Superman Lives: The Story Behind the Frustrated Movie Starring Nicolas Cage and Tim Burton

The story behind “Superman Lives”, the never made movie directed by director Tim Burton and actor Nicolas Cage, it’s fast-paced and complicated like supersonic flight. After the disappointing result of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace starring Christopher Reeve in 1987, it was clear that the Man of Steel needed a big screen update.

The overwhelming success of Batman in 1989, with Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight and Jack Nicholson as the Joker, seemed to confirm the existence of a Untapped Potential for DC Super Heroes at Warner Bros..

During the 1990s, there were several attempts to reinvigorate the Superman franchise. One of the most promising and frustrating projects was “Superman lives”, which sought to bring together visionary director Tim Burton and the incomparable Nicolas Cage, who was preparing to play Kal-El/Superman. However, this dynamic combination wasn’t enough to get this version of the iconic superhero off the ground which would be titled ‘Superman Lives’.

the epic of Superman Lives begins with director Kevin Smith. The independent director, who had become famous with his film ‘Clerks’, was credited with writing the screenplay. As he recounted on his Fatman Beyond podcast, Warner Bros. approached Smith in May 1996 to write the story for what they hoped would be an epic relaunch of an American icon.

In their initial correspondence, Warner Bros. execs offered Smith tantalizing details about the project, including the inclusion of Brainiac as the main villain and the premise of Superman losing his superhuman powers. As a lifelong comic book fan, Smith couldn’t resist this opportunity. The man who had made “Clerks” on a credit card was now preparing to write a Superman movie with a huge budget.

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Nicolas Cage has always been the favourite; the flight that never happened

In an interview in Wizard: The Comics Magazine #92, Smith revealed his wish list for specific roles in the film: Ben Affleck as Kal-El, David Hyde Pierce as The Eradicator, and Jason Mewes as Jimmy Olsen. However, despite having been the screenwriter, Smith would not have been the director of ‘Superman Lives’. This honor would go to the acclaimed director of ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Batman Returns’: Tim Burton.

Fresh hits like “Lottery of Love” and winning his first Oscar for “Leaving Las Vegas”, Nicolas Cage was a controversial choice for the role of Superman. According to an interview with Rolling Stone in April 2022, some Warner executives weren’t convinced with their choice. In April 1998, Warner Bros. announced doubts about the quality of the script for “Superman Lives” and, without mentioning the budget, decided to put the project on hold.

Despite the rumors, Nicolas Cage’s name has continued to ring with force and conviction in connection with the role of Superman. Other cast names also began to take shape. According to the documentary “The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?”, Burton had Christopher Walken in mind to play the infamous Brainiac, while Chris Rock was cast as Jimmy Olsen. The possibility of a cameo from Michael Keaton as Batman was even being considered.

However, Warner Bros. box office problems led the studio to scrap an expensive retelling of the Superman mythos. This occurred despite the fact that millions of dollars had already been invested in elaborate sets and production was weeks away from filming. All that money and effort was forgotten and the opportunity for a new film of the beloved and popular superhero faded into thin air, as if it were an illusion created by the speed of the fastest man alive.

The sad saga of “Superman Lives” has become a legend in the film industry, a reminder of how fleeting and fragile a film project can be. While we’ve never seen Nicolas Cage don the blue-and-red suit, and Tim Burton has shed his unique take on the Man of Steel, the story of “Superman Lives” remains a fascinating curiosity and showcase of the intricacies and the challenges surrounding making a superhero movie.