Superman on Film

So I was watching Superman Returns a few days ago and while I was watching,the question popped into my head: Is there no director or screenwriter working now that is capable of creating a good Superman movie? I am sooo sick of every Superman movie being a love story! And is it so much to ask for a Superman film where Lex Luthor is not the main villain? It's so repetitive! Yes, the first Superman movie from 1978 is a great film. No other Superman film has been interesting since. I had high hopes a few years back when Superman Returns came out and THAT was a big letdown. That movie had some things going for it. Brandon Routh did a good job as Clark Kent/Superman. Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor was inspired. That was about it. Superman Returns lost it because it didn't correct these problems.

1. Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Kill me now!
2. The costume looked a little off. It just wasn't...right.
3. What was the threat in this picture? Luthor creates an island out of Kryptonite in the middle of the ocean, threatening millions. Superman picks up the island and throws it into space. The end.
4. Superman as deadbeat dad to Lois' super spawn? WTF?!

After the 78' Superman followed three sequels. Only Superman 2 was good. Superman 3 and Superman 4 sucked. When writing Superman Returns the writers kept saying that they were ignoring 3 and 4 and picking up right after Superman 2. I think that was the fundamental mistake. Those movies are the past. Superman today is a totally different animal. That should have been reflected onscreen. The TV show Smallville has shaped people's perception of who Superman is and what shaped him. In an ideal world, Superman should have been portrayed by Tom Welling. He has the look and experience of playing Clark Kent on TV for going on eight seasons now. It would be the logical payoff to the TV series. Not to mention that over the course of the show, they've introduced the Justice League. It could easily create spin-off another television series or movies. Look at the lineup of heroes introduced on Smallville:

1. Impulse-Bart Allen
2. Aquaman-Arthur Curry
3. Cyborg-Victor Stone
4. Green Arrow-Oliver Queen
5. Martian Manhunter-John Jones
6. Supergirl-Kara Kent
7. Black Canary-Dinah Lance

Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor is riveting. You know exactly what he's going to become and he still finds a way to garner your sympathy. Smallville is also ahead of the movies because villain-wise they've introduced Brainiac, one of Superman's big villains from the comics which hasn't been done in the movies. On film, Superman is always caught up in the middle of a love story. That's only a small part of Superman. There's a lot more to him and it's frustrating to me that Superman on the big screen is so one dimensional. At least tell Lois your secret identity. That's why Superman Returns after almost 20 years without a Superman film in theaters,did such modest business while the Batman franchise has been brilliantly reinvented with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Maybe Christopher Nolan can take a crack at making a good Superman film. Until Warner Bros. can make a Superman film on the level of Nolan's Batman movies, I guess I have no choice but to stick with Smallville.