Director Bryan Singer is moving forward with his Superman Returns sequel and will bring Kevin Spacey back as Lex Luthor in Superman: Man of Steel, according to Daily Variety. Superman Returns scribe scripter Michael Dougherty has also been commisioned for the sequel and is at work on the screenplay. Man of Steel is expected to go into production next year for a 2009 release.
While it didn’t do Spider-Man or X-Men buisness, Superman Returns had a solid $52 million opening weekend and went on to gross more than $390 million worldwide. The pic, which adhered to the Richard Donner/Christophere Reeve movies but had a much darker tone, had critics and fans divided. Many thought too much of the two-and-a-half-hour running time was devoted to the releationship between Clark and Lois. Singer says the sequel will amp up the tension and action, much like The Wrath of Khan did for the Star Trek film franchise.
Singer is currently at work on the WWII action flick Valkyrie with stars Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh and Eddie Izzard for 2008. He’s also directing The Mayor of Castro Street, a biopic on gay rights crusader Harvey Milk that is slated to debut in 2009.
