Compared to *Man of Steel*, although it references General Zod's invasion of Earth, this version of *Superman* presents an entirely different story.
In this rendition, Clark Kent learns of his true identity within the Kryptonian spaceship buried under the Antarctic ice and acquires his official Superman suit.
Initially, the Superman suit designed by Simon, inspired by *Man of Steel*, sparked some controversy. However, as the release date approached, the new powerful Superman suit gained increasing approval. Many Superman fans even felt that this was how Superman was truly meant to look.
Dressed in the suit and realizing his powers, Superman's first flight across glaciers, over oceans, through deserts, and across plains, culminating in a view of Earth from space, provided audiences with a visually stunning experience.
For Hollywood filmmakers attending the premiere, the advanced special effects in this less-than-one-minute sequence were overwhelming, evoking a sense of helplessness.
While Hollywood continues to pursue increasingly expensive big-name stars and directors, Daenerys Entertainment's relentless investment in technology has left everyone else far behind.
As Superman awakens, *Daily Planet* reporter Lois Lane, whom he saved in the Antarctic ice, begins to investigate this mysterious alien. Following Clark Kent's past adventures, she gradually uncovers the truth.
In distant space, General Zod receives the signal from the Kryptonian ship and arrives on Earth with his followers.
In *Man of Steel*, General Zod's arrival on Earth and his demand for the hidden Kryptonian among humans via global broadcast triggers worldwide panic. Zack Snyder intended this to question humanity and highlight Superman's near-divine perfection. Despite being betrayed by humans, Superman still chooses to stand with them, leading to his tragic end in *Batman v Superman*.
Simon's approach to the DC cinematic universe from the beginning did not include deep, dark themes. If necessary, he would not hesitate to make the DC cinematic universe a series of pure popcorn flicks.
This *Superman* film follows that same philosophy.
Therefore, upon arriving on Earth, General Zod and his team do not broadcast to the world. Instead, they ignore the fragile "ants" living on this planet, independently investigating the signal from the Kryptonian ship. They deduce from the clues left by Clark Kent that he is likely a descendant of Jor-El.
The crucial point is that Jor-El's descendant might possess a Mother Box containing the power to rebuild Krypton.
General Zod has always wanted to rebuild Krypton.
By obtaining the Mother Box, their long-standing dream could be fulfilled, and this resource-rich planet could serve as the foundation for the new Krypton.
Through gathering information about human society, General Zod and his team quickly identify Clark Kent and head straight to his hometown.
In Smallville, Kansas, where Clark Kent grew up, Lois Lane finally meets the alien visitor at Jonathan Kent's grave. Clark doesn't hide his identity any longer and shares the story of his father's death in an accident he could have prevented, revealing his stance towards the world.
Then, the Kryptonian ship descends from the sky.
In a hurried skirmish, almost all of Smallville is destroyed. To protect his mother, Lois Lane, and the townspeople, Clark Kent reluctantly allows General Zod to take the Mother Box.
The sudden appearance of the spaceship, the powerful alien battle, and the devastated town quickly spread the news.
The federal government swiftly seals off the entire town to prevent panic and tightly controls the flow of information, while they begin searching for the Kryptonian ship.
Clark Kent quietly leaves with Lois Lane.
In the Antarctic Kryptonian ship, Clark Kent communicates with his father's recorded message, learning that the Mother Box contains immense power and that Jor-El repeatedly urged him to protect it.
Superman hadn't considered using the Mother Box's power and didn't know what General Zod planned to do with it.
However, both Kent and Lane sensed a significant threat and instinctively felt they needed to retrieve the Mother Box.
As the story progresses, the federal government soon locates the Kryptonian ship. During a tentative approach, they are attacked, but Superman arrives in time.
This sets up the second major climactic scene.
As the federal troops retreat under Superman's cover, he confronts General Zod and learns of Zod's intentions.
For the sake of rebuilding Krypton, General Zod attempts to recruit Superman, but he refuses.
After another intense battle, Superman realizes he must cooperate with the federal government and initiates contact to thwart General Zod's plans.
During this time, the Mother Box activates.
The Kryptonian ship appears over Metropolis, using the energy from the Mother Box to start transforming Earth, causing massive destruction to the city.
Following the Kryptonian battle at the beginning, Daenerys's special effects team delivers another breathtaking city destruction scene.
Unlike the fictional Krypton, this time the destruction occurs in a real city, creating an inevitable strong sense of immersion for the audience.
In the final battle, to save the world, Superman and the military join forces to destroy the Kryptonian ship. In a showdown between "Superman" and "Superman," he kills General Zod.
Although current CGI technology cannot fully capture the apocalyptic scenes from Simon's memory of *Man of Steel*, given the maximum use of existing technology, this final battle remains thrilling and breathtaking for audiences in the early 90s, comparable to the colossal impact of the T-Rex on the big screen last year.
In the end, the world is engrossed in discussions about the human-alien war in Metropolis, and Superman's image frequently appears in the media.
Some admire him, some fear him, some criticize him loudly, and others worship him.
Clark Kent blends back into the crowd, joining the *Daily Planet*'s temporary headquarters as a reporter. Under the orders of the grumpy editor, he sneaks a moment with Lois Lane as they stand before a wall-mounted TV reporting on the "Superman" news. Amidst the noisy scene, a child dressed in a Superman costume says he's a hero.
The two exchange a glance, their hands quietly intertwining.
The screen fades to black.
A grand orchestral score begins.
In the Chinese Theater, the audience feels a sense of fulfillment after watching a remarkable film. However, there is no rush to leave as the credits roll.
Following the tradition, DC movies always have an exciting post-credits scene.
Finally, after ten minutes of end credits, the screen lights up again.
From an overhead view, people in hazmat suits are busily moving around the wreckage of the Kryptonian ship in the center of Metropolis's ruins. Someone shouts in excitement, "We found it!"
Then, the now-dimmed Mother Box is lifted up, and people quickly gather around.
But the scene doesn't end there.
The camera pulls back, revealing a caped silhouette on top of a nearby building.
It vanishes in a blink.
The screen goes completely dark.
"Batman!"
With the subsequent applause, some audience members in the theater are already exclaiming.
Superman and Batman have met numerous times in the comics.
However, this is their first encounter on the big screen.
Even though it's just a teaser and not a direct confrontation, the mere hint is enough to excite comic fans.
The DC cinematic universe has been building towards a gathering of heroes, but up to now, we haven't seen many superheroes fighting side by side. Now, with Batman and Superman appearing in the same film, fans realize that day is not far off.
The next morning, various media outlets were almost universally focused on the *Superman* premiere's grand spectacle, and reviews were released.
"Daenerys has perfectly showcased a powerful superhero with unparalleled special effects on the big screen." — *The Hollywood Reporter*
"A perfect fifth installment, Simon Westeros masterfully paces the DC cinematic universe. The storyline remains smooth and tight. Compared to Batman and Wonder Woman, the mighty Kryptonian offers a distinctly different kind of stunning visual experience." — *Los Angeles Times*
"Newcomer Brad Pitt successfully steps into Christopher Reeve's shoes, while Courteney Cox breaks free from *Scream* to embrace a new cinematic persona." — *Entertainment Weekly*
"Despite Simon Westeros's meticulous oversight, Roland Emmerich's performance was unexpectedly outstanding. Without a doubt, Hollywood has gained another director capable of handling blockbuster films." — *Variety*
"…"
"…"
Amidst the heated media discussions, initial estimates placed *Superman*'s aggregate media score at 8.7, easily surpassing all the films released in the past two weeks of the summer season. Moreover, with overwhelming popularity, any critical voices were drowned out as audiences flocked to theaters.
After a day of word-of-mouth buzz on Thursday, June 4th, *Superman* was released widely across North America on 3,329 screens.
With a recognition on par with *Batman*, the DC cinematic universe's track record of four consecutive successful films, more stunning special effects, an excellent media reception, and a prime opening slot, it was no surprise that upon release, *Superman*'s box office soared.
Including the midnight shows, the film's first-day gross reached $23.69 million.
Following strong showings on Saturday and Sunday, *Superman*'s three-day opening weekend box office swiftly climbed to $69.15 million, breaking the $68.38 million opening weekend record set by *The Dark Knight*.
Entering the weekdays, with no major competition, *Superman* continued to dominate the box office.
Ultimately, from June 4th to June 10th, *Superman* accumulated $112.61 million in its first week, becoming the second film after *The Dark Knight* to gross over $100 million in its opening week in Hollywood.
In just one week, *Superman* achieved what many Hollywood films strive for—a domestic total box office exceeding $100 million.
The distinction
between DC universe films and other movies in Hollywood was once again underscored.
*Superman*'s overwhelming impact caused significant box office drops for films released in the previous weeks.
Columbia Pictures' $70 million *Cliffhanger*, in its third week, dropped by 53%, grossing only $7.96 million, with a three-week total of $49.96 million. Its final domestic box office is expected to barely surpass $70 million.
Disney's *Super Mario Bros.* was already disappointing at its opening. Under *Superman*'s dominance, its second-week box office dropped by 51%, earning just $4.69 million, with a two-week total of $14.36 million. Many theaters, after fulfilling their two-week contract, quickly reduced *Super Mario Bros.* showings. Its screen count dropped from 2,081 in its first week to 1,276 in the third week, likely to be almost pulled from theaters within four weeks.
*Cliffhanger* might still recoup its costs through all subsequent channels over the next few years, but with a production cost of $48 million, *Super Mario Bros.*'s inevitable underperformance at the domestic box office, coupled with similarly bleak future earnings, spelled inevitable losses for Disney.
Other films such as *Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story*, *Life with Mikey*, *Made in America*, and *Guilty as Sin* also saw significant box office declines.
On June 11th, four new films debuted in North American theaters.
Paramount Pictures' *Addams Family Values*, the sequel to *The Addams Family*, opened on 2,577 screens. With the original film being a box office hit two years ago, this sequel is Paramount's most important summer release, with its budget increased from $30 million for the first film to $47 million.
Paramount's choice to face *Superman*'s second week was well-considered.
Based on the box office patterns of previous DC films, apart from *Batman Begins* which defied expectations in its second week, the other films saw significant drops in their second week after substantial initial releases, quickly making room in the market.
Moreover, *Addams Family Values* is a comedy, posing less of a direct conflict with *Superman*.
The same reasoning applied to the other three new releases this week.
Additionally, 20th Century Fox released *Once Upon a Forest*, an animated film about a group of animals on an adventure in the forest, opening on 1,496 screens.
MGM also launched *Hard Target*, an action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme with a $15 million budget, opening on 1,672 screens. Unlike Paramount's confidence in *Addams Family Values*, MGM had a more opportunistic approach with *Hard Target*, hoping to capitalize on the prime summer slot of June 11th.
The final new release was *Orlando*, distributed by Artisan Entertainment. This film, which was nominated for the Golden Lion at last year's Venice Film Festival, was backed by British and Italian funding and starred Tilda Swinton. Adapted from a British fantasy novel, *Orlando* tells the story of a nobleman blessed by Queen Elizabeth I who sleeps for 40 years, wakes up as a woman, and lives through several centuries.
Seeing the film's unique appeal, Artisan Entertainment acquired the distribution rights and released it on 367 screens during this summer season.
With Hollywood watching *Superman*'s second-week performance and the debut of the four new films, Simon flew to San Francisco on June 11th, planning to spend the weekend there.
The primary reason was the dispute between Eaglet and the Hearst Corporation over copyright issues.
In March earlier this year, Hearst suddenly sued Eaglet in San Francisco District Court, accusing it of unauthorized use of a vast number of articles and images from Hearst's newspapers and magazines and demanding $100 million in damages.
Eaglet fought back firmly.
After months of back and forth, the two sides finally decided to reach a private settlement.
More accurately, Hearst Corporation was forced into a settlement with Eaglet.
Not only because federal policies and media climate were against Hearst's claims, but Eaglet also had evidence of Hearst's own employees uploading the so-called "infringing" content.
This was a significant point.
While it could be framed as rogue employee actions, it could also be interpreted as a deliberate act by Hearst to extort, which would resonate more with the public.
However, the methods Eaglet used to obtain this evidence were less than aboveboard, involving not only official website data but also the intelligence network the Westeros family had developed. Thus, revealing this as evidence could lead to concerns about user privacy, making it unsuitable for court submission.
Hearst was clearly more vulnerable.
If the dispute continued, forcing Eaglet to reveal its "evidence," Hearst would gain nothing.
Moreover, the overall federal environment was unfavorable to Hearst.
If this lawsuit set a precedent, it could significantly impact the entire internet industry's development. Neither the federal government, which was pushing the *Information Superhighway Act*, nor the growing capital investments in the internet sector, would allow Hearst to win this case.
The resolution could only be a private settlement.
Given Eaglet's strong position, the settlement was more of a formality, with no monetary compensation involved.
While appearing to settle, the behind-the-scenes conflict became even more intense.
Simon only addressed this issue briefly on Friday, spending the rest of the weekend at his Woodside estate with his assistant.
There was another reason for staying in San Francisco for three days.
With *Superman*'s release, the third part of the planned *Batman* trilogy, *The Dark Knight Rises*, had officially started filming in Australia. Simon planned to fly to Melbourne next week to oversee the project personally, with Janet joining him. They intended to stay in Melbourne for at least a week.
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