One of DC’s most compelling Superman stories is ‘Red Son’ which tells the story of an alternate world where Kal-El landed in Soviet Russia instead of Kansas, and it looks like we might soon see it on the big screen. That’s right folks! Warner Brothers appear to be planning on bringing a live-action take on this tale by Mark Millar, Dave Johnson,
and Kilian Plunkett! I can’t tell you if I’m more excited that Warner Brothers is willing to work past the DCEU and bring us alternate live-action versions of DC’s greatest characters to life or that one of my favorite Superman stories is being made which I never thought would happen.
All of this good news almost overshadows the fact that director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (‘Kong: Skull Island’) pitch for the film was shot down which I’m sure would have been amazing.
Now to start with, I do have to point out that Vogt-Roberts says that the pitch was his idea and Warner Brothers isn’t actively pursuing it:
Some of the stories out there make it seem like I was one of many pitching a take on something they want to make. That’s not true.
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) June 27, 2017
This was after Millar and Vogt-Roberts were talking here:
This thread is giving me tangential pangs of what-could-have-been for the version of Red Son I pitched that will sadly never get made. Oy.
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) June 27, 2017
However, unless Millar is messing with the fanboys it does look like the film is happening as:
Wait, really? Because I pitched it to them months ago and was told no. It’s the most punk rock thing the DCEU could do in my mind.
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) June 27, 2017
That sure does make it look like ‘Red Son’ is somewhere in the works. If that is true, Vogt-Roberts thinks it is a great idea and, at least for DC, I have to agree with him:
I think it’s necessary for the comic book movie as a whole to take a step beyond the shared universe by introducing one-off movies.
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) June 27, 2017
I think we can sustain a “main shared universe” AND offshoots with alternate takes on characters & different actors existing simultaneously.
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) June 27, 2017
Honestly, I think using different actors for the alternate universes would be a good idea. It would lower the confusion level for the casual moviegoers. While fans, fanboys, and even those paying partial attention would see the difference right away, not everyone would.
If this does happen, it would mean that Warner Brothers is willing to try something new with their version of a shared universe and allow for one-off stories that aren’t connected with alternate realities. It is something that both DC and Marvel have done in print for years and would be fun to see happen in their live-action films as well. It isn’t something that I was expecting but would be fun to see in a theater.
Are you hoping that ‘Superman: Red Son’ is happening or do you think that Millar was just messing with Vogt-Roberts and fans everywhere? Share your thoughts below!
Sources: Comic Book Movie, Slash Film
