Sad news, confirmed. Singer must REALLY like Superman. The X-Men franchise will take a blow for this. Singer's relationship with some of the actors was why the cast shaped up so well. Some key actors many not return. Also now, tonally, the third X-Men film will different. Now when they release a boxed set with the 3 films one will be directed someone else and the continuity is SHATTERED! Hurts. The studio must be losing sleep over this.

Capone: Was it a tough decision to leave X-MEN at a point in the series where the plot for the next film, or at least part of the plot, was so clearly set up in X-2?

Brian Singer: I had a very strong vision for the next X-MEN picture. But SUPERMAN has always been a dream of mine. Things weren't moving as quickly as...it was difficult, and I love those actors and I have a strong relationship with the X-Men universe. I'm still taking over the writing of Ultimate X-Men for a year, so I'm by no means out of that universe. But I've had an idea for a SUPERMAN movie for many years, so for me the fact that it was available and Warner Bros. was willing to take everything it had spent 11 years developing with three other directors and throw it completely out and let me start from scratch at an accelerated level of time...once they showed the willingness, the desire and excitement to do that after my pitch, it became an obvious choice for me, but a difficult one.