SUPERMAN By J.J. Abrams Octorber 24, 2003 (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) F L Y B Y INT. TV MONITOR - NIGHT TIGHT ON a SMALL, 4:3 RATIO, FRAMED-IN-BLACK VIDEO IMAGE of a news telecast. Except there’s no one there -- just the empty newsdesk. Odd. Suddenly a NEWSCASTER appears behind the desk -- forty- (cid:13) five, rushed and unkempt. Fumbles with his clip mic, hands trembling. It’s unsettling as he tries desperately to sound confident. But his voice shakes -- the SOUND TINNY, as if from a TV: (cid:13) NEWSCASTER Ladies and gentlemen if you’re watching this and not taking shelter underground, we urge you (cid:13) to do so immediately -- anywhere -- (cid:7)anywhere you can find. (then, trembling) Just a month ago this report would’ve seemed ludicrous. (cid:13) Aliens... using Earth as a (cid:13) battleground... (wants to cry, but (cid:13) he’s a pro) ... but that was before Superman. Something urgent is YELLED from behind the camera -- our (cid:13) Newscaster looks off, terrified -- he yells something (cid:13) back, but it’s masked by a SHATTERING -- FLYING GLASS -- the video camera SHAKES -- A TERRIBLE WHISTLE, then an EXPLOSION -- everything is (cid:13) WHIPPED OUT OF FRAME in the same horrible instant the screen goes to STATIC -- (cid:13) EXT. METROPOLIS - DAY -- the SCREEN EXPANDS to 2.35:1 -- ANAMORPHIC RATIO -- and the SOUND EXPLODES in POWERHOUSE DOLBY as SOMETHING EXPLODES through the TV NETWORK building -- a BLUR of RED (cid:13) AND BLUE and it SLAMS INTO THE STREET like a meteor -- KKRABOOOOOOOM! A CRATER is blown into a street already (cid:13) littered with pieces of concrete and steel -- the c(cid:13) onfetti of PAPERWORK flitters everywhere. And then, with a WOOOOSH and thunderous THUD, a FIGURE LANDS. Human form, but this being is far from human. (cid:13) Dressed in dark, unearthly clothing, he’s a gorgeous specimen; his black eyes dramatic contrast to his pale skin. Powerful. Well-trained. This is TY-ZOR. (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 2. CONTINUED: Confident and controlling as he reaches down and grabs his nemesis -- someone we do not yet see -- and in a blur Ty-Zor HURLS HIM -- Another BLUE/RED STREAK in the sky as the figure Ty-Zor has thrown SLAMS INTO A ROW OF PARKED CARS -- the cars EXPLODE, tossed into the air like kicked dominos -- a hundred-yard divot RIPPED into the pavement. Momentary silence, save for some distant SIRENS. Then, in the rubble, something stirs. The CAMERA LOW, looking back at Ty-Zor, a block away, as the thrown figure struggles to rise in the FOREGROUND. We don’t really see him yet -- he’s obscured by a shock of RED. A cape. Uneasily, PAINFULLY, he gets to his feet as the CAMERA STARTS TO MOVE AROUND to the FRONT of the boots -- SLOWLY RISING, DRAMATICALLY REVEALING the body of a twenty-nine- year-old warrior in brilliant red and blue. But the iconic suit is SHREDDED in areas -- his cape billowing but SLASHED -- an icon on his muscular chest resembling an “S”. He’s bloody, winded, beaten. He’s as exhausted as Ty-Zor is strong, conf(cid:13) ident, cocky. TY-ZOR I’m disappointed. I expected a better fight. Then Superman HEARS SOMETHING in the far-off distance -- something no mortal could hear: a MUFFLED FEMALE VOICE. FEMALE VOICE (O.S.) ... SUPERMAN!!! HELLLL--!!! -- a voice SUDDENLY, inexplicably SILENCED. We’re TIGHT ON SUPERMAN’S FACE as he reacts to this -- the voice FAMILIAR to him -- deeply concerning him -- and he suddenly LEAPS INTO THE SKY, FLYING OFF. Ty-Zor watches him go. Smiles. EXT. SKY - DAY CAMERA SHAKES MADLY, keeping up with Superman, who flies vigorously -- his heart pounding as he speeds through the sky, EXCEEDING THE SPEED OF SOUND: SONIC BOOMS SHAKE THE W(cid:13) ORLD -- it’s DEAFENING -- and we CUT TO the SILENCE OF: EXT. KELVIN OBSERVATORY - NIGHT An old observatory, miles from the city. Giant domed building, tall security fences. From nowhere, a growing WOOOOOOSH and SUPERMAN LANDS MIGHTILY. Alone. He BULLETS to the observatory building entrance -- (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 3. INT. KELVIN OBSERVATORY CORRIDOR - DAY Superman FLIES down the corridor -- WHIP PAN as he passes us and arrives at the main door, which he RIPS AWAY -- INT. KELVIN OBSERVATORY - DAY TIGHT ON SUPERMAN’S FACE -- his eyes wide with terror at what he sees -- although we don’t see what it is, we can guess. And Superman almost GASPS: SUPERMAN -- no-- His skin begins to BLISTER -- he falls to his knees, shattering the marble floor as if it were sand -- and he GASPS -- opening his eyes -- ROLLED BACK, WHITE -- a SHOCKING MOMENT AND WE SMASH CUT TO: A FLOWER. Unlike any we’ve ever seen. Then a CLOSE-UP OF A FIVE- YEAR-OLD GIRL. The picture of innocence, she sits on the ground, gathering flowers. Her hair moves in a soft breeze. PULL BACK TO REVEAL: EXT. KRYPTONIAN FIELD - DAY A massive LONG SHOT. An endless field, awash in a CRIMSON GLOW; on this planet, their sun is red. There’s a nearby ridge. Pipelines and security bunkers. Pod- like DWELLINGS dot the alien landscape. WORDS APPEAR: “MENNA, KRYPTON. 29 YEARS EARLIER.” TIGHT AGAIN on the little girl, sitting in the field. She picks another flower. She’s so adorable you could almost watch her forever. Then her head snaps; she hears s(cid:13) omething we do not. A moment later we feel it: a deep, powerful, distant RUMBLE. She stands. Looks off, worried. The RUMBLING GROWS -- something gargantuan is coming. Then something horrifying: THE SKY DISTORTS -- RIPPLING like liquid, as if a stone had been tossed through it. The Girl’s face grows in panic as the sky suddenly begins to CORRODE -- A YELLOWISH ACID EATING AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE RIPPLE, EXPANDING OUTWARD LIKE A VIRUS; WE’RE WITNESSING THE DESTRUCTION OF A PROTECTIVE FORCE FIELD THAT HAS, UNTIL TODAY, DEFENDED THIS LAND -- (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 4. CONTINUED: -- as the HOLE RIPS in the sky -- with a DEAFENING ROAR -- DOZENS OF THE SCARIEST WARBIRDS YOU’VE EVER SEEN APPEAR, tearing through the still-expanding breach. These flying tank-like battle machines are called “BUZZARDS” -- And the terrified girl runs -- holy shit does she run -- SCREAMING -- as BURIED DEFENSE TURRETS RISE, TURN AND FIRE. The BUZZARDS FIRE BACK -- suddenly this little girl is sprinting through a perilous WARZONE -- EXPLOSIONS, STONE and DIRT everywhere. She CRIES in K(cid:13) RYPTONIAN: KRYPTONIAN GIRL DAMA-SO!!! KALA-SO!!! And up ahead, one of the swelling TURRETS OPENS -- a man - - her FATHER -- yells for her moves for her -- he grabs her, they duck into the turret which closes, just as, behind them, giant EXPLOSIONS which OVERWHELM THE FRAME, AND WE GO TO SHOCKING WHITE -- EXT. KANDOR - DAY -- and we realize the WHITE is CLOUDS, which we DIVE THROUGH, revealing a majestic Kryptonian city, far from Menna. This is a kingdom ruled by a great leader, who lives in the building we now quickly approach: KANDOR PALACE. In the same shot we land in the MAIN GARDEN -- I(cid:13) NT. KANDOR GARDEN CORRIDOR - DAY -- and CAMERA CONTINUES, racing behind a sprinting OFFICER, through the incredible space. He turns a corner, crying out to a group of SIX MEN who move down the hall -- the alarmed Officer speaks KRYPTONIAN, which we SUBTITLE: OFFICER Sir, the barrier’s been broken -- they’ve crossed the border into Menna! THEY’RE COMING. Five of these men are stunned -- PUSH IN on the fifth. Their KING. A rugged 39 year-old man, strong of body and character. Unshaken. This is JOR-EL. SMASH CUT TO: INT. KANDOR WAR ROOM - DAY PANIC: the bustling command center of their military. Two dozen LIEUTENANTS talk over each other, manning their stations. (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 5. CONTINUED: THREE DIMENSIONAL HOLOGRAPHS are everywhere of the attacking enemy -- translucent BUZZARDS and TROOPS. Complex GLYPHS and DIAGRAMS give crucial data. OUR CAMERA DOESN’T STOP MOVING as Jor-El bursts in, taking in the information as a Lieutenant reports to him, still in SUBTITLED KRYPTONIAN: LIEUTENANT They attacked from the east and the south. Our defenses were destroyed. Jor-El stares at the images, his heart sinking -- and we PUSH IN ON HIM as Jor-El realizes that this is the day he had been dreading for so long... LIEUTENANT (CONT’D) Sir, tell me you see a way out. The Lieutenant remains fixed on his leader, hoping for a miracle. Finally Jor-El speaks, mostly to himself. A contemplative voice. (NOTE: JOR-EL SPEAKS ENGLISH -- FROM THIS POINT THE ONLY LANGUAGE WE HEAR ON KRYPTON): JOR-EL ... yes. But the solution I have... is for another day. His eyes flick to a HOLOGRAM OF AN ATTACKING BUZZARD -- W(cid:13) HICH TRANSITIONS US TO -- EXT. KANDOR, KRYPTON - DAY -- an ACTUAL BUZZARD firing PLASMA BLASTS at a distant 200-STORY TOWER. The TOWER EXPLODES -- the Buzzard boldly flying THROUGH THE EXPLOSION as the structure COLLAPSES. And we WHIP PAN with the Buzzard as it LEADS OTHER BUZZARDS toward the center of Kandor, firing PLASMA BLASTS into the city, heading toward the great palace. TURRETS in the city FIRE BACK at the attackers. EXT. KANDOR STREET - DAY As Kandorians retreat, terrified, Jor-El’s troops FIRE WEAPONS up at the overwhelming enemy -- INT. LAUNCH CHAMBER CORRIDOR - DAY Jor-El hurries with his wife, LARA, who cries -- begs: (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 6. CONTINUED: LARA -- please -- Jor-El-- there has to be something-- something else we can do--! (she stops him) He’s our SON! (and she cries) ... our baby... Jor-El looks at her, his heart faring no better. But if he’s not strong in this moment, there’s no hope. He embraces her. Then, quietly, urgently: JOR-EL My love. We have no time. You know that. He looks into her red, wet eyes, giving her as much time as he can, which is none. She looks at him, defeated. She nods, hating this moment. He kisses her forehead and they head off -- INT. LAUNCH CHAMBER - DAY With a shockingly LOUD HISS a PORTAL opens -- we’re looking inside a TRANSPORT POD. TIGHT ON an eleven month- o(cid:13) ld INFANT, as he is placed on the cushioned interior. This child -- the baby KAL-EL, who will one day become Superman -- looks up hopefully at the parents who are about to send him light years away. The child, oblivious, smiles at his parents; a still teary-eyed Lara has just reluctantly placed her son into the carrier. And they look down at their son for a last, heartrending moment. Jor-El touches the baby -- and we see just how devastating this is for him. But he stays strong: JOR-EL Look at us now, Kal-El... so that one day you might remember us. Then a distant THUNDERING -- the enemy is coming. We see now that we’re in a large, round, high-ceilinged space. Jor-El uses a holographic keyboard and the capsule’s portal CLOSES. We can still see the infant inside through a window as the capsule begins to FILL W(cid:13) ITH A CLEAR, THICK LIQUID. Lara chokes back tears as the oxygenated, protective GEL covers her son. And with an ear-shattering BLAST, the POD BEGINS TO RISE. (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 7. CONTINUED: Jor-El and Lara watch the ascending craft, which we see silhouetted as the ceiling PARTS, revealing the Kryptonian sky -- INT. KANDOR PALACE - GREAT HALL - DAY Jor-El and Lara hurry through the Great Hall to: EXT. KANDOR PALACE GREAT HALL ENTRANCE - DAY The city under siege, the palace’s launch tower portal opens and the POD containing Kal-El rises. It hovers for a moment, in the path of an oncoming BUZZARD, which BANKS to avoid the pod, SLAMMING into a TOWER and wobbling wildly, EXPLODING in the city streets -- Jor-El and Lara run out, looking back to see the POD BLAST INTO SPACE, taking their son with it. Jor-El turns to her, enemy craft ROARING through the skies above them: JOR-EL -- go to Taga -- he’ll provide you p(cid:13) assage to Djomein-- LARA -- you aren’t coming --? JOR-EL I can’t go now. But you must. (holds her face) I will see you again. Lara cries as she smiles. He kisses her passionately. A nearby EXPLOSION ROCKS the ground -- one final look between them -- both putting on the bravest face. Lara, fighting tears, hurries off. Jor-El watches her go -- EXT. KANDOR PALACE GARDEN STEPS - DAY Others run past as twenty Jor-El SOLDIERS FIRE AT THE TWO BUZZARDS THAT PASS OVERHEAD, CRACKING THROUGH THE SKY. These voice-thrashed men yell out, alerting the others of additional incoming -- desperate for more ammo. Though it’s another planet, another species, this is warfare at its most familiar. Its most brutal. But slowly these soldiers STOP FIRING -- PUSH IN on them as they react to SOMETHING TERRIFYING: a MASSIVE, CITY- SIZED TROOP TRANSPORT IN THE DISTANCE -- so huge that it’s almost grey; we can barely make out its details through the atmosphere. But we can see SHIPS and TROOPS b(cid:13) eing deployed from it. (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 8. CONTINUED: BOOM DOWN AND MOVE TO FIND JOR-EL, brandishing a large, shoulder-strapped WEAPON. He turns to his troops and calls out forcefully: JOR-EL WE WILL NOT HAND OVER OUR CITY! ENEMY SOLDIERS APPROACH THE SOUTH ENTRY! LET’S SHOW THEM HOW WELCOME THEY ARE! And though the situation is grim, these loyal men CHEER their leader, falling out, headed for battle: EXT. KANDOR PALACE GARDEN - DAY Jor-El vigorously leads his men, FIRING at approaching ENEMY TROOPS. VARIOUS SHOTS of Jor-El’s heroism and displays of the unflagging spirit of his men. Then, suddenly, a large SCULPTURE is PULVERIZED by a mega- PULSE BLAST, exploding architecture and soldiers alike. Jor-El turns to look as a GIANT MECHANICAL FOOT CRASHES to the floor in a grim, gut-pounding THUD -- this is the ROUSER, the six-story mega-mechwarrior, having just landed. It FIRES AGAIN AND AGAIN, destroying, killing e(cid:13) verything it hits. Jor-El stands, the last living of his men. Even though masked ENEMY TROOPS appear, charging for him, Jor-El doesn’t give up: he grabs a nearby BLASTAFF as half a dozen enemy Soldiers surround him. Jor-El fights them -- hand-to-hand combat, one man against six. What’s incredible is how PHYSICALLY POWERFUL he is -- a BRUTAL WARRIOR who is in the middle of PUMMELLING HIS OPPONENTS when suddenly TWO DOZEN METALLIC, SNAKE-LIKE COILS APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE AND GRAB HIM -- YANK HIM FORWARD, HOLDING HIM ON THE GROUND. This is called a SNARE -- and it comes from the Rouser that stands above him. TIGHT ON JOR-EL’S racked face. He turns his head. One figure emerges through the dust and smoldering landscape. This is Jor-El’s brother, KATA-ZOR (37). Like his son we’ve already seen, his eyes are dark, his skin ghostly. He walks directly up to Jor-El. Looks down upon him, victorious... but also, somehow, heartsick: KATA-ZOR ... I can still hear your voices in my head. You and father. Returning from worship, singing the songs of Menna. (smiles, mad tears in his eyes) (MORE) (CONTINUED) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) (cid:13) 9. CONTINUED: KATA-ZOR(CONT'D) He always had plans for you, didn’t he? (beat, laughs) Can you imagine what he would say now? Seeing me... standing like t(cid:13) his, over you? JOR-EL Father would know... as I do... that you won’t be standing for long. Kata-Zor KICKS JOR-EL IN THE FACE. A bloody result. KATA-ZOR Your religion’s over, Jor-El. Bid your “Holy Land” farewell. (smiles, kneels) The ashes of Menna will soon darken the sky. TIGHT ON JOR-EL as he becomes terrified of what this means. Just then Kata-Zor GRABS JOR-EL’S FACE, hard. KATA-ZOR (CONT’D) I know you’ve sent the boy off- planet. But I will find him. And Kata-Zor KICKS JOR-EL in the face again, knocking him unconscious.(cid:13) KATA-ZOR’S LIEUTENANT Sir, the pod could be headed for any one of a thousand planets. KATA-ZOR (quiet rage) ... then send a thousand men. EXT. KRYPTONIAN FIELD - DAY -- the area we saw earlier, now POST-BATTLE. No living thing to be found. Then a RUMBLING. A ROUSER ROARS OVERHEAD -- flies to the center of a burnt-out field. It begins FIRING INTO THE GROUND -- BLASTING AGAIN AND AGAIN as a CRATER forms, hundreds of feet deep -- then thousands. Soon there’s a hole over a mile deep. A PORTAL then opens beneath it and a giant, metallic, threatening-looking SPIKE is lowered into the hole. This oddly sexual imagery is about to have a profound impact on this planet: as the Rouser speeds away, the SPIKE BOMB SEALS ITSELF around the crater. (CONTINUED)