Superman: Man Of Steel to make way for The Justice League?

It seems that the Justice League movie is fast becoming Warners most important property. Not only are they rushing it into development for a Summer 2009 release - but according to IESB.Net, they want it to be "the launching point for The Flash, Wonder Woman, The Green Lantern and Aquaman as well as rejuvenate Superman."

Woah, wait - rejuvenate Superman? Isn't Superman: Man Of Steel meant to do that? What with all the action sequences and cool villains we've been promised by Bryan Singer and his mates?

Well, the future doesn't look too bright for the last son of Krypton's next adventure - it's unlikely that the film will make its June 2009 release-date. Unless Warners want two tent-pole summer superhero blockbusters out within weeks of each other (they don't).

And what does this mean for Routh and Bale's three-picture deals with Warners? Will the Batman we've grown to love join the Superman we've grown to tolerate appear in the League flick? If so, will Bale and Routh's contracts be stretched to cover League duties?

Routh's already said that he'd be up for doing it, with Bale being a little more oblique in his response to the question, stating: "It's like I was saying to Chris [Nolan] - I'll be probably doing this in dinner theater somewhere in my 50s, so I won't knock it. Because who knows where I'll end up?"

Which, as far as we're concerned, is utter nonsense.

Ideally, if anyone's listening, we'd like to see a second Supes movie, a third Bat-flick and a Justice League film starring Routh and Bale, please. Ta.