Wachowski Bros + James McTiegue = Superman?

I've never been a major Superman fan for a number of reasons but that doesn't mean I didn't have my fun with Superman Returns. I thought it worked the first time around but then on DVD it just sucked because it got boring faster than a speeding bullet. And with the poor reception it received, there's no wonder why there hasn't been a follow-up to Superman Returns...until now.

Here's the condition of things: If they guys at Warner Bros. fail to churn out another Superman flick by the end of 2011, they no longer have the rights to the big boy in blue. That's right. The original creators (or their heirs) will then own Superman again and can damn well do anything they please with the character. Jerry Siegel and the Siegels can then sue Warner for damages and profits that they did not get from franchises like Smallville and all those animated Superman flicks. That's a court order. So what's the best way to make sure Superman doesn't zip away from the hands of Warner? Make another movie, of course! So now that the title is sizzling hot again, directors are being hunted down and Brandon Routh is biting his fingernails in pure anticipation.

Here's the interesting bit. IESB reports that Warner and the gang are in "serious talks" with the Wachowski Bros and their buddy of buddies, James McTiegue! That's right. The guys who brought us the awesomeness of the Matrix and made bullet-time cool before it was even considered a standard procedure in all action flicks may be the ones to helm the sequel to Superman Returns, currently titled The Man of Steel. The bigger possibility is that the bros will produce the flick while James directs it. James McTiegue has some pretty cool credentials himself considering directed V For Vendetta and the upcoming Ninja Assassin.

Fans and studios alike want Superman to follow in the steps of The Dark Knight and probably stand in that league, which is all good except for one major fact that's staring everyone right in the face; Superman doesn't do grit! Here's what Superman (the character) needs : Flaws. People want their heroes to have vices, flaws, and human pain. Superman needs more than just Kryptonite as a weakness. And a movie like Superman doesn't have to be dark and serious and gritty. It needs to be balls-out super CGI all over the place, colorful and epic fight scenes, large over-the-top scenarios and scenic landscapes; all done with so much tact that it skillfully avoids being cheesy. This is wishful thinking but he also needs to wear something a bit more contemporary...like black instead of blue and those ridiculous red trunks just have to go!

Anyway, if the Wachowskis are confirmed as the directors of the next Superman then I'm all in! These major comic fans know exactly what they're doing and we all know that they know how to blend story with extremely good visuals. It won't be long before we hear more news since I'm sure Warner Bros. doesn't want to let an asset as huge as Superman just drop out of their grip.