Despite having survived his own death in the now-famous Superman (vol. 2, #75) back in 1992, Superman's future looks bleak. At least, that is, his future as a film star does.
The under-performance of the relaunch film, Superman Returns, has led many to question whether the Man of Steel will return for a sequel. The 2006 film by director Bryan Singer cost an estimated $270 million to produce, but only took in $200 million at the domestic box office. International ticket sales of $191 million helped the film make a profit, but it was a major disappointment to the studio, especially in the wake of the $1 billion that The Dark Knight earned worldwide.
In addition to the poor box-office numbers, Returns has been criticized by fans for having a plodding plot, borrowing too heavily from the 1978 Richard Donner-directed Superman, and for straying too far from the mythology established in the comic books. Actor Brandon Routh, who played the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent in Returns recently echoed those complaints by admitting that Returns suffered from a lack of action. Routh said that his Superman contract has expired, but that he is definitely interested in revisiting the role.