Superman Lives!

[johnnygobbs]

I haven't, but it sounds like the sort of thing I'd enjoy reading. Presumably it covers near misses like Jodorowsky's Dune adaptation?

The copy of the book I possess, published in 2001, covers the following unmade films: "The Star's of My Destination", "Childhood's End" based on an Arthur C. Clarke book, "Star Trek: Planet of the Titans", "Night Skies" (which I'd like to see, but am in some ways am pleased was never made because it means we got the 'sweet' version of the story instead, "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial"), "The Tourist", various versions of "Dune" including the Jodorowsky one, "Ronnie Rocket" and "One Saliva Bubble" (both unrealised David Lynch projects), various unmade versions of "Alien" sequels, Cameron's "Spider-Man" (and curiously enough, "Terminator 3" and "Avatar"), Ridley Scott's "I Am Legend", earlier proposed versions of "Watchmen" and "Fantastic Four", "Silver Surfer", "Superman Lives" (of course), a "The Six Million Dollar Man" movie, earlier proposed versions of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "Thunderbirds" movie, "Dead Star" (the original version of what became the barely seen "Supernova") and Richard Stanley's original version of the "Island of Dr. Moreau".

[The Joker]

Jon Schnepp's managed to get Tim Burton for his documentary!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1270411036/the-death-of-superman-lives-what-happened/posts

He's also interviewed Wesley Strick, Steve Johnson and Kevin Smith. Now if he can just land an interview with Nicolas Cage...

[The Joker]

And another documentary I am anxiously awaiting to check out.

[riddler]

I didnt think Spacey was bad as Lex Luthor, he certainly did better than Bosworth or Routh but I was let down. He's had so many performances he could channel into Lex Luthor including House of Cards, the usual suspects, and even his cameo in Austin powers 3. Jack Nicholson was so great as the Joker because he was so erratic and all over the board, you never knew what he was going to do next. Spacey certainly had the acting range to do that but played the character the same for the entire film. Great villains either make the audience hate them or are devilishly entertaining and Spacey did neither.


I like that 16 years later, this project is getting popular again.

[The Joker]

FLASHBACK 1998

Wizard Magazine article on "Superman Lives".

[Silver Nemesis]

FLASHBACK 1998

Wizard Magazine article on "Superman Lives".

Akiva Goldsman was working on the script? I know he worked on a cancelled Batman vs. Superman movie, but I don't remember hearing his name connected with Superman Lives before. And this was 1998, after the studio had seen the negative response to his Batman & Robin script.

1½ out of 5 seems a bit harsh for Superman III. All the criticisms mentioned are fair, but it has its merits too. The special effects and production values are high quality, Reeve and O'Toole have natural chemistry and both deliver good performances, the synthetic kryptonite storyline – adapted from the red kryptonite plot in 'The Splitting of Superboy' (Adventure Comics V1 #255, December 1958) – is compelling, and the set pieces involving the chemical factory fire and junk yard fight are well staged. I'd give it 2½ out of 5.

[thecolorsblend]

I agree. I love Bronze Age Superman and it's very easy to find stories where a guest star somewhat takes centerstage and drives the narrative along just like Gus Gorman does in Superman III.

I can understand if some of the silly humor with Richard Pryor isn't too everyone's taste. But there's just no denying that Superman III owes a LOT back to the source material. I find the movie very enjoyable and very reminiscent of the late Seventies/early Eighties Bronze Age comics that inspired it.

[Silver Nemesis]

The Daredevil comics had a number of celebrity guests over the years too, including Johnny Carson, Uri Geller and... Lois Lane? From Daredevil Vol 1 #353 (June 1996).

This issue was written by Karl Kesel, who also penned numerous issues of the Superman and Superboy comics.

[thecolorsblend]

Iirc, the Kesel run was primarily illustrated by Cary Nord. Nord was interesting because his work was either rock solid or so amateurish that you wondered if a kindergartener drew it.

I enjoy aspects of the Kesel run. But the art wasn't always a high watermark for the title, that's for sure.

[The Joker]

Wizard Magazine's "Superman Lives" article from the 1998 Superman Special (including some material on Superman TAS as well).