If you were asked to design a poster for a new Superman movie, probably the first few images that popped into your head would involve the big guy flying through the air, majestic and free, or possibly lifting some sort of impossibly large object, muscles bulging – something to show off what an impressive guy this super man really is. The latest poster for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is taking things in a different direction altogether though.
This poster, which debuted earlier today on the film’s Facebook page, gives us a passive and solemn Superman, handcuffed and being taken into custody by what looks to be some sort of military squad. Not exactly the kind of image you’d expect to represent the world’s most beloved and powerful superhero, is it? It would seem this is an early glimpse of that studio-mandated “grit” that’s meant to help this new franchise-launcher duplicate the success of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight series. Grit…yuck.
Of course, the image also inspires the mind to try and figure out why anyone would possibly want to arrest Superman, and why exactly someone who is stronger than a locomotive would keep a pair of cuffs on and let them. Did Superman do something he’s ashamed of, and that’s why he’s letting himself be arrested? Is the government completely corrupt, and Superman is just letting himself be taken in to possibly get some answers about who’s pulling the strings? Or is this simply a matter of the police beating him down with Kryptonite batons and then restraining him with a pair of Kryptonian handcuffs that they borrowed from General Zod?
Whatever the case, Supes’ offense couldn’t have been too serious—they didn’t even restrain his hands behind his back. Probably he just got pinched for flying while intoxicated or something. Somebody call Jimmy Olsen and tell him to get down here with some bail money!