210(1): Redoing my Life, Superman 2014 pt.3

This is the first part of the chapter. I’m rewriting the rest of it due to the changes in the last chapter.

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Reddit post on r/Superman

Adler destroyed this fraud

Just saw this. This is what happens when a host tries to sound smart with recycled film bro takes and gets destroyed by someone who actually knows stuff.

[Link to clip]

(Video title: Daniel Adler shuts down host's take on Superman)

Transcript:

Radio Host:

I’ve always thought... Superman didn’t become Superman. He was Superman. You know? Clark Kent’s the disguise. His alter ego is Clark Kent. That’s the costume. The glasses, the suit—he wears that to blend in with us. And what’s Clark Kent like? Weak. Insecure. A coward. That’s how Superman sees us. He’s mocking us.

Daniel Adler (looking confused):

Did you just quote Bill from Kill Bill?

Host:

What?

Daniel:

That’s Bill’s monologue in Kill Bill 2. Word for word, almost. The whole thing about Superman wearing a suit to mock humanity?

Host (backpedaling):

Well, so... Tarantino agrees with me then?

Daniel (grinning):

No.

(Co-host laughs.)

Daniel continues:

I think Tarantino knows exactly what Superman is. People just assume he’s speaking through Bill—but that’s Bill’s view, not Quentin’s.

That speech? It’s not about Superman. It’s about Bill. It shows you who he is. A killer. A megalomaniac. He doesn’t get humility or compassion. So he sees Superman’s humanity as mockery. He’s projecting himself onto Superman.

That idea—that Superman wears Clark Kent to mock us? That’s how Lex Luthor would think.

Co-host (laughing):

He’s not wrong.

Daniel:

That’s someone so obsessed with power, they can’t imagine anyone choosing to live without it.

Superman’s not mocking us. He is us. He’s both Clark and Superman. He was raised here. On a farm. Went to high school here. Got his heart broken here. He’s not pretending. He chooses to care. He chooses to be human.

Co-host (genuinely moved):

That’s kinda beautiful.

Daniel:

It is. That’s why he’s the greatest.

(Video ends with the co-host shifting to ask about The Revenant.)

Comments:

u/Johnpesym:

I don’t know why so many people still don’t get this scene. I’ve seen so many people quote Bill’s speech like it’s gospel. They genuinely think that’s what Superman is—just some cold alien pretending to be nice. Like Adler said, that’s what someone like Bill (or Lex) thinks Superman is.

u/Theasseater:
Adler handled this beautifully. Perfect guy to write the movie. Can’t wait to see it come out tomorrow.

u/l3xicon:
He’s kinda right though—Bill does sound like Lex Luthor in that scene. That whole superiority complex, misreading compassion as weakness, thinking empathy is a mask.

u/cinema4two:
I don’t care how unlikely it is—I need Adler and Tarantino to collaborate on something someday.

u/Jimthegiant:
Man, I just hope this movie finally makes people see Superman again. Ever since the Injustice comics blew up, people think the “evil Superman” trope is all he’s good for.

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Superman Soars: Opening Weekend Crushes Expectations With $718 Million Global Debut

Superman has rocketed past opening-weekend projections, raking in a jaw-dropping $232 million domestically and $486 million from international markets, for a total global haul of $718 million.

The film—the third major installment in the DC cinematic universe—arrived on a wave of glowing early reviews, with a screenplay by Daniel Adler and Scott Snyder and direction from Brad Bird. Even with high hopes, few predicted numbers this strong.

Box-office breakdown

• Domestic (U.S. & Canada): $232 M
  
  

• International: $486 M
  
  

  • China alone contributed an estimated $95 M, signaling huge overseas interest.
    
    

  • European markets—particularly the UK, France, and Germany—also turned out in force.
    
    

Industry insiders say the unprecedented marketing campaign clearly paid off.

Superman currently holds a 92 % score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics and fans praising its emotional weight, character-driven storytelling, and the standout performances of Henry Cavill, Rachel Brosnahan, Corey Stoll, and William Fichtner.

Trouble for the Competition?

Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World is set to release next week, but observers are already questioning how it will fare in the wake of Superman’s box-office blitz. Unless Thor 2 turns out to be a surprise critical darling, the God of Thunder may struggle to find breathing room against the blue-and-red juggernaut now dominating theaters worldwide.

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Thor 2 Stumbles Out of the Gate With Disappointing $125 Million Global Debut Amid Superman Surge

Marvel’s newest entry, Thor: The Dark World, has slammed into a thunderous wall. The film opened to a modest $55 million domestically (low by Marvel’s standards) and $70 million internationally, for a global total of $125 million—well below Disney’s internal projections and industry forecasts, which had expected at least $80–90 million domestic.

Much of the blame is being placed squarely on Superman, which continues to dominate theaters in its second week after last week’s record-shattering debut. The DC icon’s critically acclaimed return—hailed as a modern superhero masterpiece—has siphoned attention and audiences away from Marvel’s Norse god.

Superman drew a staggering $718 million worldwide in its opening frame and is still riding strong word-of-mouth and fan enthusiasm. Against that blue-and-red juggernaut, Thor 2 simply couldn’t compete for the spotlight.

Compounding Marvel’s woes is Thor 2’s lukewarm reception from both critics and fans. The film currently sits at 61 % on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus pointing to a lack of narrative focus, an underwhelming villain, and tonal inconsistency. Online spaces are flooded with comparisons to Superman, almost invariably in the latter’s favor.

Social-media sentiment hasn’t been kind, either. Hashtags such as #ShouldHaveWaited trended briefly over the weekend as disappointed fans aired their grievances.

While this isn’t the end of the world for Marvel Studios, many observers are calling it the company’s first major stumble since its winning streak began with Iron Man.

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Short but more coming....