World Burton's Concept Art

[theMan-Bat]

Yeah, the only horrible thing about the movie was the casting of Nicholas Cage.

That's what everyone said about the casting of Michael Keaton as Batman, and then Michael Keaton surprised everyone.

I believe Nicholas Cage would have surprised everyone. As Kevin Smith said "his hairline can be fixed." Cage was going to wear a Superman wig. Christopher Reeve wore a Superman wig. Nicholas Cage is a Superman fanatic and he certainly would have put his heart into the role. He even named his son Kal-El. Nicholas Cage demanded that the classic costume be in the film and that Superman fly. He hated Jon Peters ideas. He considered it sacrilege to assume the role and never appear in the classic costume and fly. "I think the Superman costume will still be the classic costume," Cage said, "because I, like many people, am a fan of Americana and pop culture. I like the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle. I think they should stay true to the Superman costume."
In the final shooting script by Dan Gilroy, he flies on camera and wears the classic costume until he dies and is resurrected and is then temporarily virtually powerless and wears the Kryptonian Eradicator suit to heal.
Nicolas Cage wanted Superman to be a positive role model for kids in the film, "The death of Superman and his resurrection will be a part of the story, but I have other points that I want to address. I saw it for me as an opportunity to reach a lot of kids around the world and say something positive. I've never really made a movie for children before, but to me, Superman is an opportunity to reach children all around the world, and to say something to them that I believe. I guess I'm trying to take the judgment out of the way kids treat each other. To me, this project is very important because it's going to affect children around the world. What do I want to see happen to children around the world? I can't claim that I'm really going to be able to do this, but at least I can try. Which is if I can play up to Superman's feelings of being an alien, feeling different, feeling weird basically feeling like the kid I felt like when I was in school then I can maybe get that little boy to stop teasing that little boy because Superman is different. That's my thought process. It's okay to be different because Superman is different. If one child sees that and says 'maybe I'm Superman' then I've done my job."
http://www.mania.com/superman-lives-part-3-nicolas-cage_article_21288.html

 

[El Payaso]

Sorry, but to not show a Superman properly flying would have been totally stupid. They were just gonna have him Whoosh off. The details from Kevin Smith's talk and other script details make it apparent that Jon Peters was adamant about not having any scenes of him flying. Superman would fly but it wouldn't be shown. Plus the Spider... **** that lousy stupid ****ing spider...

I'm glad they did away with this film altogether... It would have been brilliant to see in a pure elseworlds sense, but I'm so glad they trashed it all together.

What Peters - supposedly - told Smith doesn't mean it was going to be definitely that way.

And why is the spider ridiculous? Did you see anyone complaining about a giant spider in Birthright, Jackson's King Kong or Lord of the Rings? Oh, but Kevin Smith made a joke about it.

That's what everyone said about the casting of Michael Keaton as Batman, and then Michael Keaton surprised everyone.

I thought the same. And that's what taught me not to judge a movie before watching it.

"The death of Superman and his resurrection will be a part of the story, but I have other points that I want to address. I saw it for me as an opportunity to reach a lot of kids around the world and say something positive. I've never really made a movie for children before, but to me, Superman is an opportunity to reach children all around the world, and to say something to them that I believe. I guess I'm trying to take the judgment out of the way kids treat each other. To me, this project is very important because it's going to affect children around the world. What do I want to see happen to children around the world? I can't claim that I'm really going to be able to do this, but at least I can try. Which is if I can play up to Superman's feelings of being an alien, feeling different, feeling weird basically feeling like the kid I felt like when I was in school then I can maybe get that little boy to stop teasing that little boy because Superman is different. That's my thought process. It's okay to be different because Superman is different. If one child sees that and says 'maybe I'm Superman' then I've done my job."

 

[JAK®]

That's what everyone said about the casting of Michael Keaton as Batman, and then Michael Keaton surprised everyone.

I believe Nicholas Cage would have surprised everyone. As Kevin Smith said "his hairline can be fixed." Cage was going to wear a Superman wig. Christopher Reeve wore a Superman wig. Nicholas Cage is a Superman fanatic and he certainly would have put his heart into the role. He even named his son Kal-El. Nicholas Cage demanded that the classic costume be in the film and that Superman fly. He hated Jon Peters ideas. He considered it sacrilege to assume the role and never appear in the classic costume and fly. "I think the Superman costume will still be the classic costume," Cage said, "because I, like many people, am a fan of Americana and pop culture. I like the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle. I think they should stay true to the Superman costume."
In the final shooting script by Dan Gilroy, he flies on camera and wears the classic costume until he dies and is resurrected and is then temporarily virtually powerless and wears the Kryptonian Eradicator suit to heal.
Nicolas Cage wanted Superman to be a positive role model for kids in the film, "The death of Superman and his resurrection will be a part of the story, but I have other points that I want to address. I saw it for me as an opportunity to reach a lot of kids around the world and say something positive. I've never really made a movie for children before, but to me, Superman is an opportunity to reach children all around the world, and to say something to them that I believe. I guess I'm trying to take the judgment out of the way kids treat each other. To me, this project is very important because it's going to affect children around the world. What do I want to see happen to children around the world? I can't claim that I'm really going to be able to do this, but at least I can try. Which is if I can play up to Superman's feelings of being an alien, feeling different, feeling weird basically feeling like the kid I felt like when I was in school then I can maybe get that little boy to stop teasing that little boy because Superman is different. That's my thought process. It's okay to be different because Superman is different. If one child sees that and says 'maybe I'm Superman' then I've done my job."
http://www.mania.com/superman-lives-part-3-nicolas-cage_article_21288.html

Micheal Keaton worked because he wore a mask, and it was never his looks that made him wrong for the part, just his stature. Cage doesn't look like Superman, and his acting is spotty at best. Had someone else more suited for the part been cast then this movie would have been great.

 

[BH/HHH]

Micheal Keaton worked because he wore a mask, and it was never his looks that made him wrong for the part, just his stature. Cage doesn't look like Superman, and his acting is spotty at best. Had someone else more suited for the part been cast then this movie would have been great.

on the Cage thing but I still am not sure if this movie would have been great. It would have been something unique thats for sure.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Cage doesn't look like Superman

Superman has many looks, many versions. All of these are Superman, and they look very different from each other. They don't all look like the same guy except for having black hair and a blue and red costume.

On film Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain, Tom Welling and Brandon Routh are all Superman and they do not look alike, although Brandon Routh was an obvious attempt to replicate the Christopher Reeve Superman.

 

[JAK®]

Superman varies in looks, but there are certain features that are always present, and Cage has none of those.

It's not like his acting is good enough to make up for it, either.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Superman varies in looks, but there are certain features that are always present, and Cage has none of those.

Such as? What are these features that are always present that Cage has none of?

 

[JAK®]

Such as? What are these features that are always present that Cage has none of?

Square jaw. Classical nose. Friendly eyes/smile. Stocky build.

 

[BH/HHH]

Square jaw. Classical nose. Friendly eyes/smile. Stocky build.

good post

It wouldn't have been anything like when Keaton was cast as Batman, Cage would have been the biggest miscasting of all-time.

 

[El Payaso]

Superman varies in looks, but there are certain features that are always present, and Cage has none of those.

It's not like his acting is good enough to make up for it, either.

Same with Dean Cain, acting including. Now I'm not saying I loved Cain or anything but it had been done before and at least Cage was a better actor.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Square jaw. Classical nose. Friendly eyes/smile. Stocky build.

The features of Superman have varied from actor to actor. They have not all had the same jaw, the same nose, eyes, smile, or the same build at all.

 

[JAK®]

The features of Superman have varied from actor to actor. They have not all had the same jaw, the same nose, eyes, smile, or the same build at all.

Yeah, different people tend to not look the same. But they had all those things I mentioned, just to various degrees.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Your comment about Nicolas Cage not having friendly eyes/smile is most telling. The biggest difference between Nicolas Cage compared to the other guys is that they were all unknowns who became famous as Superman. Nicolas Cage became famous as a southern ex-con in Raising Arizona, Wild At Heart, Amos & Andrew and Con Air. As a result, most people had, and still have, trouble picturing him as Superman.

It was the same issue with Michael Keaton. Michael Keaton became famous as a wacky funny guy in Mr. Mom, Night Shift, Johnny Dangerously, Gung Ho, The Squeeze and Beetlejuice. As a result, most people had trouble picturing him as Batman, especially as a serious version of Batman, and said it was horrible miscasting. Once audiences saw Keaton's performance as Batman, he won audiences over and earned acclaim.

 

[JAK®]

Your comment about Nicolas Cage not having friendly eyes/smile is most telling. The biggest difference between Nicolas Cage compared to the other guys is that they were all unknowns who became famous as Superman. Nicolas Cage became famous as a southern ex-con in Raising Arizona, Wild At Heart, Amos & Andrew and Con Air. As a result, most people have had trouble picturing him as Superman.

Yes, it is telling. It's telling me that outside of those roles he isn't any good. He'd be easier to defend if he was a good actor, but he isn't.

 

[Micah12345]

Switch out cage with an actor more appropriate to the role and I'd have loved to see burton's version. It would be much more interesting than singer's *********ory donner tribute.

 

[Micah12345]

It would also have been awesome to see one director do both superman and batman.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Yes, it is telling. It's telling me that outside of those roles he isn't any good. He'd be easier to defend if he was a good actor, but he isn't.

No, Nicolas Cage is a good actor. He's been great in a wide variety of different kinds of roles. Cage is great in Adaptation where he plays two very different men, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, a meek, painfully shy and intervened man, and Charlie’s extroverted, boisterous brother, Donald Kaufman. Cage is great in World Trade Center as real-life police officer John McLoughlin who becomes trapped under the rubble. Cage won an Oscar for his moving performance as an alcoholic in Leaving Las Vegas. Cage is great as Big Daddy in Kick Ass. The Adam West-style voice he uses as Big Daddy is hilarious and his bizarre relationship with his daughter is both touching and twisted. Cage is great as Sailor in David Lynch's Wild At Heart. The Elvis Presley-style voice he uses as Sailor is spot on and he pulls off the most bizarre dialogue and situations in character with complete sincerity.

 

[Sub-Zero]

cage had the acting chops for the role. i think people just look at his face, and hairline and think "NO. he'll never be superman." stranger things have happened. cage is a fanboy, and when a fanboy is approached to play his favorite superhero he won't say "no".

i would've really liked to see the movie come out. i think it would've been something pretty intriguing. burton and co. completely changed batman's look for the 89 film, and that worked. the script for batman had bruce wayne appearing as a guy with "muscles on top of muscles." cage could've been the precursor to heath ledger.

 

[Retroman]

Part of me is intrigued to see how this movie would have turned out but another is glad it never happened looking at those costume tests.I have a hard time buying Cage as Superman.


Here's a piece of storyboard art by Michael Anthony Jackson

Source:http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3081208320/nm0413808


And these are 2 unseen (?) concepts and higher res versions of old concept art done by Sylvain Despretz. Some of the pieces that he did for Superman Lives (and other movies) are actually on display at the Arludik Gallery in Paris (details at the link)!

SOURCE Links: 1 2

 

[BH/HHH]

Switch out cage with an actor more appropriate to the role and I'd have loved to see burton's version.

Same here I do like some of the ideas but I just think Burton would have done what he always does and makes it dark for the sake of it. But part of me is so intrigued I would like to have seen it

 

[okpal79]

This has been in the back of mind for ages and I hope someone on here can help.

I remember reading a UK based mag called Starburst and it was previewing Superman Lives/Reborn and in the article it said that Roxette would be doing the title song for the movie (just like Seal 'Kiss From A Rose' for Batman Forever) and it was going to be called 'Wish I Could Fly'

A few years after the project went into development hell Roxette released a single called 'Wish I could Fly' with a chorus;

"i wish i could fly
out in the blue
over this town
followin' you
i'd fly over rooftops
the great boulevards
to try to find out
who you really are
who you really are"

Here is the song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBswiNn23RU

Did anyone else read this article or know if what I read was true? I cant find any evidence anywhere!!

 

[BH/HHH]

This has been in the back of mind for ages and I hope someone on here can help.

I remember reading a UK based mag called Starburst and it was previewing Superman Lives/Reborn and in the article it said that Roxette would be doing the title song for the movie (just like Seal 'Kiss From A Rose' for Batman Forever) and it was going to be called 'Wish I Could Fly'

A few years after the project went into development hell Roxette released a single called 'Wish I could Fly' with a chorus;

"i wish i could fly
out in the blue
over this town
followin' you
i'd fly over rooftops
the great boulevards
to try to find out
who you really are
who you really are"

Here is the song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBswiNn23RU

Did anyone else read this article or know if what I read was true? I cant find any evidence anywhere!!

Now that is interesting, this makes me more glad this film isn't been made.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

I honestly don't see why people would want to have seen this in place of Superman Returns. Good or bad, I honestly believe Bryan Singer has more respect for the character than Burton, Abrams, or McG.

 

[Juggernaut33]

New concept art by Michael Anthony Jackson

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4073044480/nm0413808

 

[Retroman]

This has been in the back of mind for ages and I hope someone on here can help.

I remember reading a UK based mag called Starburst and it was previewing Superman Lives/Reborn and in the article it said that Roxette would be doing the title song for the movie (just like Seal 'Kiss From A Rose' for Batman Forever) and it was going to be called 'Wish I Could Fly'

A few years after the project went into development hell Roxette released a single called 'Wish I could Fly' with a chorus;

"i wish i could fly
out in the blue
over this town
followin' you
i'd fly over rooftops
the great boulevards
to try to find out
who you really are
who you really are"

Here is the song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBswiNn23RU

Did anyone else read this article or know if what I read was true? I cant find any evidence anywhere!!

Thanks okpal for sharing this. Never read about that before.

I've heard the Roxette song on the radio countless times but it never occurred to me before that the lyrics were appropriate for a Superman movie soundtrack.It did go on to become a big hit in Europe and other territories despite Superman Lives being canceled.

New concept art by Michael Anthony Jackson

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4073044480/nm0413808

Nice find Juggernaut!

And the same artist has added another concept of Brainiac here.