Superman Returns Page #2

- Coming back?

- To work.

Yeah.

Well, you know, things change.

I mean, of course things change...

...but sometimes things that you didn't

think would change could change.

Take Lois.

A woman like her,

I never thought she'd settle down.

You know, if you ask me...

Because she'll never tell you this...

...but if you ask me,

she's still in love with you-know-who.

The original space shuttle

generated 7.5 million pounds of thrust...

...just in the initial launch phase.

But, by piggybacking

on this Boeing 777... Yes?

If this launch is as pivotal as you claim...

...why is it being covered

by one news network?

Why don't we save those questions

for the post-launch briefing.

How about that, Miss Lane?

When we hit 40,000 feet,

the shuttle will detach, ascend...

...and then fire the first of two propellant

systems, the liquid fuel boosters.

When the shuttle

reaches the stratosphere...

...the secondary

insertion booster will fire...

...propelling the craft

at 4gs into the mesosphere.

- Careful.

- I know.

- Careful. Careful.

- I know.

Wow, that's really something, Lex.

Wait for it.

Wow, that's really something, Lex.

It's freaking Gone With the Wind.

- Shut off the camera.

- But I'm getting it.

I said, shut off the damn camera.

I think I did something wrong.

No. That wasn't you.

Ignition is at T minus one minute

and we are prepping for separation.

CDR., start the clock.

Three minutes and counting.

Body signs normal. Crew is looking good.

Shuttle readouts are holding steady.

- We're still a go for launch.

- Roger.

- Houston, you copy?

- Houston, do you copy?

Oh, God.

Electrical variance.

What the...?

Please, there's nothing to worry about.

It seems that we are experiencing

a slight power outage.

- What did you do?

- It wasn't me. It just cycled back up.

Genesis, radio check from Houston.

There we have it.

We were experiencing a power outage.

- Climbing to 40,000 feet.

- Roger, 40,000 feet.

And it's gone! A blazing fastball...

Is that it?

I don't think so.

Dual engine failure,

but they're up and running again.

Genesis, I hate to say this, but it looks

like we're gonna have to scrub the launch.

- Aborting booster ignition.

- Roger. Aborting booster ignition.

Boosters are non-responsive.

We're still counting down for ignition.

- Platform, we have a problem.

- Go.

Looks like something faulted

during the power outage.

Both boosters are

counting down for ignition.

Platform, you have 30 seconds.

- What?

- Release couplings.

We can't shut down boosters.

We should be able to manage the launch

and recover to the emergency field.

T minus 23 seconds to ignition.

Genesis, you're a go

for evac procedures.

Twenty-one, 20...

...19...

Couplings are non-responsive.

- We're still attached.

- Seventeen.

- Platform, couplings are jammed.

- Fifteen.

Fourteen.

Don't be alarmed. It's absolutely normal.

We're still attached.

Couplings are non-responsive.

- Nine, eight...

- Houston, can you do a remote override?

...seven...

- Remote override is unresponsive.

...six, five...

- I repeat, remote override is unresponsive.

...four, three...

And if you're lucky, you may hear

the faint pop of the sonic boom.

- Houston, we have ignition.

- Roger, ignition.

- This is Python 21, she's pulling away.

- Okay, all flight control is on the...

This is not a drill.

Clear nonessential personnel.

Switch to emergency band frequencies.

Warning, warning.

Oh, no! Oh, no!

Can I get a little help?

This is UPV breaking news.

From Washington, Frank Jacobs.

We've just received word...

...that the inaugural flight

of the Genesis space shuttle...

...is experiencing a midair emergency.

- a problem with the launch

of the new orbital shuttle, Genesis.

The reports are telling us

the shuttle failed to disengage...

...sending both crafts

rocketing towards space.

We're now going live to Cape Canaveral

for the latest update on this story.

Jim, all we know right now...

...is that the couplings

which hold the shuttle to the 777...

...malfunctioned

and did not release as planned.

- We're uncertain...

- I should do...

...why the ignition sequence

continued and boosters fired.

However, there's speculation here

that the blackout, which...

Help me sit up.

Mach one.

Still tied to the shuttle at 42,000 feet.

- Houston, we need some help. Houston!

- Running diagnostics check. Stand by.

Insertion booster ignition in five seconds.

Warning, warning.

What the hell is that?

There's some kind of unidentified bogey

coming from the north.

- Roger that.

- And it's coming in fast.

Declaring an emergency.

Overspeed, overspeed.

Altitude...

Do you see that?

Fly up, fly up.

Is everyone all right?

Are you okay?

Well, I hope this experience

hasn't put any of you off flying.

Statistically speaking,

it's still the safest way to travel.

Superman! Superman! Superman!

Superman!

Okay, everybody, listen up.

I wanna know it all, everything.

Olsen, I wanna see photos of him

everywhere. No, I want the photos.

Sports, how are they gonna 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?

Health, has he gained weight?

What's he been eating?

Business, how is this gonna affect

the stock market? Long-term, short-term.

Politics, does he still stand for truth,

justice, all that stuff? Lifestyle:

"Superman Returns."

Come on.

Gil, how many F's in "catastrophic"?

None. What's the usage?

"This mysterious electromagnetic pulse

knocked out portable devices...

...and entire power grids,

causing a catastrophic event during..."

- Lois!

- Yes.

In my office.

This goes for everyone.

The story isn't the blackout,

it's Superman!

The story is the EMP, chief.

Every electronic device

on the East Coast goes dark.

- First, are you okay?

- Yes, thank you.

Lois, three things sell papers:

tragedy, sex and Superman.

People are sick of tragedy, we know

you can't write worth a damn about sex.

That means one thing. That one thing

is Superman. And you know it, Lois.

Lois?

- Are you all right? You sure?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, I'm fine.

- Thank God.

- Where's Jason?

- I don't know. Isn't he with you?

- No.

- Well, where is he?

Hi.

Hello.

Who are you?

I'm Clark Kent, an old friend of

your mom's from before you were born.

Really? She never mentioned you.

Really? Never?

- No.

- Jason.

- What are you doing here, honey?

- Daddy's office is boring.

Daddy's office is boring?

Clark, hey! Welcome back.

- I see you've already met the munchkin.

- Yeah, we were just talking...

- Did you take vitamins? Eye drops?

- Yes. Yes.

- Albuterol? Poly-Vi-Flor?

- Yes. Yes, Mom.

Good boy. He's a little fragile,

but he's gonna grow up...

...to be big and strong

like his dad, won't you?

- Yes?

- Yes.

Oh, I saw you on the...

Oh, yeah. That was nothing.

- Hey, can I borrow your stapler?

- Oh, yeah.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote