Bryan Singer, director of the upcoming “Superman Returns” had to do a lot of research about the Man of Steel before diving into making this first big screen remake since 1987.
I fact, he acquired so much information in his search that he had enough data to produce a feature length documentary about the superhero. The docu-pic is called “Look Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman.”
“It was a very elaborate process,” Singer said in an interview. “It’s comprised of 50 or more interviews. It involved going to archives, researching and tracking down and optioning footage that people have never seen before of early incarnations of Superman.”
Singer’s research had him exporing the entire history of Superman and Superboy, and this entire exploration is revealed in his docu-film from Superman’s comic book creation to the earliest film and cartoon incarnations from the late 1930’s, 40’s and early 50’s to his TV days with the one and only George Reeves as the slightly pudgy Man of Steel. From there Singer looks at the turn the Krypton hero took in the 70’s under the deft hand of Christopher Reeve and then Clark/Superman’s return to television via “Lois and Clark” and today’s The WB version called “Smallville.”
It is Singer’s hope that “Look Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman” will air on television sometime in early June giving fans a chance to view it before the major release of the big screen “Superman Returns.” If that deal falls through then he hinted at a limited theatrical release. Regardless of which way the documentary is first released over the airways, its DVD release is set for June 20th. “I thought it would be a nice thing,” Singer reflected, “to have on the air before the movie comes out as a way of getting people in the mood for Superman.”