything more than a waste of time.
Adam West would have made a better Superman than Batman. He played a campy do-gooder. The only edge he had was playing a good strategist and detective, but that's not something you have time for in a movie. Remember, Batman was a psychotic vigilante who had a nearly split personality.
The Batman that Adam West portrayed was the neutered Batman of that 1950's. That was not Batman. That Batman didn't even hav a dark side, let alone the borderline personality.
BlackGriffen
AFAIK, they're just using traditional techniques on him (unless hes getting some sort of experimental neuron growth factor on the side), it's just that he can afford nearly constant therapy. It's the power of a fat wad of cash.
BlackGriffen
Keanu already took A Walk in the Clouds before and it was terrible! What idiot thought that having him take a flight through the clouds would be better? :]
noone suggest Wil Wheaton.
Everyone's talking about the Reeve(s) that have played Superman, what about Kirk Alyn? He played Superman in the 1948-1950 serials. I met him in '92 or '93 in Dallas and got his autograph. I had a nice conversation with him about the making of the old serials. He also played "Blackhawk".
Does this mean that Keanu will be subject to the Superman curse if he accepts the role? His last name does maintain the pattern.
Christopher Reeve - Quadriplegic
George Reeves - Suicide
Keanu Reeves - ???
Anonymous Coward wrote:
>
Speaking of the consummate Superman, here's some good news about Christopher Reeve.
We're talking about Hollywood here. They don't give a damn about such extraneous things as "character depth" or "plot development," all they want are what they consider to be sex symbols running around in skin-tight outfits. It's what brings in the money.
If you want a decent Superman, turn on Cartoon Network. You should know better by now to seek him at the movie theaters.
Keaton portrayed someone who was damaged. You could see in him someone who was uncomfortable dealing with the niceties of his high society surroundings, someone who knew that there was a dark thing writhing in the city that could only be fought against by something equally dark. The other players of Batman treated him as a one dimensional heroic figure.
I thought the first Batman movie was excellent. If only Jack had been 20 years younger he would have been the perfect Joker. He still pulled off a fine job.
The second movie introduced some nearly over-the-top performances (Danny DeVito and Christopher Walken) that seemed to give permission to the people who produced the next couple of movies to return to the campiness of the television series. The formula that is the theme of Batman (person is emotionally and physically wounded, person puts on a mask and exacts revenge on the rest of the world) is made truely formulamatic in the last few films. Tim Burton realized that such a formula could be made into camp unless you had actors with depth who could flesh out the struggle of dual persona. That is where Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Michelle Pfeiffer succeeded.
The Moore-Murphy Law: The number of things that will go wrong will double every 2 years.
Keanu Reeves is a pretty good actor, so long as he's in a cyberpunk movie. Most of my friends and I agree that the man has no talent outside of this realm (Think Don John in Much Ado About Nothing).
Actually, Don John is supposed to be a wooden, one-sided character. I thought Keanu was particularly apt at portraying him. In all seriousness, though, I think you're right about what roles Keanu is good for, though he might surprise us if he portrays Superman. Right now, though, I have a tough time picturing him in red and blue tights...
Okay... to much to fast. First off, Keaton was good as Batman, way cooler than Clooney... I mean for God's sake, why.... why!!! As for Keanu as Superman, I think I'm going to hurt myself... Now Tobey was great as Spiderman and all but Superman would better be played by an animated gif file... I think Warner Bros. has been spending to much time on Smallville.
i've said this before and i'll say it again. the next superman can only be Bruce Campbell.
no arguements.
there is no equal.
keanu reeves????? wtf??????
He was not born in the U.S. Heck, he was not born on earth. You can't really call him a white man because he is not a "man", in the human sense.
The Moore-Murphy Law: The number of things that will go wrong will double every 2 years.
Instead, I think they should use Chris Klein.
Mordor...a magical, mythical land where women are more rare than dragons--but where every man would rather find a dragon
Ummmm... Adam West was Batman!
Pow! Zap! Bif!
Buying a Dell computer is equivalent to dropping the soap in a prison shower.
Can't wait to see Supermangiving a blowjob!!!
That would be both Steve from the early TV show, and Chris, from the movies. There was a similar stink, if I remember, about Chris being chosen for his last name, as well. I believe Steve committed suicide during Superman's television heyday
Put identity in the browser.
Gee... why not...
Rick Moranis?
Or... Sean Connery?
Or... Bob Saget?
Seriously, they'd be better suited.
-----
Christopher Reeve regained some movement. Someone must put a stop to this nonsense. Better him than any of us, I say.
I'm surprised they didn't cast Jim Carrey (he sells tickets right?)
BTW Val Kilmer was a mistake, Keaton was great
Apparently, Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 1 & 2, Red Dragon) is the director (groan), and he says ix-ne on the eanu-ke. Or so they say here:
d ragon/brettratner.html
http://www.latinoreview.com/moviereviews/2002/red
It's Christopher Reeve, but the point I want to make is...
George Reeves shot and killed (suicide?) under dubious circumstances.
Christopher Reeve is paralyzed from the neck down (well until recently it seems).
Keanu would be well advised to stay away
No sig for you!!
If you want to see Christopher Reeve in a very different sort of role, check out the made-for-TV movie "Bump in the Night" -- I won't spoil it for you since much of the enjoyment lies in working out who is really up to what (ignore the utterly inaccurate blurb at http://us.imdb.com/Title?0101520) but let's just say you'll be totally shocked. I'd never been particularly impressed with Reeve as an *actor* (other than Superman, where he fit the role like he was made for it), but "Bump in the Night" showed what he could really do with a complex role that involved a lot of subtly-dark character development. His character was SO utterly believable that I found myself wondering what had happened to him as a child, to make him turn out how he did. It had *reality*.
[Must have been some good directing job, too. This film also has the best work I've seen from Wings Hauser, another actor whose previous work was merely "okay".]
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Neo is not Superman. Ratner is directing. Hopkins is Jor-El.
Worst Superman EVER!
Too bad that Sam Jackson's carreer has gotten to where it's at. It's a shame that he no longer gets leading roles in movies. He is such a great actor, and it's such a waste for him to pittle his time away on parts as supporting acts. He should be up there with Robyn Williams (One of the best actors on earth. He's a believable comic, as well as a believable murderer...)
--Forest C. Adcock--
(For Reference)
Wil "Wheaton" Reeves as Superman
Patrick "Stewart" Brando as Jor-el
Brent "Spiner" Hackman as Lex Luther
Jonathan "Frakes" Beatty as Otis
Margot "Marina Sirtis" Kidder as Lois Lane.
Yes Mr. Reeves, most of us would pay to see that.
/^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
Remember that when the guy said 'Superman' was white what he really meant was 'Christopher Reeve' was white.
Reeve is the standard. Period. That is the reason that deviation from that type of actor could possibly seem strange - not because of some racial issue.
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Johnny Mnemonic
'nuff said
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Micheal Keaton? Oh common. I thought he did a great job. Light years better than, say, George Clooney. But Keanu Reeves? He plays the naive clueless part pretty well, but beyond that is a bit of a stretch...
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I thought he made a great SuperMan. Alright, so he has suffered a mild setback but you know... he's SuperMan... and it's probably just an act to hide his secret identity anyway.
And even if he were actually a mortal human, I'm sure there's enough Hollywood effects out there to fix that little problem.
Damn... that was tasteless... I think I shouldn't click "submit..."
CBG: Egad! A maniac cutting a swath of destruction. This is a job for the Green Lantern, Thundra, or possibly... Ghost Rider!
Otto: What about Superman?
CBG: Oh please...
Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
Keaton was a fantastic Batman, and if they make another taking place after the last 2 crappy ones, it better be him as Bats. As far as Superman goes, Dean Cain looked the part...but was just kinda...well...eh...I guess I really can't think of a good Supes...open casting call is the best way to go in my opinion. Surely someone will come along. If you ask me, an unknown would work best. As long as they don't get a hayden whatsisname kinda guy. But I kinda like Ratner...I personally think the two rush hour movies were well worth the 7 bucks. Basically...don't get all in a huff over this people...I don't think it'll turn out that bad. But we won't know till it's done I guess will we?
I remember when Tim Burton first announced that Michael Keaton was going to play Batman -- "there's something in his eyes," he said -- and the fanboy crowd went ballistic. They shouted that Batman wasn't Mr. Mom, and that Burton had ruined the one comic book movie that fans had been waiting their whole lives for.
Now, a decade later, nearly every post says Keaton was the definitive Batman, and all the other actors (who at first blush seemed to be perfect Batman types) were the ones who ruined the franchise.
Michael Keaton's gotta be proud. He played a legendary character no one thought he could pull off, and then walked away from it, so everyone could see just how tough the job actually was. Now he's doing, what, Jack Frost II? Hollywood oughtta make him Perry White, Clark Kent's editor, in the new Superman pic. They owe him.
FWIW, I don't think we've seen the definitive Superman performance yet. Chris Reeve's Clark Kent was too buffoonish, his Superman too milquetoast. If Batman is supposed to have gone off the deep end because his parents were killed, how much more insane would losing your parents, your species, and your entire planet make you? Superman's a fascinating character, in his own way at least as flawed as Batman. I hope Hollywood can find an actor who can give as much to Superman's character as Keaton did to Batman.
(I should say that I have nothing but respect for Chris Reeve as an actor and human being. Superman is fantasy; Chris is real, and through his tireless advocacy and fundraising he may ultimately be responsible for saving more lives than his comicbook counterpart.)
He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.
I guess real men just don't like wearing tights
Well if wearing tights is the problem, what about Cary Elwes?
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
..a few more years until the current cast of Smallville is old enough to be convincing in the parts. (Which shouldn't be long, they're a little old for the parts now -- but it's still an enjoyable show.)
;)
Although I'm curious about how and when Chloe Sullivan changes her name to Lois Lane.
-- Alastair
Alec Trebek [Will Ferrel]: No, you're not.
Keanu Reeves [Toby Maguire(Spiderman): I know Kung Fu
Alec Trebek [Will Ferrel]: No, you don't.
0110100100100000011000010110110100100000011000100
This New York Times story (free registration required, someone else post the no-reg link, yadda yadda) chronicles the squabble between two Warner execs, one of whom wanted to do the darker Batman vs. Superman movie, the other who wanted to do a lighter, more feel-good trilogy of Superman movies instead.
Frankly, I think they should put Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, the geniuses behind the animated Batman/Superman/Batman Beyond/Justice League, in the driver's seat. They've done a wonderful job of reinventing the characters for animation.
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
I can agree from first-hand experience.
;), and on the mornings that I wake up with knee pain, it usually takes me a couple of minutes to realize that it's the "good" knee! It's almost like they rebuilt the bad one better than the original. :)
I went to University on a rugby scholarship, and played for years. In '97 I had what is commonly reffered to as a "carreer-ending injury" where my right knee was dislocated by about 5 inches, quite effectively ripping 3/4 of the ligaments in my knee completely apart, and severing the nerve that services the lower right side of my leg and all the muscles on the top of my right foot.
I went to the hospital, had it examined, and was told that it was a sprain... "don't worry about it, come back in a week if it's still bugging you".
One week later, I still couldn't lift my foot or feel anything in my leg. So, I went to a specialist.
Long story short, it was one of the "cleanest" (as in no blood, it was as if it was surgically damaged) and most destructive knee injuries they've ever seen. The nerve damage was too old to repair, and after many visits to many neurosurgeons, they all agreed that I'd be lucky to regain 60% usage in 10 years.
Now, I was a pretty active guy... mountain biking every day, rugby 4 times a week, gymn twice a day, so I was in pretty good shape.
They gave me these rehab "protocols" that must have been written for couch-sitting housewives..."the 4 week goal is to bend the knee 25 degrees with minimal pain". Give me a break! I'd done that in 2 days! I threw them away and proceded to do what I could on my own... completing 6 months of protocols in about 3 weeks. The physio guys were blown away, and while concerned, couldn't see anything bad happening. I continued mountain biking, walked to exhaustion, always pushing myself but not to the point of further damage. I was wearing out the "protective" brace every 3 weeks and having to have it replaced (which they said I'd have to wear for the rest of my life, BTW).
I should take a second here to really thank my orthopedic surgeon (Dr. Ross!)... he took the time to show me how to perform basic examinations on my knee and leg, teaching me the signs to look for, and allowing me to monitor my progress. It really helped me guage the amount of exertion I could apply and when I should stop. It was REALLY refreshing to NOT get the whole "well, you're not a doctor, so you wouldn't understand, so I'm not going to teach you" attitude.
After a year and a half, I'd regained a LOT of use of the damaged nerves... I still remember the day that I could lift my foot up for the first time (the guys at work thought I was nuts when I started jumping around and yelling and screaming!).
3 years and 4 knee surgeries after the injury, I could run somewhat normally on the knee (I was never a great runner to begin with!), was practicing rugby, mountain biking normally, and playing other sports... all without the brace. The biggest damage I had was psychological.
I went back to the neurosurgeons who initially examined me, and said "hey, can you retest me?" and they were quite shocked to see that I'd recovered to be about 90-95% of what is normal.
Now, I am what I consider to be 100% recovered; same weights in the gymn, playing rugby again without a brace (not as competitive, but I'm old and lazy now
So, at the end of the day, and after doing a LOT of research on my own in the local medical libraries, I found that neurologists really don't understand SQUAT about nerve regeneration, and I tend not to believe any limitations they want to put on them. I threw away their advice of relying on a brace for the rest of my life and "taking it easy", and I'm glad I did.
$0.02 (CDN)
Ahh yes, the *real* Batman :-) With a *real* beer-belly and the Bat Anti Shark Spray.
Oh does memories come floating in now, he couldn't get poisoned because he consumed 12 takings of milk every morning! Maybe it was a milk-belly.
I was delighted with the first Batman, and although Keaton didn't have the face for Bruce Wayne, he did a marvelous job of acting
I remember reading an interview with him at the time, and he was kind of fed up with all the critisizm that he didn't look the part. He said something to effect that if they wanted a square jaw for the cowl they could have gotten Lenno.
That being said this was the first time I'd seen Keaton departing from comedy roles, so it's understandable that he could pull of a surprisingly good performance. Keanu, on the other hands has shown himself to be a wooden actor... On the other hand, for comic characters, Supes is a bit wooden, so maybe it'll work out. I'll keep an open mind. But you know, the kid who plays Clark on Smallvill doesn't do a bad job (considering the lame, overly propagandistic, poorly thought out scripts they give him). I think he'd be a better choice.
Yeah, I think we all have fond memories of Christopher Reeve as Superman. Oddly enough, what I remember as good about his portrayal, was how well he did Clark and the bumbling doofus act. It was just so sweet and charming. And then the shift when he pulled his glasses down a couple inches... If I was gay, that would definately get me going...
Back to the point: He did Okay in matrix, because it wasn't a very demanding role. It may be that Superman can be crafted to fit him okay. But I think I'll miss the bungling clark (he was lost in the last revision of superman I read through. Has he come back, does anyone know? My casual perusal of superman says no but maybe I'm wrong.
Oh and a question: Didn't I read somewhere that the copyrights went back to the Siegel family? Are there any non Warner implementations of Superman in the pipes, or what's the story?
and will Jerry Siegels curse still apply? Is that what happened to Christopher Reeves? If you don't know about jerry's curse it's in the article, here's the quote:
Perhaps it's the curse coming to play in the selection of Keanu Reeves! Perhaps that's what happened with Superman IV!I think the Ubermensch was better off as Aryan.
what's the half life?
Syntax error: loose != lose, affect != effect, then!=than
Superman was a starmaker role for Christopher Reeve, and I think they need to get an unknown for the next film.
I also thought the "Death of Superman" storyline sucked. I'm glad they ditched it. Keven Smith was on record saying that the studio has been preasuring him to make many stupid changes to the story.
The "Bats vs. Supes" story sounded like a mess. All involved should count themselves lucky that the film didn't get made.
Warner Bros. should be patient and do this right instead of competing with Hulk, Daredevil, Spiderman II, X-Men II. If they rush Superman it will suck and they will ruin it they way they ruined Batman.
IF they were smart enough, which they've proven in teh last 10 years they are NOT, they would use the current Smallville actor for Superman, Tom Welling!! Yes I know it's a show geared for teenagers, but it really is a pretty damn good show (ok....Kristen Kreuk is HOT too!!!). But he really does pull off that nice mid-american farmboy bit quite well.....and I think the ladies out there would appreciate a fresh face on the big screen....not just actor who isn't quite that good or is ready for the scrap heap of actor has-beens!!
He doesn't look like a teenager (which is one of the flaws of the Smallville show), he's got good size (While Reeves was a GREAT yet skinny Superman, we don't need another). And he WON'T use the phrase "whoa" or "dude" !!
My 2 cents !!!
By the way ...anyone got any screen grabs of Kristen in that red lacy thong item she had on in the pool scene a while back......Hubba Hubba.....nung nung nung....woo woo woo!! :-)
There have been a lot of questions to the effect of 'what makes Sean Connery better than Keanu.'
When you see a really bad actor on the screen, there are two possibille explanations for his or her bad acting.
The first -- and regrettably, the most common -- is bad directing and/or a bad script (okay, that's a reason and a half). Most would agree that Jeremy Irons is a fantastic actor, and yet he did 'Dungeons and Dragons.' I don't know how anyone could've made that role succeed. Sometimes actors just have to crap out lines. Some directors view that as being our job; stand where I tell you, say the line how I tell you. It happens.
Other actors are simply limited in range. Remember that professional acting is a very difficult business, with around 75-80% of actors out of work at any given time. Even when you land a great part, not only do you not want to be known for just one part, but that one job isn't going to make your career if you never get any other jobs after it. There are a few examples of actors who have made careers out of one role (Shatner), but still others who have kept their dynamic edge and jump on new opportunities in spite of sometimes being known for just one part -- look at Patrick Stewart. Anyone who only knows him as Pickard has never really seen his best stuff.
Keanu Reeves seems to me the sort of actor who enjoys a successful career and seems less concerned with the art. This is an observation but not a criticism. The decision to become a professional actor is not an easy one, as it is difficult (if not impossible) to maintain long-term relationships and/or a family when you're in the business. He has found his niche. He gets work. People gripe about him, and I personally think he has the same approach to every one of his characters, but I have to respect the man for succeeding in a business where it's hard to even get by.
Incidentally, and this is me soapboxing now, my favorite movie actors are almost always the ones who have done or still do an enormous amount of work on the stage (Derek Jacobi, Anthony Hopkins, et cetera). Reeves wouldn't survive ten minutes on a stage with the likes of them. But I don't think he cares.
That's a great story, and just goes to show -- yeah, doctors tend to believe what's in the books more than what they can see with their own eyes. And clearly in your case, stimulus was the key as well.
They should already KNOW that nerves can regrow, since one of the chronic problems with amputee patients is nerves growing right out of the end of the stump, probably in response to "phantom limb syndrome".
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Good, bad... I'm the guy with the heat vision.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
So now Superman will say "Excellent!" If they want to follow in the tradition of the Batman movies and have a different Superman for each one they can use these actors in no particular order: John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey, and Christian Bales.
"You'll get nothing, and you'll like it!"
At least he LOOKED like Superman...
Part of the Clark Kent persona is, even if the guy looks a little like Superman and maybe even sounds a little like him, you have to come off thinking, "No way could this yutz be Superman."
:)
I've always thought that Clark's best disguise wasn't that he was clownish or incompetent, but that he was simply too button-down and square for anyone to consider the possibility that he's Superman. In my mind, Clark Kent is an echo of the NASA engineers of 60s -- just a little more buff, and with a slightly better haircut.
One of the fascinating things about the Superman character is that Clark's job is a mental one. He chose the one profession his super-powers wouldn't allow him to fake competence in. I don't think I've ever read a take on Superman which focused on him as a writer.
Chris Reeve's performance as Clark Kent/Superman was amusing and enjoyable. Clark was fun in a Vaudevillian sort of way. But since they've already done it that way once, I'd like to see them treat Supes differently this time around; make him as real as they can make a super-powered flying x-ray visioned cape-wearing alien from outer space.
He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.
Keanu never shows any emotional range, he always falls back on the same facial expressions (the dumb ted theodore logan smile from Bill and Ted) and the open mouthed half smile "whoa" from the replacements, the matrix, and sweet november. he's never ever shown any convincing emotion or thought. his body type does not fit the role and his accent/manner of speech does not fit the character of superman (who was a farmboy, not a surfer). Sean connery, while he does speak in a scottish accent, has a wide range of emotions and mannerisms, and understands the ideas of drama much better. your question is like saying "both Brittney Spears and Beethoven made music, so why is it you can argue she isn't on his level?"
I always thought that Henry Rollins (from Black Flag and Rollins Band) would make an awesome Superman. He looks the part, as both Clark and Supes, and he is an actor. Ok, not a brilliant actor, but then they're thinking of casting Keanu...
As for Batman, Alec Baldwin is Bruce Wayne. I don't think he'd be able to pull of Batman however.
You have a point, he does a lot of "angry young man" roles, but never anything with the range of, say, Robin Williams (though that's a hard act to follow). I did think he was great in Devil's Advocate, but again, he's playing his character. And I agree, Superman isn't for him. Now give Tom Welling a few more years as Superboy and then a few years to age into the role...
I completely agree (see my earlier post). The Lex Luthor character is great too -- he brings complexity to the role that was missing from the Superman movies. (In the original comics, Lex had been a boyhood friend of Superboy (don't recall about Kent), until Lex lost his hair which he blamed Superboy for. (It was a lab accident, in the process of putting out the fire, Superboy causes a chemical spill that affects Luthor. -- The modified backstory in Smallville is superior, IMHO.)
As for the show being geared for teenagers -- maybe so, but some of us old fogeys like it too. Good story lines (although for a while the "human is exposed to kryptonite, gets wierd powers, goes berserk" was being overdone) and good filmmaking go a long way. (And you gotta love all those foreshadowing jokes.)
-- Alastair
In my opinion Keaton was excellent in Batman. True, he could have had a bit more muscle-mass, but otherwise, he made a pretty believable Bruce Wayne.
I love how everyone likes superman so much. It makes me warm to know that a canadian invented something so american =)
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
your question is like saying "both Brittney Spears and Beethoven made music
I just want to point out that Britney merely performs, whereas Beethoven *created* music.
But I see your point. You can't compare classical composers to the assembly line schmucks that pump out pop crap for idiots and whores to perform.
I thought Keaton was the best one of the big screen versions!! Especially as Wayne.
Original Superman actor: George Reeves 1970s Superman actor: Christopher Reeve Current Superman actor: Keanu Reeves Notice anything creepy about this?
Thanks for telling me the ending, now I'll NEVER see it!
we are building a religion
a limited edition
we are now accepting callers
for these pendant key chains
I mean, c'mon, Superman is all about the chin...
Granted, I like Keaton best as batman - but both Clooney and Kilmer did a decent batman (ignoring the scripts - the scripts for all batman movies after the second one have been sickeningly bad).
Batman back in the forties and fifties was, while still his "I am the night" bad-ass self, still sort of optomistic and good natured. Kilmer fit this quite well. Yes, Kilmer played Bruce Wayne as a playboy, but that would have been fine for a just-starting batman.
Batman of the fifties and sixties was a little sillier (as were all comics of the time) and sort of the leader of the "bat-pack" -- because all superheros had to have an army of side-kicks. Clooney did this pretty well.
And then - there's the Batman of the mid-to-late eighties. The original Robin has run out on him, his replacement Robin was murdered by the Joker and he really hates himself. Now - he's more Batman than Bruce Wayne - Wayne is just a thin veneer over his true self. Bruce Wayne is stretched thin and tired, and becoming transparent... Pretty soon, Batman will be all that's left. Keaton did this excellently.
What really makes me mad is this:
Joel Schumacher, in 1994 when he begins Batman Forever, has two options:
On the one hand he has a pile of work by Frank MIller and Walter Simonson, filled with panel after panel of a dark, gritty batman that has been selling like hotcakes for fifteen years or so (at least that *style* of batman, if not ALL their work)....
On the other hand, he has a laughable and ridiculous 1966 TV show starring Adam West's fat ass - that most of the world would like to forget. At least, everyone who grew up in the 80s reading batman comics and seeing Batman as part Sam Spade, part psycho, and all super hero....At least we didn't want to be confronted with Adam West's beer gut and patently stupid television show.
I just thank the Lord that Kevin Altieri and Kent Butterworth got it right with Batman:TAS. Damn - that was the best show on TV from '92-'95.
MOVIE EXECS: If you are reading this - take this as one lone hint that Batman SHOULD NOT be silly. Batman should be scary.
Which pill will they give him?
Donate background CPU time to fight cancer.
Keanu as Superman??? Some one is playing a game here... must be. This is just too choice and full of obvious Bill-Ted/Matrix one-liners!
Super: Dude, Lois, I like... got you babe.
Lois : Yeah but who's got you?!?
Super: Like nobody, duh, I can fly babe. Check it!
...
Super: You mean I'm actually a space-alien. Like with
little green antenae and stuff? Like, I could
jump over tall buildings and dodge bullets?
Ma Kent: No Clark, when you're ready you won't have to.
Super: Woah.
I suppose if this turns into a real movie it'll be okay as long as it's a super spoof ala the "Not another..." genre. IE: "Not another Super Hero movie!"
[signature]
This is the Christopher Reeve site where you get to send an e-card. As everybody I'm sure remembers, he promised that he'd walk before he was fifty. Well, that's coming up fast (the 25th, i think) and he can walk- but only underwater, where he doesn't have to carry his full weight. In the meantime, there's this: for every ecard sent, there's a dollar promised to the foundation he started.
If there's one thing that I love better than charity, it's charity with someone else's money.
"I'd say 'Have a good time,' but arson is still illegal.
OK, let's assume for a moment that they actually do get a real actor to play Superman. Face it, Keanu isn't Superman. The better question is, who would be Lex Luthor? Lois Lane? They have to do some better casting than just finding the right Man of Steel. Think about who helped out Keaton in Batman. We know that Spiderman wouldn't have been as good without the supporting cast, and the Matrix was ALL about the supporting cast.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
...thats its a plot to rid us of Keanue?
cool, its about time...
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
I'd sell my first born just to see that project get off the ground. They could use one of the better short stories to base the movie on:
Farley Phloog (The Golden Age Megaton Man) is teamed with Professor Rex (Rigid) and a group of teenage mutants, hence the flimsy excuse to cash in on a cultural phenomenon. Some idiot sets off The Collision Of All Conceivable Comic Book Universes At Once Wars which results in another half-hearted restoration of Megaton Man. But wait--Clarissa James has an origin herself and becomes Ms. Megaton Man, and everyone wonders if it might not be because she'd been sleeping with Yarn Man!
Oh this moview would be packed with goody goodness and Keaneu would be perfect in the role!
First off, Keaton was a great Batman, mostly because he was able to portray a little relized fact about Batman.
Bruce wayne is a persona of batman, not the other way around. Batman is, after all, insane, but he's are kind of insane..
Now on with the Superman story.
"Like lois, look out, the Lex dude has a gun"
This will be horrible.
OTOH, maybe Superman will team up with Jimmy Olsen, and travel through time to become the greatest band of all time! oh, and put George Carlin in someplace.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
He has this redidculous sense of confidence, that seems almost superhuman.
IMHO, Keaton was very much miscast, in that Batman/Bruce Wayne is supposed to be tall, athletic and leading-man handsome, and Keaton really isn't any of the above. While Keaton turned in a professional performance (and I've never seen him be really bad in anything), he was a bad fit for the part. To make him look imposing, they had to put him in a ridiculous cumbersome bat-suit that practically turns him into an animatronic special effect, and it kills the movie. He can't even WALK RIGHT in the suit! He can't even move his head!
The best Batman was the animated Batman in Mask of the Phantasm, voiced by Kevin Conroy. He has the physical presence, can do all the action, and he even has a character and emotions. (Mask of the Phantasm also had Mark Hamill turning in a GREAT performance as the Joker.)
Jon Acheson
All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
if Hollywood wants to do them, let them... if they flop, they'll learn. There have been plenty of really good one-time movies out, and sequels make up a small percentage of new releases... the only complaints come from the people who didn't necessarily like the sequel, or think that because (applying that reason to other movies) a sequel was disappointing, the new one in question will also. Along with that there have been plenty of decent sequels as well.
There's no Hollywood conspiracy to milk us with sequels... there's no lack of directors with good taste and quality creativity... there's just people with a talent to speak up who happen not to like the idea of a sequel to a movie they either enjoyed or abhored...
To whet your appetite and un-brainwash yourself, go watch Meet Joe Black, Finding Forrester, Saving Private Ryan, Signs, Gladiator... Lord of the Rings (based on a novel, and a trilogy, not a series) plus many more medium to low-release indy films you can see at local smaller theatres... lots more fiction movies as well, if you're not up for well written action/fantasy/sci-fi/romance stories...
You just need patience to find the odd diamond in the rough when they come out.
Bruce Campbell.
Mordor...a magical, mythical land where women are more rare than dragons--but where every man would rather find a dragon
It's Nietzsche!
Neh, I don't respect the philosophy enough to spell the practitioners name correctly.
"Inattention makes clowns of us all" -Bean