Contrary to early reports, "Superman Returns" director Bryan Signer confirmed he is getting ready to start working on a new Superman movie.

"I’m just getting back with writers after the strike. We’re just in the development phase. I’m starting to develop a sequel...with the intention of directing it,” Singer told Empire about the project which has been rumored since October 2006.

He added that "now that the characters are established, there's really an opportunity to up the threat levels...Clearly there'll be a body count. From frame one, it will be unrelenting terror!"

"The first one was a romantic film and a nostalgic film. I’ll be the first person to own up to that without making any apologies for it. I knew it was going to be that from the outset," he added.

The news that Singer would be back in the director's chair was first reported by IESB.net, adding that the team of Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek, Transformers) were in the running to replace Dan Harris & Michael Dougherty as the project's screenwriters.

Singer also fired back at criticism saying the first movie was a commercial and critical disappointment saying, "That movie made $400 million! I don't know what constitutes under-performing these days."

"I can understand, I suppose, what some people mean. Perhaps some people went in with the expectation of it being like an X-Men film, and Superman is a tougher character than that. Especially bringing him back," he explained in an interview with Empire.

"It really goes back to the fact that you can only please some of the people some of the time," he added.