SUPERMAN REBORN (EARLY 1990s)
WHAT WAS THE PLAN?
Following the spectacular failure of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) the plan was to bring Superman back to the big screen for the '90s generation in a movie titled Superman Reborn.
Following the spectacular failure of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) the plan was to bring Superman back to the big screen for the '90s generation in a movie titled Superman Reborn.
OH. SO WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED?
The film would have seen the epic and iconic comic-book storyline The Death Of Superman transferred (loosely) to the movie world, under the guidance of former Batman (1989) producer Jon Peters.
Oh and just to warn you, this 'What If?' gets a bit confusing.
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BUT WHAT DID HAPPEN?
In 1993 Warner Bros acquired the rights to make a new Superman movie from producer Ilya Salkind, who had given up with Superman after unsuccessfully trying to produce a fifth film. With Batman (1989) having proved a success under the watch of Jon Peters the producer was handed the project in the hope that he could recreate the same success. Peters hired screenwriter Jonathan Lemkin to write the script that re-introduced the character to a 'modern' audience. The script featured Superman's alter-ego Clark Kent wrestling with his feelings for fellow reporter Lois Lane only to discover he had a greater challenge on his hands in the form of monstrous bad guy, Doomsday! |
 Doomsday in Superman Reborn? |
Superman and Doomsday would have entered into a monumental battle which would have resulted in the death of both characters. As Superman lay dying in Lois' arms the superhero would have finally confessed his feelings for her...
...which would have released his spirit...
...and allowed it to enter the body of Lois!
WHAT?!?!?
Wait, there's more.
With Superman dead Lois would have quickly fallen pregnant with Superman's baby, which would have been born in a matter of days...
...and then would have grown to adulthood within a matter of weeks!
WHAT? WHAT?? WHAT?!?!
Lois was then killed off and her child would have become the new Superman!
OH DEAR, THAT SOUNDS LIKE CRAZY TALK! SO WHAT DID HAPPEN?
(Not surprisingly) Warner Bros disliked the script and so Jon Peters hired screenwriter Gregory Poirier to rewrite the script, still under the title Superman Reborn.
...which would have released his spirit...
...and allowed it to enter the body of Lois!
WHAT?!?!?
Wait, there's more.
With Superman dead Lois would have quickly fallen pregnant with Superman's baby, which would have been born in a matter of days...
...and then would have grown to adulthood within a matter of weeks!
WHAT? WHAT?? WHAT?!?!
Lois was then killed off and her child would have become the new Superman!
OH DEAR, THAT SOUNDS LIKE CRAZY TALK! SO WHAT DID HAPPEN?
(Not surprisingly) Warner Bros disliked the script and so Jon Peters hired screenwriter Gregory Poirier to rewrite the script, still under the title Superman Reborn.
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SO WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME?
Poirier's rewrite kept Doomsday in the script, however this time around the monster was created by Superman's enemy the alien Brainiac and he had Kryptonite blood pumping through his veins! Brainiac wasn't the only new addition to the roster of villains as Silver Banshee and Parasite were also in the mix. As for the story, Brainiac unleashed Doomsday on Metropolis and once again an epic battle would have followed, with both Superman and Doomsday losing their lives. However the spirit of Superman would have proved a difficult spirit to defeat and the hero would have undertaken a 'spiritual journey' whilst his body was revived by a secret government agency called project Cadmus. |
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After being revived Superman would have been powerless, so he would have had to wear a special power-suit that would have copied his former abilities until they returned, allowing him to defeat Brainiac.
OK. BUT SUPERMAN REBORN WAS NEVER RELEASED SO WHAT DID HAPPEN?
Warner Bros preferred Poirier's script over Lemkin's but then writer/director Kevin Smith became aware that the studio was looking to put together a new Superman movie and approached Warner Bros about being involved. The studio showed Smith Poirier's script, which he read and hated and so he then expressed to Warner Bros his feelings on the script. After a number of further meetings with Smith Warner Bros eventually listened to his ideas on the character and hired him to rewrite the script, which became the 'it almost happened... but didn't' Superman movie, Superman Lives.
Superman Reborn was no more.
In 2007 Warner Bros' animated division released a movie based on The Death Of Superman storyline titled Superman: Doomsday, and Doomsday, Brainiac, Silver Banshee and Parasite all made appearances in live-action TV show Smallville.
WAS IT SUCH A BAD THING THAT NEITHER VERSIONS OF SUPERMAN REBORN WERE EVER PRODUCED?
Let's just get this out there. Superman Reborn sounded a bit INSANE!!!!
OK. BUT SUPERMAN REBORN WAS NEVER RELEASED SO WHAT DID HAPPEN?
Warner Bros preferred Poirier's script over Lemkin's but then writer/director Kevin Smith became aware that the studio was looking to put together a new Superman movie and approached Warner Bros about being involved. The studio showed Smith Poirier's script, which he read and hated and so he then expressed to Warner Bros his feelings on the script. After a number of further meetings with Smith Warner Bros eventually listened to his ideas on the character and hired him to rewrite the script, which became the 'it almost happened... but didn't' Superman movie, Superman Lives.
Superman Reborn was no more.
In 2007 Warner Bros' animated division released a movie based on The Death Of Superman storyline titled Superman: Doomsday, and Doomsday, Brainiac, Silver Banshee and Parasite all made appearances in live-action TV show Smallville.
WAS IT SUCH A BAD THING THAT NEITHER VERSIONS OF SUPERMAN REBORN WERE EVER PRODUCED?
Let's just get this out there. Superman Reborn sounded a bit INSANE!!!!
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Lemkin's script about immaculate conception was not the best way to convince audiences to take Superman serious after Superman IV: The Quest For Peace and seemed like a desperate attempt to reimagine a character that didn't need to be reimagined. As for Poirier's Superman Reborn, the script did stick closer to the content of the comics, but it still didn't sound entirely filmable.
BUT WHAT IF? If Superman Reborn had been produced the character would have died on screen and would have died at the box-office too. Those deaths would have been on your hands Jon Peters. Your hands!!!! |
 Superman Reborn? |
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