The latest live-action DC Comics film, ‘Man of Steel’ hasn’t even officially opened in theaters yet, but it looks like the studio believes in the movie so much that they’re ready to move forward with the next one as soon as possible. Based on the latest reports, WB announced just hours before the film’s New York premiere that they’re already fast-tracking the sequel.

According to Deadline, the studio even has two key players locked down for the next installment: director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer. As for the modern-day DC film godfather, producer, and story co-writer Christopher Nolan, his involvement isn’t locked in place just yet, however, word going around says that he’ll return, but not in a “full blown” way like he was before. Considering that the new Superman universe will have been established already at that point, it’s no surprise that Nolan would shift his focus to his plethora of other projects while only keeping an eye on Snyder and company.

Regarding Goyer, it appears that Warner Bros. locked him in for a three-picture deal including ‘Man of Steel’, it’s sequel, and ‘Justice League’, which was previously in the hands of ‘Gangster Squad’ writer Will Beall, but was then rumored to be thrown out after the script hit many snags in the developmental stages. While he avoided answering questions about the team up film on the red carpet, Cosmic Book News quoted him as saying:

“They’ve got a little kryptonite pellet embedded in my heart and if I say anything it will explode, but I would be a very rich man for all the times I was asked that question. It all depends on how [‘Man of Steel’] does. I would love to see a Justice League film, absolutely. Put the Avengers on notice.”

But in the case of a Justice League movie, Snyder stated the following last week around the same time that he spilled some details about hidden Easter eggs in his film:

“Look … completely hypothetically, I feel like you need to get Superman a little further down the road, I think, before you can do a Justice League movie.”

Well, now it seems like WB is ready to take those steps in order to take the big blue Boy Scout further down the road towards joining his fellow DC heroes in an epic cinematic gathering.

What do you think about Warner Bros. moving forward with a sequel for ‘Man of Steel’ before getting the general public’s reaction to the first film first? Do you think that there’s a chance that they’re jumping the gun? Or are the early reviews enough indication that this film will be a success? Sound off in the comment section with your two cents on the topic.

‘Man of Steel’ starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Antje Traue, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Russell Crowe, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, Harry Lennix, and Michael Kelly debuts in theaters on June 14, 2013.