Okay, lets take a look at these two polar extreme characters. One has a very charming personality and is genereally liked by the public. The other makes a point to use fear as a tool to get at his enemys and shake it up a bit. Known as an outlaw and a freak and sometimes an urban legend.One lives in a big bright city, known as Metropolis. The other lives in a dark damp cave underneath his glorious mansion on the outskirts of the rundown, rusting, roting city of Gotham. We haven't really touched too much on the chracter traits yet and I think I've already made a sort of point as too why Superman is always seen with a sort of golden light and why Batman is so dark. Things to keep in mind are the experiences they had growing up. Bruce Wayne actually watching his parents gunned down and being raised by somebody who was close enough to fill part of that void. Then ofcourse inheriting his familys fortune. The other, grew up believing he was human and was raised on a farm. until he finally seen the messages his parents sent him in his ship. They are completely opposite from one another. You got your Dark Knight and then you got you Golden Boy, or your boyscout. You want the same success with a superman story that was recieved from the Dark Knight. Well I would start by making the movie a polar opposite from the Dark Knight. That movie was a success because it didn't just capture Batman perfectly, but it demonstrated the relationship that Batman had with all those main characters. From the mentoring of Alfred, to his love for Rachel, to being the flipside of Harvey as Bruce and maybe even more so as Batman to Twoface, to the comradery of himself with Gordan. But most important of all was his relationship to the Joker. Heath Ledger said it best. This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object. You want Superman to have a successful film. Focus on Superman and what makes him Superman. He's a farmboy at heart, he an alien by nature and understands humans for what they are and only wishes to he could be so simple. Thats why he takes on the role of Superman. He protects what he loves and appreciates so much, which is life. I don't think you could properly convey that message by making him "dark".

Are you serious? Okay, hear me out. I'm gonna jump right in.
First of all, losing Routh would be such a waste, he was an excellent Superman, and more importantly a perfect Clark Kent. The success or failure of the film shouldn't be on his shoulders. Not to mention, a reboot is ridiculous. Everyone's looking to cash in after Dark Knight, but they won't be if Superman becomes a dark film. Superman is not a dark character, you'll lose your fan base. Think about the earlier Batman films. They got worse...and worse. And why? Because they went too light on the story and the character. Batman should be gritty. Batman is a vigilante, he's supposed to be in the shadows, he's not the public's hero. Superman is. He's EVERYONE'S hero. Truth, justice, the American way. THAT'S Superman. A bright blue suit and a big red cape, and yes, underwear as outerwear. THAT'S Superman. It shouldn't be campy, but it shouldn't be dark and disturbing either. Spiderman wasn't dark and disturbing, and I know the studio was pleased with the outcome of those pics. A dark reboot would ruin the movie, so good luck making money on that....You think people were displeased BEFORE?
Okay....the thing with Superman's kid? Dumb. Really dumb move. But to re-establish the character? It wasn't that bad a try, give Singer another shot. Now that he's brought the character back into public eye, let him take it from there. If it doesn't work about, maybe THEN think about other options. But either way, dark is not the way to go....unless you want a "straight-to-dvd" kind of picture. If that's the case, knock yourself out.

Superman IS NOT DARK! There's nothing wrong with dark if it works for the character like Batman, but Superman is different. He dresses in bright primary colors for a reason (red and blue not maroon and blue like the last movie). Superman doesn't brood, he doesn't sulk and he does not stalk his ex girlfriend (once again like the last movie). Superman is meant to inspire hope and hope is not dark!

See people are taking the thing of making Superman dark as he has to be a bad guy then. Was Batman the "bad guy" in TDK? No he only made himself look that way to Make Harvey Dent look that much more pure. So as for Superman going Dark I believe it could work. Those that have read Kingdom Come know what Im talking about. Supes wasn't Evil in that novel it explored the fact that he was the "Strongest most powerful being alive" And that in the end did that really make him god to say that I can choose whats right for you. So I say yes explore the Dark side of the Superman.

Maybe it's ok to have a DARK Superman..but its has to come along wif a good storyline..u jus can't show a dark Superman and expect me to accept..besides there isn't nothing dark abt him..look at him...he lives by the american way, that guy is more like and angel..too pure to be dark...anyway TDK was shown from a dark tone..coze the fellow wen thru lots of ****..u no need me to tell what they are..wat abt superman what was the worst thing that he lost..maybe he could be sad that his dad Jor-El sent him of to earth..thats the best i could think of.
Frankly..don bother with a Dark Superman..jus stick to the red and blue..

no no no no. period. I agree with the guy who said BIZZARO SUPERMAN.

The Dark Knight is DARK because his parents were murdered in front of him.

the idea that we have to explain this to someone shows that who ever asks this kind of question has no clue about comic books or Superman-

what they should do now is give the guy from the T.V. show SMALLVILLE his shot at becoming big blue!

Bryan Singer did an AWSOME job and made WB BILLIONS of dollars- what kind of BIZZARO world do we live in where you make money for a film and then get fired!!!

I could go on.... but there's no need.

DO NOT GO DARK ON SUPERMAN!

-jim cherry

Superman stands for the purity of the American way. If you taint that you taint everything that he stands for. If you want to make a Superman movie have a great story and good actors. Not the psyco stalker that was in Superman Returns. That was what you get when you go to a dark Superman.

there is no way possible to do a Dark Superman as you put it. Maybe if you were to use Bizarro Superman and have superman fighting him i can see that. But as far as being a Dark Superman then no. He stands for Truth, Justice, and the American way. To turn him evil would to turn the whole American way into a mockery

hello my name uis jerome,im 23 i live in germany and the us..i personaly think u should do a dark side to superman, why not? every superhero has a dark side or a dark time that they had evry super hero out there who grew up with that power has sometime in there life been reckless with it, come on u mean the all true blue american superman was good and holly all of his life come on!! superman had it just as much as any hero had...besides its personally reveals how human he has become over the years, it allows the audience to se a not so perfect side of him, just like u are me when we get angry or upset and caint have it are way,it makes him seem almost normal. not above us as tho he is a god of sorts...why not a superman who wants to enslave the human race are destroy and make a new kripton are something?..and dont do that whole gay bizzaro superman he is a classic but a little retarded if u know what i mean..u can contact me for further ideas are anything, got bunch of it..lol, at browndestiny73@yahoo.com

Batman+= dark Superman= light. Batman=day Superman=Night. Batman= fear, Superman = Inspiration These characters ar DIFFERENT.
They may have similar aims, but diferent motivations and methods. These differences are what gave the idea of a Batman\Superman movie so much intrigueing potential. Plaes see the "fan film" preview "World's Finest".
Trying to emphasize or create similarities is idiotic, and shows a fundamental lack of understanding of these two brilliant characters.

Again my vote is for Brandon Routh he IS NOW SUPERMAN!

Nope, Batman stands for the night and the dark, and the brooding.
Superman on the other hand stand for the day, the light ante the hope!
Maybe a little more action but keeping Supes honest to the nick of the Big Blue Boy Scout

Funny you should ask. After seeing last Superman movie, I had an idea to make Superman, himself, more intrinsically compelling, not so straight forward, boring.., as re that predictable respect in him THOUGH he is supposed to be THAT one steadfastest of superhero conveyors for what's right and good, the good fight, that's his thing, what people look up at him for...).

But indeed had an idea for that very essential theme of the Sequel (where Superman travels along a conflicted path off the expectable norm for him). A theme that can be summed up in a very few key words (in variations, that nutshell in 2 to 4 words, extra word versions add key nuanced distinctions).

Alas, shall keep that to myself, for now.

Regardless of the darkness, or deviations, atime, of a "darkened" Superman's journey, I feel that one envisioning this path would need to very carefully foster and thread underneath, within him, all along, the struggle of his essential goodness to vie, and, ultimately prevail.... .

My opinion, of box office, may or may not be a good way to go. All depends, how a deviated Superman is received.

But re intrinsic worth, essence of the Superman being maintained, feel one would need to tread very thoughtfully, and leave those good and right "lights" on, however dim atime, inside him, throughout in contention, bubbling underneath, and establish those principles as the ultimate steadfast values of his superhero soul, as for us to look up to and aspire.

My comment directly above.

im probably one of the biggest superman fans out there. so i know alot bout the struggle in the man of steel's mind...however there isnt an evil bone is the man's body. but because of those struggles he has his issues. now a great idea would to explore those issues and struggles through his everyday life. a good example is to tell the story of his life progressing the he would've always wanted ( like a family with lois). in the midst of his life he wanted to be like everyone else, but as a father and husband he kinda learns he's more human than he knows...conflicts between being superman and lois worryin as the world gets worst or being there for the important moments in his son's life instead of being superman. he has to put the world in front of his heart...something like this would display the torments in being superman ( the world's greatest superhero) and clark kent ( loving father and husband)...my email-cheverobinsonjr@yah oo.com

Go for it it'll be an awesome movie

Just not in this next movie. It should be more like the Kingdom Come setting where there is something to be dark about.

superman will have long black hair & a black n chrome costume.he will be da baddest SUP ever.

Bizzaro maybe, a red kryptonited superman