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After the release of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, several more Superman films were planned and subsequently cancelled. Most of the films followed the same basic script, intended to be an adaptation of a comic book story arc entitled The Death and Return of Superman. The first of the seven films was originally scheduled for release on July 4, 1998. Warner Bros. spent 17 years, three confirmed directors, nine screenwriters, and approximately $50 million in combined resources for the seven different films without any filming ever taking place. Ultimately, the overall project was scrapped. The first successful Superman movie after this project was the 2006 film Superman Returns. Shortcut: WP:CU Marking articles for cleanup This page is undergoing a transition to an easier-to-maintain format. ... This Manual of Style has the simple purpose of making things easy to read by following a consistent format — it is a style guide. ... Image File history File links Circle-question. ... Superman IV: The Quest For Peace is a 1987 film, the last of the Superman theatrical movies. ... The cover of Superman #75 The Death of Superman was a comic book story featured in Superman #75 (January 1993), and the catalyst for DC Comics major universe crossover event of 1993 with the umbrella title The Death and Return of Superman, becoming a major media event. ... For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 3. ... An unfinished portrait miniature of Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper. ... // Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2006; because they may have made most of their income in a later year, they may not be the top-grossing... Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Superman. ...

Superman V and Superman: The New Movie

Plans for a fifth Superman film had been around since before the release of Warner Bros. and Cannon Films' Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. That film had an excess of deleted scenes that its producers had at one point planned on reusing on a proposed fifth entry. Cannon also had other plans for a fifth Superman film. One was an original story, possibly starring in and directed by Christopher Reeve. Another was an original story with perennial Cannon-man Albert Pyun directing. However, after the critical and box office failure of The Quest for Peace, star Christopher Reeve left the series, effectively ending it, and Cannon eventually thought better of all their myriad plans. Warner Bros. ... Golan-Globus produced a distinct line of low-budget action films from 1979 to 1989. ... Superman IV: The Quest For Peace is a 1987 film, the last of the Superman theatrical movies. ... Christopher Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. ...

The father-and-son team of Alexander and Ilya Salkind had been producing the TV series Superboy during this time, and regained the film rights to Superman upon Cannon's eventual passing on the fifth film. During the program's tenure, the Salkinds had been developing a new film, which was to be a sequel to Superman The Movie and Superman II (ignoring Superman III and IV in much the same way Superman Returns ultimately did). Using the working title of Superman: The New Movie, the film featured Brainiac coming to Earth and ensnaring Metropolis, actually shrinking it and adding it to his galactic menagerie, which included the Kryptonian city of Kandor. The script, by series writers Cary Bates (also a long-time writer on the Superman comic book) and Mark Jones, was similar to both the comics and the Christopher Reeve series of films, and featured significant. Eventually, Superman was able to escape, rescue Metropolis, defeat Brainiac (in a battle royale) and reunite with his love Lois Lane, who is revealed as being pregnant with his child. The Salkinds initially attempted to lure Reeve back to the cape, but he declined, and then the plan became to use Superboy star Gerard Christopher in the lead role. However, the Salkind's option on the character lapsed before production could begin. In 1992, the movie rights expired and reverted back to DC Comics, a division of Warner Bros., the studio that had distributed the first four films. Superboy was a half-hour, live-action TV series based on the fictional DC Comics character. ... Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Superman. ... Cary Bates is a comic book and animation writer. ... Mark Jones may be: Mark Jones (born 1933), football player. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1992. ... Warner Bros. ...

At the same time, DC Comics was publishing its commercially successful but controversial Death of Superman storyline, which brought the publisher some of its biggest sales in years. In that story, Superman is killed in battle by the monster Doomsday. ... Doomsday is the name of a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a supervillain best known for fighting and killing Superman in the Death of Superman storyline in 1993. ...

Jon Peters, producer of the hit films Batman and Batman Returns for Warner Bros., took over the project, hoping to spear-head another successful superhero film franchise. Jon Peters (born June 2, 1945) is a hairdresser turned producer for many big-budget motion pictures. ... Batman is an American 1989 Academy Award-winning superhero film based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and appearing in DC Comics. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that may be overly long, confusing, or ambiguous. ...

Superman Reborn: The Jonathan Lemkin script

Peters' first choice for writer was Jonathan Lemkin, whose work includes the hit TV series 21 Jump Street, Hill Street Blues, and Beverly Hills, 90210 and the Brandon Lee movie Showdown in Little Tokyo. Although he was relatively unproven as a writer of blockbuster films, his writing pleased Peters and he was given the job. The producer and writer found themselves in the unusual position of having to pitch the project to the entire Warner Bros. executive board as the studio was not willing to take chances with such a valuable franchise. Jonathan Lemkin is an American screenwriter. ... 21 Jump Street was an hour long police drama television series, developed by Fox Television Network. ... Hill Street Blues was a serial police drama that first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. ... Beverly Hills, 90210 was a popular primetime television soap opera that aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on FOX in the United States and subsequently on various networks around the world. ... Brandon Bruce Lee (李國豪 Cantonese: Léi Gwokhòu Pinyin: Lǐ Guóháo); February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor of Chinese, Swedish, and German descent. ... Showdown in Little Tokyo is a film released in 1991. ...

Completed in 1994, Lemkin's script, Superman Reborn, was soon presented to the higher-ups at Warner Bros. It was loosely based on The Death of Superman story. The script features an insecure Clark Kent unable to admit his feelings for Lois Lane, the woman he loves. Before Superman can resolve his feelings, he and a creature called Doomsday fight to the death. When Superman dies, his soul enters Lois' body, and she soon gives birth to Superman's child. The child grows into the body of a 21-year-old man within weeks. Lois is killed in the middle of the film, and the child assumes his birthright as the new Superman and saves the world. // November 1 - George Lucas leaves the day-to-day operations of his filmmaking business and starts a sabbatical (while on sabbatical, he wrote the prequel Star Wars trilogy). ... The cover of Superman #75 The Death of Superman was a comic book story featured in Superman #75 (January 1993), and the catalyst for DC Comics major universe crossover event of 1993 with the umbrella title The Death and Return of Superman, becoming a major media event. ... Superman and his secret identity Clark Kent being portrayed as distinct individuals. ... Lois Joanne Lane is a fictional comic book character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ...

Lemkin said his script was "campy" in tone, but felt it was just what the series needed after the hero's long absence from the big screen. "I thought it would be funny to piss off the far right", he said. "I think most people would have enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek quality of it. Look, [in the Joel Schumacher sequels] Batman's got nipples and a codpiece, for cryin' out loud!" The Warner Bros. execs were not pleased. After the script was presented, Lemkin was removed from the project.^[1] Camp is an aesthetic in which something has appeal because of its bad taste or ironic value. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ... Sarcasm is the making of remarks intended to mock the person referred to (who is normally the person addressed), a situation or thing. ... Joel Schumacher (born August 29, 1939) is an American film director, writer, and producer. ...

Superman Reborn: The Gregory Poirier script

In 1995, after Jonathan Lemkin's screenplay was discarded, producer Jon Peters replaced him with another Warner Bros. spec writer named Gregory Poirier. The new writer expanded on the previous script with the approval of Peters. In 1996, his script was finished, still using the title Superman Reborn. // March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation November - After a six-year hiatus, the James Bond film series resumes with the successful GoldenEye. ... Gregory Poirier, who often goes just by Greg Poirier, is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1996. ...

Still using the Death story as its basis, Superman's comic book nemesis Brainiac is the primary villain. Brainiac is presented here as a galactic conqueror, who travels the universe and collects one specimen of each planet he encounters, before destroying said planet. His latest target is the Earth. Upon meeting Lois Lane, the villain actually falls in love with her, and chooses her to be the one lifeform saved from Earth before destroying it. Superman, meanwhile is unable to cope with his dual identity, wondering where his place in life is, and actually sees a psychiatrist for advice. Brainiac unleashes his creation Doomsday, who has Kryptonite-laced blood, and Superman and Doomsday fight to the death. Both perish in the struggle. At the later funeral for the Man of Steel, Batman appears briefly, laying his glove on the hero's coffin. The cover of Superman #75 The Death of Superman was a comic book story featured in Superman #75 (January 1993), and the catalyst for DC Comics major universe crossover event of 1993 with the umbrella title The Death and Return of Superman, becoming a major media event. ... Brainiac is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe, most often appearing as an opponent of Superman. ... Superman, Phantom Zone criminals, and Jimmy Olsen, in front of a display of kryptonite models. ...

In further developments, Brainiac is prevented from stealing Superman's body for genetic material by an alien bounty hunter by the name of Cadmus, who has been chasing Brainiac for some time. A cigar-chomping, very human-like alien, Cadmus revives Superman and teaches him a thing or two about life and living, thus reviving him in spirit as well as in body. Resurrected but powerless, Superman fights Brainiac with Cadmus' aid, and the aid of a special super-suit. Eventually, his powers return and Superman defeats Brainiac, discarding his super-suit and reclaiming his mantle as Earth's premier hero. The script also includes Parasite and Silver Banshee as supporting villains. Lois also discovers Superman's true identity in this story. The Parasite is a fictional character and supervillain who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Silver Banshee is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an opponent of Superman. ...

Poirier's script was reportedly met with "indifference" by the Warner Bros. executives, but it is believed that this would have been the script that went into production had Kevin Smith not intervened. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Superman Lives: The Kevin Smith script

Director and comic book enthusiast Kevin Smith was preparing for the release of his film Chasing Amy when he was brought into the offices of Warner Bros. to give input on several projects "up for grabs."^[2] Declining other films offered to him, he indicated interest in Superman Reborn. He was asked to take a copy of Poirier's script with him and give his thoughts on it. Smith was unhappy with the Poirier script, and later said, "...the thing that bothered me about Greg Poirier’s draft: they were trying to give Superman angst. They had Clark Kent going to a psychiatrist at one point. Superman’s angst is not that he doesn’t want to be Superman. If he has any (angst), it’s that he can’t do it all; he can’t do enough and save everyone." "Batman is about angst; Superman is about hope."^[2] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy about two comic book artists: Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), a heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a lesbian-identified bisexual woman. ...

Smith was asked to attend several meetings with Warner Brothers executives concerning his thoughts on the script. Eventually, Lorenzo di Bonaventura decided to offer Smith the job, pending approval of producer Jon Peters. Smith personally presented his 80-page film treatment to the eccentric producer at the latter's home. Peters was intrigued, but he insisted that if Smith was to take the job, he would have to tightly follow parameters that he himself set: Superman could not be seen flying, Superman must have a 'modern' costume, and the third act was to have a fight involving a giant spider.^[2] Peters also wanted Sean Penn to play the lead role. Among Peters' notes to the writer were: Brainiac must fight polar bears in the Arctic; Brainiac should have a furry dog of some sort, "like Chewie" (Peters got the idea from the 1997 release of the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Special Edition); Brainiac's sidekick, L-Ron, must be a "gay Artoo type" voiced by Smith's Chasing Amy star, Dwight Ewell; Superman's suit must be something he can piece together, a la Batman; Smith must cut back the length of dialogue on a crucial scene between Clark and Lois at Mount Rushmore.^[2] In spite of the "restrictions" placed on him by Peters, Smith completed a script with which he was satisfied in 1997, titled Superman Lives. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is an American producer. ... Jon Peters (born June 2, 1945) is a hairdresser turned producer for many big-budget motion pictures. ... A treatment or more properly film treatment is a short piece of prose intended to be turned into a screenplay for a motion picture. ... Diversity 111 families, 40,000 species Suborders Mesothelae Mygalomorphae Araneomorphae  See Table of Families Wikispecies has information related to: Spiders A South American Argiope Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals with two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ... Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an Academy Award-winning American film actor & director. ... Binomial name Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774 The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), also known as the white bear, northern bear, or sea bear, is a large bear native to the Arctic. ... The red line indicates the 10°C isotherm in July, commonly used to define the Arctic region border Satellite image of the Arctic surface The Arctic is the area around the Earths North Pole, opposite the Antarctican area around the South Pole. ... Chewbacca (or Chewie) (c. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1997. ... — George Lucas on the Special Editions The following are partial lists of changes in Star Wars re-releases. ... L-Ron is the name of a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. ... For the weapons system nicknamed R2-D2, see Phalanx CIWS. R2-D2 (called R2, or Artoo for short), is an astromech droid and colleague of C-3PO in the fictional Star Wars universe, created not long before 32 BBY. R2-D2 was played by Kenny Baker in five of the... Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy about two comic book artists: Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), a heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a lesbian-identified bisexual woman. ... Dwight Ewell is an American actor. ... Batman is an American 1989 Academy Award-winning superhero film based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and appearing in DC Comics. ... (left to right) Sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln represent the first 150 years of American history. ...

Brainiac and Lex Luthor work together to destroy Superman. Superman and Doomsday also fight and kill each other in this script. Luthor promotes Brainiac to the public as Superman's successor. The Eradicator, a Kryptonian cyborg, resuscitates Superman, and the two take on the villains together. In the DC Comics universe, the Eradicator is a 200,000 year old artifact and weapon. ... It has been suggested that Krypton glossary be merged into this article or section. ... Seven of Nine, a Borg in Star Trek: Voyager The term cyborg, a portmanteau of cybernetic organism, is used to designate an organism which is a mixture of organic and mechanical (synthetic) parts. ...

The Warner Bros. executives were ecstatic about this story. With a script in place, they put the film on the immediate fast-track to production, hoping to begin shooting in Spring of 1997. A tentative July 4, 1998 release date was set, which is not only the most beneficial date of the lucrative summer movie season, but would have simultaneously been the 20th anniversary of Superman: The Movie and the 60th anniversary of Superman's very first appearance in Action Comics #1. Warner Bros. ... For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... This is a list of film-related events in 1998. ... Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, Superman Superman, also known as Superman: The Movie, is a 1978 Warner Bros. ... Cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman. ...

The studio searched for talent, securing pay or play contract deals for Nicolas Cage to play Superman and for Tim Burton to direct. Fans were enthusiastic to learn that Burton would helm, but the casting of Cage drew immediate skepticism. Many took issue with the fact that the actor's physical traits were dissimilar to traditional interpretations of Superman. Furthermore, Cage is known for playing off-beat, eccentric characters. The actor and avid comic book fan insisted that his performance would be accurate and honorable to the character. A pay or play contract specifies that money will be paid to a person regardless of whether or not their services are used. ... Nicolas Cage (born Nicolas Kim Coppola on January 7, 1964)[1] is an award-winning American actor. ... Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ...

Tim Burton's first creative decision, as director of the movie, was to set aside the Kevin Smith script (Burton found it unwieldy) and begin again.^[2] Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ...

Superman Lives under the direction of Tim Burton

Director Tim Burton started from scratch, hiring longtime partner Danny Elfman to compose the score. Burton is said to have offered the role of Jimmy Olsen to Chris Rock, the role of Lex Luthor to Jack Nicholson, and the role of Lois Lane to Sandra Bullock. Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953 in Los Angeles, California) is an American singer-songwriter who led the rock band Oingo Boingo from 1978 until its breakup in 1995, and has since gone on to become one of the most sought-after composers working in Hollywood today. ... Jimmy Olsen (full name James Bartholomew Olsen) is a fictional character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Chris Rock (born February 7, 1966 (sometimes given as 1965[1]) in Andrews, South Carolina) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ... Alexander Joseph Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and Supermans nemesis. ... This article refers to the actor. ... Lois Joanne Lane is a fictional comic book character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Sandra Annette Bullock (born July 26, 1964) is an American film actress. ...

Burton hired Wesley Strick, who had written the shooting script for Burton's Batman Returns five years earlier, to write a new draft. In Strick's script, Brainiac and Lex Luthor merge into a single entity dubbed "Luthiac." Thematically, Burton and Strick worked to underscore Superman's alienation by virtue of the fact that Superman (Kal-El) is an alien. Wesley Strick is an American screenwriter. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that may be overly long, confusing, or ambiguous. ...

The Warner Bros. executives gave Burton and Strick's version a "blinking greenlight." Burton scouted locations, choosing Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for Metropolis. Production Designer Rich Heinrich supervised the set construction. But within six weeks, Warner co-chairman Terry Semel developed cold feet and suspended active pre-production and fired Strick. Composer Elfman left the project to complete the score for A Civil Action. The release date was pushed back from 1998 to 1999. Nickname: Steel City, Iron City, City of Champions, City of Bridges, City of Colleges Location in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Allegheny County Founded 1758 Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (D) Area    - City 151. ... Metropolis as depicted in the Superman Returns video game For other uses, see Metropolis (disambiguation). ... A Civil Action is a 1998 film, starring John Travolta (as plaintiffs attorney Jan Schlichtmann) and Robert Duvall, based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. ...

The next writer hired was Dan Gilroy (writer of the film Freejack and the Dennis Hopper film Chasers). Under the supervision of Tim Burton, the writer expanded on Strick's draft. In the summer of 1998, Gilroy delivered his draft. Dan Gilroy is an American screenwriter. ... Freejack was a 1992 science fiction film directed by Geoff Murphy. ... Dennis Hopper (born May 17, 1936) is an American actor and film-maker. ...

This draft was met with enthusiasm by the board members at Warner Bros. and Gilroy's script was shopped around to a variety of directors following Burton's departure. The 1999 release date was consistenly delayed and postponed while the search for a new director continued. An air of skepticism began to develop around the project, not only from the WB execs, who had already spent millions on a high-profile project that seemed to be going nowhere, but also from the general public. Fans were still reeling from the failure of Batman & Robin the year prior and were still not sold on the casting of dark horse Nicolas Cage. As the Internet gained prominence and influence on the filmmaking process, many websites like Ain't It Cool News began to criticize the direction producer Jon Peters and director Tim Burton were taking the film. One fan went so far as to write the movie himself. This is a list of film-related events in 1999. ... Batman & Robin, directed by Joel Schumacher, is the fourth installment in the comic book-inspired film series initiated by Tim Burton. ... A dark horse candidate is one who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice. ... Screenshot of Aint It Cool News. ... Jon Peters (born June 2, 1945) is a hairdresser turned producer for many big-budget motion pictures. ... Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ...

Superman: The Man of Steel: The Alex Ford script

Alex Ford, an avid comic book fan, was fed up at the pace of production on the film. To ease his worries, he wrote his own Superman screenplay. At the insistence of his wife, he sent it to Warner Bros. The studio was ecstatic.

• The story stands alone from the previous would-be screenplays as it eschews the Death of Superman storyline for an entirely original story. It explores all elements of the life of Superman and Clark Kent as he travels back and forth between Metropolis and Smallville, featuring appearances by Ma and Pa Kent, Lana Lang, and a brief cameo from Wonder Woman and Oracle.

• The plot involves Lex Luthor, determined to destroy Superman, creating the cyborg Metallo with a Kryptonite power source. By the end, Superman destroys Metallo, but is unable to prove Luthor was involved. Luthor secretly collects the remains of Metallo.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura liked Ford's ideas enough to invite him to the Warner offices for a meeting with himself and producer Jon Peters (Burton had already left at this stage). Ford laid a franchise-resuscitating plan that would begin with seven films, in which the Man of Steel would fight a different villain from the classic rogues gallery of the comics. Although Luthor would be involved to a certain degree for each film, he would not be the primary villain: ... Superman is a fictional character and one of the most famous and popular comic book superheroes of all time. ... Superman and his secret identity Clark Kent being portrayed as distinct individuals. ... Metropolis as depicted in the Superman Returns video game For other uses, see Metropolis (disambiguation). ... Smallville is a fictional town in the United States which Superboy protects and where most of his crime-fighting adventures take place. ... Martha Kent, née Martha Clark, also known as Ma Kent, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. ... Jonathan Kent, also known as Pa Kent, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. ... Lana Lang is a supporting character in DC Comics Superman series. ... Wonder Woman is a fictional DC Comics superheroine co-created by William Moulton Marston and wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston. ... Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics and related media. ... Alexander Joseph Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and Supermans nemesis. ... Metallo is a fictional supervillain and android who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Superman, Phantom Zone criminals, and Jimmy Olsen, in front of a display of kryptonite models. ... Lorenzo di Bonaventura is an American producer. ... Rogues gallery is a term in comics referring to a specific hero or superheros reoccuring and most notable enemies, as opposed to nameless thugs and mooks. ...

1. Metallo
2. Bizarro
3. Brainiac
4. Silver Banshee
5. Mr. Mxyzptlk
6. Doomsday, and thereby The Death of Superman in the finale
7. Darkseid against the resurrected Superman

Although Peters and di Bonaventura liked the idea, eventually the studio decided to move forward with its own plans for the film. However, wishing to perhaps utilize some of the ideas in Ford's outlines in the future, the studio agreed to buy Ford's script/outline. Despite this successful sale, Ford was despondent that his vision would never see the light of day. "I can tell you they don't know much about comics", Ford said in an online interview with Frank "Fabio2" Dirscherl, "Their audience isn't you and me who pay [for admission]. It's for the parents who pay $60 on toys and lunchboxes; it's a business. And what's more important: $150 million at the box-office or $600 million in merchandising?" Metallo is a fictional supervillain and android who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Bizarro is a fictional character, a doppelgänger of DC Comics’ Superman. ... Brainiac is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe, most often appearing as an opponent of Superman. ... Silver Banshee is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an opponent of Superman. ... Mister Mxyzptlk (roughly pronounced Miks-yez-pit-lik, also nicknamed Mxy) is a fictional supervillain who appears in DC Comics Superman comic books. ... Doomsday is the name of a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a supervillain best known for fighting and killing Superman in the Death of Superman storyline in 1993. ... The cover of Superman #75 The Death of Superman was a comic book story featured in Superman #75 (January 1993), and the catalyst for DC Comics major universe crossover event of 1993 with the umbrella title The Death and Return of Superman, becoming a major media event. ... Darkseid is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe created by Jack Kirby as part of the Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s. ... ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 3. ...

Just prior to the Ford script being bought and placed on the shelf by the studio, Tim Burton's patience with the project came to an end and he left as director for good. Although he vehemently denied a disapproval of Nicolas Cage, still secured to play the lead, he blamed the project's failure on Hollywood politics run amok. "If they'd just allowed us to make the film", says Burton in a 2000 interview, "I think that we could have done something interesting. I had been working on the project for over a year and it didn't happen. I basically worked very hard." Burton ended his comments with a quote that would follow the project from then on: "I made the movie; we just forgot to film it." On the Superman Homepage, he stated that "the whole driving force behind this film was merchandising." He also added that nothing he was paid was worth what he went through trying to get this film started. In the end, though, Burton was paid a tidy sum for achieving nothing. Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ... Nicolas Cage (born Nicolas Kim Coppola on January 7, 1964)[1] is an award-winning American actor. ...

Other attempts at Superman Lives

After the departure of Tim Burton from directorial duties, and Dan Gilroy from scripting duties, the project faced indefinite postponement with occasional hopes of revival popping up every now and then: Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ...

• In 2000, William Wisher Jr., co-writer of The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (the former of which he wrote uncredited), submitted his own script about which little is known in detail, except that it was said to be heavily-influenced by The Matrix, like many movies at this time, although the script is still said to have been based on the Death of Superman comic book storyline. This development never solidified.

• In 2001, film critic-turned-screenwriter Paul Attanasio was hired to write a draft, still titled Superman Lives. Though Peters and the studio were apparently excited by it, eventually, this too was rejected.

At this point, Nicolas Cage decided not to wait any longer and officially left the project. Many fans and movie insiders began to regard a fifth Superman film as Warner Bros.' own The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, coming so close but never to be completed. This changed in late 2001. This is a list of film-related events in 2000. ... William Wisher Jr. ... The Terminator (also known as Terminator in some early trailers and posters) is a 1984 science fiction/action film featuring body-builder Arnold Schwarzenegger in what would become one of his best-known roles. ... Terminator 2: Judgment Day (commonly abbreviated T2) is a 1991 movie directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Robert Patrick. ... The Matrix is a science fiction/action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski and starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano and Hugo Weaving. ... ... This is a list of film-related events in 2001. ... Paul Attanasio is an American screenwriter and producer of film and television, who is currently an executive producer on the television series House. ... The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, the doomed feature film from director Terry Gilliam, commenced filming in 2000, but shooting stopped within a week when star Jean Rochefort was injured. ...

Batman vs. Superman

Main article: Batman vs. Superman

By 2001, the back-to-back successes of films based on Marvel Comics characters had revived the superhero on film. In response, Warner Bros.--the sole producer and distributor of DC Comics properties--attempted to revitalize their own valuable catalogue of heroes. This included several simultaneous Batman projects being greenlighted, including Batman: Year One, a live action Batman Beyond, Batman vs. Superman to be directed by Wolfgang Petersen, and a new film, Superman. Batman vs. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ... DC Comics is one of the largest American companies in comic book and related media publishing. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... Batman: Year One was the title of a comic book written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzuchelli and colored/painted by Richmond Lewis, released in 1988 by DC Comics. ... Batman Beyond (known as Batman of the Future in Europe, Latin America and Australia/New Zealand) was an American animated television series created by WB Network in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy. ... Batman vs. ... Wolfgang Petersen Wolfgang Petersen (born March 14, 1941 in Emden, Lower Saxony, Germany) is a German film director. ...

Superman I

Former music video director McG, fresh off the previous year's success of Charlie's Angels, was signed to direct the film as WB execs were hoping to appeal to a young audience. At this point, Burton left as producer, citing a lack of interest in the proposed film. Writer/producer J. J. Abrams, however, approached McG about writing and producing the film. Abrams, a fan of the characters, believed that not only should the franchise be revitalized for a new generation, but that a character as important as Superman shouldn't be introduced as a "second-string" co-star in the Batman vs. Superman movie. He expeditiously wrote a script, which he insists is the first of a trilogy, that he and McG presented to the Warner brass, simply titled Superman I. A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... Mcg could refer to: Microgram (mcg or µg) Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol) Muslim Consumer Group (MCG) Micronized Coffee Grounds (MCG) Magnetocardiography (MCG) This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Charlies Angels (2000) is an action/comedy film based on (and being something of a sequel to) the 1970s television series Charlies Angels. ... J. J. Abrams speaking at a San Francisco comics convention in February 2006. ...

Plot

• The story opens with a massive battle on the streets of Metropolis between Superman and a Kryptonian named Ty-Zor and his army. Ty-Zor leads Superman to an airplane hangar made entirely out of lead (the only material his X-ray vision cannot see through) and taunts him over the loudspeaker. Superman sees something off-screen and falls to the floor in pain.
• The story then flashes back to Krypton years earlier, where Ty-Zor's father, Kata-Zor, is staging a coup d'état on the planet's government and its leader, Jor-El. Jor-El manages to send his infant son, Kal-El, away in a rocket before he and wife Lara are captured. There is a Kryptonian prophecy that says a "son of Krypton" will face a great trial on another world, only to return to his homeworld and become its savior. Kata-Zor believes Jor-El is trying to evoke the prophecy, so he orders Kal-El's rocket sought after. The rocket lands on the farm of Jonathan and Martha Kent, who hide the rocket and raise the child as their own son, naming him Clark. His powers manifest themselves immediately. A toddler Clark witnesses a man attempt to rape Martha, and Clark beats him within an inch of his life. In later years, Clark discovers a canister that came with his rocket. It opens to reveal a magical suit (the classic Superman suit) that stands on its own before jumping onto Clark (like the alien symbiote of Venom from Spider-Man) and attaching itself. Although it doesn't fit, Clark flies in the suit and crashes into a barn. The Kents tell him to never wear the suit again and emphasize the restraint of his powers from then on. This leads to Clark becoming an introverted youth. During a college party, he is bullied and almost gets into a fight. The fight is broken up by Lois Lane, a girl Clark has a crush on.
• Back on Krypton, Kata-Zor has spent the last 20 years as dictator of Krypton, who revels in torturing Jor-El and Lara because they won't reveal where Kal-El was sent. Young Ty-Zor, who is the same age as Kal-El, tortures Lara to death, much to the delight of himself and his father. On Earth, both Clark Kent and Lois Lane are now adults and work for The Daily Planet newspaper in Metropolis. Lois has been following a rogue CIA agent named Lex Luthor who investigates extraterrestrial activity and recently claimed to be able to prove the existence of a Kryptonian on Earth. Perry White assigns Lois to interview the President of the United States on Air Force One. During the interview, the plane is near-fatally damaged. Clark, who hears about it on the radio, grabs the canister with his suit. It fits his adult body perfectly and he pulls off a daring rescue of the plane, thereby introducing himself to the public. This event is witnessed on Krypton and Ty-Zor is sent to kill Kal-El.
• Roughly a week after Superman's debut, Ty-Zor and his army arrive, bringing the story full circle. In the lead hangar, the shocking image Superman sees is Lois under water in a glass tank, tethered to chain wrapped around a kryptonite boulder. He saves her, but loses his own life in the process. A national funeral is held. On Krypton, the imprisoned Jor-El senses his son's death and kills himself. His spirit travels to Earth and informs Kal-El that he cannot die, as the prophecy has not yet been fulfilled. Superman's body regains consciousness and climbs from the grave. The resurrected Man of Steel secretly meets with United Nations leaders (who now live in fear of the Kryptonians) to organize a counter-offensive. This leads to a massive aerial battle of the Kryptonians against Superman-styled fighter planes from 40 nations armed with kryptonite missiles.
• After Ty-Zor and his army are dead, Superman visits Lois. He explains to her that he will return to Krypton to save the planet. Before he can leave, he is confronted by Agent Lex Luthor, who assisted the Kryptonians in their take over of Earth. Luthor reveals himself to be Kryptonian. After a battle with Superman, he is defeated and imprisoned. Superman leaves for Krypton, setting up the story for what would have been the next entry in the trilogy.

• In the later drafts of Abrams' Superman script, several elements from this initial draft were changed, perhaps due to fears of fan backlash. Most significantly, Krypton did indeed blow up, but not completely as fragments of Krypton survived, no doubt to be featured in the planned sequels. Also, Lex Luthor was no longer revealed to be a Kryptonian sleeper agent, but was now a failed businessman who happened upon a dying Kryptonian sent to Earth by Kata-Zor and uses the dead alien's technology to become a billionaire.

Metropolis as depicted in the Superman Returns video game For other uses, see Metropolis (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Krypton glossary be merged into this article or section. ... A coup d’État (pronounced ), or simply coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government through unconstitutional means by a part of the state establishment — mostly replacing just the high-level figures. ... Jor-El by Joe Shuster. ... Superman, looking over Metropolis, his home, with the Daily Planet building in the background. ... Lara, Jor-El, and Superman. ... Jonathan Kent, also known as Pa Kent, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. ... Martha Kent, née Martha Clark, also known as Ma Kent, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. ... Superman and his secret identity Clark Kent being portrayed as distinct individuals. ... The Venom Symbiote behind Spider-Man. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... Introversion may mean: Introversion and extroversion, a psychological term Introversion Software, a games developing company This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Lois Joanne Lane is a fictional comic book character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper that appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Alexander Joseph Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and Supermans nemesis. ... Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics, and is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet. ... Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign of any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ...

Development

Warner Bros. greenlighted the film and within a few weeks, British composer Edward Shearmur had joined the project, promising to use the themes from the original series. Rumors flew as to which young Hollywood stars would play the lead roles. Every name from Josh Hartnett, Ashton Kutcher, and Smallville star Tom Welling was mentioned as being up for the Man of Steel, while Lois Lane was linked with every young female star from Kate Hudson and Liv Tyler to Natalie Portman and Beyoncé Knowles. Edward Shearmur 1966 - Present Ed Shearmur was born in 1966 in London England and is famously known as a composer of music for film. ... Joshua Daniel Hartnett (born July 21, 1978) is an American actor. ... Christopher Ashton Kutcher (born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, television producer, and former fashion model. ... Smallville is an American television series that debuted on October 16, 2001 on the WB Network (see 2001 in television). ... Thomas John Patrick Welling (born April 26, 1977 in Putnam Valley, New York) is an American actor and former male fashion model, most famous for playing Clark Kent on the television series Smallville. ... Kate Garry Hudson[1] (born April 19, 1979) is an American film actress. ... Liv Tyler (born on July 1, 1977 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, New York[1]) is an American actress most famous for her roles in the 1998 blockbuster movie Armageddon and for her portrayal of Arwen in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003). ... Natalie Portman (Hebrew: נטלי פורטמן), born Natalie Hershlag (Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג) on June 9, 1981, is a Golden Globe-winning, Academy Award-nominated Israeli-American actress. ... // Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981) is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, Golden Globe Award-nominated actress, dancer, and fashion designer for House of Deréon. ...

Furthermore, Abrams had gotten his wish of beating Batman vs. Superman to the screen as, in 2002, this film was given priority, cancelling most of the other projects (although Batman: Year One became Batman Begins). As the casting buzz heated up, Warner Bros. insisted on starting the film there and then. As McG was scheduled to shoot Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle first, he therefore became unavailable to start Superman when the studio wanted him to. Thus, Warner Bros. quickly replaced him with Brett Ratner, and preparation began anew. Around this same time, Lorenzo di Bonaventura was ousted from position as head of Warner Bros. and replaced by Alan Horn. Batman vs. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2002. ... Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. ...

Brett Ratner and Ain't it Cool News

After McG left in 2002, he was replaced by another former music video director, Brett Ratner (who would later direct X-Men: The Last Stand). Ratner brought the project its first official piece of casting when he gives the role of Jor-El to his Red Dragon star, Anthony Hopkins. The project continued to move at a slow-but-steady pace as the gossip mill went out of control with casting rumors. But the project was dealt an unexpected blow when a copy of Abrams' script was released on the internet. Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and music-video director. ... This entry is about the 2002 film. ... Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (IPA: ) (born 31 December 1937) is an Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning Welsh-born film, stage and television actor. ...

Drew "Moriarty" McWeeny, a film critic and screenwriter, reviewed the script for Harry Knowles' Ain't it Cool News.com. Although he heaped high praise on key sequences and most of the dialogue, he then gave the script a very negative review as a whole. Moriarty's review of a work he knew to be a discarded 1st draft was taken as the gospel true word of what would be used for filming by readers. Abrams later sat down to an interview with Harry Knowles where he explained that the reviewed draft was a "work in progress" written in haste. Knowles received a copy of the script, and while he cited several aspects that he felt needed improvement, he gave a comparatively more positive review. Drew McWeeny, also known by his pseudonym Moriarty, is a film critic, screenwriter, and the west coast editor of the Aint It Cool News website. ... Harry Jay Knowles (born December 11, 1971 in Austin, Texas), is an online film critic best known for his movie news and review website, Aint It Cool News. ... Screenshot of Aint It Cool News. ...

A year later, due to intense disagreements with producer Jon Peters over casting and other matters, combined with an escalating budget, led to Ratner leaving the project. Abrams, however, stayed on while director McG returned. Preparation thusly continued, with the studio still intending to shoot the film in Australia to save costs. Stan Winston was hired to produce a molded-muscle Superman outfit, and casting choices were further narrowed down. Eventually though, McG succumbed to his on-the-record fear of flying, refusing to leave the country and demanded an American shoot, preferably in New York City. The execs stuck with the Australian locations and McG left the project again, taking his crew with him. The project appeared in danger of shutting down completely, until a few weeks later when trade papers announced the signing of Bryan Singer to direct the film. Fear of flying is a fear of air travel. ...

Superman is a fictional character and one of the most famous and popular comic book superheroes of all time. ... Kirk Alyn from the 1940s serials The comic book character Superman is an American cultural icon, and has appeared throughout American popular culture. ... Bud Collyer on Beat The Clock, 1957 Bud Collyer (b. ... Kirk Alyn (October 8, 1910 - March 14, 1999) was an American actor. ... George Bessolo Reeves (January 5 [1], 1914 – June 16, 1959), born George Keefer Brewer to Don Brewer and Helen Lescher, was an American actor best known for playing the title role in the television series Adventures of Superman in the 1950s. ... Danny Dark (December 19, 1938 - June 13, 2004) was an announcer who came to be known as the voice of the NBC television network for several years. ... Christopher Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. ... Laura S 01:23, 11 April 2006 (UTC) Category: ... John Newton (also credited as John Haymes Newton) is an American actor. ... Gerard Christopher (born 1959) is an American Actor. ... Dean Cain in Iraq Dean George Cain (born July 31, 1966) is an American actor best known for playing Superman in the television series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman co-starring with Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher. ... Timothy Daly (born March 1, 1956, in New York) is an American screen and voice actor and producer. ... Thomas John Patrick Welling (born April 26, 1977 in Putnam Valley, New York) is an American actor and former male fashion model, most famous for playing Clark Kent on the television series Smallville. ... George Newbern (born December 10, 1964) is an American television and film actor. ... Brandon James Routh[1] (born October 9, 1979) is an American actor and former fashion model. ... The Superman serial was a 1948 15-part black-and-white movie serial starring Kirk Alyn as Superman and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. ... Atom Man vs. ... Superman and the Mole Men is a 1951 black and white movie starring the titular Superman. ... Superman, also known as Superman: The Movie (as it was called in pre-release advertising), is a superhero film, released by Warner Bros. ... Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 feature film Superman. ... Superman III is a 1983 movie that was the third of four movies based upon the long-running DC Comics superhero produced in the late 1970s-early 1980s. ... Supergirl is a 1984 feature film. ... Superman IV: The Quest For Peace is a 1987 film, the last of the Superman theatrical movies. ... Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Superman. ... The cast of Adventures of Superman from 1953 to 1957. ... Superboy was a half-hour, live-action TV series based on the fictional DC Comics character. ... Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action television series based on the Superman comic books. ... Smallville is an American television series that debuted on October 16, 2001 on the WB Network (see 2001 in television). ... This image of Superman appeared at the beginning of each of the cartoons. ... The New Adventures of Superman was an animated series that aired on CBS for four seasons between September 10, 1966 and September 5, 1970, although the Man of Steel shared an hour with Aquaman and Batman during the middle seasons. ... As a 50th anniversary gift, DC Comics legendary Man of Steel got a brand-new Saturday morning cartoon. ... Superman: The Animated Series is the unofficial title given to Warner Bros. ... Legion of Super Heroes is the title of an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. ... Its a Bird. ... The daily Superman newspaper comic strip began in January 6, 1939, and a separate Sunday strip was added on November 5, 1939. ...

References

1. ^ Cinescape Movies: SUPERMAN LIVES! - The Development Hell of an Unmade Film
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Cinescape Movies: SUPERMAN LIVES, Part 2: Writer Kevin Smith

External links

• Interview with Ilya Salkind
• Roger Ebert's "Movie Answer Man", featuring Ebert answering a question from the man who claims to have placed Kevin Smith's script on the internet
• Superman Lives: The Devlopment Hell of an Unmade Film, a three-part article by Cinescape magazine
• SuperMan SuperSite.com
• Superman Lives script written by Kevin Smith
• Superman: The Man of Steel script written by Alex Ford
• Alex Ford's plan Ain't It Cool News details Alex Ford's original plan for multiple Superman films.
• Superman script written by JJ Abrams
• AICN's review of Abrams' script The infamous negative review of JJ Abrams' script for Superman. Reviewed by Drew McWeeny
• Harry Knowles talks with JJ Abrams for a couple Hours
• Harry Knowles reads Abrams' script Ain't
• Premiere magazine on Superman Returns
• The Agony Booth - Superman V: The Whole Sorid Saga