Superman Returns
WhenSuperman Returnsflew into cinemas back in 2006 , it was the Man of Steel ’s first big screen outing in nearly 20 years . A quasi - sequel to the earlier celluloid dealership headlined by Christopher Reeve , Bryan Singer ’s movie – which starred Brandon Routh in the lead part , alongside Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor – receive broadly positive reviews , but underperformed at the box office staff .
Many assign this to the smash hit ’s two - and - a - one-half - hour runtime , coupled with its relatively small bit of action sequence – none of which involved a superpowered brawl . Detractors have also suggested that Singer ’s determination to setSuperman Returnsin a “ wispy continuity ” with the Reeve - era movies was a crucial mistake as well , confuse newcomers and serial fan alike .
Nevertheless , Superman Returns ’ reputation has better over the past 13 years . Fans have express special admiration for its close depiction of Superman , the warm performances by the cast , the breathless plane deliverance set piece , and Singer ’s respectful approach to the source material .
It ’s reliable that Singer and his squad incorporate legion reference work to Superman ’s cinematic bequest into their own film , particularlySuperman : The MovieandSuperman II.As you ’d expect , they also managed to sneak in several court to the Man of Tomorrow ’s X - long amusing book story , as well .
While some of these originative touches are light to find , others are so insidious it would ask Superman ’s celebrated X - Ray imaginativeness to spot them – which is why we ’ve pulled together this listing of20 Hidden Details In Superman return key Only Super Fans remark !
Adventures of Superman Cast Cameos
When it amount to Superman ’s modest screen exploits , most fans today likely grew up watchingLois & Clark : The New Adventures of SupermanorSmallville . But erstwhile followers of the Man of Steel will have fond memories of the 1950s seriesThe Adventures of Superman .
Superman Returnsboasts a couple of surprise for those audience member weened onAdventures : cameos by subsist cast membersNoel Neill and Jack Larson . Neill – who also played Lois Lane in two film series – portray Gertrude Vanderworth , while Larson has traded in Jimmy Olsen ’s camera to pull beers as Bo the Bartender .
Aquaman Appears (Kinda)
Long - prison term allies on the Sir Frederick Handley Page , Superman and Aquaman finally teamed - up on the prominent screen in 2017’sJustice League . But funnily enough , technically , this was n’t the first time the two superheroes shared a cinematic import together .
Eagle - eyed watcher will note that when the Last Son of Krypton visits his Logos Jason in his chamber near the goal ofSuperman Returns , the kid is wearingAquaman - print pyjamas . It ’s not exactly the most gripping crossing in cinematic history , but it ’s a cute nod to the strip all the same .
The Same Kryptonite Discovery Site
InSuperman : The Movie , the chunk of Kryptonite Lex Luthor employ to neutralise the Man of Steel originally landed in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . Considering thatSuperman Returnsis essentially a follow - up to that film , it does n’t do as a jolt that Luthor acquires more of the deadly green space stone from a similar beginning .
When the devious brainiac steals a meteorite sample distribution moderate Kryptonite from a Metropolis museum , close review ofthe accompanying labelreveals that it was recover from ( you suppose it ) Addis Ababa !
Super Scrabble
Superman ’s reaching inSuperman Returnsis befittingly dramatic : he barge in bring down his alien spaceship in the athletic field just outside the Kent farm in Smallville !
Just prior to this , his adopt mother Martha is shown playing Scrabble in the farmhouse livelihood room – and several of the watchword she ’s import outreference characters and construct fromSupermanlore .
While some of these are fairly broad – “ alienation ” is a idea that on a regular basis surfaces in the mythos , including inReturns – others are more specific , like a tip of the hat toSuperman IIvillain General Zod .
Recreating The Cover Of Action Comics #1
The screen ofAction Comics # 1 – the amusing book in which Superman made his debut right smart back in 1938 – is easily the most famous in comics story .
Featuring the Man of Tomorrow smashing a crew of hoodlums ’ car against a rocky outcropping , this image has been mimicked ( and parodied ) countless multiplication in the 81 years since the takings first hit shelves .
EvenSuperman Returnsgets in on the act , with the shot of Brandon Routh ’s Superman hefting Kitty Kowalski ’s car overheaddesigned to evoke this iconic visual .
Luthor’s Old School Prison Uniform
InSuperman Returns , the walls of the Daily Planet are lined with newspaper cover alluding to real and fictitious events in world history – including Lex Luthor ’s stoppage . In the photo of Luthor plastered on that screening , he ’s habilitate in an anachronous black-market - and - white striped convict turnout and not the orange prison uniform you ’d await an yard bird to be publish in 2006 .
There ’s a reason for this : Lex wear similarly dated jailhouse attire inSuperman II , so costume interior designer Louise Mingenbach is simply keeping in - step with make visual continuity .
Crew Member Cameos
It ’s not just actors from pastSupermanproductions who make cameo inSuperman Returns – several crew extremity also snip up in minor roles , too . Most prominently , screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris play the students muscled out of the museum by Luthor ’s oaf duringthe film ’s heist sequence .
Less obvious is production couturier Guy Hendrix Dyas , who can be concisely glimpsed portray a reporter reacting to the shock - waves shaking the Daily Planet building during the major Metropolis - based set firearm .
A Miniature Superman II Moment
One of the more ( in)famous moments inSuperman IIsees Kryptonian baddies General Zod , Ursa , and Non demolish sculpture on Mount Rushmore , interchange them with their own likeness . It ’s clearly a fit that allow an impression on Bryan Singer , as the director has include a nod to it inSuperman II .
Pay attention when Luthor ’s experimentdestroys the gear set – you ’ll notice that there ’s a mannikin Mount Rushmore overtake up in all the little - scale carnage . One of the faces on its tiny false - granite surface is destroyed , similar to how Zod and co. leave behind its full - sized counterpart .
Richard Branson’s Cameo
The Man of Steel formally arrive back on the picture inSuperman Returnswhen he comes to the aid of an imperiled commercial blank space trajectory .
It ’s a jaw - dangle action at law set piece – Superman not only has to rescue the rocket , but wrangle the jet airplane attached to it , too – so it ’s easy to overlook a wink - and - you’ll - miss - itcameo by Sir Richard Branson !
That ’s good : the billionaire entrepreneur ( and real - animation commercial-grade blank travel pioneer ) Branson place in a brief turn as a birdie engineer – a nice case of graphics imitating living .
Gotham Is Namechecked
In today ’s world of portion out cinematic universes , audience expect references explicitly linking unlike superhero films together . However , Superman Returnspredates this drift , and so there is n’t really any connection between it andBatman Begins , which premiere a yr earlier .
Even so , Bryan Singer still decide to pay lip overhaul to the Dark Knight in his Man of Steel outing , as a path of honoring the character ’ extensive shared history in the funnies . This small mention is dropped during the news report cover Superman ’s global do - gooding spree , whereGotham ( Batman ’s hometown ) is mentionedalongside other , literal - earth cities .
