Superman Lives
Superman Lives Teaser Poster
Directed by	Tim Burton McG Brett Ratner
Produced by	Executive Producer: Jon Peters Co-Producers: Tim Burton JJ Abrams
Written by	Comic Book: Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster Screenplay: Jonathan Lemkin Gregory Poirier Kevin Smith Wesley Strick Dan Gilroy Alex Ford William Wisher Jr. Paul Attanasio JJ Abrams
Starring	Nicolas Cage Sandra Bullock Jack Nicholson Chris Rock Anthony Hopkins Dwight Ewell
Music by	Danny Elfman Edward Shearmur John Williams (themes)
Editing by	Chris Lebenzon Stuart Baird
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Language	English
Budget	$50,000,000+

Superman Lives is the title of a cancelled superhero film based on the DC comics character Superman. Intended to be an adapation of a comic book story entitled Death and Life of Superman, it was originally scheduled for release on July 4, 1998. The project was subject to numerous delays in the form of changes in director, writers, and significant changes in script. Warner Bros. spent 17 years, three (confirmed) directors, nine screenwriters, and approximately $50 million in pre-production of this film without any film having ever been shot. Ultimately, the project was scrapped. The first successful Superman movie after this project failure was the 2006 film Superman Returns. Image File history File linksMetadata Superman_reborn. ... Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ... 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. ... Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is a Cuban-American Jewish film director and music-video director. ... Jon Peters (born June 2, 1945) is a hairdresser turned producer for many big-budget motion pictures. ... Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ... Jeffrey J. Abrams (usually credited as Jeffrey Abrams or J.J. Abrams) (born June 27, 1966) is an American film and television producer, writer, actor, composer and director. ... Jerome (Jerry) Siegel (October 17, 1914 - January 28, 1996) was the co-creator of Superman, the first of the great comic book heroes and one of the most recognizable fictional characters from the 20th century. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Jonathan Lemkin is an American screenwriter. ... Gregory Poirier, who often goes just by Greg Poirier, is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. ... Kevin Smith as Silent Bob in Clerks Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American screenwriter, film director, and the founder of View Askew Productions. ... Wesley Strick is an American screenwriter. ... Dan Gilroy is an American screenwriter. ... William Wisher Jr. ... Paul Attanasio is an American screenwriter and producer of film and television, who is currently an executive producer on the television series House. ... Jeffrey J. Abrams (usually credited as Jeffrey Abrams or J.J. Abrams) (born June 27, 1966) is an American film and television producer, writer, actor, composer and director. ... The Weather Man movie poster Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Bullock at Cannes Film Festival, 2002 Sandra Annette Bullock (born July 26, 1964) is an American film actress. ... Jack Nicholson at Cannes, (2001). ... Chris Rock Chris Rock (born February 7, 1965 in Andrews, South Carolina) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ... Sir Anthony Hopkins Sir Anthony Hopkins (IPA: ) KBE (born December 31, 1937) is an Oscar-winning Welsh-born actor. ... Dwight Ewell is an American actor. ... Daniel Robert Danny Elfman (born May 29, 1953, in Los Angeles, California) is a Jewish-American pop musician, composer and writer of film scores. ... Edward Shearmur 1966 - Present Ed Shearmur was born in 1966 in London England and is famously known as a composer of music for film. ... John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932) is one of the most widely recognized composers of film scores. ... Stuart Baird is a British film editor, producer, and director who is mainly associated with action films. ... Warner Bros. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Adventures of Captain Marvel, the first superhero film. ... DC Comics (originally called Detective Comics, Inc. ... Superman is a fictional character regarded as the most famous and popular superhero of all time. ... 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. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1998. ... This article is about general United States currency. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2006. ... Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character, Superman. ...

The Salkinds' Superman movie idea

Plans for a fifth Superman film had been around since before the release of Cannon Films' Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. That film had an excess of deleted scenes that father and son producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind had at one point planned on reusing on a proposed fifth entry. However, after the critical and box office failure of The Quest for Peace, star Christopher Reeve left the series, effectively ending it. 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. ... Ilya Salkind, son of the legendary film producer Alexander Salkind, is the man who, often in partnership with Pierre Spengler, has seen his career develop a strong commercial creative vision, along with the business acumen required to deliver motion picture and televison productions on time and on budget. ... Alexander Salkind (June 2, 1921 – March 8, 1997) was the second of three generations of successful international film producers. ... Christopher Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, director, producer and writer renowned for his film portrayal of Superman/Clark Kent in four films from 1978-1987, for his wide body of stage work, and for his humanitarian efforts in the treatment of spinal cord injury...

The Salkinds also had been producing the TV series Superboy. During the program's tenure, the Salkinds considered rebooting the film franchise as a spin-off of the TV series. Using the working title of Superman: The New Movie, the film would have shown Superboy (Gerard Christopher) moving from Smallville to Metropolis and assuming the name Superman. The intended script, by series writers Cary Bates (also a long-time writer on the Superman comic book) and Mark Jones was said to feature Brainiac and the bottled Kryptonian city of Kandor, and unconfirmed rumors suggest that Christopher Reeve was considered to direct the picture. This project never came to fruition, and in 1992, the movie rights expired and reverted back to DC Comics, a division of Warner Bros., the studio that had distributed the first two films. Superboy was a half-hour, live-action TV series based on the fictional DC Comics character. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... Superboy is the name of several DC Comics superheroes, all of them youthful incarnations of Superman. ... Gerard Christopher (born 1959) is an American Actor. ... Smallville is a fictional town in the United States which Superboy protects and where most of his crime-fighting adventures take place. ... Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. ... Cary Bates is a comic book and animation writer. ... Mark Jones may be: Mark Jones (born 1933), football player. ... Brainiac is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe, most often appearing as an opponent of Superman. ... This article is about Krypton, the fictional planet which was the birthplace of the comic book superhero Superman. ... Superman and the modern Kandor. ... 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 supervillain in the Superman comic book series best known for fighting and almost killing Superman. ...

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 a 1989 motion picture based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ... Batman Returns is a 1992 motion picture based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ...

Superman V: Reborn: The Johnathan 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 1990 to 2000 on the Fox Network. ... Brandon Bruce Lee (李國豪, pinyin: Lǐ Guóháo February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor. ... Showdown in Little Tokyo is a film released in 1991. ...

Completed in 1994, Lemkin's script, Superman V: 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. This is a list of film-related events in 1994. ... 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 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] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 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 V: 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 V: Reborn. This is a list of film-related events in 1995. ... 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 responsible for the destruction of Krypton, and he comes to Earth to destroy Superman, the last Kryptonian. Unable to cope with his dual identity, Clark Kent verges on a nervous breakdown. Brainiac unleashes his creation Doomsday, who has Kryptonite-laced blood, and Superman and Doomsday fight to the death. Brainiac is prevented from stealing Superman's body for genetic material by agents of the rogue government agency Project Cadmus who take the body to either revive or clone. Superman's spirit journeys through the afterlife. Concluding that his work on Earth is not yet done, Superman returns his spirit to his body. Resurrected but powerless, Superman fights Brainiac with Cadmus' aid. Through force of will, Superman regains his powers and defeats Brainiac. 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. ... Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe. ... Earth (often referred to as The Earth) is the third planet in the solar system in terms of distance from the Sun, and the fifth in order of size. ... Although not a medical term, the phrase nervous breakdown is often used outside medical circles to describe a sudden and acute attack of mental illness—for instance, clinical depression or anxiety disorder—in a previously outwardly healthy person. ... Superman, Phantom Zone criminals, and Jimmy Olsen, in front of a display of kryptonite models. ... Project Cadmus is a fictional government genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. ... The afterlife (or life after death) is a generic term referring to a continuation of existence, typically spiritual and experiential, beyond this world, or after death. ...

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. Kevin Smith as Silent Bob in Clerks Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American screenwriter, film director, and the founder of View Askew Productions. ...

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 V: 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] Kevin Smith as Silent Bob in Clerks Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American screenwriter, film director, and the founder of View Askew Productions. ... Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy about two comic book artists: Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), a predominantly heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a self-identified lesbian. ...

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. Examples of these: 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] 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: 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. ... A treatment or more properly film treatment is a short piece of prose intended to be turned into a screenplay for a motion picture. ... Suborders Araneomorphae Mesothelae Mygalomorphae See the taxonomy section for families Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that produce silk, and have two tagma, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ... 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 The Arctic is the area around the Earths North 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 all six Star... Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy about two comic book artists: Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), a predominantly heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a self-identified lesbian. ... Dwight Ewell is an American actor. ... Batman is a 1989 motion picture based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ... Mount Rushmore National Memorial, near Keystone, South Dakota, is a United States Presidential Memorial that represents the first 150 years of the history of the United States of America with the 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of former U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. ...

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. ... Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe. ... 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. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... 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 honourable 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. ... The Weather Man movie poster Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an 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] Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an 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 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 Danny Elfman (born May 29, 1953, in Los Angeles, California) is a Jewish-American pop musician, composer and writer of film scores. ... Jimmy Olsen (full name James Bartholomew Olsen) is a fictional character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Chris Rock Chris Rock (born February 7, 1965 in Andrews, South Carolina) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and archenemy of Superman. ... Jack Nicholson at Cannes, (2001). ... Lois Lane is a fictional comic book character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Bullock at Cannes Film Festival, 2002 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. ... Batman Returns is a 1992 motion picture based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ...

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. Flag Seal Nickname: The Steel City Location Location in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Pennsylvania Allegheny County Founded 1758 Mayor Bob OConnor (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 151. ... Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. ... A Civil Action is a 1998 film, starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall, based on the book of the same name by Johnathan 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 harsh criticism by the board members at Warner Bros. and Gilroy was let go. As the 1999 release date was cancelled, 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 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 criticise 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. ... Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ...

Superman V: 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.

• The plot involves Lex Luthor, determined to destroy Superman, creating the cyborg Metallo with a Kryponite 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 bought Ford's script and invited him to the Warner offices. 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 regarded as the most famous and popular superhero of all time. ... Superman and his secret identity Clark Kent being portrayed as distinct individuals. ... Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. ... 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. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and archenemy of Superman. ... Metallo is a fictional supervillain and android who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Kryptonite is the name for fragments of the destroyed planet, Krypton, the home of the fictional character and superhero Superman. ... 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

Tim Burton has stated when he was attached to the project he made The Toyman another possibility for the villain, his appearance would have been a combination between his appearance on the animated series and Chucky. Metallo is a fictional supervillain and android who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Bizarro is a fictional character from the Superman franchise. ... 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 Mix-yez-spit-lick, also nicknamed Mxy) is a fictional supervillain who appears in DC Comics Superman comic books. ... Doomsday is the name of a fictional supervillain in the Superman comic book series best known for fighting and almost killing Superman. ... 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 DC Comics supervillain created by Jack Kirby, originally as part of The Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s. ... The Toyman is a fictional comic book supervillain in the DC Comics universe and an enemy of Superman. ... Superman: The Animated Series is the unofficial title given to Warner Bros. ... See Childs Play for the charity organization that organizes toy donations to childrens hospitals Chucky The Childs Play series is a series of five horror movies featuring a doll named Chucky. ...

Although Burton and di Bonaventura liked the idea, Ford had to present his idea to isolated producer Jon Peters for final approval. Although the producer liked certain aspects of the Man of Steel script, he was once again confused when presented with multiple characters of the DC Comics universe of which he knew practically nothing. After a fierce argument with Peters, Ford was then reluctantly dismissed by di Bonaventura, at which time he, like Kevin Smith before him, voiced concern that the franchise was in the hands of execs like Peters. "I can tell you they don't know much about comics", Ford said in a 2000 interview. "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?" Jon Peters (born June 2, 1945) is a hairdresser turned producer for many big-budget motion pictures. ... DC Comics (originally called Detective Comics, Inc. ... Kevin Smith as Silent Bob in Clerks Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American screenwriter, film director, and the founder of View Askew Productions. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2000. ... This article is about general United States currency. ...

Shortly after Ford was dismissed, Tim Burton's patience with the project came to an end and he left as director for good, while staying on as a producer. 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 also 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. Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American film director, writer and designer known for his off-beat and quirky style. ... The Weather Man movie poster Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ...

Other attempts at Superman Lives

After the departure of Tim Burton from directorial duties, the project faced indefinite postponement with occasional hopes of revival popping up every now and then: Tim Burton Timothy William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an 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. This development never solidified.

• In 2001, film critic-turned-screenwriter Paul Attanasio was hired to write a draft entitled Superman V: Destruction that is said to have returned the film to the Death of Superman project. Though Peters and Burton were 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 begin 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 is a 1984 science fiction-action film which became the break-through role for former body-builder Arnold Schwarzenegger. ... 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 first released in the USA on March 31, 1999, written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski. ... 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, doomed feature film from visionary director Terry Gilliam, which was set to go ahead in 2002 but ultimately failed due to a number of problems with production, including the health of star Jean Rochefort. ...

Batman vs. Superman

See the main article on this cancelled film at Batman vs. Superman Batman vs. ...

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 revitalise 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 Superman. Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ... DC Comics (originally called Detective Comics, Inc. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man, and still sometimes as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional character and 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 (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. ...

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 revitalised 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 (also promo) 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. ... The Angels: Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, and Drew Barrymore Charlies Angels (2000) is an action/comedy film based on the 1970s television series Charlies Angels. ... J. J. Abrams speaking at a San Francisco comics convention in February 2006. ...

Superman I

• 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 saviour. 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 named Clark Kent. 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 emphasise the restraint of his powers from then on. This leads to Clark becoming an introverted youth. During a highschool party, he is bullied and almost gets into a fight. The fight is broken up by Lois Lane (Lana Lang is not mentioned in this story), 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 extra-terrestrial 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 damaged and about to crash. 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 organise a counter-offensive. This leads to a massive aerial battle of the Kryptonians against Superman 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.

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. Rumours 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. Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. ... Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe. ... A coup détat (pronounced ), or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government through unconstitutional means by a part of the state establishment that mostly replaces just the top power 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. ... Venom is a Marvel Comics supervillain and anti-hero, an enemy of 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 Lane is a fictional comic book character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Lana Lang is a supporting character in DC Comics Superman series. ... The Daily Planet is a fictional newspaper that appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain and archenemy of Superman. ... 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. ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Edward Shearmur 1966 - Present Ed Shearmur was born in 1966 in London England and is famously known as a composer of music for film. ... Hartnett in Sin City, 2005 Joshua Daniel Hartnett (born July 21, 1978) is an American actor. ... Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect, 2004. ... Smallville is an American television series that debuted in 2001 on the WB Television Network. ... Welling as Clark Kent in Smallville Thomas John Patrick Welling (born April 26, 1977) is an American actor and former model. ... Kate Hudson in Le Divorce For the current Chair of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, please see Kate Hudson. ... 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 the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003). ... Natalie Hershlag (Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג) (born June 9, 1981), better known by her stage name, Natalie Portman (Hebrew :נטלי פורטמן), is an Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning Israeli-American actress. ... Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981) is a popular American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and fashion designer. ...

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 shooting the film in Australia to save costs. McG, succumbing to his on-the-record fear of flying, refused to leave the country and demanded an American shoot. The execs stuck with the Australian locations and McG left the project to work on Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, as did composer Shearmur. 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 Academy Award-nominated motion picture based on the Batman character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. ... Fear Of Flying is the second album by American singer Mya, released in the United States on April 25, 2000 (see 2000 in music) on Interscope Records. ...

Brett Ratner and "Yeah! Ain't it Cool?"

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 sure-but-steady pace as the gossip mill went out of control with casting rumours. 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 a Cuban-American Jewish film director and music-video director. ... This entry is about the 2002 film. ... Sir Anthony Hopkins Sir Anthony Hopkins (IPA: ) KBE (born December 31, 1937) is an Oscar-winning Welsh-born actor. ...

Drew "Moriarty" McWeeny, an aspiring screenwriter and fan of Abrams, 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 negative review as a whole. Although Moriarty's words were taken (slightly) out of context, fans saw the script as blasphemous to the Superman mythos, if for no other reason than its removal of the destruction of Krypton. Abrams sat down to an interview with Harry Knowles where he explained that the reviewed draft was a "work in progress" that was written in haste. Knowles got a copy of the script. He cited several aspects that he felt needed improvement, but gave a comparatively more positive review. Drew McWeeny, also known by his pseudonym Moriarty, is a film critic, developing 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, the backlash of the script review, combined with an escalating budget, led to Ratner being fired. Abrams was also dropped from the project, and Anthony Hopkins left soon after. The project was once again postponed, perhaps indefinitely.

Superman Returns

In 2004, Alan Horn, seeing a chance at finally beginning production on Superman Lives, met with Bryan Singer, director of X-Men and X2: X-Men United. Singer had been offered the chance to direct the Superman Lives script before Ratner, but declined. Singer proposed a different script, which ultimately became the 2006 film Superman Returns, and effectively ended the pre-production chain of events of Superman Lives. Bryan Singer (born September 17, 1965) is an American film director. ... X-Men is an action movie, first released in Australia on 13 July 2000. ... This page is about the 2003 movie X2; see X2 (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character, Superman. ...

Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character, Superman. ...

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
• Kevin Smith Talks Brainiac vs Polar Bears, A Giant Spider, And The Development Of His Experiences On The Production Of Superman Lives
• Concept art from the Burton years