Movie Power Rankings: Zack Snyder and 'Superman' soar to no. 1
Plus: 'The Hobbit,' 'Spider-Man' and 'Bourne Legacy' make moves
Expect lots of slow motion "Superman" now that Zack Snyder is behind the camera.
Here's a collaboration many would have never anticipated, Christopher Nolan writing and producing a Zack Snyder directed film. Moreover, the idea both egos could embark on "Superman," a franchise in dire need of some real creative juice is even more intriguing.
Of course, for Nolan, bringing Snyder on board shows Warner Bros. and the fans that he realizes this is not Batman and the Man of Steel needs a different touch than "The Dark Knight" or his own thematic work. For Snyder, it's a chance at a blockbuster to solidify his box office credentials after the shaky "Legend of the Guardians" and the unknown quandary of "Sucker Punch." Plus, how could Snyder say no to the return (or would that be debut?) of General Zod? Now, the big question remains: Who will be the next "Superman"? As you ponder that quandary, here's the rest of this week's power rankings.
October 5, 2010
1. "Superman" (last week no. 4)
Please, please Zack, no Kate Bosworth. We beg. Seriously.
2. "The Social Network" (last week no. 1)
Critics adore, but that opening weekend box office keeps getting smaller doesn't it? Not the pre-opening estimate of $28-30 million. Not the after Friday grosses estimate of $25 million. Not the Sunday guess of $23 million. The actual opening weekend was $22.4 million. 

3. "The Hobbit" (same)
Should Peter Jackson consider making "King Kong 2" instead? A fire destroys his miniatures studio and now the Prime Minister of New Zealand is getting involved in the "Hobbit" labor dispute. Hardly good times.
4. "Spider-Man 4" (not ranked)
Emma Stone is now rumored once again to be the leading candidate to play Mary Jane Watson. Duh.


5. "The Twilight Saga" (last week no. 12)
That's a pretty impressive crew for "Breaking Dawn," isn't it?
6. "The Bourne Legacy" (not ranked)
Shocker! Franchise screenwriter Tony Gilroy finally gets to take the reigns. O.K., not so much, but we're betting "Ultimatum" and "Supremacy" director Paul Greengrass is gonna regret turning this gig down.
7. John McTiernan (not ranked)
The "Predator," "Die Hard" and "Thomas Crown Affair" director gets a harsh sentence for his involvement in the Chuck Rovin wiretapping case. Not hearing a lot of sympathy from his peers in the 323/310.


8. "True Grit" (last week no. 7)
First a teaser and now a poster and a trailer. Add the Coen Bros. latest to your Christmas must-see list.


9. "Harry Potter" (not ranked)
J.K. Rowling is now waffling on whether she's finished the adventures of everyone's favorite wizard. This is one flip flop we could live with.


10. "Tron Legacy" (last week no. 14)
Disney is validated in showing no fear in previewing 23 minutes of their expected holiday blockbuster. It's looking' good people.

11. "Jackass 3-D" (not ranked)
You gotta give it to Paramount for ramping up a last minute publicity campaign for this one, but seriously - a Trailer, a TV spot and people are there.


12. "Titanic" (not ranked)
"Star Wars" who? Another major blockbuster is coming back in 3-D that people will actually want to see. We just have to wait until 2012.
13. "Beach Boys" (not ranked)
A big screen movie about the Southern California institution is finally on the way. That's big news at the Academy retirement home.

14. "Avatar" (not ranked)
James Cameron and 20th Century Fox aren't skimping on the Extended Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray and DVD which comes out Nov. 16. It contains the film's 3 versions (including a Collector's Edition cut), a 300 page script and 45 minutes of deleted scenes. Wowzers. Just in time for Christmas too.
15. "August" (not ranked)
Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep are in negotiations to star in a movie adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. A dream combo…in 1999.



Dropping like a rock...


*"Case 39"
How low can things get for Renee Zellweger? This long delayed thriller was her worst opening ever. Is that HBO or Showtime calling? Perhaps Starz or TNT?
Movie Power Rankings appear every Tuesday on HitFix. What do you think of this week's chart? Share your thoughts below.
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October 5, 2010 at 4:48AM EST Reply to CommentNice rankings this time. Agree with you on your Superman points. Zack will bring a different style to Superman than ever seen before... And he'll also bring the much need epic scale to proceedings, something sorely missing from Superman Returns, despite its gargantuan budget.
It's a real shame about The Hobbit. Now, I am pretty damn sure that there *is* a higher power involved in all this, and he's not a big fan of Tolkien's work. Sigh.
Nagayoshi
October 5, 2010 at 4:53AM EST Reply to CommentPeople DO want to see Star Wars in 3D. Sorry to burst your bubble. Ill probably see each of the six twice. Other than that, great commentary.
Greg
October 5, 2010 at 10:22AM EST Reply to CommentI'm not a huge Star Wars guy or anything, but thinking more people will go to see Titanic in 3D than the Star Wars films, is probably the dumbest, least insightful comment I've read on one of these sites in a long time. How do people like this even get to have a website?
October 5, 2010 at 1:32PM EST
October 5, 2010 at 12:08PM EST Reply to CommentI hope the hobbit can keep up with the LOTR Triology. A lot of people are waiting for this.
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RustyStardust
October 5, 2010 at 3:21PM EST Reply to Comment'legend of the gaurdians' and 'social network' are 2 modern classics that don't need to stress about BO (besides, 'legend' just made a pretty sweet comeback at the BO), because they'll be on everyone's 'must own' lists for a long time to come. and, i'm super excited about snyder and nolan tackling 'superman'.
John W
October 5, 2010 at 6:24PM EST Reply to Comment30 years later and they're still rehashing Richard Donner's Superman movies.
Anthony
October 8, 2010 at 2:21AM EST Reply to CommentThis is pretty cool. Now, if Snyder reads this, I want him to know that if theres anyone who should be the next man of steel of the big screen is Tom Welling. Now, I know some don't like the show and some are even ignorant about but to heck with them because from the last ten years of it's season, it was a good show and I have been watching it since I was in high school and it was there for me when there was nothing else on TV on a week night. I have watched Welling become this respectable actor and at the same time, developing the most experience, knowledge, skill and ability to embody the character and unlike Routh, he makes the character more believable. Sure, he's played Clark Kent and the "Blur" but not as Superman so we still have yet to see that and he's helped the show to have a long successful run and I got to give him the props. After all these years him building his character, gaining the most experience and being familiar with the character for a long time, it would do justice and even Tom Said it himself he's always been open to the idea he has earned the right to be given a chance for the part on the big screen and Zack Snyder should realize that and I'm not saying that because I'm a Smallville fanboy but as a Superman fan. But hey, whatever happens, happens, I'll be supportive and whoever gets the part, he had better be damn well better that Routh. But still, Tom has earned a chance, though.
And at this point and time, it is a right decision to remake the Superman franchise - Superman really is a cool character and for over 60 years, he has captured the imagination for so many people all around the world, even to this day and that says a lot. Which is why it needs to be rebooted, in showing all those ignorant fools out there who said that he's boring or annoying or any of that negative crap how cool the Superman character really is. We have already seen him save people but not enough of him doing fight scenes with supervillians like he did in "Justice League Unlimited" cartoon series and able to deliver what the Superman fans really want - see Superman cut loose more and kick butt in epic fight scenes not just making heroic rescues and other than him being a "boy scout" to stay true and as accurate to the comic as possible. And they need to make him faster and stronger for the movie so he can fight more powerful villians and to make it really EPIC and see many things being smashed in the process, from going through buildings, cars, concrete floors ect. But not just spectacular special effects that are made to look and feel as real as possible but also have all the flying scene as the real actor, more so than Superman returns. But to have a much better script and storyline, that needs to make every bit of sense and the storyline must never be drawn off and to have a great chemistry with the characters and to the audience and able to have a connection with the audience and the audience have a connection to the characters. And perhaps put in some wittiness and some humor as well.
And they need to keep true to the fact that Superman also has microscopic vision, Superman-hypnotism(though he has yet to master it's inricacies, he sometimes can utilize the Torquasm-vo, which is an ancient Kryptonian warrior technique by shifting his consciousness onto a higher state, that allows him to fight an enemy in a purely mental realm.), able to hold his breath for extremely long time, able run/fly so fast, he can put out fires, make tornado funnels.
And to keep true to the fact that most of the time, he holds back tremendous amounts of power, even when he fought Captain Marvel because he never allowed himself to lose control or people, even meta-humans could be killed. If he wanted to, without holding back, he could destroy a planet easily with his most powerful punches.
Darkseid can rival Superman and give him a real damn good fight and if he doesn't hold back or if he would become one with the yellow sun, the plains would be more even.
He should keep true to the facts that the more solar energy he absorbs from the yellow sun the more power he gains and all his abilities become more and more amplified - in fact, if he is to fly closer and closer towards or even into the yellow sun, practically bathing himself in it, he can absorb enormous amounts of the yellow sun's energy, able to reach very god-like levels and becoming faster than the speed of light, in so doing, according to the comic. Yeah, I know I'm a bit of a nerd lol. But these I find very important info, which should NOT be left out!
And they should keep the theme song original from John Williams because it would not feel the same without it, theres absolutely nothing like because when John first made the music score, he has forged piece of epic, heroic music, that can give you goosebumps and the theme scream of hero and when you think of Superman, you think of John Williams' music score!
And after "Superman returns", at this point it is really not good enough to have a "good" Superman.
What we need is an "AWESOME" Superman movie, that needs to be far more superior and much better than "Superman returns" in every way.