Fear not – once the conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy hits theaters this summer, the director’s name will still be attached to another comic book property, that of Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot, “Man of Steel.” After all, the film was Nolan’s baby at first, originating with him and writer David S. Goyer through initial drafts, but in a recent interview with Empire Magazine (via ComicBookMovie), Nolan clarified exactly how much involvement he will have in the finished production.
Nolan initially took a producer/story credit as the project gained steam, but it seems he’ll remain hands-off as “Man of Steel,” which stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, and Michael Shannon, enters post-production. "It's Zack's movie so it'd be a bit rude of me to turn up and say I've got a few ideas now," Nolan explained. "My big point of responsibility was helping shepherd David's script. When I'm finished with this I'll be there for whatever Zack wants from me, but it's very much his movie."
While the prospect of a film solely infused with Snyder’s sensibilities sounds horrific post-“Sucker Punch,” it still seems unlikely that the finished product will remain entirely without Nolan’s mark. Through meetings with actors, such as Dylan Spraysberry (who plays the young Clark Kent), Snyder supposedly pitched an edgier feel to his version, while also going for a more emotional, realistic feel for Superman’s journey. So, basically, the approach Nolan has been cultivating since 2005 with “Batman Begins.” Also, Goyer supplied the stories for every Batman film thus far, so while Nolan may swear those around him were acting of their own free will, his steely blue eyes and refined fashion sense may have swayed some decisions nevertheless. We’ll find out for sure when “Man of Steel opens June 14th, 2013.
Speaking of Batman, Empire also ran five new stills from “The Dark Knight Rises,” which accompanied their in-depth feature on the film. The images offer new angles on scenes showcased in the trailers, such as Selena Kyle’s (Anne Hathaway) prison escape and Inspector Gordon (Gary Oldman) speaking at Harvey Dent’s funeral. In addition, yet another TV spot has arrived (via TotalFilm) with a few more glimpses at the movie including a "retired" and hobbling Bruce Wayne, but thankfully the marketing blitz continues to keep some aspects hidden. That secrecy may be annoying now, but the satisfaction in going into the theatre without being spoiled completely, unlike with some other movies this season (looking at you, “Prometheus”), should prove to be more the reward when the fire rises or something on July 20th.