To so many comic fans, Richard Donner’s “Superman” has been the standard by which all other comic book films are judged. Yet despite the fact that Donner has no intentions of returning to the franchise, he does have someone in mind who he feels could revitalize the hero for today’s audience — acclaimed comic book writer Geoff Johns.

In an interview with the L.A. Times’ Hero Complex, Donner — without hesitation — pegged Johns as the perfect candidate for Warner Bros.’s proposed revamp of “Superman,” and is quoted in the piece as saying, “I think [Johns] would be startling. Did you read his comics? There it is. It’s there on paper.”

Johns is widely known in comics as being DC Comics’ go-to guy for fresh takes on established characters — from the Flash to the JSA to even Hawkman — and judging by fan reaction to his current run on DC’s “Action Comics,” it’s clear that he knows what he’s doing with Big Blue. Yet despite his resume and Donner’s vote of confidence, the director feels it’s still just wishful thinking to assume Johns may be given a shot at the franchise.

“The studio hasn’t gone to him and said, ‘Give us a screenplay.’ That would be the smart thing to do, but that’s show biz. Right? Show biz, that’s our life,” said Donner.

Source: Splash Page