Matt Reeves may be well known for creating The Batman universe, but he was involved in the DC Universe long (like, long) before that franchise ever came to be. This might surprise some, but when Man of Steel was in development, Reeves was one of the finalists to helm the project. In 2010, Christopher Nolan—who could be considered the driving force behind the Superman reboot during its initial stages—personally met with a handful of directors for the film.
The directors were Jonathan Liebesman (2014's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Tony Scott (The Last Boy Scout), Duncan Jones (Warcraft), Zack Snyder and Matt Reeves. Ultimately, the job went to Zack Snyder, Now, Reddit users u/Edgestan2021 and u/EngineeringBig662 resurfaced an interview from the time Reeves was being considered for the project, in which the director revealed his thoughts on both the Superman reboot and on the character himself.
In 2010, Matt Reeves sat down for an interview with Animation World Network to promote his film Let Me In. The interview was conducted right around the time that Reeves was being considered to direct what would become Man of Steel. The director was asked his thoughts on Superman. He denied having had a meeting with Christopher Nolan, but stated he was flattered to be on the shortlist of directors for the project:
"Well, I think it's an amazing story and can be incredibly interesting to do. It's not true that I have actually had any meetings with Chris Nolan. And I know that people are looking at the movie over at Warner Bros., but I don't know if it has anything to do with that. It was flattering and cool to be on that list, and I have tremendous respect for Chris Nolan."
The interviewer stated that Superman was very different than Batman, and asked Reeves for his take on the Big Blue Boy Scout. Reeves described the character as "an outsider" and a "freak of sorts," and stated there was something about the Superman mythos that connected with him:
"I think it speaks to an American optimism, but he's also an outsider and a freak of sorts, and, I don't know, there's something great in the myth. I'm drawn to it. To me, that's what this story was. Lindqvist created a great vampire myth that was about something else, and I think the only thing that would interest me in a personal involvement on that project was, to me, finding the subtext that had some resonance, and there's no question that that film is going to be a real challenge, but I think with those smart people involved there's a chance they'll do something very interesting with it."
Of course, Reeves did not use "freak" as an insult. Instead, the director was likely referring to how the character is perceived by others, which is a sentiment that was ultimately explored in Man of Steel, and had also been touched on in the Smallville TV series.
What makes Reeves' resurfaced comments and his near-involvement with Man of Steel curious is that, years later, while filming The Batman, Reeves would get to—in a way—put Superman on film. During production of the movie, set pictures came out of what seemed to be a Halloween party. The photos featured partygoers dressed as Wonder Woman and Superman, which sent fans into overdrive, as they speculated on the project's potential connection to a wider DC Universe.
The scene didn't make it into the final cut, but it was nonetheless a fun Easter egg, not only to the character of Superman, but, perhaps inadvertently, also to Matt Reeves almost contributing to the Man of Steel's cinematic legacy.
The Batman Part II is scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.
What did you think about Reeves' old comments about Superman? Would you have liked to see him direct Man of Steel?