Current Events > The next Superman will be Black

(+) Yeah! (+)

New details have been revealed about the next Superman movie. The film is being written by Ta-Nehisi Coates and will be produced by JJ Abrams.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, DC and parent company Warner Bros are "committed" to hiring a Black director to helm the movie, which will feature a Black superman for the first time. Among the names that are being considered are Steven Caple Jr (Creed II), Regina King (One Night in Miami), Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah), and J.D. Dillard (Utopia, The Twilight Zone). While JJ Abrams is obviously a hugely successful director, THR's sources state it would be "tone-deaf" for Abrams himself to direct.

However, there's no news yet on who might play Superman himself. While Creed and Black Panther actor Michael B. Jordan was previously rumoured to be under consideration, he told THR that he wouldn't be taking on the role. "I'm flattered that people have me in that conversation," he said. "It's definitely a compliment, but I'm just watching on this one."

As for the movie's plot, Coates is reportedly writing an origin story that will see Kal-El arrive on Earth from Krypton. One idea being considered is that the movie is a "20th century period piece." In addition, the current plan is that the movie will stand alone from other DC films and won't be part of an existing universe.

Coates is known as a journalist and non-fiction writer as well as for his comic books. His work in comics include a number of Black Panther and Captain America series for Marvel, as well as working as a consultant on the Eisner Award-winning World of Wakanda. Coates's non-fiction books include The Beautiful Struggle, Between the World and Me, and We Were Eight Years in Power, which collected his essays about the Obama presidency.

Superman was last played by Henry Cavill in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of the Justice, and both versions of Justice League.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-superman-movie-will-be-an-origin-story-with-a-black-kal-el-report/1100-6491043/

Cool.

---

So Calvin Ellis?

---

Nothing against the character being black at all.

I just dunno if I care for their choice in writer, but I'll withhold judgement til I see it.

---

Sure

He's an alien, anyway. Who cares

---

I'm sure the people who get mad about characters being whitewashed will be up in arms here since there's no way they could be hypocrites.

---

So If the story is true and is just another origin telling then literally the only reason for this movies existence is for a black superman. Nothing new in regards to character, lore, story, nothing.

I'm struggling to see the point of this.

---

EmbraceOfDeath posted...

I'm sure the people who get mad about characters being whitewashed will be up in arms here since there's no way they could be hypocrites.

What do you mean? They arent making Clark Kent black. Theyre making Superman black. Just like Spider-Man is black now since hes not Peter Parker anymore. Why should anyone have an issue with that?

---

We already had one.
https://i.imgur.com/AZEd3Js.jpg

---

Will being melanated effect his powers?

---

Sure, why not?

---

EmbraceOfDeath posted...

I'm sure the people who get mad about characters being whitewashed will be up in arms here since there's no way they could be hypocrites.

But that's not hypocritical and Superman has bene black

---

ToPoPO posted...

THR's sources state it would be "tone-deaf" for Abrams himself to direct.

lol suck it JK!

ToPoPO posted...

As for the movie's plot, Coates is reportedly writing an origin story that will see Kal-El arrive on Earth from Krypton. One idea being considered is that the movie is a "20th century period piece." In addition, the current plan is that the movie will stand alone from other DC films and won't be part of an existing universe.

Ugh ANOTHER fucking origin story! JFC can't we just literally start a Superman movie anytime after he's Superman?

---

I wonder of Lex will be black

---

I'd rather they just do an Icon movie. Hell, a Milestone Cinematic Universe is just waiting to print money but....

Justice League Gods and Monsters is one of the many alternate stories that has explored this possibility. Basically, if he isn't white and from Kansas then he isn't the traditional Superman. That isn't necessarily a bad thing though.

Hugely disappointed that Michael B. Jordan isn't interested as he's really the only person I'd want to see take on such a role.

I'm pretty skeptical of most DCEU type projects though. This movie has to be pretty great for this character.

---

Is the intention to tell a "look how different things would be if the all powerful alien that showed up was Black" kind of story that explores the racial divisions of our world? Does he still land and grow up in small town Kansas? I don't know enough about what they're trying to do here to know how I feel about it.

Total_Lost2 posted...

So Calvin Ellis?

---

Jack Black is not Superman material.

hockeybub89 posted...

But that's not hypocritical and Superman has bene black

But he isn't traditionally black and non white Superman's are more of an else world stories thing

---

I hope they actually tie it into the multiverse with like Kryptons orbit being shifted closer to the sun and becoming more like an African plain. Space Wakanda.

---

TommyG663513 posted...

But he isn't traditionally black and non white Superman's are more of an else world stories thing

To be fair, this would also be an Elseworlds story.

2/3 of the movie will be about the Metroplis Police Department having an existential crisis.

---

lolife67 posted...

To be fair, this would also be an Elseworlds story.

I guess they're calling it stand alone, but they could always walk back that statement if the movie is well received.

I thought Gods and Monsters had a very interesting take on Superman and I'd be interested in seeing something like that on film.

It just needs to be pointed out that you don't just change Superman's akin color and have the same character. A white guy from Kansas will have a very different perspective from a black Superman which is what makes the character interesting.

---

This is shortsighted, theres a short term window where Warner Bros gets to celebrate their decision, but they'll move on and in the long term it'll be hijacked and used against black people for years.

Just give us a John Stewart movie with Martian Manhunter in support. Also apologize to Ray Fisher and let him do his Cyborg movie.

---

EmbraceOfDeath posted...

I'm sure the people who get mad about characters being whitewashed will be up in arms here since there's no way they could be hypocrites.

There's an actual black Superman in the comics you clown

---

They announced this on Henry Cavill's birthday too lol

---

TommyG663513 posted...

A white guy from Kansas will have a very different perspective from a black Superman which is what makes the character interesting.

Well I'm sure that's part of the point to doing this. Giving a different perspective. Which is why I say making an Icon film would make more sense as it accomplishes the same thing without being a re-hash or lazy race change.

EmbraceOfDeath posted...

I'm sure the people who get mad about characters being whitewashed will be up in arms here since there's no way they could be hypocrites.

As long as they don't name him Clark Kent, and don't make his entire character revolve around him being black, I don't care.

---

Would rather this be an Icon movie.

---

TommyG663513 posted...

But he isn't traditionally black and non white Superman's are more of an else world stories thing

what do you think the movies are?

---

mcpwnia posted...

what do you think the movies are?

Wait...you mean theyre not biographical accounts of real people that lived?!

---

All characters in the film should be black. Superman, Lois, Luther, etc.

---

iPhone_7 posted...

All characters in the film should be black. Superman, Lois, Luther, etc.

Of course. Skin color is really important.

Another Superman origin story?

No thanks.

I could see where this is going. He's gonna be grow up in the hood and we'll see a much different perspective on what environment does to someone like that. They hit it big with standalone Joker, and standalone Batman seems to be shaping up pretty good, so I'll definitely give this a chance.

Though I'm confused why Supergirl is Hispanic but in the DCEU. Are they gonna pass her off as a white girl, being Cavill's cousin? Or maybe from the multiverse, which could also open this up, but I'm thinking WB's plan now is to do the DCEU, multiverse and standalones all simultaneously.

---

why does anyone think this Coates person knows how to write superhero movies?

Will it be clark kent superman or a new character like miles morales?

Slayerblade11 posted...

Will it be clark kent superman or a new character like miles morales?

Same Kal-El.

---

I have a hard time believing this is real, unless it's a Producers-style scam on investors.

---

archedsoul posted...

Same Kal-El.

Kal-El doesn't mean Clark Kent, as an fyi.

lolife67 posted...

Well I'm sure that's part of the point to doing this. Giving a different perspective. Which is why I say making an Icon film would make more sense as it accomplishes the same thing without being a re-hash or lazy race change.

I would hope that is the point, but it is also a very different Superman. I mean, if you're going to race swap then you need to change quite a bit about the character and he becomes quite a different character.

We don't know what they actually plan to change about the character beyond skin tone and everything else is just an assumption

---

Lord_Shadow_19 posted...

As long as they don't name him Clark Kent, and don't make his entire character revolve around him being black, I don't care.

Yeah because a black Superman definitely wouldnt suffer from racism lol. And what the fuck does it matter if Clark Kent is black?

He's alien that literally needs to bask in the sun to maintain his power

His ass shoulda ALWAYS been a black dude.

---

Considering he's a humanoid alien, they can make him look however they want.

That being said, this is 110% Warner/DC realizing that "the next Superman is black" will get people talking, for better or worse.

---

As long as hes a better Superman than Snyders I dont have any issues.

mcpwnia posted...

what do you think the movies are?

TheVipaGTS posted...

Wait...you mean theyre not biographical accounts of real people that lived?!

@TheVipaGTS I'm not sure you are understanding at all what I was saying.

@mcpwnia Do you understand what the term "else world" means in terms of comic book story continuity?

It's meant to deviate significantly from the norm like a "what if?" type scenario. The MCU is releasing a show entitled "what if?" to be released this summer which would be the first instance of an else world story being presented as part of an expanded cinematic universe.

Closest thing we've gotten was the animated Justice League Gods and Monsters which came out like maybe 7ish (estimate) years ago.

I don't know if they're attempting to present this Superman as an else world type story or not, but it seems fair to speculate.

I guess you could call the Joker film somewhat of an else world style story too and perhaps the upcoming Batman could be seen that way.

Though you could also argue that WB is just trying out random stuff and not going for any or much of any sort of real continuity. It kind of seems like they sort of are sort of aren't and have no desire to really commit to anything after early attempts at the DCEU were not nearly as successful as they'd have liked.

Edit:Into the Spider verse could also be argued as being an else world story to a varying degrees though the multiverse stuff kind of implies that these things are more connected than separate.

---

...when you look at the article, it's 100% speculation based on a tweet that cites nameless sources. Wtf? Is this what passes for journalism nowadays?

---

TheVipaGTS posted...

What do you mean? They arent making Clark Kent black. Theyre making Superman black. Just like Spider-Man is black now since hes not Peter Parker anymore. Why should anyone have an issue with that?

Clark Kent is the disguise of Kal-El whose superhero identity is Superman. Its all explained in Kill Bill.

---