‘Man of Steel’ Featurette: Putting Superman in the “Real World”

The biggest problem facing 'Man of Steel' from the get-go was how to make Superman relatable to an audience who likes their heroes flawed and human. How can you possibly relate to a near-invincible being who can fly and shoot lasers out of his eyes? Simple: you ground him in the real world and let the audience see him struggle with his enormous powers. But don't take our word for it -- an excellent new featurette goes into a little more detail.

Comprised of talking heads, behind-the-scenes footage and clips from the film itself (including some sequences we haven't seen before), this new featurette discusses how screenwriter David S. Goyer, director Zack Snyder and star Henry Cavill worked to reinvent Superman for a generation raised on Batman in the 'Dark Knight' sense. Snyder in particular emphasizes that the world seen in 'Man of Steel' is intended to be as realistic as possible and that the film will explore how our world would truly react to witnessing a superhero in action. The "superheroes in the real world" concept is not new, but it's never been attempted on a scale this large. It'll be fascinating to watch how this team tries to ground a character that many people find impenetrable.

An amusing final note: the featurette is sponsored by Sears, who proudly proclaim to be featured in the finished film. We even get a shot of a Sears store in the video, which has been thoroughly trashed following some kind of action scene. Sears: not built to survive battles between enraged Kryptonians.

'Man of Steel' opens on June 14. We don't know about you, but we can't wait.