As much as I respect him, I do not envy Bryan Singer right now. The man has a daunting task ahead of him… in an age where comic book movies are not only plentiful, but for the most part accurate and entertaining translations, Singer has opted to tackle the most well-known superhero ever. Not only must he uphold the character of the Man of Steel as told through the comics, but he must also follow in what has become, to many, the definitive comic book-inspired film legacy.

No sir, I would not want to be Bryan Singer right now, because I do not think I would be able to handle the pressure and still provide the masses with a faithful adaptation.

But just as I know I could not do such a thing, I also know that he can. And will.

For those of you oblivious to my ramblings, let me bring you up to speed: Singer, whose writing/directing credits include The Usual Suspects, X-Men, and X-2: X-Men United, has taken the reigns as director for the latest film in the Superman canon. This comes after a long list of directors, including Tim Burton, Kevin Smith, and McG. It also comes after an even longer list of potential Supermen: Nicolas Cage, Jim Caviezel, Jude Law, Ashton Kutcher, Josh Hartnett, etc., etc., ad infinitum.

But after nearly a decade of tossing, turning, cast and crew changes, rewrites, edits, and a mountain of speculation, the foundation has been set. Bryan Singer is your storyteller, and Brandon Routh is your hero.

First off, kudos to Singer for staying true to his word and casting a complete unknown as Superman. He did the smart thing and went for the most capable person for the job, not the most well known. Thank God he knows the difference. If directors were always to cast the most well known actors for big projects, Ryan O’Neal would’ve been playing Michael Corleone instead of Al Pacino. And that’s a known fact.

Though not knowing what Routh is capable of, if Singer cast him as Supes, then I have complete faith in him. Let’s not forget that Singer is the same guy who thought Hugh Jackman, despite standing 6’ tall, would make a good Wolverine. So needless to say, I trust the man’s judgment.

Moreover, look at Singer’s credentials that I listed just a few paragraphs above. The man is exceptionally talented when it comes to telling a cohesive, thought provoking story on film. Dare I say he’s a master at said skill. He gets what good filmmaking is all about. It’s not about the over-the-top explosion-happy action that Jerry Bruckheimer thrives on and Team America lampoons. It’s about genuine, convincing characters that the audience is able to connect to. Or at the very least believe.

Now I know that back in May, I heavily criticized the character of Superman, claiming that it was hard to connect to. Let me clarify something: Christopher Reeve managed to do something that 99% of the writers at DC Comics couldn’t. He made Superman believable. He brought a certain level of nobility and earnestness to the role that made you want to root for him, even if he was a big blue boy scout. Reeve saw something in the character of Superman (and equally as much in the character of Clark Kent) that had slipped through the cracks over time, and he managed to crystallize that nicely in his role. Which is why to this day, no one has been able to come close to Reeve’s portrayal. Dean Cain and Tom Welling never could and never will reach the level of believability that Reeve brought to the table, which is why Smallville, while surely entertaining, was unable to spawn the new Superman. It’s also why Lois & Clark, with the exception of Teri Hatcher’s cleavage, sucked hard.

Now for the record, I don’t think that Brandon Routh, no matter how talented, will trump Reeve’s performance. No matter how good he is, he will always be second in line on principle. However, he may just be the next best thing. And all things considered, who can complain, right?

Routh has his work cut out for him, and I sure hope he’s up to the task. It’s difficult for an actor to “own” a previously established role. Sure, Pacino will always be Tony Montana. Because it took Pacino to bring Tony to life. But when dealing with comic books, or literature in general, the character already has a life. It has a look, it has a voice, it has an aura. It’s not easy to claim that for yourself. That’s why Hollywood has been through four Batmen (going on five) since the 1960’s. Not a one of them has been able to nail it dead on.

Similarly, it’s also why Tobey Maguire is Spider-Man. He captures Spidey perfectly, just as Reeve captured Supes. It’s highly unlikely anyone will ever nail that.

But it’s not just the actor, it’s the person pulling the strings. Sam Raimi gets what Spider-Man is all about. Tim Burton got what Batman should be about. And if you thing Bryan Singer got what the X-Men are all about, you’d better believe he gets what Superman is all about.

Bryan Singer is an amazing storyteller. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that he’s a better director than either Richard Donner or Richard Lester. Despite his youth, he is a visionary in the world of film, and his résumé should more than speak for itself. He is able to put ideas on concepts onscreen and have them actually make sense.

I’ll refrain from the obvious off-color remark on how hard that is to do in Hollywood, especially nowadays.

Even though there’s still a great deal of casting that remains, Singer has an uncanny eye for genuine talent, and he’s proven that he’s an ace when it comes to working with ensemble casts. Because ultimately, it’s not just Clark Kent/Superman that makes the movie. There’s Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Lana Lang, and other popular Metropolites. And if they don’t show up in the first flick, odds are we’ll be seeing the likes of General Zod, Brainiac, and Doomsday down the line. And one of the things that always anchored Superman was the supporting cast of characters. That’s what makes any good comic book. Without the Mary Janes and Alfreds of the comic universe, all we have are one-dimensional characters with no real connection to the outside world; the humanity which they are now a step above.

Why do you think Image Comics collapsed (zing!)?

So, the foundation is in place, and the wheels are in motion. Whether or not this film will trump its predecessors remains to be seen. Still, I remain extremely optimistic that Bryan Singer and Brandon Routh will make us all believe once again that a man can fly…

Goodnight, and have a pleasant tomorrow.