Summer of Superman: Filming Stirs Talk Around Plano

Kevin Costner knocking on doors in the neighborhood. Amy Adams and Henry Cavill sightings.

Plans to blow up the 7-Eleven. Or that old furniture store on the west side of town. Or some other building in town.

These are just a few of the rumors circulating through Plano as film crews take over the town to shoot the Warner Bros. Man of Steel flick.

Richard Healy, executive director of the Plano Area Chamber of Commerce, said back-fence talk has run the gamut, from the producers fighting and threatening to pull out of Plano altogether, to plans to blow up the old Walmart building.

"They've just about demolished every building in town," Healy said, of the rumors.

What else has he heard?

"Rumor has it - and people swear by it - Henry Cavill has been here twice and Amy Adams once,” he said.

He attributes some of the rumors to staff associated with the movie patronizing area businesses - and locals making assumptions about what they hear.

"People will sit around and have coffee, and people will overhear stuff," Healy said.

Plano residents couldn’t be more thrilled that their city was chosen to be a backdrop for some of the film, though.

“I think it’s a big deal because we’re such a small town,” said Jessica Uhrich, who heard the 7-Eleven rumor. “For them to pick Plano--it’s pretty cool.”

Casting for Man of Steel includes Cavill as Clark Kent, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Adams as Lois Lane, and Russell Crowe as Jor-El.

Resident Kim Tisberger said the film has stirred up a lot of interest in Plano. She saw someone post on Facebook that Kevin Costner was knocking on doors in the neighborhood.

“A lot of people are talking about it,” Tisberger said. “I think it’s great.”

The film is especially near and dear to Plano resident Noah Parris, 12, who attended a casting call in June at Plano High School and was picked to be an extra. He’s looking forward to seeing himself in the background on the big screen.

“It was pretty cool,” he said. “We had to do a lot of things over and over again to get it right.”

Plano resident Travis Leggett, 6, was hoping to get a glimpse of the filming being done.

“I wanted to skip soccer because I really wanted to watch it," he said. "But my dad wouldn’t let us.”

Tisberger's son, Alec, 12, said the town is a fitting backdrop for the movie:

“It’s an old town and there are a lot of good sites to film at.”

Resident Noah Hernandez, 12, said Plano is a good choice for filming, and not just for it’s topography:

“This is proper town to film it in. There are a lot of great people living here.”

As for those rumors? Residents may have to wait a few weeks until local filming wraps to discover the truth. (Crain’s Chicago Business recently reportedfilming will be (Aug. 22-29.)

Or perhaps until the move is released in June 2013 (as reported by IMDb.com).

And Kevin Costner knocking on doors? Perhaps they'll never know for sure.

Also online:
• The Kane County Chronicle published a piece about filming in Sugar Grove this week.
• People have been posting random local shots to the Superman: Man of Steel (2013) unofficial Facebook fan page.
• The Beacon-News reported that part of East Pleasant Avenue in Sandwich will be closed Monday for filming.