Chiselled newcomer Brandon Routh stepped comfortably into the red rubber boots previously donned by Christopher Reeve in Superman Returns. After much nervous speculation, director Bryan Singer presented an epic brimming with "style, sincerity, and knowing humour". It was a highlight of the summer 2006 schedule although, not quite the runaway (or flyaway) hit execs had hoped for.

Coming Home

Spread across two discs, this Special Edition is absolutely bursting at its blue spandex seams with behind-the-scenes footage, mostly contained in a five-part documentary that, at three hours, runs even longer than the film. Singer's passion for the project comes across from the outset with video footage that sees him rehearsing a pitch to present to studio execs the next day. It's hard not to get swept up in his enthusiasms as he bounces around the room, singing the 'bom-dee-bom-bom' opening music and doing the "Wham! Bam! Pow!" sound effects!

Having finalised the concept (rooted in Superman's inner conflict) there is a 34 minute investigation into the design process. This includes using a 'Genesis camera' to boost the clarity of the image, which comes lightly rose-tinted for nostalgia value. This section of the documentary explores casting too. Getting a glimpse of Routh's graduation photo, it's easy to see why he got the top job; along with the bone structure, he even has Clark Kent's oversized specs!

There's over an hour of footage dedicated to principal photography, from the very first day's shooting in the cornfields of Tamworth, Australia. Even after all his superhero training, Routh complains about "blurry vision" due to his blue contact lenses, but it's the farmyard chickens that are toughest to deal with. Later, the action transfers to New York City where crowds of onlookers must be penned in like foul as Routh performs this aeroplane balancing act. Then it's over to the soundstage in Sydney where Supes does his iconic "elevator change".

Flying High

Kevin Spacey gets his own forum and is clearly having a ball playing Lex Luthor. We're shown how he gets into character eg "chucking people to the ground" if they annoy him (or even if they don't), and driving around the studios in a little golf buggy, dragging a Superman doll on a string behind him. The little sparks that trail Spacey's buggy are impressive, but they pale in comparison to the pyrotechnics showcased in the final part of the documentary. Visual effects crews reveal all the preparation that went into the bank robbery sequence and the moment when one of the robbers shoots Supes in the eye.

Banished to another section of the disc is a breakdown of the Fortress Of Solitude scene, where Marlon Brando returns from the dead as Jor-El. Naturally, this was done using footage originally shot for the 1978 Superman movie, but with a lot of tinkering, CG bods were able to create a 3-D likeness of Brando speaking new dialogue. This featurette is both jaw dropping and eerie.

Many of the eleven deleted scenes are focussed on the early part of the story, ie, at the farm where Superman grew up. Whimsical moments like the teenage Clark (Stephan Bender) discovering flight and x-ray vision are countered by the brutal realisation of what Superman's absence has meant for the world; he discovers a stack of old newspapers in the barn, reporting a catalogue of wars and natural disasters. And then there's that scathing article by Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth)... Lightening the mood a little is a reel of Spacey outtakes hidden in an Easter egg at the foot of the deleted scenes menu.

Unfortunately Singer doesn't give commentary for the deleted scenes or the main feature, but his vision is conveyed with crystal clarity in the documentary. It is a fascinating and often wryly amusing chronicle of the superhero feat that is making a big-budget comic book adventure.

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