L, July 26, 2002 S U P E R M A N FADE IN: . . . INT. TV MONITOR - DAY e TIGHT ON a video image of a news telecast. Ex ~t th efs no one there -- just the empty newsdesk. Odd. Suddenly a NEWSCASTER appears behind the desk - rushed and unkempt. Fumbles with his clip mic trembling. It's unsettling; be looks up a t us, desperately to sound confident. But his voice e Nm?!3CASTER Ladies and gentlen. If you are watching this, and are taking shelter underground, we strongly urg you -- all of vou -- to do so immediately. Anywhere-- anywhere are, anywhere you can find. (beat) At this hour, all we know is that there are visitors on this planet-- @ and that there's a conflict between them-- the Giza Pyramids have been 'v destroyed-- sections of Paris. Massive fires are raging from Venezuela to Chile-- a great deal of ... ... Seoul, Korea no longer exists All this man wants to-do is cry. But he's a realize now that werite been SLOWLY PUSHING IN NEWSCASTER ( con t ' d ) Only weeks ago this report would've . . seemed.. ludicrous. Aliens.. usi .. Earth as a battleground. . ( then, with growing venom: ) ... but that was before Superman. (beat1 It turns out that our faith was naive. Premature. Perhaps, given the state pf the world. . .- simply Y desperate-- .. , Something urgent is YELLED from behind the c Newscaster looks off, ' fied -- he yells but it's masked by a SHATT!L'RING -- FLYING GLASS -- the video -- camera SHAKES . . -.. ~ . .. . -. &+,. 9 ' . . . . . .- .I _ . . .. .: .. - - ( CONTINUED) . . 2. CONTINUED: 4 -.'1 A TERRIBLE WHI.STLE, then an EXPIX)SION -- WHIPPED OUT OF FRAME in the same horrible inst - . goes to STATIC'- - EXT. GOTHAM CITY DAY n . , . . -- -- the network skyscraper i~ being BLOWN APAR by one of the aforementioned VISIMRS: dre . armor and a sort of NIXJA'S CLOAK (along with containing a WEAPON we'll learn about later), the middle af a central, now-abandoned city s -- strewn everywhere. He's BLOWING EXHALING A THOUSAND HURRICANES.-- and flattening five c the process. After the buildings have fallen, a distant, es WHOOSH can be HEAR1). This Viaitor turns to and we QUICKLY PUSH IN on his face-- -- this Kryptonian's name is TY-ZOR. A handso old, looking into the distance as the WHOOSH WGR Tt w-Zor's mouth curls into a slight smile -- wt re . radical conviction lurking behind those dark s. that conviction is, exactly, we'll learn soon ugh. Suffice to say, this destruction has gotten attention he wanted. 1 L Suddenly we PULL BACK rb two blocks away, ANGLE on Ty- -- Zor as two RED BOOTS hit the pavement in t like an NBA MVP coming down from a slam dunk; coming to a satisfying halt. Oh yes. .We can feel his presence. . .- *, -3 -- And the CAMERA STARTS TO MOVE -- boots S m X R ISING, DRAMATICALLY -- 29 year-old warr-i-o r. A warrior in brilliant lue cape bil-l-o wing an iconon his- -m uscular ch ling an "S* and -f-in ally the face eyes awash and ,determination - n -- but our 'first'v iew of superhero one might " Superman, at this moment, .is.w fnded. His icom -""'. a SHREDDEDr. in'a reas.. . His sail-l ike cape S ' .. , ~ruiseda nd bloodied, Superinan stares ferocio Two boxers in the instant before Round Twelve , And for this one moment, itis dreadfully silen middle of this gothic American city -- two extra-terrestrial 1 . soldiers facing off like wild gunslingers, Then, with a . sudden and powerful LEAP, Ty-Zor LIFTS OFF THE PAVEMENT AND' -- -- BLASTS INTQ THE SKY Supkrman furiously pursues CONTINUED : What follows is a frenzied MID-AIR MARTIAL I the camera quickly ORBITING around the two as ;v deadly, lightning-fast blows -- powerhouse pun would propel a battleship two-hundred feet out - - DOWN, backward-somersault-kicking Ty-Zor -- -- shell-shocked for a moment sees Superman co er him SLAMS ' THE THING into Superman, wfto is thrown out 0 ACTUALLY FOLLOW SUPERMAN IN SLOW MOTION: our on as he CRASHES THROUGH TWO FLOORS OF TWO DIF BUILDINGS -- people RUmING'crazily through avoid the danger. n V i Still reeling backwards, Superman steadies ets his bearings in mid-air, then -- God bless -- for more. Ty-Zor sees Superman coming satisfied. Ty-Zor flies off -- Superman gives I L ' - EXT. EAST COAST DAY - . . SONIC BOOMS as Superman bullets after Ty-Zor - breaking the sound barrier, flying south over ern -- -- seaboard Ty-Zor DIVE BOMBS Superman £011 F . EXT CAPE CANAVEFW *'--'DAY Rockets, shuttles, massive crawlers and aerona 'c tech. -- .Superman lands fast WE PUSH CLOSER TO HI moment, sweating, panting, he seems like a -, hungry for a kill. A METALLIC SOUND and S ad snaps to the side, eyes fixed on a distant m a blur, the Man of Steel has left the £ram$=\ INT. NASA HANGAR - DAY A giant warehouse. Rocket boosters and next- Superman enters. Scans the place with his st -- .' we suddenly RUSH INTO SUPERMAN'S EYES -- s e can see what he sees: X-RAY VISION. . . .. . .>, . . ., .. . 4. CONTINUED . .. , . . . : , . . . . . .. ... , Iinagine. ,.theo ptic nerve working .like a .. ,. , : tongue -- INSTANT ZOOMS -- pushing ,. ..' almost dizzying, this computer-like _ .... . S u p e m sees, across.t he,s pace, an " -- . its fraine . . . . .. . Supermah BLURS THROUGH THE SPACE and through . , . .. INT: I NASA .TE. S T,I NG 'AREA: - DAY . . .. .. . .,. .._ ,' . . , .- . Sirpeirman enters the'l ong, dark horridor. end,. . . b.u .. t there are a'd o. z. en d.o o,. rs'here. :., . .. Ty-ZO~i s here ., . ..s up. erman stares down 'the hali-. -- ; his , .' eyes .arenta working ag .WHISPER.:. ,. . ' '. . . . . . . . . . . .. Kal-El.. ... TY-zoR (0,s.)' . . ' - .: .superman looks up -- we see . ., this. auiet v&e cads frm? I . . .TY-ZOR (0.5 .-) (contod .) .. . Lead walls. . . ... . . . . . i(tb'esa ta) b ' s t like we're hu. ma. n,, .. isn't .it3 . . . . . . . . -. - . SUPERMAN , - -- , - . overcome w i t hd e ."1 .. ::..:r j ' yIo wura nmt ott;oh ehr eacrr iyeod.u .c .r y, ml-El. Like - - - . . . . (MORE ) . i , . . . ( C O N T ~ ) ' 1'. .. - . B I. '- CONTINUED : d TY-ZOR (O.S.1 (cont'd1' m (almost amused) ... cry for me..,." Superman." n - -- and Superman finally looks up -- and what terrifying: his face covered in a repulsive his eyes ROLLED BACK AND BLOODSHOT -- and SUPE -- LOUD ENOUGH FOR THE WORLD TO HEAR finally M: . . EXT. FIELD - DAY Peace. Nature. The only sound, the gentle b wheat. A five year-old girl, the picture of innocenc ground, holding a small flower. breeze. PULL BACK to a massive LONO SHOT. The endles adjacent to a thick forest. Snowy mountains, miles away. Three moons in the daytime sky. image washed in a CRIMSON GLOW; on thiS planet red. And these WORDS A P P W ON SCREEN: ~YPMN .. R- We're TIGHT AGAIN an the little girl. She pi flower, collecting them. She's so adorable y watch her forever. Then her head snaps up -- something we .do not. ,A A m m e n t later and feel it: a deep, p 0 w e r f M . t .. THUD. Then ANOTHER. She stands . Looks '6;'ff. worried. Another, fX) sudden there's ~ilence. - . The little girl's eyes dart around.. . what w a wIS i t. gone.. .? Will it c-- ! ! ! The girl SCREAMS IN SHEEfi HORROR -- S!lQKY TALL- W-A R MACHINE a THREE-LEGGED- W- ALK "ROUSER') CRASHES THROUGH FOREST it S BELCHING FEAHE, immediately SCORCHING THE GRO THIS BEAST IS HEADED HER WAY -- The girl runs -- holy ahit does she run -- SC HEAD OFF -- screaming WORDS -- calling for he -- father but the words she's S'HRIEK-CRYING ar KRYPTONIAN GIRL DAMA-SQ!!! KALA-SO!!! .- CONTINUED : + - FYI --, --,.r _. '. ,,,L: 5 +"? ' Tdohoem geidr, lu nru-n~sa rptahslty Hu OsM -E - -w-e a nPdA Nw et or eraelvieazle hte.h: ri s drstant, BORDERLAND: her house set amid enormous WALLS BARRIERS that resemble tank-stops. -- . .. . .. . . . .. . . he enokmgus 'ROUSER MECH WARRIOR.c harges. ., . ' ' its napalm.i n appalling bursts. And we BOOM . . ' .. .. >. :..'. ovetrh q horizon -- there are DOZENS +RE :- .machines-c oming. . . . . . . .. . And the towering Rousers bre - - - automated DEFENSE MUNITIONS . - . . . . . but there are too many of th - - INT. SENATE CORRIDOR DAY . .. .. .. . w . :. . A HANDHELD CAMERA "rac-e-s behind a Senate OFFICER ;. .. down a...l&ngc'o rridor. 'the lrtlage is shaky ani Jf2z&Es this building -f-e els imposing.- -,the design a1 ese in influence combin& ~5tht he huge'scale o t -era ... -- .:.g~vernmenht il dings n m . . . . . . -- the Officer bursts into: rfw - INT. SENATE ASSEMBLY ROOM DAY -- '--' h - f . -- -- a magnificent meting space the heart ,- political system. EIGHT SPECIES are representme "for"ty- .. -seven.senioiS ENATE MEMBERS surround a central : fonk HIERARCHS flank their KING...: . . . . .... . . . . . -. All head=. turn to the visibly shaken, . out-of-b&athhkficer, . . . . who mSPaOkKesEN a I dN iXrReY PaTn6qNoX~ANc'e -m- e-nAtN'/ A NCOTTUEA:L . ALLALN GS PTON ' . :DEVELOP.:.: -:. , SVBTITLES ARE NEEDED, . SPECIFI IS ' . . . '. ,WRITTEN).r - - .. . . ,-. . . . ,-. . .. .. . ' .. ..... ...."... ...... . .... .. ... ._... . '., . . .. . .;' D--a .m thj ei ny- '.v e' ' .. cOroFFsI6CeEdR the . b. order into, ' , . . The senate members &e: a . . , -- one rnhn and so do we: . . : ' . - 5,. their.h andsome, rugg . . . b e e dreading this. . . . . . . . ,. ; JOR-EL Hive' we hear' from mas? .. , .. t . . . . . . . ,. . OFFICER . .... Sir, the'G eneral is dead. . j -: , 1 -- - 2 Jor-El 'absorbs the devastating news &en suddenly vaults into action-- - - 7. , - ZNT. WAR ROOM - DAY 'u ~t's a panic in here, the bustling command ce military. Two dozen LIEUTENANTS (still, eigh represented) talk over each other, manning th ~olographicm onitors show that damage is bein symbols and diagrams indicating just how much enemy is making. Jor-El bursts into the.r,o om, taking in the in one Lieutenant reports directly to Jor-El, in screens : , . . . . . . - LIEUTENANT'. ' . . . . -. _. - , They attacked at once, fro' m: the'e as . . - - _* -and the' south,-'- . . . , . JOR-EL . . .. . -- but their units in Menna were. . .. destroyed -- LIEUTENANT I'm afraid those were decoys. Increasingly distraught; Jor-El moves to anot er calls up other icons of their surviving troop -I- - Li LImPTENANT (cont8d) We have no offense left. Jor-El looks at his Lieutenant, enraqed. The stares back, anxious. ,--"."LIEUTENANT( cont'd) Sir, look at our positions. Tell m you see a 'way'o ut .. Jor-El looks back to the screens. We MOVE IN ... becomes increasingly clear that his people moment.. . are damned. L . Jor-El's eyes swell with tears. , the Lieuten on_- u s leader, truly wishing for a miracle. But the miracle that Jor-El has is far from a . , JOR-EL- . . -..i, . Go to your family. ... , .. ; . LIECPTENANT Sir, my job is here, I-- .. . . . . . . . . . . CONTINUED: . . . . , . .. . . . . . . . . ' : ' i. JOR-EL . ''. ',. ' 1 'rn ordering to go. . .. '. ., .. .. . Go: .. .( b,e .a .t..,: . ,f.or ceful.). '..,{- .~ . ... ..... ..:. .. .. . ... .. . . A beat. 'finally the ~ieutenknto ds. , .: ,.Wer e on,J or-El now. Alone. Looking off, .. as the SOUNDS OF DESTRUCTION GROW LOUDER.. .i. .. : .. EXT. . . .D AY' ' TAZA, K R. ~ N ,:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . , A massive, glor,ious capita MECH WARR~ORSc r&shthrough the r.e . s. id. ents merci.l. .&.S.s ly,' ..., .-. : . .. , ,, . ....' ..,.' . . . We follow one giant ,y& hachine:'--' ~ I N thGe ci tyts .:PALACE .. . INT. TAZA PA.L . ACE'.- D. A. Y. ... . ..... . . .. . . . .. .. . -: .. .. .. . . . Jor-El hurries do%m a. . -- who is. crying b u i n q .. ..... ... . . : . . . . . . . . . . . . --' plea'se -- - . or-33' 1,--. ' :: +. . '. . . . . . -- ~ u th.e s dete-ned as he' walks: . . . . . . There m,.u.s t 'something else we can d.o . !. , . 1".: . .:.. .. . -. . . . . . 4.- ... ~.h.&....e. L s q. .' e'.. .. ': : . J;,'O :R. -EL ' . . , .: . .. ., '.. ... ..' . . . '. ... And . . LARA . . . . . . him away! s@!.- , .. AII~ I . . . . . . . . (sridshe cries).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... o e b aby .;: , . . . . or-~1 looks at her', .his heart faring no betti he's not strong in thia moment, .there's na ho .. .: . future at all.. He embraces her. .Then, . . ..." \ ... my love:, J OtRh-eErLe r. s no ti&.. .,. .. .* - - - .. . . . . i ee He kisses her forehead, then looks into her red eyes. His look silently asks: are you ready? She j defeated. It's the best she can do. ele. INT. LAUNCH CHAMBER - DAY m -- With a shockingly LOUD HISS a PORTAL opens oking -- inside a TRANSPORT CAPSULE large enough for But we are TIGHT ON an INFANT, as he is placed cushioned interior of rhe capsule. B::: -- This child the baby KAL-EL, 'who will one da Superman -- looks up hopefully at the parents to send him light years away. The child, oblivious, smiles at his parents; a eyed Lara has just reluctantly placed her son carrier. Jor-El stands beside her. They loo their son-f or a last, heartrending moment. mt Jor-El touches the baby -- and we see just how this is for him. ing JOR-EL Look at us now... so that one day y might remember us. + t ce. Jor-El uses a holographic CLOSES. We can still see as the capsule begiq. s,to FILL WITH A CLEAR, 1. - Jor-El Continues the aperation: in what mst . NANOTECHNOLOGY, a metallic OUTER SHELL seems , the capsule. Then the high CEfLING SLIDES OP The countdown has begun. Jor-El goes to Lara: JOR-EL (contld) We have to go. As the LAUNCH ALARM BLARES, Jor-El starts out . .. for his wife's hand -- YELLS for her to come; desperately to maintain her sanity, she runs