Warner Bros. announced this week that they have turned to director Christopher Nolan to oversee the relaunch of another one of their flagship superhero franchises. Nolan, director of both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, will be taking a leadership role in the development of a new Superman film. To ensure that it heads in the right direction, and appeals to both fans and critics, Nolan will serve as mentor to the project, helping to create the same success that the Batman franchise has seen. Many fans have been eagerly anticipating Superman getting the Nolan treatment, which brought an edgier, more sophisticated feel to the most recent Batman films.
According to a Deadline Hollywood article, this Superman film will not be a sequel to 2006's Superman Returns, which stared Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel and was directed by Bryan Singer, but a new take on the character that is more geared toward his comic book roots. The article also mentions that Nolan has approached Warner Bros. with an idea for the third installment of the Batman franchise, which is currently being scripted by David Goyer and Nolan's brother, Jonah.
Warner Bros. will partner with Legendary Pictures to co-produce/co-finance this upcoming Superman relaunch, as well as the third Batman film. This partnership has previously produced both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, as well as Superman Returns.
