The next “Superman” movie will feature a Black actor in the lead role, a Black director at the helm, and a Black scriptwriter.
The film marks the first time a Black Superman will appear on the big screen, the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
However, a Black character called Calvin Ellis was first introduced in 2009 series Final Crisis 7, as a Superman from an alternative universe. While the more widely known Superman alias was mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent, Ellis is the President of the United States on “Earth 23.”
Comic book writer Grant Morrison has said he was inspired by former President Barack Obama when he created the character.
“As I was writing it, I heard Obama making a joke about being born on the planet Krypton and being sent to Earth by his father Jor-El to save the world,” Morrison told the Daily Record in 2009.
“I thought it would be a fitting end to all the darkness in America recently. All the comics have been dealing with darkness recently and, having defeated evil, it’s now time to celebrate.”
Ta-Nehisi Coates, the acclaimed novelist who expanded the world of Wakanda for Marvel comics, is writing the script and is expected to turn it in to Warner Bros. Pictures in December.
Coates is best known as the author of bestsellers, including “Between the World and Me,” “The Beautiful Struggle,” and “We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy.”
But there is no indication it will be the Ellis version of Superman who appears in Coates’ script.
The Hollywood Reporter reported there are several candidates for director and star, but neither has been announced.
It has also been suggested Warner Bros. could pick a relatively unknown name for the new film – as they did when Brandon Routh donned the cape for “Superman Returns” in 2006.
Previous “Superman” actors include Christopher Reeve, Tom Welling in “Smallville,” and Dean Cain in “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” along with Henry Cavill in the 2017 film, Justice League.
Potential directors for the film include Barry Jenkins, Ryan Coogler, Steven Caple Jr., J.D. Dillard, Regina King,m and Shaka King, according to the Daily Mail.
“To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor,” Coates said in a statement. “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.”
Since 2016, he has also penned the Black Panther comics for Marvel, with artist Brian Stelfreeze, a run concluding with a final issue in April. He was thanked in the credits of Ryan Coogler’s 2018 film, “Black Panther.”
“Ta-Nehisi Coates’ ‘Between the World and Me’ opened a window and changed the way many of us see the world,” Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures, said. “We’re confident that his take on Superman will give fans a new and exciting way to see the Man of Steel.”
“There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told,” J.J. Abrams of Bad Robot said, the Daily Mail reported. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with the brilliant Mr. Coates to help bring that story to the big screen.”
Source: Newmax
