Superman & Lois Anticipation

[BetterButter]

'Superman & Lois' TV Series in the Works at The CW

[CabotCove]

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Wait - so in addition to everything else, this crossover also has got to (at least partially) set up a Lois & Clark spin-off? This thing is getting messier all the time

from this thread

Looks like they were testing this potential project by using The Elseworlds Crossover 2018.

https://tvline.com/2019/10/28/superman-lois-lane-series-in-development-the-cw/#comment-list-wrapper

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When TVLine spoke with Grimm alum Tulloch ahead of “Elseworlds,” she said such an offshoot “potentially” could come to fruition, adding: “I think it’ll depend on how [the crossover] is reviewed and a bunch of other external factors that nobody has really that much control over. I know Tyler and I would love to come back and work more together. We fortunately had great chemistry, which is not always a given.”

Edited October 29, 2019 by CabotCove

[Primal Slayer]

That's exciting news and bringing on a Superman show is perfect right after COIE. They can reboot certain characters (Lex, Lucy, etc) and we can get at least 1 year of hopefully some good Superman/Supergirl crossovers. I pray that they dont give Clark an the obligatory "Tech guy" and usual form of some kind of police force. I know Berlanti has found his superhero formula but it is time to break from it and try something new. And give Supes a better costume!

Elizabeth didn't blow me away in her little time as Lois so I hope that they give her some good Lois material that is able to make her see her as Lois.

It is a shame that Supergirl wasted some characters like Jimmy/James since it would be fun to see their dynamic. And that Conner will be off limits to them since that'd be a good storyline to tell.

It is funny that Lois & Clark ended on a cliffhanger that involved a baby being introduced and Superman & Lois is beginning with them as parents.

And dont give us any established Alien characters that look like Aliens but end up being normal looking humans.

[bettername2come]

I love Tyler Hoechlin and he makes a great Clark and Superman, which is rare, but I don't love her Lois. Not crazy about the actress and she was mean to Oliver in her episode. I do love the idea of seeing Lois and Clark as parents. It pulls at the heartstrings from Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman starting to go there in their finale. 

Also, can Jimmy be on this? Maybe Lois and Clark would treat their best bud better. 

And the title sucks. You can't just combine titles of old Superman shows. 

[Jenniferbug]

1 hour ago, bettername2come said:

I love Tyler Hoechlin and he makes a great Clark and Superman, which is rare, but I don't love her Lois. Not crazy about the actress and she was mean to Oliver in her episode. I do love the idea of seeing Lois and Clark as parents. It pulls at the heartstrings from Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman starting to go there in their finale. 

Also, can Jimmy be on this? Maybe Lois and Clark would treat their best bud better. 

And the title sucks. You can't just combine titles of old Superman shows. 

For real. Can we get Mehcad back as Jimmy? He can be from Earth 47 for all I care so they can reboot the character, but I think he and Tyler would be fun best friends and he deserved better than he got on Supergirl. 

I love Tyler as Clark and Superman too. He's so perfect. I'm going to need to warm up to Bitsie, but I didn't hate her in Elseworlds. 

[Trini]

I loved Lois & Clark, so I like the idea of another similar show. However, I feel like my idea of a Superman family show is not something that the CW is capable of producing.
 

On 10/29/2019 at 12:57 PM, Primal Slayer said:

I pray that they dont give Clark an the obligatory "Tech guy" and usual form of some kind of police force. I know Berlanti has found his superhero formula but it is time to break from it and try something new.

I'm also afraid that they'll rely on the same tropes created by the previous shows. The only team Superman needs is the Justice League.

[Chris24601]

To be fair, Lois could probably fill the Tech Guy/Overwatch role. She’s gotten more computer savvy over the years and in the Rebirth comics (i.e. where she’s mom to 10 year old Jon Kent) she’s absolutely familiar with Kryptonian tech (Clark I believe pointed out that as his wife she owns the Fortess of Solitude as much as he does) and she also makes use of all sorts of “souvenirs” she’s acquired from her past adventures (ex. a blaster glove in one issue).

Further, even in the comics Superman has always had a science advisor (ex. Dr. Hamilton or John Henry Irons) and a police liason (ex. Maggie Sawyer or Dan Turpin) in addition to the Daily Planet crew (which, while it keeps defaulting back to Lois/Perry/Jimmy every time a writer decides to get “back to basics”, has included a wide array of other characters; Ron Troupe, Cat Grant, etc.).

He also had Ma and Pa Kent alive and well for the nearly 25 year run that was Post Crisis up to just a year or so before the New52.

Heck, he’s even had other heroes like Guardian, Gangbuster and Steel (John Henry or his niece Natasha) who’ve come and gone.

The idea of Superman as some lone island who does everything alone is, I think, largely a side-effect of how he got portrayed in the late Bronze Age and in films, but hasn’t been true to the actual stories since the Reagan-era.

In other words, there’s actually a pretty large cast of already existing supporting characters who have already filled various roles common to the Arrowverse shows.

Frankly, if they did Superman and Lois, then added Maggie Sawyer as police liason, John Henry Irons as science guy with Perry White as Editor (and veteran character actor) you’d have a pretty typical CW/Arrowverse main cast line-up without even needing to step outside of the “shown up on other Superman shows” category).

[CabotCove]

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For real. Can we get Mehcad back as Jimmy? He can be from Earth 47 for all I care so they can reboot the character, but I think he and Tyler would be fun best friends and he deserved better than he got on Supergirl. 

Well there is always Pete Ross, he is also Clark's best friend. 

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The only team Superman needs is the Justice League.

Or just Lois, as someone pointed out she has been getting technologically savvy over the years. Since this is Superman and Lois, I hope there would be more of them as a team and less of Superman teaming up with various others. Lois is gonna have to be her own developed individual too, with her own stories. 

[tv echo]

‘Superman & Lois’ Eyeing To Begin Filming In March In Vancouver (EXCLUSIVE)
November 17, 2019
https://discussingfilm.net/2019/11/17/superman-lois-eyeing-to-begin-filming-in-march-in-vancouver-exclusive/ 

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We have learned that The CW’s ‘Superman & Lois’ pilot is eyeing to begin filming in March 2020 in Vancouver.

The series will be written by Todd Helbing who has previously worked as the showrunner on ‘The Flash’ series before departing following Season 5, allowing Eric Wallace to take the reigns of the series. The series will be executive produced by Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter through their production company Berlanti Productions, Geoff Johns will also executive produce.

Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch will reprise their respective roles as Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane, Hoechlin first appeared as Superman in the first episode of ‘Supergirl’ Season 2 and Tulloch first appeared as Lois Lane in last years’ crossover ‘Elseworlds’. Both will also reprise their respective roles in a large capacity in the upcoming ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ crossover where they will be joined by their newly born child.

The series’ logline revolves around Superman and Lois Lane as they deal with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society. More details are scarce at this point but one source is hinted that Clark and Lois’ child will somehow be aged up following the crossover however, it remains to be seen if that will be true in the pilot or not.

Edited November 18, 2019 by tv echo

[CabotCove]

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More details are scarce at this point but one source is hinted that Clark and Lois’ child will somehow be aged up following the crossover however, it remains to be seen if that will be true in the pilot or not.

There seem to be some rumors about ageing Baby Kent

https://twitter.com/Pagmyst/status/1195774860443521029

Now...don't take this as fact...just heard things around the new #Superman Spin off show indicate that instead of having what we will have on the left in #CrisisOnInfiniteEarths...we will have what is on the right...or at least it will be closer to that than Baby Jon Kent.

[Trini]

Rumor or not, I would have assumed that their child would be aged up anyway, since infants are a little more complicated to deal with, and there's a precedent for it in the comics. Not to mention, all these Berlanti-verse shows seem to not want babies around anyway.

[CabotCove]

EXCLUSIVE: THE CW’S ‘SUPERMAN & LOIS’ MAY FEATURE SUPERBOY & ROBIN, AKA THE SUPER SONS

The first character being cast is “Matthew” (a codename), who is a 14-year old caucasian boy, who is well on his way to becoming a physical specimen. Matthew is a clean cut, modest and kind-hearted, with an aw-shucks attitude that somehow doesn’t seem dated. He is also a three-sport athlete who’s already garnering attention from college and pro-scouts.  Now the latter part might not sound much like Jon Kent, aka Superboy, but the first half sure does. And breakdowns often take liberties that aren’t always in the show itself. Keep that in mind for the next breakdown. 

“Ethan” (who is likely Damian) is also 14-years old and caucasian, but has a young Leonardo DiCaprio quality and an inherent darkness to him. Ethan is wildly intelligent, but his mercurial temperament and social anxiety limits his interactions with people. Consequently, he spends most of his free time playing video games.

https://thegww.com/exclusive-the-cws-superman-lois-may-feature-superboy-robin-aka-the-super-sons/

[Trini]

I'm *highly* skeptical they're doing Damian Wayne on a Superman show. And that description doesn't sound like him anyway. But if they are going to have Jon be a teen, it makes sense they'd cast a buddy for him.

[Featherhat]

IIRC there were plans for Lois and Clark's cliffhanger baby in that show to be aged up rapidly in a season 5 that didn't happen so I'm not exactly surprised that it might happen here or that they might set it in the future/use time travel. They really aren't fans of baby storylines but they like older kids and their parents interacting. 

[Starfish35]

While I get why they would want to age the kid(s) up, from a purely personal perspective the idea of teenage kids sucks out most of the interest I had in this spinoff.  I really like Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman and I like Bitsie Tulloch’s Lois, but I’m sorry - I just am not interested in any form of teenage drama. 🤦🏻‍♀️   When they talked about aging the child up, I was hoping we were talking 6-10ish.  Grade school age, not high school.   I do get why that might not be practical - dealing with child actors, etc.  But....yeah, sorry, my interest dropped off a cliff when we started talking about teenage kids.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Starfish35

[CabotCove]

On 11/19/2019 at 3:14 AM, Trini said:

I'm *highly* skeptical they're doing Damian Wayne on a Superman show. And that description doesn't sound like him anyway. But if they are going to have Jon be a teen, it makes sense they'd cast a buddy for him.

Maybe, you could be right. I saw another theory that it could be Earth 3 Alexander Luthor Jr. "The   inherent darkness to him " and  "mercurial temperament and social anxiety " makes me think maybe it could be a Luthor. Exploring a kid "Lex Luthor" and friendship with kid Superboy would be something a Superman show could be interested in. 

Just a theory.

Edited November 21, 2019 by CabotCove

[tv echo]

[CabotCove]

Might Superman & Lois Take Place In Smallville?

Now that we know that The CW’s in-development Superman & Lois TV series starring Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch is for sure casting two teens, we’ve also done some more digging, and unless the casting process is masking this series so heavily that even locations and tone can change in casting sides, it looks like the series may be taking place in a small town. With farms.

There’s also the teenage aspect which was previously discussed, with the character that we assume is Jonathan Samuel Kent, son of Clark and Lois. The character we assume to be Jon is 14 years old and already on his way to becoming “a physical specimen” — he’s also very polite, thoughtful of others, and declines a spot on the football team because it would cost another, older kid his spot. But another scene involves the “Matthew” and “Ethan” characters being cast (again, we’re assuming Jon and someone else, possibly Damian Wayne, possibly not) visiting their friend from school “Lauren” in the barn on a farm. They’re talked about as if they are from the “big city” and have recently moved to… wherever they are living now, where there are farms. It should also be noted that farm equipment is new to them — the boys don’t even know what a hay baler is

.http://www.kryptonsite.com/might-superman-lois-take-place-in-smallville/

[Trini]

'Elizabeth Tulloch Talks Crisis on Infinite Earths'

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One place we may be going next? A spin-off centered on Superman and Lois. Tulloch couldn’t talk much about it so early but did share: “We’re really excited though. Tyler and I are so excited. We’ve met with the show runner…the story is awesome.” Tulloch added that the pitch was so good “I literally got chills.”

[Chris24601]

Honestly, the more I hear of this, the more it sounds like they’re doing a live action version of the Rebirth storyline from a couple years back.

Heck, I forget where I did it, but back when the Rebirth comics were coming out I actually came up with a variation of an Arrowverse Open* just to prove how effective the Rebirth re-boot was in making the story easy to jump onto.

The gist of Rebirth for the non-comic followers was that Superman and Lois survived the destruction of their previous universe (the pre-Flashpoint continuity) and came to this on with their infant son. Because there was already a Superman and Lois on that Earth (the ones introduced in the New52), they kept out of sight and focused on raising their son for about a decade while helping out in secret (Superman via covert heroics, Lois via investigative novels exposing corruption under a pseudonym).

Then the New52 Superman died and with the world in peril, the pre-Flashpoint Superman stepped up and started helping publically again all while continuing to raise his family in secret.

It was mostly set in a small town, but not Smallville... instead it was just a short hop upstate from Metropolis (close enough to commute) and one of the subplots was investigating the weirdness in the town.

In addition to recurring Damien cameos, there was also a neighbor girl (possibly this “Lauren” character) who witnessed Jon losing control of his powers in an early issue and later became a confidant.

This show may not run with that exactly (it’d almost certainly skip the replacing an alternate Superman and that while living in hiding they went by Clark and Lois Smith for two examples), but it might keep the idea of Superman and Lois as refugees of the pre-Crisis universe... mainly because it explains why Superman didn’t get involved with any of the many near disasters that occurred before whatever causes him to get involved again).

* The Arrowverse Open: “My name is [given name]. I used to [backstory element] until [inciting incident from pilot] changed things. Now with the help of [supporting cast group], I [description of superheroics] and [secondary plot goal]. I am [comic title]!”)

[shantown]

30 minutes ago, Chris24601 said:

* The Arrowverse Open: “My name is [given name]. I used to [backstory element] until [inciting incident from pilot] changed things. Now with the help of [supporting cast group], I [description of superheroics] and [secondary plot goal]. I am [comic title]!”)

Your whole post is probably very on point, but the "Arrowverse Opener" just cracked me up! And you're right... it'd be very easy to sub in "Clark Kent / live an undercover life / this world's Superman died / my wife and son / fight for Metropolis / against Lex Luthor / SUPERMAN!"

[CabotCove]

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It was mostly set in a small town, but not Smallville... instead it was just a short hop upstate from Metropolis (close enough to commute) and one of the subplots was investigating the weirdness in the town.

Ok, so not smallville then, a farm town near Metropolis makes sense. 

 

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but it might keep the idea of Superman and Lois as refugees of the pre-Crisis universe... mainly because it explains why Superman didn’t get involved with any of the many near disasters that occurred before whatever causes him to get involved again).

What do you mean "refugees of pre Crisis Universe" ?,isnt everyone  going to be that anyhow, in the post Crisis universe. Lois and Clark of Earth 38, the version we have come to know are still going to be the Lois and clark of this potential show. I dont think we will see an alt versions of them, replacing this version of them like in rebirth comics, thats just too complicated. 

[Chris24601]

4 hours ago, CabotCove said:

What do you mean "refugees of pre Crisis Universe" ?,isnt everyone  going to be that anyhow, in the post Crisis universe. Lois and Clark of Earth 38, the version we have come to know are still going to be the Lois and clark of this potential show. I dont think we will see an alt versions of them, replacing this version of them like in rebirth comics, thats just too complicated. 

Since some of this might tangentially deal with what will happen in the Crisis Crossover I'm going to put in spoiler tags, but I'll only be referencing old comic stories that 5 (Rebirth) and 35 years old (Crisis on Infinite Earths) and hypotheticals based on those comics and what we've already seen in the crossover so if you don't mind being spoiled about comic stories about as old as Vader's "No, I am your father" line... feel free to proceed. 

Spoiler

 

So, whenever a big continuity re-writing "Crisis" event has occurred (off the top of my head... Crisis on Infinite Earths, Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, Flashpoint, Doomsday Clock) the entire DC universe gets re-booted, including everyone in those universes to conform to the new history.

To be really grim about it. Everyone in the old universe(s) dies and gets replaced by a near identical doppelganger in the new universe that is created (about the only characters this might not apply to are Mia, William and Connor over on Arrow who came from the future after the universe already got re-booted.

Sometimes though there are people who, because they happened to outside the normal flow of time when this re-boot happened, don't get wiped out. Because the re-booted universe already has its own version of them, they're basically temporal duplicates akin to Laurel-2 vs. Laurel-1 over on Arrow. In the comics, these characters are generally shunted off into "paradise dimensions" or the like so the re-booted continuity can run smoothly and only turn up again if someone comes up with a way to use them.

In the case of "Superman: Rebirth" the crisis even was Flashpoint, which destroyed the old timeline and replaced it with the "New52" timeline (i.e. even in the comics Barry Allen can't stop making things worse via time travel) that was intended to be a relaunch of the DCU.

The problem DC had was that it was basically a dud and the New52 Superman was particularly unpopular because of all the changes they made (they killed off his parents, undid his marriage to Lois so they could have him shack up with Wonder-Woman, then had Lois Lane out his dual identity as Clark Kent to the world and depowered him into a street-level hero dealing with social justice issues).

So, the editorial staff at DC made a authorial saving throw and introduced a story line where the Superman and Lois from the Pre-Flashpoint universe got pulled out of the timeline at the last moment by a multi-dimensional version of Brainiac.

Via flashbacks they showed that, after dealing with that Brainiac, Superman, Lois and their infant son Jon tried to return home only to find their universe had been replaced by the New52 universe and it had its own Superman and Justice League. So with no way back and as the last survivors of their old universe, they opted to focus on raising their son Jon. Clark dealt with various threats in secret while Lois wrote books that exposed major political and criminal scandals under a psuedonym.

Cut back to the present where the unpopular New52 Superman is killed off and New52 Lois disappeared. Realizing that the world still needed a Superman, Clark came out of the shadows while Lois adopts the identity of her New-52 counterpart to investigate her doppelganger's disappearance (she later learns that her counterpart had also died).

Much of the story was about Superman and Lois navigating this world that was both similar and different to their own while stepping into the roles of their doppelgangers (who were not married and certainly didn't have a now ten-year old son) while raising their son in a small town near Metropolis that had its own share of secrets.

 

The main reason I think they might go the way Rebirth went is, based on the casting calls, they're looking for a teenager to play their son Jon Kent and there's only three ways that can happen in relation to what we've seen.

A) Clark and Lois lose their son in the time-stream and he spends 15 years growing up without them until he returns as a teenager.

B) the Superman & Lois spin-off is set about 15 years in the future (c. 2035) with Jon having grown up normally but leaving the series completely out of temporal step with Supergirl and the rest of the Arrowverse shows (making ever crossing over even with Supergirl difficult).

C) Earth-38 Superman, Lois and Jon end up in either Earth-38 or Earth-1's past (c. 2005) and then raise Jon in secret until 2020 when they re-emerge for whatever reason is the inciting incident of this series.

Of those, A is such a downer/parent's worst fear scenario that I can't see them using it for the core of an ongoing Superman series.

B would almost make sense if Jon were going to be 20 so that it would be set in 2040 contemporaneous with the new GA&tC series (allowing future crossovers with those two and present-day crossovers with the other shows), but putting it 15 years out of sync with the present, but still five years shy of the other new series seems like bad planning.

That leaves something like C as the only scenario where you get teenage Jon and the ability of the show to interact with the rest of the present day Arrowverse.

[tv echo]

Although I like Tyler Hoechlin, I agree that making the Superman spinoff about BR's Kingdom Come Superman would have made for more compelling storytelling...

The CW Gave a Superman Show to the Wrong Version of the Character
BY NICHOLAS RAYMOND  DEC 29, 2019
https://screenrant.com/superman-show-cw-wrong-version-kingdom-come-brandon-routh/ 

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Superman is finally getting his own Arrowverse show on The CW, but the network should have picked a different version of the Man of Steel to star in the series. The upcoming CW series stars Tyler Hoechlin's take on the character, but it's Brandon Routh's Kingdom Come Superman who would have been the best choice for the protagonist.
*  *  *
It was reported in late October that The CW was adding a new show to its Arrowverse lineup, Superman & Lois, starring Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch as the titular couple. It was reported that the show would focus on Clark and Lois as working parents. As one of DC's two most popular heroes, there's no question that Superman deserves his own series in the Arrowverse, but there is reason to doubt that Hoechlin's Superman was the best option. With Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Arrowverse has given fans a compelling new version of the character by adding a tragic backstory to the most iconic Superman to ever appear on the big (or small) screen.
*  *  *
A series about the Kingdom Come character could be unlike any other Superman story on TV, including Smallville, Superboy, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. As a story without Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White, it would need to introduce a new supporting cast of Superman characters. It would show the Man of Steel in a dark world that's in desperate need of a symbol of hope.

The setting of the series would be much darker than what audiences would normally expect from a Superman series, but that doesn't mean the same would be true for its protagonist. Crisis on Infinite Earths has shown that Brandon Routh's Superman is true to the spirit of the comic book character in every way. This became evident when Superman explained why he wears a black emblem: "Even in the darkest times, hope cuts through. Hope is the light that lifts us out of the darkness." In just two episodes, Brandon Routh's portrayal of Clark Kent has given the Arrowverse its best Superman moments yet.

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by tv echo

[ouinason]

I, personally, would not watch a 'darker" superman show.  I didn't like the "darker" superman movie, or the sequel, or justice league for that matter.  That's just me though.

[rove4]

On 12/29/2019 at 10:03 AM, tv echo said:

Although I like Tyler Hoechlin, I agree that making the Superman spinoff about BR's Kingdom Come Superman would have made for more compelling storytelling...

The CW Gave a Superman Show to the Wrong Version of the Character
BY NICHOLAS RAYMOND  DEC 29, 2019
https://screenrant.com/superman-show-cw-wrong-version-kingdom-come-brandon-routh/ 

I agree.  I would've loved to watch that show.  I'm much less interested in what we're actually getting. 

[tv echo]

Bitsie Tulloch Says Superman & Lois Pilot Gave Her Chills
BY LINDSAY MACDONALD   JAN 2, 2020
https://www.tvguide.com/news/bitsie-tulloch-says-superman-lois-pilot-gave-her-chills/

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"When Todd Helbing, who's our showrunner, was telling me about the story for the pilot script for Superman & Lois, I got chills," Tulloch told TV Guide on the red carpet for Supergirl's 100th episode celebration. "It's so good, and it's so something we haven't seen before with them, so I think it's going to be great."

FYI, I believe that Supergirl's 100th episode celebration was on Dec. 14, 2019.

Edited January 4, 2020 by tv echo

[CabotCove]

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A) Clark and Lois lose their son in the time-stream and he spends 15 years growing up without them until he returns as a teenager.

B) the Superman & Lois spin-off is set about 15 years in the future (c. 2035) with Jon having grown up normally but leaving the series completely out of temporal step with Supergirl and the rest of the Arrowverse shows (making ever crossing over even with Supergirl difficult).

 

I certainly prefer the A option, and then the show will be set in 2020. I wouldnt want Superman and Lois show to be isolated in 2035. In any case a future show is only going to cause trouble to the shows still set in current time. 

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Of those, A is such a downer/parent's worst fear scenario that I can't see them using it for the core of an ongoing Superman series.

True but it probably wouldnt be 15 years to them but maybe a couple of hours/days before he is returned to them. In any case I still think could be something like rapid aging that result in a 14 year old Jonathan. 

 

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The CW Gave a Superman Show to the Wrong Version of the Character
BY NICHOLAS RAYMOND  DEC 29, 2019
https://screenrant.com/superman-show-cw-wrong-version-kingdom-come-brandon-routh/

I disagree, Brandon Routh has played Ray Palmer for too long in this universe, I cant see him as any other hero but Ray/Atom. It would be like watching Ray trying to be Superman. Besides his superman is a mash up of Superman Returns and Kingdom come, sounds like that would be a nightmare to do a series on.

Edited January 7, 2020 by CabotCove

[Chris24601]

3 hours ago, CabotCove said:

True but it probably wouldnt be 15 years to them but maybe a couple of hours/days before he is returned to them. In any case I still think could be something like rapid aging that result in a 14 year old Jonathan.

Except that means that their baby spent 15 years growing up without them. They never hear his first word, see his first step (or first flight or tractor picked up), his first day at school... they basically miss his entire childhood and get back a teenager who doesn't even remember they're his parents back.

That is what I mean about "parent's worst nightmare" territory. That you lose your child and then learn your child had to grow up without your love and support and probably thinks of whoever did raise them as their actual parents.

The same goes for rapid aging... for one thing; how you slow it down if they're aging 14 years for every nine months or so (presuming it picks up in Sept/Oct 2020 relative to his birth), plus you've now a character who is physically 14, but mentally still an infant.

Nope, sorry, I just can't see them forking over Superman and Lois with their kid that way. They just won't... it'd instantly alienate the majority of their potential audience.

If there are any temporal shenanigans at all, I expect it to involve the whole family; The easiest option being that in the re-booted universe Lois and Clark simply had Jonathan 14 years earlier than in the pre-Crisis timeline (i.e. born about 2006 or three years after Kara arrived on Earth in 2003 and, say, five years after Clark became Superman/met Lois).

I'm basing that potential number off a bit of Superman lore and what we know from Supergirl's pilot. Kara arrived 24 years after Clark did so he would have been 24 in 2003.

In many versions of the story he first goes public as Superman around the age of 22-23 (either right after college or five years after graduating high school in the versions where he wandered the Earth instead of getting a formal degree) so he'd have had 1-2 years getting established as Superman before Kara arrived (i.e. new on the scene, but not a complete mystery either).

Likewise, in the current comics Lois & Clark are in their mid-30s and Jon was born ten years earlier; so they had to have been married by their mid-20s for that timeline to work.

In the Arrowverse we know Clark is supposed to be 41 in the present and Lois is presumably 38 like Bitsie Tulloch (which would actually fit with the Golden Age version of Lois Lane who was 19 in Action Comics #1 while Clark was 22)... in other words they're about 4-5 years older than their comic counterparts and their son is set to be 14-15 vs. comic Jon's 10.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Chris24601

[Starfish35]

Officially ordered to series

[Trini]

So... with this going to series, does this thread get moved? A new forum made?

[Trini]

I'm still kinda iffy on this. A Superman+Lois show is cool, I'm not sure if I want the CW version, though. But I'll give it a chance; Batwoman turned out better than I thought it would.

[Chris24601]

Well, I think the finale of Crisis cleared up some things (including the casting for two teen boys) with just one line of text.

For those who missed it, at the end of part five Clark gets a call from Lois asking him to come home and deal with what his SONS (plural) are up to. So my theory about the rebooted universe being changed so that Superman and Lois had a child a few years after Kara arrived was not only accurate, but they’ve now had more than one child.

Also, in the re-booted timeline, Lex is not only alive again, but regarded by the world as a hero (who also owns the DEO). The odds he’ll be at least a recurring role (if not a regular) in this series just skyrocketed.

[Trini]

7 hours ago, Chris24601 said:

Also, in the re-booted timeline, Lex is not only alive again, but regarded by the world as a hero (who also owns the DEO). The odds he’ll be at least a recurring role (if not a regular) in this series just skyrocketed.

I hope he's regular or recurring on this show, because I don't want him as a regular on Supergirl, which is looking likely right now.

[tv echo]

Tyler Hoechlin’s New Suit For ‘Superman & Lois’ Revealed
Jacob Campbell  POSTED ON JANUARY 16, 2020
https://fullcirclecinema.com/2020/01/16/tyler-hoechlins-new-suit-superman-lois/

Quote

New concept art for Hoechlin’s Superman & Lois suit has surfaced, and it makes a few changes to his current look. The most notable difference is the costume’s updated belt, which features some brighter colors in comparison to his current one. Check out the art below:

*  *  *
As can be seen in the box in the upper right corner, the design is by Keith Lau, who previously worked on Arrow. Lau’s designs for the Anti-Monitor, Black Canary, Spartan and Green Arrow were ultimately used on the show, so there’s a good chance this design, or a similar one, is used on Superman & Lois.

Edited January 17, 2020 by tv echo

[Primal Slayer]

No to the belt and no to keeping the ugly cape clasps. 

[CooperTV]

And forever and resounding no to Bitsie Tulloch, who I can't stand on my screen. Shame, that, as I enjoy watching TH in anything.

[CabotCove]

I wish they had said  what the name of the two sons are, there is Jonathan but who else..

Hope they announce casting soon

[scarynikki12]

The Diggles are moving to Metropolis so I’m hoping we get some cameos. Especially if they get the go ahead to let Digg be a Lantern onscreen. I’m sure Argus can play a role if they want. 

[Primetimer]

Quote

The CW has given a series order to Superman & Lois, set to air in the 2020-21 TV season.  Supergirl‘s Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch will reprise their Superman and Lois Lane roles in the new series.

https://www.primetimer.com/item/The-CW-gives-series-orders-to-Walker-Texas-Ranger-reboot-and-Superman-amp-Lois-YESmGq

[Primetimer]

Jean Maxime's Superman & Lois character breakdown:
https://www.primetimer.com/pilots/blog/the-cws-superman-lois-character-breakdown

[Trini]

Since this is going to series, does it get a forum?

Character breakdowns and more info from Primertimer: https://www.primetimer.com/pilots/blog/the-cws-superman-lois-character-breakdown

Spoiler

As the series opens, LOIS LANE is still working at the Daily Planet, but CLARK KENT has just been fired following a massive layoff plan at the journal. His father JONATHAN KENT is no longer with them, while his mother MARTHA KENT is living alone on the farm where he grew up in Smallville. They have twins, JONATHAN and JORDAN KENT, who are thirteen and very different -- both physically and otherwise. Jonathan is the popular one, an all-star athlete who's about to enter the Varsity team, while Jordan is more introverted, anxiety prone, and very much into computers and video games. They don't know who their father really is... yet. And they may or may not have inherited his powers.

Lois's father GENERAL SAMUEL LANE is in the picture and knows about Clark. LANA LANG is also a big part of the show. She's a banker, still living in Smallville, with her husband KYLE CUSHING, a firefighter, and their daughters, SARAH, who's fourteen, and younger SOPHIE who's eight. They are in a dark place: Kyle is a drunk and Sarah tried to take her own life a year ago.

And yes, Superman has an enemy in this version of the story, who appears as THE STRANGER in the pilot. His true identity is revealed ar the end of the episode...

 

[Starfish35]

Jonathan and Jordan cast

[ouinason]

I feel bad for the poor kid playing Jon, having to hear his real name in the script and try not to respond to it will probably be annoying.

[CabotCove]

Quote

I feel bad for the poor kid playing Jon, having to hear his real name in the script and try not to respond to it will probably be annoying.

Oh yeah. So the one called Jordan in real life is playing Jonathan, and Alexander is play Jordan . I wish they had just let Jordan play Jordan, it would have been easier that way. 

[Trini]

The latest news makes it seem like the show might end up being mostly about the sons (Smallville 2.0?), and that's not the show I'm interested in.

Do we know what the main setting is yet? Because it seems to me that it will be split between Metropolis and Smallville, based on those character breakdowns.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎2‎/‎4‎/‎2020 at 6:23 PM, Trini said:

Since this is going to series, does it get a forum?

Character breakdowns and more info from Primertimer: https://www.primetimer.com/pilots/blog/the-cws-superman-lois-character-breakdown

  Hide contents

As the series opens, LOIS LANE is still working at the Daily Planet, but CLARK KENT has just been fired following a massive layoff plan at the journal. His father JONATHAN KENT is no longer with them, while his mother MARTHA KENT is living alone on the farm where he grew up in Smallville. They have twins, JONATHAN and JORDAN KENT, who are thirteen and very different -- both physically and otherwise. Jonathan is the popular one, an all-star athlete who's about to enter the Varsity team, while Jordan is more introverted, anxiety prone, and very much into computers and video games. They don't know who their father really is... yet. And they may or may not have inherited his powers.

Lois's father GENERAL SAMUEL LANE is in the picture and knows about Clark. LANA LANG is also a big part of the show. She's a banker, still living in Smallville, with her husband KYLE CUSHING, a firefighter, and their daughters, SARAH, who's fourteen, and younger SOPHIE who's eight. They are in a dark place: Kyle is a drunk and Sarah tried to take her own life a year ago.

And yes, Superman has an enemy in this version of the story, who appears as THE STRANGER in the pilot. His true identity is revealed ar the end of the episode...

 

I don't have a good feeling about this...

[CabotCove]

Quote

Do we know what the main setting is yet? Because it seems to me that it will be split between Metropolis and Smallville, based on those character breakdowns.

Sounds like its split between the two places, the Kent Family living in Smallville, Lois working at Daily Planet in Metropolis. The show is titled Superman and Lois, they would have to focus more on the titular leads, Lois and Clark/Superman.  All in all it feels like a family show. JMO. 

 

 

[tv echo]

Pilot Script Review of Superman & Lois
JEAN-MAXIME RENAULT     2/17/2020 
 https://www.primetimer.com/pilots/pilotpreviews/superman-lois 

Spoiler

... As for Superman & Lois, the series leapfrogged past the pilot stage and has already received a series pickup for the 2020-2021 season.
*  *  *
WRITTEN BY: Todd Helbing
DRAFT DATE: 1/13/20 Studio Draft
PAGE COUNT: 61 pages

SCRIPT SYNOPSIS: We open on a fast-paced flashback of events narrated by CLARK KENT himself, recounting the moment his pod crashed on Earth before JONATHAN & MARTHA KENT's very eyes, to the day his adopted father died when he was only sixteen. Then we leave Smallville for Metropolis where Clark is now the SUPERMAN the whole world admires and the handsome man LOIS LANE is madly falling in love with. As time goes on, they move in together, they marry, and Lois gives birth to twins: JONATHAN, the always happy, easy baby, and JORDAN, the crying and tormented one. As they get older, there's a stark physical difference between the two twins: at thirteen, Jonathan is stronger than the other boys and a star athlete, while Jordan is darker, diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, and always on his computer. The real identity of their father is unknown to them, but could it be that Jonathan got his powers and Jordan didn't?

In present day, we're thrown into chaos inside a nuclear power plant where a Fukushima-sized disaster has just begun. GENERAL SAMUEL LANE can only think of one solution: calling his son in law Superman to stop the disaster. That's exactly what Superman does, by freezing an adjacent lake, creating a massive iceberg that in turn cools down the heat in the reactor vessel. After saving the world again, he goes back to his family to kiss his boys goodnight. The next day, Clark gets fired from his long time job at the Daily Planet, which is downsizing now that the journal is part of a media conglomerate owned by billionaire MORGAN EDGE who doesn't care about real journalism or even facts. But Clark doesn't have much time to think about that before he hears a cry for help from his mother, asking him to "come home". When he arrives back at the farm, it's too late. She's dead. 

A few days later at the funeral, he sees LANA LANG. She still lives in Smallvile, where she's a banker, married to KYLE CUSHING, a firefighter. Together they had two daughters: SARAH, who's fourteen and just as dark as Jordan, and SOPHIE, who's eight. Lana has something to tell Clark, something that'll make him rethink his whole life...
*  *  *
Superman and Lois is probably best described as a spiritual follow-up to that old series [Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman], as it's definitely not a reboot. In this version, the titular couple is older and parents of teenage boys, and that's a big deal. We've never seen these characters as a family on television. Tonally, the show is definitely darker than Lois & Clark — there are deaths and grieving in the pilot, and the world is a much more dangerous place to live. At the same time, it would seem to be lighter than most of the CW's existing DC series, sharing more DNA with Black Lightning than any of the others. A mix between a family drama, a teen drama and a sci-fi show, there's a surprising sweetness to the pilot. So much so that reading it, I wondered if it might fare better on a larger network. Supergirl famously got its start on CBS, which was a strategic error at the time. Based on the pilot script, Superman & Lois fells like it might have fared better.

I enjoyed this pilot script much more than I expected. Superman may be a somewhat staid superhero at this point, but his relationships, whether with his parents, Lois, or Lana, always seem to sparkle. For those who were into Smallville, there's plenty here for you: most of the pilot happens there, and it would seem to be the primary setting of the series moving forward. There will be the adults stories on one side, with Lana still very much in the picture (whether Lois likes it or not), and the teenagers stories on the other side, with the boys discovering who they are and where they come from. A new triangle would seem to be on its way between Jonathan, Jordan and Sarah. Then there's the Superman mythology, which still figures prominently. Familiar characters return, and as in the comics, the pilot sets up socio-political issues that will be interesting and timely to explore. Smallville is not the paradise it once was — at least for Clark. Martha is no longer there to help the community, the shops are closing one by one, people are getting poorer, and vilainous societies (one in particular) hope to destroy what's left of it. Lois will have many investigations to pursue and Superman a lot of rescues to make. Kids will do more stupid things, and eventually — we assume — all will be right in the world again.

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by tv echo

[Trini]

12 hours ago, tv echo said:

Pilot Script Review of Superman & Lois
JEAN-MAXIME RENAULT     2/17/2020 
 https://www.primetimer.com/pilots/pilotpreviews/superman-lois 

  Reveal spoiler

... As for Superman & Lois, the series leapfrogged past the pilot stage and has already received a series pickup for the 2020-2021 season.
*  *  *
WRITTEN BY: Todd Helbing
DRAFT DATE: 1/13/20 Studio Draft
PAGE COUNT: 61 pages

SCRIPT SYNOPSIS: We open on a fast-paced flashback of events narrated by CLARK KENT himself, recounting the moment his pod crashed on Earth before JONATHAN & MARTHA KENT's very eyes, to the day his adopted father died when he was only sixteen. Then we leave Smallville for Metropolis where Clark is now the SUPERMAN the whole world admires and the handsome man LOIS LANE is madly falling in love with. As time goes on, they move in together, they marry, and Lois gives birth to twins: JONATHAN, the always happy, easy baby, and JORDAN, the crying and tormented one. As they get older, there's a stark physical difference between the two twins: at thirteen, Jonathan is stronger than the other boys and a star athlete, while Jordan is darker, diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, and always on his computer. The real identity of their father is unknown to them, but could it be that Jonathan got his powers and Jordan didn't?

In present day, we're thrown into chaos inside a nuclear power plant where a Fukushima-sized disaster has just begun. GENERAL SAMUEL LANE can only think of one solution: calling his son in law Superman to stop the disaster. That's exactly what Superman does, by freezing an adjacent lake, creating a massive iceberg that in turn cools down the heat in the reactor vessel. After saving the world again, he goes back to his family to kiss his boys goodnight. The next day, Clark gets fired from his long time job at the Daily Planet, which is downsizing now that the journal is part of a media conglomerate owned by billionaire MORGAN EDGE who doesn't care about real journalism or even facts. But Clark doesn't have much time to think about that before he hears a cry for help from his mother, asking him to "come home". When he arrives back at the farm, it's too late. She's dead. 

A few days later at the funeral, he sees LANA LANG. She still lives in Smallvile, where she's a banker, married to KYLE CUSHING, a firefighter. Together they had two daughters: SARAH, who's fourteen and just as dark as Jordan, and SOPHIE, who's eight. Lana has something to tell Clark, something that'll make him rethink his whole life...
*  *  *
Superman and Lois is probably best described as a spiritual follow-up to that old series [Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman], as it's definitely not a reboot. In this version, the titular couple is older and parents of teenage boys, and that's a big deal. We've never seen these characters as a family on television. Tonally, the show is definitely darker than Lois & Clark — there are deaths and grieving in the pilot, and the world is a much more dangerous place to live. At the same time, it would seem to be lighter than most of the CW's existing DC series, sharing more DNA with Black Lightning than any of the others. A mix between a family drama, a teen drama and a sci-fi show, there's a surprising sweetness to the pilot. So much so that reading it, I wondered if it might fare better on a larger network. Supergirl famously got its start on CBS, which was a strategic error at the time. Based on the pilot script, Superman & Lois fells like it might have fared better.

I enjoyed this pilot script much more than I expected. Superman may be a somewhat staid superhero at this point, but his relationships, whether with his parents, Lois, or Lana, always seem to sparkle. For those who were into Smallville, there's plenty here for you: most of the pilot happens there, and it would seem to be the primary setting of the series moving forward. There will be the adults stories on one side, with Lana still very much in the picture (whether Lois likes it or not), and the teenagers stories on the other side, with the boys discovering who they are and where they come from. A new triangle would seem to be on its way between Jonathan, Jordan and Sarah. Then there's the Superman mythology, which still figures prominently. Familiar characters return, and as in the comics, the pilot sets up socio-political issues that will be interesting and timely to explore. Smallville is not the paradise it once was — at least for Clark. Martha is no longer there to help the community, the shops are closing one by one, people are getting poorer, and vilainous societies (one in particular) hope to destroy what's left of it. Lois will have many investigations to pursue and Superman a lot of rescues to make. Kids will do more stupid things, and eventually — we assume — all will be right in the world again.

 

My opinion on this opinion:

Spoiler

Sounds like this will be at least half teen drama and Smallville, and Lois doesn't seem to be as big a part as I would like. So not really interested in that. But this is just the script, not even the pilot; and things can change even after the pilot.