Superman Returns Quotations

Superman Returns is a 2006 film directed by Bryan Singer, centering around the character Superman.

Screenplay by Dan Harris & Michael Dougherty. Story by Dan Harris, Michael Dougherty & Bryan Singer from DC Comics characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Superman

You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior, but every day I hear people crying for one. I'm sorry I left you, Lois.

Listen... what do you hear?

I'm always around.

Well, I hope this experience hasn't put any of you off flying... Statistically speaking, it's still the safest way to travel.

You know, you really shouldn't smoke, Miss Lane.

You will be different. Sometimes, you will feel like an outcast, but you will never be alone. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father becomes the son.

Good night, Lois.

(to Lex Luthor) I see an old man's sick joke.

It's not easy for me to live my life being who I am. Keeping secrets.

Clark Kent

Swell!

That place was a graveyard... and I'm all that's left.

Well maybe...it was hard to say goodbye because he had to go and...he wanted to say goodbye but...maybe it was too difficult for him.

Don't worry, I buried it this morning.

Well.... things change. Well of course things change. But somethings that you thought wouldn't change could change.

Jor-El

My Son. You do not remember me. I am Jor-El. I am your father. By now I will have been dead for many thousands of your years. Embedded in the crystals before you is the total accumulation of all literature and scientific fact of dozens of other worlds spanning the twenty-eight known galaxies. There are many questions to be asked. Here, in this Fortress of Solitude, we will try to find the answers together. So my son, Kal-El, speak.

Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son.

{Opening Lines) You will travel far, my little Kal-El. But we will never leave you... even in the face of our deaths. You will make my strength your own. See my life through your own eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father...the son.

Lex Luthor

Gods are selfish beings who fly around in little red capes and don't share their powers with mankind.

[In the Fortress of Solitude] You might think so, most would. This is more of a monument to a long dead and extremely powerful civilization. This is where he learned who he was. This is where he came for guidance.

[After swindling an elderly woman out of her fortune on her death bed; removing his wig and giving it to the family] You can keep that. The rest is mine.

[Referring to the coconuts he is angrily throwing into the sea] I would trade three hundred thousand coconuts...and every ounce of your blood... FOR A QUART OF GASOLINE!!

You're asking yourself, "How?" Didn't your dad ever teach you to LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP?! Crystals, they're amazing aren't they? They inherit the traits of the minerals around them, kind of like a SON INHERITING THE TRAITS OF HIS FATHER!! You took away five years of my life. I'm just returning the favor!

Heck, I'm a fan! I love your writing... and your dress. Didn't you win the Pulitzer Prize for my favorite article of all time, "Why the World doesn't need Superman"?

You're not seeing the big picture, Ms. Lane. Let me enlarge it for you. Not just an island, an entirely new continent. An extinct world reborn on our own.

Tell me everything, starting with crystals.

Bring it on!

WROOOOOOOOOONG!!!

Krrrrryptonite!

I just want to bring fire to the people. And, I want my cut.

Prison is a creepy place, Kitty. One needs to make creepy friends in order to survive. Even a man with my vast talents is worth less inside than a carton of cigarettes and a sharp piece of metal in your pocket. Do you know the story of Prometheus? (without waiting for an answer) No, of course, you don't. Prometheus was god who stole the power of fire from the other gods and gave control of it to mortals, in essence, he gave us technology, he gave us power."

(slurred with toothbrush in his mouth) Lois Lane?

Lois Lane

[trying to convince Perry to not give her the Superman story to report on] Chief, I've done Superman! [Jimmy snickers] Covered him! You know what I mean!

Let's start with the big question, where did you go?

How could you leave us like that? I moved on. So did the rest of us. The world doesn't need a savior, and neither do I.

Can I ask you something? Have you ever met someone and it's almost like you're from totally different worlds, but you share such a strong connection that you knew you were destined to be with each other, and then he just takes off, without explaining why or without even saying goodbye? [turns around] Sounds cheezy, I know!

[to Lex Luthor] And I like your boat ... How'd you get it? Swindle some old widow out of her money?

[to Superman] I forgot how warm you are.

Perry White

I wanna know it all, everything. Olsen, I wanna see photos of him everywhere. No, I want THE photos. Sports, how are they going to get that plane out of the stadium? Travel, where did he go? Was he on vacation? If so, where? Gossip, has he met somebody? Fashion, is that a new suit? Uh, health, has he gained weight? What's he been eating? (Clark cringes heavily] Business, how is this gonna effect the stock market? Long-term? Short-term? Politics, does he still stand for truth, justice, all that stuff? Lifestyle, (pauses) Superman returns.

Lois, there are three things that sell papers in this world: tragedy, sex, and Superman. People are sick of tragedy, we know you can't write worth a damn about sex, so that leaves one thing and one thing only. (pauses) Him.

Lois, Pulitzer Prizes are like Academy Awards, nobody remembers what you got one for, just that you got one.

...Great Caesar's Ghost...

Every newspaper in town has a female reporter - a good-looking female reporter - stashed on a roof covering Superman and you two were the ones with the history!

This goes for every single one of you. The story isn't the black-out. It's Superman!

Jimmy Olsen

Mr. Clark! I mean, Kent. Mr. Kent! You're back. I don't believe it. Ohmygod!

Oh, yeah, well you must have been gone. Fearless reporter Lois Lane is a mommy.

If you ask me, 'cause she'd never admit this, but if you ask me? She's still in love with you-know-who.

My camera's not working! And my phone's not working. [power suddenly returns to the Daily Planet offices] Okay, I'm good!

Why don't you guys track down Lex Luthor? I mean, no one's seen him since his fifth appeal and he has more bad blood with Superman than anyone, maybe he's got something to say?

Others

Ben Hubbard: So, you flew in last week?

Martha Kent: Five years....[Turns to face Clark, voice breaking]...if your father was still alive he'd never have let you go...

Martha Kent: Even you can't stop the world from spinning.

Martha Kent : Even if you are the last one, you're not alone.

Kitty Kowalski: Oh, he's cute!

Kitty Kowalski: [Seeing one of the Vanderworth dogs chewing on a bloody bone] Weren't there two of those?

Kitty Kowalski: Wow that's really something Lex.

Kitty Kowalski: It's like gone with wind.

Kitty Kowalski: Like Sea Monkeys?

Dialogue

Lois Lane: Eh.

Perry White: Eh? These are iconic, and they were taken by a 12 year-old with a camera phone. What've you got, Olsen?

[Jimmy shows White a grainy photograph of a pair of buildings.]

Jimmy Olsen: ...I got this...

[In response to Perry's look, Jimmy points at a small dot, everyone gathers around.]

Jimmy Olsen: Look, in the sky, Chief.

Lois Lane: It's a bird.

Perry White: It's a plane.

Jimmy Olsen: No, look, it's...

Clark Kent: [Knocking and entering] Uh, you wanted to see me?

Lois Lane: But there are dozens of other stories out there!

Perry White: Yeah? Name one.

Lois Lane: Well, there was a museum robbery last night. Even Superman missed that one. [Taps photo of Superman with Kitty in his arms.] He was too busy saving this hooker.

Clark Kent: Jimmy, how did Lex Luthor get out of prison?

Jimmy Olsen: Well, the appeals court called Superman as a witness and he wasn't around. How much do you think that pisses off Superman?

Clark Kent: (seething with anger) A lot?

Jimmy Olsen: A lot.

[onboard the "Gertrude"]

Lex Luthor: Kitty, what did my father used to say to me?

Kitty Kowalski: You're losing your hair?

Lex Luthor: No, before that.

Kitty Kowalski: Get out?

Lex Luthor: C'mon, let me hear you say it, just once.

Lois Lane: You're insane!

Lex Luthor: No! (laughing) Not that, no, the other thing. I know it's just dangling on the tip of your tongue... let me hear it just once, please?

Lois Lane: Superman will never-

Lex Luthor: WROOOOONG!!!

Lex Luthor: [holding Kryptonite] Mind over muscle, Miss Lane. Mind over... [noticing Jason's looking at the Kryptonite] Who is that boy's father?

Lois Lane: [swallowing] Richard.

[Luthor was about to speak when his henchman calls through the radio] Thug: Mr. Luthor, we will reach there in five minutes.

Lex Luthor: [looking at Lois] Are you sure?

Thug: [through the radio] Positively, Mr. Luthor.

Jason White: Mommy, are we trespassing?

Lois Lane: No... yes... shhh.

Jason White: Hi.

Clark Kent: Hi there.

Jason White: Who are you.

Clark Kent: Oh, I'm Clark Kent. I'm an old friend of your mom's, from before you were born.

Jason White: Really? She never mentioned you.

Clark Kent: Really? Never?

Jason White: Nope.

[Lois introducing Clark to Richard]

Lois Lane: Clark, Richard. Richard, Clark.

Richard White: Richard White.

Lois Lane: Richard's an assistant editor who basically saved our international section. He's also a pilot and he loves horror movies. Clark's... well, he's Clark.

Richard White: Good to finally meet you, I've heard so much.

Clark Kent: Oh, you have? (watching Lois)

Richard White: Yeah, Jimmy just won't shut up about you.

Lois Lane: But millions of people will die.

Lex Luthor: Billions! Once again the press underestimates me.

Lex Luthor: Run into some trouble?

Grant: You should've seen the other guy.

Stanford: What're we gonna do?

Lex Luthor: You're gonna modify it and attach it to the stern. I don't care if the instructions are in Russian!

Lex Luthor: And what is your name?

Jason White: I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.

Lex Luthor: Cute kid, and smart. But we're not really strangers, are we? This is kind of a little reunion, isn't it? Heck, I'm a fan! I love your writing... and your dress.

Clark Kent: Hi. Chief! Thanks for giving me my old job back.

Perry White: Don't thank me. Thank Norm Palmer for dying!

Jimmy Olsen: ...It was his time.

Lois Lane: Clark said the reason you didn't say goodbye was because it was too unbearable for you. Personally, I think that's a load of crap.

Superman: Clark?

Lois Lane: He's this guy I work with.

Superman: Maybe Clark's right.

Lois Lane: You know my... [hesitates] Richard. He's a pilot. He takes me up all the time.

Superman: Not like this.

[Superman is flying high above Metropolis with Lois Lane]

Superman: Listen. What do you hear?

Lois Lane: Nothing.

Superman: I hear everything. You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior. But everyday I hear people crying for one.

Richard White: Hi, honey. We're having beef. You want the tofu wrap or the veggie wrap? [notices Lois' dishevelled look and silence] You okay?

Lois Lane: Uh-huh!

Richard White: Where've you been?

Lois Lane: [awkward pause] I was...up on the roof! Getting some air.

Richard White: Tell the truth now. [looks around at Clark and Jimmy. Jimmy awkwardly stuffs his face] Were you smoking?

Lois Lane: ....No.

Jimmy Olsen: [leans over an unsuspecting Clark who is holding a family photo of Lois Lane, her fiancé Richard White and Lois' son Jason, ] Ha! Yeah! He looks just like his mom. Already takes after her too, especially when it comes to getting into trouble.

Clark Kent: [confused] Mother?

Jimmy Olsen: Oh yeah, well I guess you've been gone. Fearless reporter Lois Lane is a mommy.

[Clark cracks the glass of the photo frame with his thumb]

Jimmy Olsen: [taking the photo from Clark] Let me take care of that...

Clark Kent: I'm sorry.

Jimmy Olsen: No, it's okay, she's got tons.

Clark Kent: Wait, she's married?

Jimmy Olsen: Yes. [Pause] No! It's more like a prolonged engagement. But don't ask Ms. Lane when they're tying the knot 'cause she hates that question... [after noticing the look on Clark's face] Hey, you all right? You look like you could use a drink...

Kitty Kowalski: [Refering to Jor-El in the Fortress of Solitude] Can he see us?

Lex Luthor: No, he's dead.

Lois Lane: How did you get here?

Richard White: I flew.

Lex Luthor: [The crystal]'s like a seed, and all it needs is water.

Kitty Kowalski: Like... uhh... Sea Monkeys?

Lex Luthor: [sighs] Exactly, Kitty. Like Sea Monkeys.

Kitty Kowalski: Wow, that's really something Lex.

Lex Luthor: Wait for it.

[pause - nothing happens]

Kitty Kowalski: Wow, that's really something, Lex. It's freakin' Gone with the Wind.

Lois Lane: Can you help Mommy open the door?

Jason White: [sniffles] I'm sorry.

Kitty Kowalski: Lex?

Lex Luthor: Mmm-hmm?

Kitty Kowalski: Are billions of people really going to die?

[Pause while Luthor lights his cigar.]

Lex Luthor: (casually) Yes.

[Lex Luthor and Kitty are stranded on an island in the middle of the ocean. Lex angrily throws a coconut into the ocean.]

Kitty Kowalski: Lex, we only had six of those!

Lex Luthor: Six? (starts to laugh maniacally) I would trade three-hundred-THOUSAND coconuts, and every ounce of your blood, FOR A QUART OF GASOLINE!!

[He points at their useless helicopter.]

Kitty Kowalski: ...But what would we have to eat?

(Lex looks hungrily at Kitty's dog)

Richard White: So with the Super-Hearing does he hear each sound by itself or everything all at once?

Lois Lane: Both.

Richard White: He's certainly a lot taller than I thought.

Lois Lane: 6'4".

Richard White: I love that he can see through anything. I'd have fun with that.

Lois Lane: Anything but lead.

Richard White: I bet he's-

Lois Lane: 225 pounds, faster than a speeding bullet, draws his powers from the sun, invulnerable to anything but Kryptonite, and he never lies.

Richard White: Kryptonite?

Lois Lane: Radioactive pieces of his homeworld. It's deadly. To him.

Kitty Kowalski: (slaps Luthor) I was going to pretend the brakes were out! Like we talked about! Pretend! You didn't actually have to cut them!

Lex Luthor: Well, of course I did. A man can always tell when a woman is pretending, especially if he's Superman.

Cast

Actor	Role
Brandon Routh	Clark Kent / Superman
Kate Bosworth	Lois Lane
Kevin Spacey	Lex Luthor
Marlon Brando	Jor-El (Stock Footage)
Eva Marie Saint	Martha Kent
James Marsden	Richard White
Sam Huntington	Jimmy Olsen
Tristan Leabu	Jason White
Frank Langella	Perry White
Kal Penn	Stanford
Parker Posey	Kitty Kowalski
James Karen	Ben Hubbard
Stephan Bender	Young Clark Kent
Jack Larson	Bibbo Bibbowski/Bo the Bartender
Noel Neill	Gertrude Vanderworth
Mike Massa	777 Pilot
Peta Wilson	Flight Attendant Bobbie Faye