Now that Superman Returns has dragged itself over the $200 million US gross (and $390 million worldwide) mark, Warner Bros is finally ready to consider - emphasis on the consider - opening its wallet to fork out for another instalment of Super heroics.

The new Superman film is still at the very start of development – there’s no script yet and, given the first movie’s slow-burning performance, you just know that every executive will have an opinion on how to improve the next movie’s likely chances. More action, you say? Almost certainly. And Singer has already blabbed at this year’s Comic Con about how he wants to make the sequel more like Star Trek’s second, franchise-saving cinematic outing The Wrath Of Khan. So, more danger and less chin-wobbling emotional moments for the Man Of Steel? Let’s hope so.

And despite Singer’s deal, this announcement is in no way a greenlight for the film.

Brandon Routh’s certainly ready to take part – when Total Film talked to him recently, he mentioned that while nothing official had been said, Singer had informally mentioned that he was dreaming up ideas. “It’s a matter of when,” says the confident screen Supes. “A script will have to be written, but we’re sure we’re going to be making one.” Singer’s aim is to have to second film in cinemas by 2009.

Even if it does manage to take off, expect this latest outing to have a budget of 50p and three packets of Jaffa cakes.