Imagine a Superman movie so bizarre, so creatively stifled, that it almost single-handedly killed the franchise before it even took off! That almost happened 30 years ago with the ill-fated Superman Lives. This isn't just a story of a failed project; it's a cautionary tale of studio interference, questionable creative choices, and a near-miss that could have robbed us of seeing Brainiac properly introduced on the big screen.
Rewind to 1996. Kevin Smith, fresh off the indie success of Clerks (1994) and just a year after Mallrats (which, although initially a commercial flop, has since gained a cult following), was tapped to write a Superman movie. Tim Burton, riding high from the success of Batman Returns (1992) – a film that proved superhero blockbusters could be dark and artistically driven – was set to direct. The premise? Adapt DC Comics' hugely popular The Death of Superman storyline from 1992. This comic event was a sales juggernaut, and Warner Bros. saw dollar signs. The idea of Smith and Burton teaming up sounds potentially amazing or disastrous, depending on your perspective.
But here's where it gets controversial... the studio executives, particularly producer Jon Peters, allegedly had some very specific ideas about what this Superman movie shouldn't be.
According to Smith, as detailed in the 2015 documentary The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened? and recounted in his An Evening With Kevin Smith DVD, Peters imposed three absolutely baffling rules: Superman couldn't wear his iconic red and blue suit, he couldn't fly, and he had to fight a giant spider in the third act. Yes, you read that right. A giant spider.
Peters, of course, denies these claims, dismissing Smith as an amateur. But here's the kicker: Peters also produced Wild Wild West (1999), a notorious box office bomb that also featured a giant mechanical spider in its climax. And Neil Gaiman has even said that Peters wanted to add giant spiders to a Sandman adaptation! Coincidence? I think not!
And this is the part most people miss... it wasn't just the giant spider. Smith claimed that Peters also wanted Brainiac, the main villain, to fight a polar bear because, in Peters' own words, “polar bears are the fiercest killers in the animal kingdom.” The logic is, shall we say, questionable.
But beyond the absurdity, Superman Lives was intended to bring Brainiac to the big screen for the very first time. Now, fast forward to today, and James Gunn is planning his Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which also features Brainiac as a major villain. Had Superman Lives been made, Gunn's introduction of Brainiac might have felt a little less groundbreaking, a little less special. Can you imagine going into Man of Tomorrow knowing that Brainiac's cinematic debut involved battling a polar bear? It definitely would have changed the tone.
On a brighter note, Kevin Smith has expressed joy at seeing Nicolas Cage finally appear as Superman, even briefly, in The Flash (2023). It was a nod to what could have been, a glimpse into a multiverse where Burton and Cage's vision actually came to fruition.
So, what's the takeaway? Superman Lives is a fascinating example of how studio interference can almost derail a potentially great project. It's a story filled with bizarre demands, conflicting accounts, and a whole lot of what-ifs. It also highlights the importance of respecting the source material and trusting the creative vision of talented filmmakers.
Here's a thought: Was Jon Peters genuinely trying to sabotage the movie, or was he simply trying to bring a fresh, albeit misguided, perspective to the Superman mythos? Was his vision ahead of its time in a way?
What do you think? Would you have been interested in seeing Nicolas Cage as a Superman who couldn't fly and fought giant spiders? Or are you grateful that Superman Lives remained unmade? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
