by JJ Abrams

139 Pages·2006·4.64 MB·English

L,
July 26, 2002
S U P E R M A N
FADE IN:
. . .
INT. TV MONITOR - DAY e
TIGHT ON a video image of a news telecast. Ex ~t th efs
no one there -- just the empty newsdesk.
Odd.
Suddenly a NEWSCASTER appears behind the desk
- rushed and unkempt. Fumbles with his clip mic
trembling. It's unsettling; be looks up a t us,
desperately to sound confident. But his voice
e
Nm?!3CASTER
Ladies and gentlen. If you are
watching this, and are taking
shelter underground, we strongly urg
you -- all of vou -- to do so
immediately. Anywhere-- anywhere
are, anywhere you can find.
(beat)
At this hour, all we know is that
there are visitors on this planet-- @
and that there's a conflict between
them-- the Giza Pyramids have been
'v
destroyed-- sections of Paris.
Massive fires are raging from
Venezuela to Chile-- a great deal of
... ...
Seoul, Korea no longer exists
All this man wants to-do is cry. But he's a
realize now that werite been SLOWLY PUSHING IN
NEWSCASTER ( con t ' d )
Only weeks ago this report would've
. .
seemed.. ludicrous. Aliens.. usi
..
Earth as a battleground. .
( then, with growing
venom: )
...
but that was before Superman.
(beat1
It turns out that our faith was
naive. Premature. Perhaps, given
the state pf the world. . .- simply Y
desperate--
..
, Something urgent is YELLED from behind the c
Newscaster looks off, ' fied -- he yells
but it's masked by a SHATT!L'RING -- FLYING GLASS -- the video
--
camera SHAKES . . -.. ~ . ..
. -.
&+,. 9 ' . . . . . .- .I _ . . .. .: .. - -
( CONTINUED)
. . 2.
CONTINUED: 4
-.'1 A TERRIBLE WHI.STLE, then an EXPIX)SION --
WHIPPED OUT OF FRAME in the same horrible inst
-
. goes to STATIC'-
-
EXT. GOTHAM CITY DAY n .
, . .
--
-- the network skyscraper i~ being BLOWN APAR
by one of the aforementioned VISIMRS: dre
. armor and a sort of NIXJA'S CLOAK (along with
containing a WEAPON we'll learn about later),
the middle af a central, now-abandoned city s
--
strewn everywhere. He's BLOWING EXHALING
A THOUSAND HURRICANES.-- and flattening five c
the process.
After the buildings have fallen, a distant, es
WHOOSH can be HEAR1). This Viaitor turns to
and we QUICKLY PUSH IN on his face--
--
this Kryptonian's name is TY-ZOR. A handso
old, looking into the distance as the WHOOSH WGR Tt
w-Zor's mouth curls into a slight smile -- wt re .
radical conviction lurking behind those dark s.
that conviction is, exactly, we'll learn soon ugh.
Suffice to say, this destruction has gotten
attention he wanted.
1
L Suddenly we PULL BACK rb two blocks away, ANGLE on Ty-
--
Zor as two RED BOOTS hit the pavement in t
like an NBA MVP coming down from a slam dunk;
coming to a satisfying halt.
Oh yes. .We can feel his presence.
. .-
*, -3
--
And the CAMERA STARTS TO MOVE
--
boots S m X R ISING, DRAMATICALLY --
29 year-old warr-i-o r. A warrior in brilliant lue
cape bil-l-o wing an iconon his- -m uscular ch ling
an "S* and -f-in ally the face eyes awash and
,determination -
n
--
but our 'first'v iew of
superhero one might
" Superman, at this moment, .is.w fnded. His icom -""'.
a
SHREDDEDr. in'a reas.. . His sail-l ike cape S
' ..
,
~ruiseda nd bloodied, Superinan stares ferocio
Two boxers in the instant before Round Twelve
,
And for this one moment, itis dreadfully silen
middle of this gothic American city -- two extra-terrestrial
1 . soldiers facing off like wild gunslingers, Then, with a
. sudden and powerful LEAP, Ty-Zor LIFTS OFF THE PAVEMENT AND'
-- --
BLASTS INTQ THE SKY Supkrman furiously pursues
CONTINUED :
What follows is a frenzied MID-AIR MARTIAL
I the camera quickly ORBITING around the two as
;v deadly, lightning-fast blows -- powerhouse pun
would propel a battleship two-hundred feet out
- -
DOWN, backward-somersault-kicking Ty-Zor --
--
shell-shocked for a moment sees Superman co er him
SLAMS
' THE THING into Superman, wfto is thrown out 0
ACTUALLY FOLLOW SUPERMAN IN SLOW MOTION: our
on as he CRASHES THROUGH TWO FLOORS OF TWO DIF
BUILDINGS -- people RUmING'crazily through
avoid the danger.
n V i
Still reeling backwards, Superman steadies ets
his bearings in mid-air, then -- God bless
--
for more. Ty-Zor sees Superman coming
satisfied. Ty-Zor flies off -- Superman gives
I
L ' -
EXT. EAST COAST DAY
- . .
SONIC BOOMS as Superman bullets after Ty-Zor -
breaking the sound barrier, flying south over ern
-- --
seaboard Ty-Zor DIVE BOMBS Superman £011
F
.
EXT CAPE CANAVEFW *'--'DAY
Rockets, shuttles, massive crawlers and aerona 'c tech.
--
.Superman lands fast WE PUSH CLOSER TO HI
moment, sweating, panting, he seems like a -,
hungry for a kill. A METALLIC SOUND and S ad
snaps to the side, eyes fixed on a distant
m a blur, the Man of Steel has left the £ram$=\
INT. NASA HANGAR - DAY
A giant warehouse. Rocket boosters and next-
Superman enters. Scans the place with his st
--
.' we suddenly RUSH INTO SUPERMAN'S EYES -- s e can
see what he sees: X-RAY VISION.
. . .. . .>, . .
., .. . 4.
CONTINUED
. .. , . . . : ,
.
. . . .
.. ... ,
Iinagine. ,.theo ptic nerve working .like a
.. ,. , : tongue -- INSTANT ZOOMS -- pushing
,. ..' almost dizzying, this computer-like
_ .... . S u p e m sees, across.t he,s pace, an
" --
. its fraine . .
. .
.. . Supermah BLURS THROUGH THE SPACE and through
. , . .. INT: I NASA .TE. S T,I NG 'AREA: - DAY . . .. .. . .,. .._ ,'
. . , .-
. Sirpeirman enters the'l ong, dark horridor. end,.
. . b.u .. t there are a'd o. z. en d.o o,. rs'here. :., . ..
Ty-ZO~i s here
., . ..s up. erman stares down 'the hali-. -- ; his
,
.' eyes .arenta working ag
.WHISPER.:.
,. . ' '. . . .
. . . .
. . . .. Kal-El.. ... TY-zoR (0,s.)' . .
'
- .: .superman looks up -- we see
. ., this. auiet v&e cads frm?
I
. . .TY-ZOR (0.5 .-) (contod .)
.. . Lead walls. . . ...
. . . . . i(tb'esa ta) b ' s t like we're hu. ma. n,, ..
isn't .it3 . .
. .
. .
. .
-.
-
. SUPERMAN
, -
--
, - . overcome w i t hd e
."1
.. ::..:r j ' yIo wura nmt ott;oh ehr eacrr iyeod.u .c .r y, ml-El. Like - - -
. . . . (MORE ) . i ,
. . . ( C O N T ~ )
' 1'. .. - .
B I.
'-
CONTINUED : d
TY-ZOR (O.S.1 (cont'd1' m
(almost amused)
...
cry for me..,." Superman."
n
- -- and Superman finally looks up -- and what
terrifying: his face covered in a repulsive
his eyes ROLLED BACK AND BLOODSHOT -- and SUPE
--
LOUD ENOUGH FOR THE WORLD TO HEAR finally
M: . .
EXT. FIELD - DAY
Peace. Nature. The only sound, the gentle b
wheat.
A five year-old girl, the picture of innocenc
ground, holding a small flower.
breeze.
PULL BACK to a massive LONO SHOT. The endles
adjacent to a thick forest. Snowy mountains,
miles away. Three moons in the daytime sky.
image washed in a CRIMSON GLOW; on thiS planet
red. And these WORDS A P P W ON SCREEN:
~YPMN .. R-
We're TIGHT AGAIN an the little girl. She pi
flower, collecting them. She's so adorable y
watch her forever. Then her head snaps up --
something we .do not.
,A
A m m e n t later and feel it: a deep, p 0 w e r f M . t ..
THUD. Then ANOTHER.
She stands . Looks '6;'ff. worried. Another, fX)
sudden there's ~ilence.
-
.
The little girl's eyes dart around.. . what w a wIS i t.
gone.. .? Will it c--
! ! ! The girl SCREAMS IN SHEEfi HORROR
--
S!lQKY TALL- W-A R MACHINE a THREE-LEGGED- W- ALK
"ROUSER') CRASHES THROUGH FOREST it S
BELCHING FEAHE, immediately SCORCHING THE GRO
THIS BEAST IS HEADED HER WAY --
The girl runs -- holy ahit does she run -- SC
HEAD OFF -- screaming WORDS -- calling for he
--
father but the words she's S'HRIEK-CRYING ar
KRYPTONIAN GIRL
DAMA-SQ!!! KALA-SO!!!
.-
CONTINUED :
+ - FYI
--, --,.r _. '. ,,,L: 5 +"? ' Tdohoem geidr, lu nru-n~sa rptahslty Hu OsM -E - -w-e a nPdA Nw et or eraelvieazle hte.h: ri s drstant,
BORDERLAND: her house set amid enormous WALLS
BARRIERS that resemble tank-stops. --
. .. . ..
. . . .. . . he enokmgus 'ROUSER MECH WARRIOR.c harges.
., . ' ' its napalm.i n appalling bursts. And we BOOM
. . ' .. .. >. :..'. ovetrh q horizon -- there are DOZENS +RE
:- .machines-c oming. . . .
. . . .. .
And the towering Rousers bre - -
- automated DEFENSE MUNITIONS
. - .
. . . . but there are too many of th
-
- INT. SENATE CORRIDOR DAY
. .. .. .. . w
.
:. . A HANDHELD CAMERA "rac-e-s behind a Senate OFFICER
;. .. down a...l&ngc'o rridor. 'the lrtlage is shaky ani Jf2z&Es
this building -f-e els imposing.- -,the design a1 ese
in influence combin& ~5tht he huge'scale o t -era
... --
.:.g~vernmenht il dings n m
. . .
. . .
-- the Officer bursts into: rfw
-
INT. SENATE ASSEMBLY ROOM DAY -- '--' h
- f .
-- --
a magnificent meting space the heart
,- political system. EIGHT SPECIES are representme "for"ty-
.. -seven.senioiS ENATE MEMBERS surround a central
: fonk HIERARCHS flank their KING...: . .
. . .... . . . .
.
-. All head=. turn to the visibly shaken, . out-of-b&athhkficer,
. . . . who mSPaOkKesEN a I dN iXrReY PaTn6qNoX~ANc'e -m- e-nAtN'/ A NCOTTUEA:L . ALLALN GS PTON '
. :DEVELOP.:.: -:. , SVBTITLES ARE NEEDED, . SPECIFI IS '
. . . '. ,WRITTEN).r - - .. . . ,-. . . . ,-. .
.. .. . ' .. ..... ...."... ...... . .... .. ... ._... . '., . . .. . .;' D--a .m thj ei ny- '.v e' ' .. cOroFFsI6CeEdR the . b. order into, ' ,
. .
The senate members &e: a
. . , --
one rnhn and so do we:
. . : ' . - 5,. their.h andsome, rugg
. . . b e e dreading this. . . . . . . .
,.
; JOR-EL
Hive' we hear' from mas?
.. ,
.. t . . . . . . . ,. . OFFICER .
.... Sir, the'G eneral is dead.
. j
-: ,
1 --
- 2 Jor-El 'absorbs the devastating news &en suddenly vaults
into action-- - -
7.
, -
ZNT. WAR ROOM - DAY
'u
~t's a panic in here, the bustling command ce
military. Two dozen LIEUTENANTS (still, eigh
represented) talk over each other, manning th
~olographicm onitors show that damage is bein
symbols and diagrams indicating just how much
enemy is making.
Jor-El bursts into the.r,o om, taking in the in
one Lieutenant reports directly to Jor-El, in
screens : ,
. . . . . .
- LIEUTENANT'. ' . .
. . -. _. - , They attacked at once, fro' m: the'e as
. . - - _* -and the' south,-'-
.
. .
, . JOR-EL . .
.. . -- but their units in Menna were.
. .. destroyed --
LIEUTENANT
I'm afraid those were decoys.
Increasingly distraught; Jor-El moves to anot er
calls up other icons of their surviving troop
-I-
-
Li
LImPTENANT (cont8d)
We have no offense left.
Jor-El looks at his Lieutenant, enraqed. The
stares back, anxious.
,--"."LIEUTENANT( cont'd)
Sir, look at our positions. Tell m
you see a 'way'o ut ..
Jor-El looks back to the screens. We MOVE IN
...
becomes increasingly clear that his people
moment.. . are damned.
L
.
Jor-El's eyes swell with tears. , the Lieuten
on_- u s leader, truly wishing for a miracle.
But the miracle that Jor-El has is far from a
. , JOR-EL- .
. -..i, . Go to your family.
... , .. ; .
LIECPTENANT
Sir, my job is here, I--
.. . . .
. .
. . . . .
CONTINUED: . .
. . , . .. . . .
. . . . .
' : '
i. JOR-EL . ''.
',. '
1 'rn ordering to go.
. .. '. ., .. .. . Go: .. .( b,e .a .t..,: . ,f.or ceful.). '..,{- .~ . ... ..... ..:. .. .. . ... .. . .
A beat. 'finally the ~ieutenknto ds.
, .: ,.Wer e on,J or-El now. Alone. Looking off,
.. as the SOUNDS OF DESTRUCTION GROW LOUDER.. .i. .. : ..
EXT. . . .D AY'
' TAZA, K R. ~ N ,:. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . ,
A massive, glor,ious capita
MECH WARR~ORSc r&shthrough the
r.e . s. id. ents merci.l. .&.S.s ly,' ..., .-. : . .. , ,, . ....' ..,.' . . .
We follow one giant ,y& hachine:'--'
~ I N thGe ci tyts .:PALACE
.. . INT. TAZA PA.L . ACE'.- D. A. Y. ... . ..... . . .. . . . .. .. . -: .. .. .. . . .
Jor-El hurries do%m a. .
--
who is. crying b u i n q ..
..... ... . . : . . .
. . . . . . . . . --' plea'se -- - . or-33' 1,--. ' :: +. . '. . . .
. . --
~ u th.e s dete-ned as he' walks: . . . . .
.
There m,.u.s t 'something else we can
d.o . !. , . 1".: . .:.. .. . -. . . . . . 4.- ...
~.h.&....e. L s q. .' e'.. .. ': : . J;,'O :R. -EL ' . . , .: . .. ., '.. ... ..' . . . '. ...
And
. . LARA
. . . .
. . him away! s@!.- , .. AII~ I . . . . . . . .
(sridshe cries)..
. . . . . . . . . . .
. . ..... o e b aby .;: , . . . .
or-~1 looks at her', .his heart faring no betti
he's not strong in thia moment, .there's na ho
.. .: . future at all.. He embraces her. .Then,
. .
..." \ ... my love:, J OtRh-eErLe r. s no ti&..
.,. .. .* - -
- .. . . . .
i
ee
He kisses her forehead, then looks into her red eyes.
His look silently asks: are you ready? She j
defeated. It's the best she can do. ele.
INT. LAUNCH CHAMBER - DAY
m
--
With a shockingly LOUD HISS a PORTAL opens oking
--
inside a TRANSPORT CAPSULE large enough for
But we are TIGHT ON an INFANT, as he is placed
cushioned interior of rhe capsule.
B:::
--
This child the baby KAL-EL, 'who will one da
Superman -- looks up hopefully at the parents
to send him light years away.
The child, oblivious, smiles at his parents; a
eyed Lara has just reluctantly placed her son
carrier. Jor-El stands beside her. They loo their
son-f or a last, heartrending moment.
mt
Jor-El touches the baby -- and we see just how
this is for him.
ing
JOR-EL
Look at us now... so that one day y
might remember us.
+
t
ce.
Jor-El uses a holographic
CLOSES. We can still see
as the capsule begiq. s,to FILL WITH A CLEAR,
1.
- Jor-El Continues the aperation: in what mst
. NANOTECHNOLOGY, a metallic OUTER SHELL seems
, the capsule. Then the high CEfLING SLIDES OP
The countdown has begun. Jor-El goes to Lara:
JOR-EL (contld)
We have to go.
As the LAUNCH ALARM BLARES, Jor-El starts out
. .. for his wife's hand -- YELLS for her to come;
desperately to maintain her sanity, she runs