9 Oddly Specific Things Zack Snyder Stole From The Original Superman Movies

8. Zod's Set-Up More Important Than Krypton's Destruction

The opening of Superman: The Movie details Kal-El's origins and the destruction of Krypton, setting the epic sci-fi scene for everything that follows. Well, eventually - for the first ten minutes (if you count the long opening credits) it's focused instead on the ideological clash between Jor-El and Zod, with the former condemning the latter to the Negative Zone; a plot point that doesn't pay off until the sequel, released two whole years later. This is extensive foreshadowing, the sort of thing that is often treated as a modern, Marvel-inflected trait, another very forward thinking element from the ground-breaking film (Superman and Superman II were shot at the same time, hence how this ambitious trick was achieved). Man Of Steel, by contrast, is rather light on set-up for its sequels; there's a couple of background easter eggs alluding to Lex Luthor and Batman, but otherwise it's a very standalone story. However, it does still spend a lot of time in its Krypton opening establishing the conflict between the Els and Zod; to the point where it feels more important to the story, and Superman's origins, than the destruction of the planet itself. Of course, Zod is the villain of this piece, so it make a bit more sense (well, until we get those penis ships).