Bryan Singer needs to take a cue from Sam Raimi and develop more follow-through. Sure, Spider-Man 3 wasn’t quite as good as the first two, but at least Raimi stepped up to the plate and did it, rather than torpedoing the franchise and turning it over to some hack director so he could run off and do a vanity project.

Singer on the other hand has already had a part in ruining one superhero franchise. With the end of the amazing X2 he left fans with a promise about the next film in the franchise. A promise he didn’t fulfill, as he ran off to do something else while Brett Ratner took a gigantic dump all over the X-Men with X3. Well now Singer is doing it to Superman.

There’ve been rumblings for awhile now that Singer might not return to direct a sequel to Superman Returns, even though the movie made more than enough money to warrant it, even though it was a critical smash, and even though Warner Brothers really wants another one. Now it seems all but certain Singer is ditching Superman. Variety columnist Anne Thompson says it’s “highly unlikely” that Singer will be back.
Worse, it sounds like Singer’s departure may mean the end of Brandon Routh’s reign as Superman. Say what you want about Superman Returns, but there’s no denying Brandon Routh was absolutely perfect as the big blue boyscout. The kid was incredible, there’s no way they’ll ever find anyone better. Unfortunately they’re going to have to try, because Latino Review says Routh is out as well. He won’t be back as Superman. Forget it. He’s done.

Instead, we’re all going to have to sit through that awful JLA movie. By the way, in case you’re wondering why the cast was never announced, it’s because, as we were the first to report here, the film is being delayed till after the strike. So the next time you’ll see Superman on screen, it’ll be years from now, he’ll be played by some fill-in in JLA, and then after that… who knows. If Superman ever returns again, it’ll be without any of the people who made his return so great in the first place.
And now I’m utterly depressed. If only Singer wasn't so goddamned good! If Brett Ratner ends up directing the next Superman... Bryan Singer, sleep with one eye open.

With DC's Justice League of America on the fast track to filmdom, it's only natural for comics fans to wonder if -- or when -- Marvel might bring its own supergroup of costumed crimefighters to the screen. We're talking about the Avengers, of course -- and they could be closer to theaters than you might think.

Like the Justice League, the Avengers have utilized a fluctuating roster of heroes during the group's existence, but it seems altogether likely that any film spinoff would feature the title's handful of mainstays, including Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, and Iron Man. And speaking of Iron Man, guess who might want to direct an Avengers movie?
If you guessed "Iron Man director Jon Favreau," give yourself a gold star -- as MTV Movies reports, he's already expressing an interest in the gig. And what's more, both he and Marvel are committed to doing it with the actors involved in each of the heroes' separate film franchises. Read on:

"I wonder if the tone of 'The Incredible Hulk' is going to be similar or different than ['Iron Man']," Favreau questioned. "And 'Captain America' is a twinkle in Marvel's eye right now. And 'Thor' and 'Ant Man.'
"[But] in the case of Marvel, they're pretty clear on wanting to do it with the actors who've established the roles or to not do it at all. That's what they've said to me," he continued. "I think it's a good idea if you use the characters established in the other franchises that then come together for an event. I don't think they would do it like they're doing 'Justice League,' where it's a whole different set of actors and a whole different take on the world."

If Favreau's right -- and he does wind up making an Avengers film -- this would not only provide a marked contrast to Warner Bros.' JLA movie, but would also make for one incredible (and incredibly expensive) cast. (Between the two of them, this year's Iron Man and Hulk movies boast the involvement of Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, William Hurt, and Tim Roth.) The budget would inevitably be mind-boggling, but could the final product justify the expense?