"Since I was a kid I've always wanted to reinvent Superman for the 21st century. I've been planning this my entire life. I've got my director and producer set up, and it'll be 2011. This is how far ahead you have to think. The Superman brand is toxic after the last movie....but in 2011 we're hoping to restart it."

Millar is clearly serious about the taking on the project, and even has a director lined up to partner him. 

On his own messageboard, Millar followed up saying: 

"...a very well known American action director heard about my love of Superman, approached me and asked me to team up with him and his producer to make a pitch for this. We've been talking for several weeks now and, if this is going to happen, we'll know by Christmas. He has huge pull at WB so fingers crossed. But this is nothing more than a huge US name pulling me into his fold and making me part of a package."

This is an interesting development for the Superman franchise. While Superman Returns was seen by some (perhaps incorrectly) to be a flop, it ended up making Warner Bros. at least over $150 million and received largely positive critical responses. In April this year, director Bryan Singer, producer Thomas Tull and star Brandon Routh all suggested that a follow-up (tentatively titled "Man of Steel") was moving into pre-production for a possible 2010 release.

Recently, rumour reports have suggested that Warner Bros are considering three or four separate pitches for continuing the Superman movies on, leading to further uncertainty over who will be at the reigns when we next see the Kryptonian again.