Opinion Piece
An Open Letter To Michael Bay: Please Direct Man Of Steel
Loyal Mehnert

First off, congrats with Transformers. Even hardened Michael Bay detractors seem to enjoy the nonstop action, breezy comedy, and dazzling special effects. I'm hoping when all is said and done this summer, Transformers stands alone as the box office champ. It really is the most fun I've had at the theatre so far this year.

Which brings me to why you should move from one franchise about aliens made of steel to another. Bryan Singer is off working on his wacky WWII Hitler hitmen flick and Superman: Man of Steel has been left blowing in the wind. It's unknown if Singer plans on returning to Supes immediately after Valkyrie and honestly, I hope he doesn't.

Michael, you and I both know Bryan is a better director than you, hell, I'd even say much better (I don't think anything you touch will ever be nominated for a non-technical Oscar). But you are at the top of your game, doing the best work of your career. And you absolutely are the best at what you do. And what it is that you do so well was sorely missing from Superman Returns. The cinematography was great but no one shoots red, white, and blue like Bay. Supes lacked humour and the all important wow factor. Things you bring to the table in spades.

I can only imagine what you'd do with Brainiac as a lead villain, perhaps even a subplot about growing unease within the military over Superman's vast powers. For the first time in the history of the Superman franchise, we'll see Supes unleashed, cities crumbling, feasts of unbelievable magnitude (not that I wasn't impressed with his ability to reverse the Earth's rotation without killing everyone in the process). I'm 100% certain that Metropolis and Superman will have never looked better than with you at the helm. And let's not forget you have the United States armed forces in your backpocket. Need a submarine or aircraft carrier on short notice? Call Michael Bay!

I expect a mountain-size pile of hate mail because of this letter. Many internet fans see you as a hack. But from The Rock to The Island, I see you as a filmmaker of extraordinary talent who's often saddled with ho hum screenplays. The few problems I have with Transformers are almost entirely within the screenplay. And I know the issues that weighed down Superman Returns would immediately be solved with you on board.

Superman: Man of Steel needs you and I hope Jon Peters in his infinite wisdom understands this. But it's not just that film hanging in the balance. The much anticipated Superman Vs Batman, the recently announced Justice League film and with it, spin-offs featuring Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, or any number of JL members. They're all dependent on the success of the next Superman film. Warner Brothers needs this film to succeed in order to ensure the next 25 years of DC film properties. And hopefully both Supes and Bay will find new fans in the process.

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