Warners has moved up the global release date for "Superman Returns", director Bryan Singer's take on the comic book 'Man of Steel', from Friday, June 30 to Wednesday, June 28 to boost the film's chances at the box office over the US Fourth of July holiday.
By unspooling "Superman Returns" with midnight screenings on that Wednesday, nearly a week before US Independence Day, Warners hopes to give the film a jump on the competition, including Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", opening Friday, July 7.
In 2005, the Paramount/DreamWorks' co-production of Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" earned $112.7 million during the six days before the Fourth of July, while the year before that Sony earned $180 million over the same period for "Spider-Man 2".
"Superman Returns" stars Kevin Spacey as criminal mastermind 'Lex Luthor', Kate Bosworth as 'Lois Lane' and Brandon Routh as 'Clark Kent/Superman'.
1978's original "Superman", directed by Richard Donner earned $134 million in domestic box office, 1980's "Superman II", earned $108 million, 1983's "Superman III" grossed $56 million at the box office and the final film "Superman IV" earned $15 million.
"Superman Returns" picks up where the second film left off, with 'Kal-El' returning to Earth after a long absence to search for the remains of 'Krypton' and 'Lois Lane', the woman he loves.
If "Superman Returns" makes as much money as the superhero "X-Men" and "Spider-Man" movies, Warners will move forward with plans for another Supes feature, to be released in 2009.
Rumour has it that Singer will return to Vancouver, where he directed "X-Men 2: X-Men United" to shoot his "Superman Returns" sequel.
