Man of Steel 2 Could Have Been Epic Thanks to Its Amazing Director

by

Summary

  • Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Superman was adored, but the DCEU faced challenges with behind-the-scenes drama.
  • Man of Steel 2 had Christopher McQuarrie lined up to direct, promising epic action and a unique take on Superman.
  • McQuarrie’s history with the Mission: Impossible franchise proves the director’s take on Man of Steel 2 could have helped the DCEU.

The director for Man of Steel 2, if he had been confirmed, might have rescued the franchise from its predicament. However, the DC Extended Universe encountered turbulence backstage, which influenced the mood of their subsequent superhero films. Man of Steel presented a more somber atmosphere, with actions that some viewers believed altered the hero, such as his handling of General Zod. This alternative portrayal provided a gritty Superman film that shaped the universe distinctively.

Although some people had criticisms towards “Man of Steel” and the DCEU, Henry Cavill’s performance as Superman was generally well-received due to his charisma and the strong affinity fans have for the character. Sadly, Cavill’s Superman didn’t get a proper opportunity to excel, as one movie focused on setting up his origins while subsequent films put him in underwhelming team-up situations. However, there were plans for “Man of Steel 2,” with a director who promised dynamic action and a renewed focus for the franchise.

Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel Kicked Off A Doomed Franchise

Zack Snyder was given the responsibility for establishing the overall mood for DC’s collection of superhero movies. Warner Bros. aimed to create a connected world of characters, similar to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The movie “Man of Steel” was the initial attempt in this endeavor, presenting DC’s main character Superman with a unique portrayal that aimed to make Clark Kent more relatable while adding genuine consequences to Superman’s actions. The reception to “Man of Steel” was divided, with fans generally appreciating it more than critics. Afterward, Snyder released “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” where Henry Cavill’s Superman faced off against Ben Affleck’s Batman, followed by a team-up with Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman to defeat Doomsday.

The movie Batman vs Superman met with criticism from its audience, despite making money. However, the fans were left unsatisfied with the final outcome. This unexpected backlash caused confusion for DC and Warner Bros., leading them to try addressing the perceived issues in BvS with their subsequent films. Unfortunately, the main challenge was that Justice League was already deep into production, leaving them with a costly task of fixing a top-tier superhero team. As a result, Zack Snyder stepped down and Joss Whedon took over for reshoots to make it coherent. However, the final product turned out to be an uninspiring blend that failed to please anyone.

In the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), films like James Wan’s “Aquaman” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” were shining moments. Yet, the universe faced too much turmoil that led to less successful movies such as “Black Adam” and “Shazam: Fury of the Gods,” which affected DC Comics properties significantly. A complete revamp followed, with James Gunn and his upcoming “Superman” movie marking the beginning of a new DC Universe. While Gunn is currently working on Superman’s return to the big screen, there had been plans for a “Man of Steel 2” before the DCEU underwent a fresh start. The new director’s interpretation of the character hinted at an exciting direction.

Christopher McQuarrie Was Set To Direct Henry Cavill’s Man Of Steel 2

Christopher McQuarrie is a well-known screenwriter who has written movies like “The Usual Suspects,” “Edge of Tomorrow,” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” He’s also recognized as one of the greatest action directors in cinema history, having written and directed the last four “Mission: Impossible” films that have redefined movie stunts. McQuarrie’s association with Man of Steel 2 was initially reported in 2018, but more details about his vision for Superman emerged during a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

I’ll never tell. I’ll never tell, but boy was it f***ing good. It was f***ing good.

It’s interesting to note that McQuarrie too envisioned a Green Lantern movie. His inspiration struck when he noticed similarities with Superman, which eventually led him to imagine what the sequel to ‘Man of Steel’ could have been like. During a discussion about Green Lantern, he expressed:

I figured out, it’s more important to focus on the character rather than the costume. How can we create tension and high stakes for this character? Additionally, I wonder how to achieve that with Superman.

Thanks to Cavill, McQuarrie was inspired:

Henry offered a unique perspective on the subject, and it struck me that these two characters shared striking resemblances. This parallelism not only fueled engaging conflicts, but also led to a breathtaking resolution that enriched the storyline significantly.

The director shared his ideas for the movie “Man of Steel,” surprisingly drawing inspiration from Pixar. To illustrate, he pointed out a scene similar to the wordless sequence in “Up” that conveyed a character’s emotions effectively. He further elaborated on this silent sequence and the grand scale of “Man of Steel 2.”

In this scenario, the movie would have revealed all of Superman’s hidden motivations, fears, and decision-making processes, making it an unforgettable masterpiece with a truly grandiose scope.

It’s been reported that McQuarrie was considered for a second chance at directing ‘Man of Steel’. Following an initial proposal that didn’t gain as much momentum as desired, the brief appearance of Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Black Adam’ sparked Warner Bros.’ renewed interest in McQuarrie to make the sequel work. Yet, it seems those plans never came to fruition, with Gunn taking charge of the DCU’s reboot instead.

McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible Success Proves His Man Of Steel 2 Could Have Helped The Franchise

For the past ten years, McQuarrie has been capturing Tom Cruise’s breath-taking, risky stunts for the Mission: Impossible series. He was the one directing when Cruise did a HALO jump, rode a motorcycle off a cliff, held his breath underwater for six minutes, and dangled from a helicopter. Moreover, McQuarrie is renowned for Mission: Impossible – Fallout, one of the franchise’s top-rated films. His latest sequel, The Final Reckoning, marks the end of the series with an incredibly intense stunt, featuring Cruise fighting on a plane’s wing and making a thrilling midair transfer between aircraft.

McQuarrie hinted that his vision for Man of Steel 2 would have been incredibly grand. To demonstrate this potential magnitude, he showcased it through the Mission: Impossible movies. While Superman stunts might have relied heavily on visual effects to minimize risky physical stunts, the Mission: Impossible series has demonstrated McQuarrie’s ability to go big, featuring awe-inspiring flight sequences and moments that audiences never thought possible. Regrettably, we won’t get to witness McQuarrie’s version of Man of Steel 2, but for an idea of the hero’s flying abilities, one need only look at Tom Cruise performing “wing walking” on a small plane over African skies, offering action thrills unlike any other director.

McQuarrie appears poised for a promising future, considering he’s already conceived the plot for Top Gun 3. Regrettably, his designs to contribute to the DCEU won’t materialize since James Gunn is overhauling the DCEU and its heroes. As a result, McQuarrie’s plans for Man of Steel 2 remain undisclosed. However, with Gunn’s revamped DCU accepting innovative concepts such as Mike Flanagan’s Clayface, there’s still a possibility that McQuarrie might get a chance to bring his DC concepts to life.

Read More

2025-06-06 00:06