Tim Burton's Superman.

Long before Bryan Singer supposedly screwed up with Superman Returns, Tim Burton had his own Supes flick in the works entitled, Superman Lives!. The movie was to be based on the death and re-birth of Superman, and had a script by Kevin Smith. The craziest part, however, was that actor Nicholas Cage had signed a pay or play contract to appear as Superman. Basically, this meant he was able to keep the $25 million they gave him, even if the project fell apart in pre-production.

Well it did.

And now that I've had a chance to gaze at this production design from the project, the only thing I can think to say is, "Thank God!":


While a great director, Burton clearly had no business making a Superman film. If they had actually made Superman Lives! with this particular look for the title character, they might as well have called it Edward Superhands. Sure, Mr. Blue Tights would have been re-born in the film, which would technically mean he was part of the walking - and flying - undead, but that's not a good enough reason for him to look like a zombie. Actually, he kind of looks like Bizarro in a way.

Part of the reason that Superman Returns cost so much to make is because Singer & co. had to absorb most of the money spent on the Superman Lives! project. And while Superman Returns made all of that money back plus more in the theaters and on DVD, many people still consider it a flop.

But anyone who was able to take a production that lingered in the lowest rung of development hell for more than ten years, and who in the process rescued its iconic hero from looking like the picture above, deserves major kudos in my book. Way to go, Singer! And hurry up already with your sequel, The Man of Steel.