Opening scene - A newsroom. All of a sudden there is panic everywhere. Alarms going off, general chaos. Then there is a flash of red and blue bursting through the roof heading into the sky. Suddenly a missile appears. The red and blue blur crashes into the rocket. Then a view from space of the planet Earth as it explodes. Silence.

John Williams score.

Next scene, a mugging in a back alley, interrupted by Superman. As he holds one of the thugs in his hand, he hears a piercing shrill noise. He looks to the sky and sees a meteor heading to Metropolis. He soars to the sky to catch it but it’s too late. It crashes into the ground, creating a massive crater. Police, Fire Dept. reporters etc. crowd around the hole as Superman looks in on this red hot object. Using his breath to cool it, he flies down to retrieve it. Silence for a few minutes and then the sound of a super blow and Superman is sent into the sky. Then a figure jets out of the hole towards Superman who recovers and is shocked to see an older version of him flying at him, wearing a brown and grey version of his costume. A super fight occurs and continues between the even combatants when a piece of debris is falling towards a child. Superman stops fighting to rescue the child and the "imposter" is confused. He then sees the Daily Planet globe and is even more perplexed. Finally he notices Lois, tears stream down his face and he collapses.

Anyway, I don't want to bore everyone with the whole story but here are the most important parts.

Obviously, the Superman from the very first scene is a Superman from a parallel earth (homage to Kal-l) who survived his planet's destruction. He has been changed by the explosion, he now can absorb radiation and his costumes colors have been altered (like what George Reeve's costume was supposed to look like).

Our Clark befriends him and introduces everyone to his Uncle Clark. They form a friendship but Clark 2 is more and more depressed by what he sees that this world is no better than the one he failed. He goes on patrol with Superman but is finding it harder and harder to tolerate evil and finds just stopping crime futile.

Eventually, a decision is made. He has to make sure that what happens to his Earth never happens again. He decides he will take matters into his own hands and take over, for the world's own good.

He meets up with Lex Luthor who provides him with a piece of Kryptonite (this earth's version has no affect on him). He puts it in his belt. Then when Lex announces that he's glad he found a partner, Clark 2 tells him he's giving him one day to disappear. If he even smells any trouble coming from Lex, he will kill him.

Second super fight. Still even until Superman 2 takes out the Kryptonite, causing his body to glow green. With tears in his eyes, he takes down our Superman who is now near death. He then goes to the Middle East to start conquering the trouble spots.

Some people actually approve of this new Superman until they see that for him to succeed, freedom will be lost.

Long hospital vigil for Superman. The papers say he won't make the night. Lois is at his bedside. A janitor comes in but Lois sees right through his disguise. Its Luthor coming to watch his enemy die. Lois tells Luthor that at least with our Superman, he had a chance to succeed but with the other one, he could be dead in a week. Lex admits the new one is no fun. After much painful deliberation on Lex's part, he comes up with a formula to cure Superman by having the Kryptonite strengthen rather than weaken him. Superman stirs (more John Williams score).

Anyway, another battle occurs between the Supermen at the White House. Superman 2 tries the same trick with the Kryptonite. Superman goes down. Supe 2 is genuinely sad at this and walks away. He feels a tap on his shoulder turns around and is punched out by our boy, who still has Lex's formula in his blood.

Then, the same thing occurs that happened in the first scene. One of the countries that Supe 2 took out retaliates with the same bomb. Our Superman is going to take it out when Supe 2 begs him to listen. He tells him this is the same bomb that destroyed his world. Our Superman asks "what should we do?" at which Supe 2 clocks him and flies off at the bomb and whispers I'm sorry. This time he alters its course into space and when it goes off, his powers enable him to absorb the radiation. The death of one planet helps save another one. Alas the radiation is too much and falls to the ground. He apologizes to our Superman and tells him to love Lois. He then dies. Lois comes to comfort Superman and he tells her he has a lot to think about.

Next scene, a dictator’s palace is abuzz. On the courtyard, in flames are the words “I’ll be watching you”.

Final scene, Lex’s HQ. Superman comes to thank Lex for the cure. Lex laughs and tells him he’s crazy if he thinks he would give him something permanent. Superman thanks him again and says he owes him one. Lex, furious, says he hates him and he’ll die by his hands alone. He did it for himself and he owes him nothing. Superman smiles and says “in that case” and flies him to prison. Lex recanting what he says all the way there.

Music and Superman flying across the globe.

Anyway, just thought I would share this idea for fun.

Now that I would pay to see!

Once upon a time, when I spent my free time writing spec screenplays instead of posting on internet forums, I wrote a treatment for a 6 movie Superman franchise.

This first film was basically a rehash of JB's Man of Steel, but with Zod's backstory included, and the villains were Lex Luthor and Metallo. Each movie afterward would have a James Bond-ian opening, where Superman assists another hero taking down a bad guy in the first 15 minutes. Part 2 opens with Batman and Superman stopping Toyman. Part 3 features Wonder Woman and Superman facing off against Maxima. Part 4 was the Flash, and so on.

Anyway, Part 2 was the Luthor/Brainiac team, which culminated in the accidental opening of the Phantom Zone, and led to...

Part 3, which featured Zod, and his maniacal quest to recreate Krypton. To that end he uses an engine of destruction that the Daily Planet calls "Doomsday". Superman defeats Zod, and dies while stopping Doomsday.

Part 4 follows the Funeral for a Friend story, as well as the Reign of the Superman story with a few twists and tweaks. Instead of Mongul, Lex Luthor and the Cyborg Superman are the bad guys.

Part 5 featured Superman trying to get back into the swing of things after his death. He doesn't get much of a breather before Mr. Mxyzptlk shows up to cause havoc, and creates a "Bizarro" world where Superman has to fight a backwards version of himself.

Part 6. Darkseid. Lex finally gets his comeuppance at the end of this one.

Sounds like fun. You know, the X-Men movies showed that you don't have to explain everything. The Toyman CAN appear without a whole explanation of who he is etc.

It could work.

Yeah, and this was before the Marvel movies started up, and of course Batman Begins, so my thinking was if you establish these other heroes in a really faithful 15 minute snippet, they could spin off onto their own movies without the need for a protracted origin sequence, and whatever happens after that point happens...but at least they start off faithfully adapted.

Good proactive thinking

Good story, Allen! Who the world's most powerful man's most powerful opponent? Himself!

Thanks. I also wanted to make people think, especially all those who say Superman is too wimpy and give them a Superman they think they want.

That's the basic problem with an adult representation of Superman. He stops muggings, why can't he stop genocide or global warming or hunger? How much should he do? How much should he tell the world what to do?

But it's a better question than just what should Superman do. What should we do? We all have amazing abilities of our own as individuals and as communities. How should we best use them? It's a good premise for a story.

I'd go watch it.