DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Planning Black Superman Movie Reboot For DC Comics Icon! Will Michael B. Jordan Star? (Spoilers)
THR reports.
Acclaimed essayist and novelist Ta-Nehisi Coates has been hired to pen the script for a feature reboot of Superman that will be produced by J.J. Abrams.
“To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor,” said Coates in a statement to Shadow and Act, a website dedicated to the African diaspora in the arts. “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.”
“There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with the brilliant Mr. Coates to help bring that story to the big screen, and we’re beyond thankful to the team at Warner Bros. for the opportunity,” said J.J. Abrams in the statement to S&A.
According to sources, the project is being set up as a Black Superman story. This is something that the studio has been trying to wrap its head around for months, if not a year or two. Michael B. Jordan tried to develop a Black Superman project when he first arrived at the studio with his deal in 2019, but that did not go very far at the time, according to sources. It is possible that the studio could return to him to star down the line…
…This is the first DC feature known to be in development under Abrams’ expansive WarnerMedia deal, but he has several DC series in the works for streaming service HBO Max, including Justice League Dark and Constantine.
THR further reports.
…It’s too soon to count [Henry] Cavill’s Clark Kent out yet, as Coates and Abrams Superman seems to be something else entirely, an expansion of the mythos rather than a replacement. In the same way that Matt Reeves’ The Batman isn’t preventing Ben Affleck from reprising the role in The Flash, it seems this new Superman movie will ultimately be additive, allowing a range of visionaries to present their own take on these iconic characters all under the limitless potential of the multiverse. If anything, it seems we’ll be getting more Superman rather than less. And with this reboot, there is room to tackle something we’ve never seen onscreen before.
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that this new Superman project is aiming to star a Black Superman. It’s possible that this will be another version of Clark Kent, but more intriguing is the possibility that it will be either Calvin Ellis or Val-Zod, Supermen from within DC’s comic book multiverse. Calvin Ellis, created by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke first appeared in Final Crisis No. 7 (2009). Inspired by Barack Obama, this iteration of Superman is also President of the United States of America, and uses his superpowers to directly confront global politics, alongside his own iteration of the Justice League that includes Wonder Woman, Nubia. Val-Zod, created by Tom Taylor, Nicola Scott and Robson Rocha, first appeared in Earth 2 No. 19 (2014). The Superman of Earth 2, Val-Zod was adopted by Jor-El, and sent to Earth along with Kal-El. Raised by pacifist parents on Earth, Val became Superman when Darkseid’s forces invaded his planet.
Calvin Ellis, Val-Zod, or potentially someone new could certainly change certain notions about what Superman means, and how his power is perceived…
Interesting.
