Why We Need Another Superman Solo Movie

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Justice League, in theaters now.

Let’s roll back the clocks to the end of 2006's Superman Returns, in which Lois Lane begins write an article titled “Why the World Needs Superman.” In the intervening decade, the DC Extended Universe has struggled to make that argument, instead transforming the iconic hero into a moody, world-weary figure. Director Zack Snyder brought his signature style to 2013's Man of Steel, toning down the brightness of both Superman's costume and his personality. And although the ‘S’ on his chest might stand for hope, Kal-El quickly became disenchanted with humanity once Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice arrived in theaters in 2016.

Following the events of Justice League, it’s clear we need another Superman movie to give the Kryptonian some breathing room. When he faced off against the Dark Knight in Batman v Superman, there were far too many plotlines, characters and rivalries to allow audiences to actually care about his sacrifice. Plus, because we’d only seen Henry Cavill's Superman once previously, his death didn’t mean as much as it should have; the emotional impact wasn't earned.

Warner Bros. has demonstrated its difficulty with gathering together the DC Comics characters onscreen. Neither Batman v Superman nor 2016's Suicide Squad was greeted warmly by either critics or fans, although both were commercially successful (yet fell short of expectations). That's an indication the DCEU should go back to the basics, and translate what worked so well in director Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman to other characters. There are solo projects for the likes of Aquaman, Shazam and Batman confirmed in the pipeline, in various stages of development, but what the DCEU really needs is another Superman film.

What it doesn't need, however, is another Superman origin film. Instead, the DC Films needs to expand the Man of Steel's universe, and its own, by pitting the Last Son of Krypton against an extraterrestrial threat; removed him from the familiar surroundings of Earth, and place him in a (literally) alien environment. Instead of Lex Luthor and General Zod, perhaps bring another of Superman's classic foes to live-action: Brainiac.

A techno-organic being possessing advanced intellect and technology, Brainiac shrank and stole Kandor, the capital of Superman's home planet of Krypton. He’s a formidable opponent, but bringing Brainiac into Superman’s solo film would mean Kal-El would have to face certain truths about his homeworld. A journey of self-discovery could have lasting ramifications for the hero. Similar to the way Tony Stark losing access to his suits during the events of Marvel's Iron Man 3, trapping Kal-El in Kandor would render his powers useless – meaning he'd have to figure out other ways to defeat the villain.

Yes, stripping away one of the key aspects of Superman may be controversial, but it would give Kal-El an interesting character arc that moves beyond him coming to terms with his origin and his role as protector of Earth. He begins Man of Steel by saving the men working on an oil rig, but finishes the film by saving a family from being killed by Zod. Superman deserves to embody hope, and although saving innocent lives does instill people with hope, it’s also about his attitudes. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice became so wrapped up in pitting the two heroes against each other that it didn’t explore Clark’s actions and motivations. It prioritized introducing us to a new Batman rather than developing Superman’s personality.

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We’ve already seen how popular Kara Zor-El can be as the star of Supergirl on The CW. But in Man of Steel, there was an open pod in the ship that Superman discovered buried beneath the ice. Fans have theorized it contained Kara, something confirmed by a spinoff prequel comic. But that’s the last anybody heard about a cinematic Supergirl. Giving Clark that family connection would not only expand the potential for character development, but also bring more female heroes into the DC Extended Universe.

Many fans and critics had issues with Amy Adams’ Lois Lane. Her performance is good, there’s no question about it, but it’s the writing of her character that really under-serves the driven journalist. During Man of Steel and even in the beginning of Batman v Superman, the investigatory side of her career showed she wasn’t afraid of pushing boundaries. But as soon as Clark is inserted into her character arc, the story is less concerned with her and becomes focused on Superman. Another solo Superman movie could give us the Lois Lane story we deserve, one in which she doesn’t need to be saved multiple times.

In one of Justice League's post-credits sequences, it's revealed that Lex Luthor hired Deathstroke to break him out of Arkham Asylum. When Slade meets Luthor on his yacht, the genius villain seems to be a completely different person than the crazed version of Mark Zuckerberg we saw in Batman v Superman. Dressed in a fitting suit and speaking in a commanding tone, this Lex actually seems formidable. His experience as an inmate seem to have changed him for the better. So in a Man of Steel sequel, bring him in. Whether that’s as a puppet master pulling the strings on physically powerful villains or as someone directly bringing the fight to Superman in some way. Jesse Eisenberg seemed to be the polar opposite during the scene, and he could prove to be a compelling villain now that we’ve seen his character twist and change from the corporate genius we first saw.

Luthor mentions to Deathstroke that he wants to make a “League of our own," implying that they’re going to incorporate a version of the Injustice League. Pitting Superman against multiple villains that try and pick his life apart piece by piece could be quite an intriguing story. It still has the potential for a visually impressive film as well as plot with a substance. Just as long as they don’t bring Doomsday back, Lex Luthor actually has a lot of potential now.

Now in theaters, Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Raymond Fisher as Cyborg, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta, Amber Heard as Mera and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.