Batman Savior Flies to Rescue of Superman Movie

Warner Bros. has hired Dark Knight impresario Christopher Nolan to be the “godfather” of its next Superman movie. Nolan probably won’t direct, but he will guide the film through development, insiders tell Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood. The studio doesn’t know much about the film, but one insider can confirm that “it would definitely not be a followup to Superman Returns.”

The film is still in the early stages of development, but the studio wants to start shooting ASAP. If a movie isn’t in production by 2011, Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel’s heirs, who own half the property, can sue under a clause in their contract. In 2013, things get even hairier; Warner Bros. and DC will lose the half of the character they still own to the heirs of the other co-creator, Joe Shuster. (More Superman stories.)