Summary
- Tim Burton's abandoned Superman film, Superman Lives, would have featured a unique and darker version of the character portrayed by Nicolas Cage.
- The storyline of Superman Lives would have been loosely based on the popular comic book crossover event, "The Death of Superman," and would have included Brainiac, Lex Luthor, and Doomsday as villains.
- Kevin Smith's original script for Superman Lives included changes such as not allowing Superman to fly, as well as casting choices like Chris Rock as Jimmy Olsen and Sandra Bullock as Lois Lane. The film was eventually canceled due to high costs and Warner Bros.' hesitation.
After Tim Burton explored Gotham City in 1989, he also took over the abandoned Superman Lives, but the project never came to be. Burton quickly became known for his unique style as a filmmaker, combining elements of horror and comedy, and this was brought into the superhero genre with 1989's Batman, which placed Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, a role he reprised for Burton's 1992 Batman Returns. While Burton and Keaton's takes on Batman are widely considered to be the strongest delivery of the DC Comics character in cinema history, Burton also came close to directing a version of Superman on the big screen.
Back in 1996, Kevin Smith pitched his idea for a new Superman film to producer Jon Peters, and though Peters had a strict list of demands, Smith was allowed to pen the script for Superman Lives. From Dusk Till Dawn's Robert Rodriguez was offered the chance to direct, but due to a prior commitment, Smith suggested Tim Burton as director. After Burton reached a deal with Warner Bros., a tentative release date of 1998 was set. However, Superman Lives was abandoned after a variety of production issues. Since then, many details have come to light about why Superman Lives never happened, with this complex scenario also explaining why Nicolas Cage appeared in The Flash over two decades later.
Nicolas Cage Would Have Played Clark Kent In Superman Lives
Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity from Superman Lives is the fact that Nicolas Cage would have played Superman. While many have criticized this casting, Cage was reportedly cast as Superman as he could portray the character's "alienation". As part of Dan Gilroy's script for Superman Lives (on the second rewrite following Wesley Strick's), the young Kal-El was placed in his rocket to Earth with no guidance, growing up with his greatest fear being that he was an alien. Cage made it as far as screen tests for Superman Lives, but the world never got a chance to see this darker, more emotional version of Clark Kent.
Superman Lives Would Have Been Loosely Based On “The Death of Superman”
While Superman Lives went through various rewrites after Kevin Smith's original script, most of them based the story on the same DC Comics crossover event: The Death of Superman. Published between December 1992 and October 1993, The Death of Superman was divided into three arcs: "Doomsday!," which ended with Superman's death, "Funeral for a Friend," where the DC Universe mourned his death, and "Reign of the Supermen!," which introduced four Superman imposters before the original returned. Elements of this storyline later made their way into the DCEU's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder's Justice League, as well as The CW's "Arrowverse".
Lex Luthor, Brainiac & Doomsday Were The Villains
The storyline for Kevin Smith's original treatment of Superman Lives was jam-packed with villains for Nicolas Cage's Superman to battle. Brainiac would have aptly been the mastermind behind the chaos as he is one of Superman's greatest enemies in DC Comics. In Superman Lives, Brainiac would have been responsible for the destruction of Krypton and vowed to hunt down Kal-El as he was the sole survivor of the devastation. Superman Lives would have also revealed that Lex Luthor was close to discovering Superman's true identity, and he ed forces with Brainiac to destroy Superman, with the pair merging into a cyborg entity known as "Lexiac".
The combined might of Brainiac and Lex Luthor would have been crazy enough, but Superman Lives would have also had the pair create Doomsday with the purpose of eliminating Superman once-and-for-all. A battle between Superman and Doomsday would have ensued, much like it did in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, resulting in the death of Superman and the near-destruction of Earth had it not been for the Man of Steel's triumphant return. Christopher Walken was rumored to assume the role of Brainiac, while Smith wanted Michael Rooker to portray Lex Luthor in Superman Lives.
Superman Wouldn't Have Had His Powers In Superman Lives
In the original script for Superman Lives written by Kevin Smith, several changes were made due to Jon Peters' list of demands. Arguing that the character would look like an overgrown boy scout, Peters didn't want Superman to fly in Superman Lives - despite this being one of his most recognizable characteristics. In order for Clark Kent's powers to be diminished to stick to Peters' wishes, Smith wrote that Brainiac would block out the sun during his attack. Since Superman's powers are fueled by sunlight, blocking out the sun would render him powerless, at least until he saves the day and flies off in an unseen blur.
Chris Rock Was Cast As Jimmy Olsen
Known primarily for his comedy roles, Chris Rock was attached to Superman Lives, confirmed to be playing the role of Daily Planet photojournalist Jimmy Olsen. Olsen would have been Clark Kent and Lois Lane's co-worker at the Daily Planet and thus would have been very close to the action. Olsen was depicted as a humorous character in DC Comics, so it made sense to have a comedy actor in the role for Superman Lives. Rock has since spoken about how far along the process he got - having wardrobe fittings and seeing model sets - while being disappointed that he never got the opportunity to be in a superhero film.
Sandra Bullock Could Have Played Lois Lane
It's rare that a Superman story is told on the big screen without Lois Lane having a part to play. Clark Kent's long-running love interest, Lois Lane has been played by the likes of Noel Neill, Margot Kidder, and Amy Adams, among others, but it was almost Sandra Bullock who assumed the role for Superman Lives. The film would have explored the budding relationship between Lois Lane and Superman, though Clark Kent would have had difficulties committing to the relationship due to his identity crisis. By the end of Superman Lives, Lois would have revealed to a resurrected Superman that she was pregnant with his child in a fun twist.
Ben Affleck Could Have Been Superman Before Batman
During the production of Superman Lives, many actors were rumored to be attached to the projects, and dozens of names were thrown around to fill the many major roles in the film. Among them was Ben Affleck in the role of Clark Kent. Affleck would later portray Superman actor George Reeves in 2006's Hollywoodland, but would perhaps become better known for portraying Bruce Wayne/Batman in the DCEU from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice onwards. Other names who were thrown around for other Superman Lives roles include Famke Janssen, Jack Nicholson, John Mahoney, Jason Lee, Courteney Cox, Julianne Moore, and Will Smith.
Superman Lives Cost $30 Million Before It Was Canceled
Superman Lives went through development hell during the late 1990s, with the script being rewritten four times, and several directors being approached to helm the project after Burton departed to work on 1999's Sleepy Hollow. Jon Peters' strict and ridiculous demands for the story alongside his persistence to push through the project that clearly was not working resulted in high costs for Warner Bros. Costumes were made, sets were designed, scripts were written, and marketing had begun promoting Superman Lives' 1998 release. Upon its 2002 final shelving, the film had reportedly cost over $30 million.
Superman Lives Has Almost Been Revived Several Times
Despite Superman Lives' cancelation, the script has almost been revived several times. Kevin Smith stated in 2016 that he was open to the script being adapted into an animated film that would have seen Nicolas Cage voice Superman and Michael Rooker voice Lex Luthor. While this idea was toyed with for a while, it was eventually dropped too. Smith would go on to direct Supergirl season 2, episode 9, "Supergirl Lives," as an homage to Superman Lives. Cage then voiced Superman in Teen Titans Go! To The Movies in 2018, and was almost featured in The CW's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event, though this didn't come to fruition.
Why Superman Lives Was Canceled
Superman Lives was canceled only a few weeks before filming was set to begin, as elements of pre-production like the scriptwriting process suffered setbacks, despite other areas of the film moving along somewhat smoothly. After Wesley Strick had rewritten Kevin Smith's original screenplay, Dan Gilroy was brought on to rewrite Strick's, which Warner Bros. deemed too expensive. Warner Bros. had produced a lot of box office misfires during the 1990s, including Batman & Robin, The Postman, and Sphere, meaning Superman Lives was not worth the risk. With a new version of Clark Kent taking center stage in James Gunn's Superman: Legacy, it's likely that Superman Lives will never happen.
Nicolas Cage Finally Played Superman In The Flash Movie
That being said, James Gunn's DCU still offered Nicolas Cage an opportunity to reprise the superhero role in The Flash. Despite being revealed as part of the film prior to its release, Nicolas Cage's Superman cameo in The Flash is one of the film's most satisfying and surprising inclusions. In The Flash's third act, the Speed Force begins to crack due to Barry Allen messing with multiple timelines, causing multiple dimensions from the wider DC multiverse to suffer as a result.
One of these universes is the prospected one that would have been part of Superman Lives. At first, an unknown Superman variant is shown battling a giant spider, before defeating the creature and witnessing the cracking of the multiverse. The variant is then revealed as Nicolas Cage, finally playing Superman after Superman Lives was canceled over two decades ago. While this likely does not mean Superman Lives will ever be officially made, the cameo is a neat Easter egg to acknowledge the fact that somewhere in the wider DCU multiverse, Nicolas Cage's Superman truly lives as the Son of Krypton.
How Nicolas Cage's Superman Cameo In The Flash Was Filmed
Despite rumors that Nicolas Cage's Superman cameo in The Flash was digitally created without him actually acting in the role, director Andy Muschietti revealed in The Discourse podcast that the scene was created by bringing the actor in for shooting before adding CGI to create the final look. The Flash's team rebuilt the Superman Lives suit - even bringing in the original costume designer for the prior unmade film - and recorded Cage in it, making the nod all the more noteworthy.
