Son of Krypton (2021 Film)

Son of Krypton is a 2021 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment, Syncopy and Peters Entertainment, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is an American production and the first installment in the DC Multimedia Universe (DCMU). The film is directed by Mark Waid, written by WallyGoat7 and stars Richard Madden, Laura Fraser, Dan Stevens, Harry Lennix, Vincent D'Onofrio and Erin Moriarty. Son of Krypton is a reboot of the Superman film series that portrays the character's 2nd year adventures. In the film, Clark Kent learns of his growing powers. He assumes the role of Superman and protects his city from the Kryptonite powered android Metallo. Development began in 2018, after the blockbuster film released in the same year Justice League was panned by critics and fans alike. Son of Krypton was released on June 11, 2021 in 2D, 3D and IMAX, and was also made available for HBO Max subscribers for one month.

Synopsis
Clark Kent must juggle his new job as Superman with his new job at the Daily Bugle, but his double life threatens to pull him apart at the seams at the worst time possible. Will Superman be enough to save Metropolis from an Android powered on his greatest weakness?

Act I
The film starts on the dying planet of Krypton. Brainiac has invaded, Krypton is little to nothing but a dead star at this point. Jor-El is in the middle of a battlefield, he’d been caught unprepared when the Brainiac ship touched down. He knew the threat was coming, but nobody listened to him, other than his wife at home. Jor-El blasts through Brainiac soldiers to make it home, even among the Kryptonians, he had always been one of the strongest and well equipped. He served as both a general and a scientist, trying to help his planet in any way he knew how. Anyways, he rushes home through a battlefield (picture the Injustice 2 opening scene where Kara witnesses the Brainiac bots taking over Krypton), and makes sure his wife and baby are safe amongst the chaos. As he enters the room, Lara breaks into tears, how is she supposed to launch her baby into cold, insufferable space? Who knows what’s on the journey to Earth? “What else is there to do?” Jor-El asks his wife, with tears in his eyes. Lara knows what they’ve always known, if Kal-El can survive, they have to take the chance. She places Kal-El in his pod and kisses his forehead goodbye, leaving a Kryptonian prism in his crib. Jor-El steps up to Kal’s escape pod. He kisses his forehead, and tells him to be better than Krypton. Teary-eyed, the couple stall pushing the escape button and launching Kal into space. The pause is brief though, hordes of Brainiac's soldiers try to break into their room. Lara pushes the button, and a count-down from 3 starts. By 2, the soldiers are already through the door, and they kill the El family as Kal-El of Krypton is launched into space, where you can see another escape pod in the distance.

The camera delivers a wide shot of a farm, the Kent residence we all know. It’s peaceful, a younger (CGI de-aged) Jonathan and Martha Kent are out enjoying the night sky, swinging on rocking chairs outside drinking lemonade. It’s been a long work day for them, they enjoy breaks like these. Neither of them say anything, they simply enjoy each other’s presence. BOOM! Suddenly, a crash can be heard out in the farm. The couple rush out towards the noise. Some sort of egg type pod? Jonathan tells Martha to get back as he approaches the pod. Jonathan doesn’t get the chance to even touch it before it springs open: a baby boy in the cradle like rocket ship. Ma and Pa Kent look at each other with concern, wondering what just happened. Flash forward 24 years later: The date is August 12th, 2009, and Clark Kent is 25 and fresh off his Daily Bulge Internship, now ready to freelance for the publication. He’s getting ready for his first day on the job as Clark Kent, freelance reporter. It’s been about 2 years since he started hero work, and about 2 years since he landed his internship at the Daily Bugle. Ever since then, he’s been known around Metropolis as “The Blur”, and has been smeared relentlessly by recently elected mayor Lex Luthor. His public reception isn’t the best at this point, but it’s better than the Bat’s. (For a visual frame of reference at this point in the story, The Blur is wearing a blue long sleeve with red pants and a mask. No insignia on his chest and no mask, these were knitted by Ma Kent from the fabric he was wrapped in when he came to Earth).

Clark is not only on time for work, but 10 minutes early, teased by Lois for being the boy scout. Clark asks Lois why she’s so early, she tells him something along the lines of “the early bird gets the worm”. Clark helps his pal Jimmy Olsen with his copy boy errands, to which Jimmy thanks him. “You seen the Blur around lately? I swear I saw him save a cat from a tree the other day! Who woulda thought a guy like that would have time for the little guy?” Lois chimes in, “a guy like that would’ve shown his face more than twice,” she gets visibly flustered, “or even bother to sit down for an interview? What does a guy like that have to hide from? Last I checked the Mayor can’t run as fast as he does.” Clark starts to wonder if he should go public with his identity, confirming his existence at the very least. “Well I’m sure he’s just a busy guy.” Clark assures Lois, “Now, uh, what do I do about these rep-“  “KENT!” It doesn’t help that Clark has super hearing, Perry Whites boisterous voice can be heard throughout the office. “What’s new, rookie?” Clark shows Perry every report he had prepared. “Boring, Boring, boring, bad timing, boring, God who made you a reporter?” “You did, sir” Clark responds “Yeah, we’ll get me better shit than this before I make you jobless.” “Yes sir,” he sighs. He walks past Lois and Jimmy to his desk, “that went better than I expected” he hears from Lois, “yeah me too.” Clark responds.

It’s the end of the day for Clark, nothing new from him. He heads home hoping he still has a job. “Hey wanna grab a bite?” Jimmy asks him, but at the same time Clark hears gunshots in the distance. “Sorry Jimmy not now, I’m needed somewhere.” Making sure he’s out of Jimmy’s line of sight, he heads into an alley and changes into the Blur! With the speed of a locomotive, he runs towards the gunshots (he can’t fly yet) and finds a bank robbery in progress. Clark stops this with ease, but damages the robbers a little too much in the process. His control over his powers is still faulty at the very least. Not to mention the abundance of property damage he’s caused. “Nice going,” he hears the nearby cops utter. Clark leaps away, but he hears a mugging in the distance? He turns towards the sound and it’s: Lois! He speeds over there, when Lois has already pepper sprayed the mugger. “Mrs. Lane! Are you-“ Clark notices the mugger in pain on the ground “Oh, well it seems you don’t need my help. Have a good day ma’am.” “Wait!” Lois exclaims, “For the 37th time now, how about an interview?” Clark thinks this over, and for the first time in 2 years he agrees to a sit down interview.

The scene switches to a cafe, all the customers staring at the man in the bright red pants and mask. “First off, who are you?”

“Well, I’m the Blur.”

“You don’t really like that name, do you?”

“You guys chose the name, it just kinda stuck over the years.”

“No, no that was Cat. Not me. So what is it that you do exactly?”

“Well, I run faster and jump higher, and I’m a bit stronger.”

“A bit?”

“Okay, a lot stronger.”

“So you’re faster, stronger and jump higher then the normal man? Like a Super Man?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. Just doing my part.”

“I see. So, “sorta Super Man”, how do you do what you do?”

“Can’t reveal all my secrets ma’am.”

“Hm. I thought so. You from around here, Superman?”

“Born and raised in Kansas. You ever been to Kansas?”

“Oh, God no. Why the mask? Who do you have to hide from?”

“There are dangers that not even I’m aware of, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if uh, this line of work, harmed my family.”

“Uh huh. Well, thanks again Superman.”

Lois clicks her tape recorder off, and starts putting away her pen and pad.

“It was no problem at all. And really, you don’t have to call me that.

“Should I call you Clark instead?” Lois asked.

“What?”

“It’s okay, nobody’s paying attention anymore.”

“Ma’am I’m not sure what you’re talking-“

“Please. Boy Scout and the Blur show up in Metropolis at the same time? Both from Kansas? Clark, all you do is fix your little spit curl and swap your mask with some glasses when you come to work.”

Clark takes a pause of silence.

“Lois, you have to swear you won’t tell anybody.”

“Listen Smallville, I might be a journalist but I have *some* integrity. I wouldn’t put your family in danger like that.”

Another pause.

“Thank you. Really. Well, if that’s all I really should get going.”

“Yeah don’t let me keep you. I got what I wanted. Wait actually, one more question.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Where *are* you from? Like actually?”

* pause*

“Like I said, can’t tell all my secrets.”

Superman stands up and speeds out of the cafe. He leaps back home to the family farm. Lois stares upwards as he leaps away. A look of vague concern on her face.

Clark is in the air, currently leaping from Metropolis to Smallville. He remembers back to when he was a teenager. The news broadcasts an alien invasion, narrowly stopped by 21 year old John Stewart, the youngest member and only earthling on the Green Lanterns Corp, with the help of some other Lanterns. In the hallways, a 17 year old Clark can hear the remarks from other classmates. “Aliens… weird…. scary…. gross” some of the choice words thrown around. Clark couldn’t help but feel ostracized, left out from the human society he would later protect. Would he be an imposter (sus haha funny) for the rest of his life? Would humans ever accept alien kind? These questions rang through young Clark’s mind as Pa Kent drove him home from school.

“Something on your mind son?”

* pause*

“I’m not your son.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I don’t mean any disrespect by it, Pa, it’s just plain fact. I’m an alien.”

* pause*

“Did something happen at school today, Clark?”

“It’s not just today, I can hear everything. You know what most of these kids would do if they ever met somebody like me? Either kill it or run from it. They’re all scared, Pa. Of people like me,”

“Sometimes,”

Kent takes a deep sigh, not really sure what to answer in this situation.

“Sometimes, we fear what we don’t understand. You show them the caring, trustworthy Clark I’ve known you as since you were a baby, and I’m sure they’d feel no differently about where you came from.”

“Yeah. And what if they do?”

It was a quiet ride the rest of the way home.

Clark is nearly home, the travel from Kansas to Metropolis isn’t that far when you’re the Superman. Often he still wonders, will he ever be accepted as the Superman if he reveals where he had truly come from? Clark lands in his yard with a thump, his parents know he’s home. His Ma and Pa do the generic parent bit: how was your first day? How did it go? Did you meet a nice girl? Clark’s conversation with Lois had him in no mood for these questions, he just went to his bed and sulked. Martha walked in the room, asking him what the problem was. “No matter what I do, I’ll always be asked how I do it. Is it time I just tell them Ma?” Martha gives Clark a worried face. “I don’t know Clark, but something tells me you should try and unlock that thingy again.” Martha nods towards his dresser, where a blue prism like device sits. Clark has a flashback, not too long after his drive home with Pa.

“Clark?” Martha was knocking on Clark’s room door.

“Come in Ma.”

“I made some pie. It’s apple.”

Clark doesn’t respond. After a few seconds, Martha continues,

“Listen, son, you’re not going to be like the other kids. Ever.”

Clark looks up at Martha with a puzzled look.

“I mean, let’s face it, you crash landed on Earth in a rocket ship for God’s sake.”

“Ma,” Clark interjected, “You’re not helping.”

“Just hold on,” Martha continued, “Maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. Maybe you were sent down from your home to be better than us, save us from ourselves.”

Martha takes a deep breath.

“I found this in your crib when you landed.” She unveils the shiny prism for the first time in 17 years.

“I was saving it for your 18th, but this seems more appropriate.” She hands Clark the blue trinket.

“What is it?” Clark asked, amazed

“I don’t know. Neither me or your father could get the damned thing to work. I think we figured then you’d have better luck.”

Clark still puzzles with the object, mesmerized

“Well, I won’t bother ya any longer.”

“Wait!” Clark stops Martha, “I’ll take some pie please.”

Martha smiles at Clark, and the flashback ends.

Clark toys with the object. Twisting and turning and pushing with no luck, it refuses to open. Suddenly, he hears a crash from some hundred miles away. A job for Superman, he suits up and gets ready for action.

Act II
Clark jumps to the scene of the crime, getting there in a couple leaps. Buildings on fire, cars flipped, Clark speeds to the source of destruction: Metallo. “Stop this.” Clark grabs his fist as he’s about to punch a hole through a civilian’s head. “Finally,” Metallo gives him a sinister smile before punching him into the sky. Lois is at the scene of the crime, making sure Jimmy is recording what’s happening.

“My name is reporter Lois Lane, and I’m here with exclusive footage of the chaos in Metropolis. It appears Superman has arrived on the scene-“

“Superman?” Jimmy asks her from behind the camera

“It’s gonna catch on, keep rolling. From here you can see- Oh God”

Jimmy and Lois see Metallo dropping in from the sky, targeting them. They flinch in fear, before Superman drops in and punches Metallo a block away.

“Ma’am, Sir, are you okay?”

The two of them stare in astonishment and fear.

“Stay back.”

Superman zooms over to Metallo, repeatedly punching him over and over. It finally hits Clark, he hasn’t realized it in all the chaos, he’s been punching metal. Clark stands back, confused, until Metallo opens up his chest to reveal a Kryptonite heart, laughing sinisterly.

“Let’s see if I can kill the Last Kryptonian.”

“What?” Clark manages to get out, weakened.

Metallo punches Clark over and over and over until Superman’s blood is literally on his hands. Just when it seems like it’s over, a green blur rushes Metallo, throwing him miles away.

Clark blacks out.

Eventually, Clark wakes up to an icy interior, frozen icicles hanging around everywhere. He finds a woman in the cave. She’s dressed in a blue body suit and a red cape, with an S insignia on her chest.

“Where am I?”

“Kal! Or Clark, sorry, don’t move too fast”

“What did you call me? Who are you, where am I?”

“I know this is a lot to process, so sit tight. My name is Kara Zor-El, and I’m your cousin.”

Kal stares, even more confused.

“I think it’s better if I let your dad explain.”

“My dad?”

Kara presses a button, and a hologram of Jor-El is displayed.

“My son.”

Clark stares in wonder, this is the first he’s ever connected with his alien heritage.

“This is my-?”

“Father, yes.” Jor-El cuts Clark off, shocking him even further.

“I built this place using the most advanced of Kryptonian technology, years before you were even born. Kal-El, a long time ago, your mother and I died on a dying planet. We sent you to Earth, praying you’d escape the fate we met.”

“You guys keep saying that name, is it mine?”

“Yes, you are Kal-El. The Last Son of Krypton. Sent here to save the Earth from the very same fate.”

Clark reflects over this new information, astonished and overwhelmed.

“We wanted better for you, Son. Your cousin Kara had been sent to watch over you as well.”

“Watch.. over me?”

Clark looks to Kara, she’s visibly younger.

“I was trapped in a dead zone of space for 16 years. Frozen in suspended animation. I landed on Mars about 3 years ago, and came to Earth just last year.” Kara explains to Kal.

“Kal-El, I have something to show you.” Using Kryptonian technology, Jor-El unveils the classic Superman suit.

“Created from the very fabric you were wrapped in as a baby, it seems your parents on Earth understood the concept well enough.”

Kal stares at the suit in amazement.

“What does the S stand for?”

“It’s not an S.” they reply in unison.

“This is our family crest. The House of El.”

Clark stares at the crest, inspired.

“It represents hope, and now it represents the protection of the planet you call home.”

“Kara!” A loud voice rings through both of their heads

“I need help! He’s very strong, I don’t know if I can beat him alone!”

“Who is that?” Clark is once again, confused

“That’s J’onn. We have to go, he was still fighting that thing.”

“Oh God,” Clark forgot all about Metallo, “how long was I out for?”

“Like 30-40 minutes.

“That’s too long. It’s time for you to go, my son.”

Clark suits up in his new Superman suit (he still has the mask on) and leaps away to solve the problem.

“What are you doing?” Kara flies by a leaping Kal-El

Surprised, Kal falls out of the sky and lands in snow.

Kara levitates down to make sure her cousin is okay, “you don’t know how to fly? I guess that makes sense, nobody ever really taught you.”

The scene switches to the top of a mountain.

“All you really have to do,” Kara explains “is jump, and trust the air will catch you.”

Kara jumps off and starts flying

“Your turn Kal.”

“Right. Just jump, and trust the air.”

Clark launches into the air, closing his eyes. When he opens them, he’s levitating.

“Ha!” His first instinct being to fly to the scene of chaos, he uses his super speed to boost him in the air, as he breaks the sound barrier.

“Woooo!” He’s enjoying his new ability, “You’ve been able to do this for how long?”

“Since I landed on Mars, J’onn met a lot of Kryptonians and knew what I could do under a yellow sun.”

“Who’s this J’onn, by the way?” Clark asks her, “And why could I hear him in my head?”

“He’s a green Martian.” Kara explains, “he practically raised me as one of his own. Taught me everything that I could do, he even neurolinked the English language to my brain when I landed here.”

“I see, and what’s this about a yellow Sun?”

“Well,” Kara looks for the words to teach Kal, “when exposed to a yellow sun, we Kryptonians get extraordinary powers. Far beyond that of any human, even at the level of the Martians. We couldn’t do stuff like this on Krypton, it revolved around a red Sun.”

“Wow.” Clark is interested and astonished. “Just wow.”

“Krypton 101’s gonna have to wait Kal, we’re here.” Superman and Kara touch down onto the battlefield.

“Check on J’onn, I’ve got the threat.”

Clark rushes Metallo, stopping right before his face.

“Who are you,” Clark asks, “and what do you want with my planet.”

“I’m Metallo. And what I want, is to kill a god.”

Metallo punches Superman in the chin, sending him upwards. Metallo flies with him to meet Superman.

Cast

 * Richard Madden as Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El

A Kryptonian sent by his parents to Earth as an infant to escape the destruction of his homeworld, Krypton, and raised under the mental guidance of farmers in Smallville, Kansas, until he is inspired by the holographic message from his late father to become Earth's greatest protector.


 * Laura Fraser as Lois Lane

A reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper and the love interest of Clark Kent.


 * Dan Stevens as Metallo

A mysterious Kryptonite powered android, hellbent on destroying Superman and taking the city with him.


 * Harry Lennix as The Martian Manhunter/Jason Johns/J'onn J'onnz

The last of a dying species, J'onn J'onnz comes from Mars to protect Earth from the same fate.


 * Vincent D'Onofrio as Lex Luthor

A businessman with wicked intentions, Lex Luthor is the current mayor of Metropolis, and holds a serious grudge against the Man of Steel.


 * Erin Moriarty as Supergirl/Kara Zor-EL

Hailing from the dying planet Krypton, Kara Zor-El's escape pod was trapped in suspended animation for 16 years, landing on Mars in the body of a 17-year old. (Biologically 36 by the time the story begins, but mentally and physically 20 years old).


 * Alec Baldwin as Johnathan Kent
 * Glenn Close as Martha Kent
 * Gerard Butler as Jor-El
 * Jennifer Connelly as Lara Lor-Van
 * Dylan Riley Snyder as Jimmy Olsen
 * John Goodman as Perry White
 * Jason Momoa as Lobo
 * Noah Taylor as Professor Anthony Ivo