Reign of the Supermen (film)

Last updated

Reign of the Supermen
ROTS-Box-Art-2D-BD.jpeg
Blu-ray cover
Directed by Sam Liu
Written byTim Sheridan
Jim Krieg
Based onCharacters by DC Comics
Produced byJames Tucker
Starring
Edited byChristoper D. Lozinski
Music by Frederik Wiedmann
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release dates
  • January 13, 2019 (2019-01-13)(limited)
  • January 15, 2019 (2019-01-15)(digital download and Blu-ray)
Running time
87 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4,223 [2]

Reign of the Supermen is a 2019 American adult animated science fiction superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment. The film is a direct sequel to the 2018 animated film The Death of Superman , based on the comic book story arc of the same name in "The Death of Superman" event. It is the twelfth film of the DC Animated Movie Universe and the 35th film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies. The film was released in limited Fathom Events theaters on January 13, 2019, and to digital and Blu-ray two days later.

Contents

Plot

Six months following Superman's sacrifice and death at the hands of Doomsday, [N 1] the crime rate in Metropolis has spread, while four new controversial Supermen have emerged. Lois Lane and Clark Kent's adoptive parents are still in mourning over his death. Lois has been investigating the new Supermen by gathering information from different sources.

Lex Luthor introduces a new Superman to the world at a press conference, who Lois discovers is actually a clone – Superboy created by Dr. Dabney Donovan. The conference is interrupted by the Eradicator, Steel and Cyborg Superman (who claims he is the true Superman) who fight each other until both the Eradicator and Cyborg Superman leave the battle. Unknown to anyone, Superman has just barely survived his battle with Doomsday and is recuperating at the Fortress of Solitude as the Eradicator rejuvenates his DNA. That night, Cyborg Superman visits Lois in an attempt to convince her that he is not a fake. Lex becomes frustrated with Superboy for his childish actions.

The Justice League, accompanied by Superboy, are hired as bodyguards for the President, who is unveiling their new Watchtower. The presentation is suddenly attacked by Parademons, summoned via a boom tube portal. The League are mysteriously transported to another planet and declared dead while Cyborg Superman rescues the president and is announced to the world as the true Superman. Angered, Lex reveals to Superboy he shares his DNA and kills Dr. Donovan after he explains to Lex that Superboy is the best clone they could create. With the help of Steel, Lois discovers Cyborg Superman is the deceased astronaut Hank Henshaw who blames Superman for not saving him and his wife and has decided to destroy his legacy by impersonating him. Henshaw reveals to the world his new "Cyber Corps" militia, which are created by Mother Boxes infused with humans.

Steel tracks the Eradicator to the Fortress, where he learns that Superman is currently going through a revitalization cycle, and the two engage in a fight. The fight is broadcast to Lois' phone. Lois realizes that the Eradicator is a hologram from Superman's ship's matrix, created to protect Superman. The fight stops when a depowered Superman is revived. Through Henshaw's technology, Lex and Lois discover that Henshaw is being controlled by Darkseid from Apokolips, [N 2] who created Doomsday and orchestrated its attack on Earth.

Superman, Superboy and Steel head towards Metropolis. Lex sends Lois to the Watchtower as he uses a Mother Box to rescue the League. Darkseid continues to torment Henshaw for his failure to keep Superman dead and attempts to open a portal for his arrival, using the Mother Box infused with Henshaw. Henshaw rips out the Mother Box inside him, deactivating Darkseid's control over the Cyber Corps. Before Henshaw can kill Lois, Superman arrives. Henshaw blames Superman for his wife Terri's death. Superman eventually regains his powers from the sun and deactivates Henshaw by stabbing his forehead with a crystal taken from the Fortress of Solitude containing the Eradicator program. Henshaw's defeat also deactivates the Cyber Corps, but killing them in the process.

In the aftermath, Martian Manhunter disguises himself as Superman to announce Clark Kent's safe return with the cover up of him being missing during the Doomsday attack. Superboy is sent to live with the Kents and is named "Conner". In a post-credit scene, the League gather at the Watchtower to confront Darkseid themselves, [N 3] with Lex inviting himself in.

Voice cast

Voice actorCharacter
Jerry O'Connell Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman, Hank Henshaw (voice modulation)
Rebecca Romijn Lois Lane
Rainn Wilson Lex Luthor
Cameron Monaghan Kon-El / Conner Kent / Superboy
Cress Williams John Henry Irons / Steel
Patrick Fabian Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman
Jason O'Mara Bruce Wayne / Batman
Rosario Dawson Diana Prince / Wonder Woman
Shemar Moore Victor Stone / Cyborg
Nathan Fillion Hal Jordan / Green Lantern
Christopher Gorham Barry Allen / The Flash
Nyambi Nyambi J'onn J'onzz / John Jones / Martian Manhunter
Ron Troupe (uncredited)
Tony Todd Uxas / Darkseid
Charles Halford Bibbo Bibbowski
Eradicator
Rocky Carroll Perry White
Toks Olagundoye Cat Grant
Becky (uncredited)
Max Mittelman Jimmy Olsen
Steve Lombard (uncredited)
Eric (uncredited)
Paul Eiding Jonathan Kent
Cemetery Worker (uncredited)
Jennifer Hale Martha Kent
President Joan Dale (uncredited)
Watchtower Computer
Trevor Devall Dabney Donovan
G. Gordon Godfrey (uncredited)
Droid #2 (uncredited)
Snakey Doyle (uncredited)
Erica Luttrell Mercy Graves
Droid #1 (uncredited)
Sullivan (uncredited)

Release

Reign of the Supermen was released and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment in limited Fathom Events theaters on January 13 and 14, 2019, [3] followed by Digital HD on January 15, then Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack on January 29, [4] [5] but disc releases were moved up to January 15. [6] The film was re-released on home video, edited together with its predecessor, on October 1 as The Death and Return of Superman. [7] [8] Limited Edition gift-set also includes Steel figure, Superman: Doomsday , and bonus animated episodes (Blu-ray). [9]

Reception

Reign of the Supermen earned $3,413,951 from domestic home video sales. [10]

Notes

  1. As depicted in The Death of Superman .
  2. Introduced in Justice League: War .
  3. Setting up the events of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doomsday (DC Comics)</span> Fictional comic character

Doomsday is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as one of Superman's deadliest foes. Created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens, the character had a cameo appearance in Superman: The Man of Steel #17 and made his first full appearance in Superman: The Man of Steel #18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Death of Superman</span> 1992 comic book storyline

"The Death of Superman" is a crossover story event mostly featured in DC Comics' Superman-related publications. The crossover, which originated from editor Mike Carlin and writers Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway, and Karl Kesel, began in December 1992 and lasted until October 1993. It was published in Superman, Action Comics, The Adventures of Superman, Superman: The Man of Steel, Justice League America, and Green Lantern. Since its initial publication, "The Death of Superman" has been reprinted in various formats and editions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eradicator (character)</span> Fictional character from DC Comics

Eradicator is the given name of four different fictional comic book characters, appearing in books published by DC Comics. The first iteration was an antihero character appearing in The Flash series of comics. The second was a superhero having a recurring role in Superman stories, and the remaining two first appeared in 2013 and 2017, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hank Henshaw</span> Fictional character

Henry "Hank" Henshaw is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and normally goes by the name Cyborg Superman. Created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens, the character originally appeared primarily as an enemy of Superman, however in recent years he has also been an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superboy (Kon-El)</span> DC Comics superhero

Superboy is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A modern variation on the original Superboy, the character first appeared as Superboy in The Adventures of Superman #500, and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mother Box</span> Fictional device used in Jack Kirby comics

Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Publication history of Superman</span>

Superman is an American fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and featured pervasively in DC Comic books. The character debuted in Action Comics issue #1 in June 1938 and has since become a paradigm for superhero characters.

The Superman Revenge Squad is the name of two fictional organizations in the DC Comics universe. As their name suggests, it is a group of Superman villains who banded together to defeat the Man of Steel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steel (John Henry Irons)</span> Fictional superhero in the DC comics universe

Steel is a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a genius engineer who built a mechanized suit of armor that mirrors Superman's powers, and initially sought to replace him after he was killed by Doomsday. After Superman was resurrected, he accepted Steel as an ally. His real name is John Henry Irons and he wields a sledgehammer—this is a reference to the mythical railroad worker John Henry. He has a niece named Natasha Irons who is also a superhero in a similar mechanized suit of armour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alternative versions of Superman</span> Various incarnations of comic book superhero

The character of Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and has been continually published in a variety of DC Comics book titles since its premiere in 1938. There have been several versions of Superman over the years, both as the main hero in the stories as well as several alternative versions.

Kelex is a fictional robot appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Superman.

<i>The Death and Return of Superman</i> 1994 Video game

The Death and Return of Superman is a side-scrolling beat 'em up video game released by Sunsoft for the Super NES and Genesis in 1994. It is based on "The Death of Superman" comic book storyline by DC Comics and features many characters from the comics, including Superman himself, Superboy, Steel, Cyborg Superman, the Eradicator, and Doomsday. All of the five Supermen are playable characters at some point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman logo</span> Emblem of comic book superhero

Superman shield, also known as the Superman logo or the Superman symbol, is the iconic emblem for the fictional DC Comics superhero Superman. As a representation of one of the first superheroes, it served as a template for character design decades after Superman's first appearance. The tradition of wearing a representative symbol on the chest was followed by many subsequent superheroes, including Batman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, and many others.

<i>Superman: Doomsday</i> 2007 animated film

Superman: Doomsday is a 2007 American adult animated superhero film adapted from the DC Comics storyline "The Death of Superman", which focuses on the death and return of the superhero Superman. Released by Warner Bros. Animation, it is the first film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the animation and more violent tone than previous adaptations but called it a disappointment. However, it grossed $10 million on a budget of $3.5 million, making it a commercial success.

Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As Superman's archenemy, he has been portrayed in almost every Superman media franchise and adaptation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reign of Doomsday</span> 2011 comic book storyline by DC Comics

"Reign of Doomsday" is a 2011 comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics that ran through the Superman family of books, The Outsiders and The Justice League of America. The crossover involves Doomsday hunting down Steel, Superboy, Eradicator, and Cyborg Superman, the four main characters introduced in the wake of the controversial The Death of Superman storyline in 1992. Though the current iteration of the character was not present in the original The Death of Superman storyline, Supergirl appears in the crossover as well due to being part of the Justice League. The storyline draws its title from Reign of the Supermen, the immediate follow-up to The Death of Superman.

The Death and Return of Superman is a fan film released in 2012 on YouTube, by Chronicle writer Max Landis. The film, as its title implies, is a monologue about "The Death and Return of Superman" storyline from DC Comics over parody-like sketches. The film was produced by Bryan Basham, creator of COPS: Skyrim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Kent (DC Comics)</span> Comic book superhero

Jon Kent is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the son of Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane, he first appeared in Convergence: Superman #2. Jon is the newest character in the DC Universe to assume the superhero persona of Superboy, and later Superman. As Superboy and Robin, Jon and Damian Wayne appeared in several Super Sons comic book series featuring their shared adventures. Jon later takes on the Superman mantle and stars in the comic series Superman: Son of Kal-El.

<i>The Death of Superman</i> (film) 2018 film directed by Sam Liu

The Death of Superman is a 2018 American adult animated superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment. It is based on the comic book storyline of the same name, and the second animated adaptation to chronicle the battle between Superman and Doomsday. It is the 33rd film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies and the eleventh film of the DC Animated Movie Universe. Released on July 24, 2018, the film received a limited theatrical release on January 13, 2019. A sequel, Reign of the Supermen, was released on January 15, 2019.

<i>Justice League Dark: Apokolips War</i> 2020 American animated superhero film

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is a 2020 American adult animated superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Home Video. The film is directed by Matt Peters and Christina Sotta, while Ernie Altbacker and Mairghread Scott wrote the screenplay. It stars an ensemble cast including Rosario Dawson, Jerry O'Connell, Jason O'Mara and Matt Ryan. In the film, members of the Justice League, Justice League Dark, Teen Titans and Suicide Squad join forces against Darkseid to save Earth.

References

  1. "Reign of the Supermen (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)". Walmart.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  2. "Reign of the Supermen (2019)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  3. "'The Death of Superman' and 'Reign of the Supermen' Coming to Theaters". DC. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  4. "Reign Of The Supermen - Official Trailer". Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  5. "Reign of the Supermen Blu-ray Release Date, Cover Art & Details Unveiled". MovieWeb.com. October 24, 2018. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  6. "January 2019: New Releases". familyvideo.com. January 1, 2019. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  7. "The Death and Return of Superman Complete Film Collection Gets a Release Date". comicbook.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  8. "The Death and Return of Superman (Review)". Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  9. "The Death And Return Of Superman Review – He Dies. He Returns. But Is He Super?". Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  10. "Reign of the Supermen (2019) The Numbers Listing". The Numbers. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2018.