Did you know we almost got a J.J. Abrams Superman movie? Or that Robert Downey Jr. nearly played Lex Luthor instead of Iron Man? What about a secret Justice League movie you might not have heard of that actually influenced the Snyder cut?
Welcome back to Screen Crush. I'm Ryan Ary, and today we're diving into Superman's extensive film history, revealing all the insane Superman movies that never saw the light of day. We also delve into a strange curse said to explain why there hasn't been a successful Superman sequel in decades—a curse revolving around one particular villain.
Let's first touch on the live-action films that paved the way for these projects. Superman first appeared in a 15-part serial in 1948 and gained fame on TV in the 1950s. Then, in 1978, Richard Donner's 'Superman' convinced audiences that a man could fly. 'Superman II' followed, exceeding expectations with its success and influence.
However, the sequels and the 'Supergirl' spin-off failed, damaging the franchise. Similar fates befell Batman films, with sequels becoming too silly and underperforming.
Plans for a fifth Superman movie in the ‘80s intended to bring back the glory days, featuring Brainiac as the villain, taking Superman into the shrunken city of Canandor, where he would fight back and eventually triumph. This script was promising, but financial issues of the studio shelved the idea.
The 1990s introduced further chaos with rights acquisition issues and wildly creative but ultimately unproduced projects like 'Superman Lives', with Tim Burton directing and Nicolas Cage as Superman.
There were even plans for a Batman vs. Superman movie in the early 2000s, but internal studio decisions and the successes of standalone films like 'The Dark Knight' series shifted focus away from team films.
Interestingly, several planned reboots, like those by Bryan Singer and J.J. Abrams, tried to incorporate famous storylines or reinvent the Superman mythos. Despite these efforts and some productions moving quite far along, none materialized due to financial risks and creative differences.
The official DCEU brought Superman back into the spotlight, but it also faced mixed results influencing the franchise's direction. Leading up to today's developments with James Gunn's reboot of the franchise, it's been a tumultuous journey filled with imaginative ideas and what-if scenarios that could have reshaped cinemas.