Superman Homepage is reporting a rumor that former Harry Potter director Chris Columbus is being offered the chance to direct the Chris Nolan-produced Superman reboot.

As we know, Warner Bros. are aiming to have a new Superman movie released to cinemas before the end of 2012. A source inside the studio has revealed to the Superman Homepage that an “offer has been sent out to Chris Columbus to direct the 3D Superman reboot for December 2012″.

While many consider the more stylistic entries superior, his Potter films were the most whimsical of the series and last year’s Percy Jackson, while mostly serving as a pandering Teen Beat edition of Clash of the Titans, at least had some lavish moments of adventure.

Whoever they are truly considering, Superman needs a director that really understands that the noble sense Richard Donner utilized in the 1978 classic really fits the character well, while having a good sense at what does and doesn’t need revamped. For one, the “Gee golly!” Clark Kent needs to be traded in for a more confident newspaper reporter, like his animated series counterpart. I always enjoyed that take on the character, since he often used his reporter skills to track down villains and Lex Luthor’s secret projects. Also, we don’t need shaky cams or Matrix-like slow-mo effects, but at the same time, we need to be following Superman as he zooms through the cityscape and saves helpless citizens from certain death.