2001 Movie News Archives

February 6, 2001: Superman Lives Pre-Production Rumor

A "spy" has alerted Ain't It Cool News to some reported info re: pre-production work on the delayed SUPERMAN LIVES film. The film has been delayed, and may be delayed further if studio executives decide to wait until the "Smallville" TV series has run its course.
Here's AICN's report (make of it what you will, personally I don't give it much credence, but place it here for the purpose of being complete):
"I got a look at the new Superman film, still titled SUPERMAN LIVES. And despite recent rumors that it was cancelled because of the 'Smallville' show, the movie is still in pre-production. So anyway...my friend took me to Warner Bros. studios in Southern CA, and we were lead into a room full of Superman Lives pre-production and artwork. (The room was about the size of a normal living room...smaller than I expected.)
After we got into the room I saw four animation-clay figures of Superman each with a different costume: (About a foot and a half each)
Figure #1: Had Superman in the classic, cloth costume. Under, it was labled, 'The Classic Red & Blue.'
Figure #2: Had Superman wearing a black rubber suit. Looked like what would have happened if the X-Men costume creator did the Man of Steel. Labled 'Back From The Dead.' (My friend told me it was carried over from the previous versions of the film.)
Figure #3: This version was by far the best... it had Supes wearing a thin ruber suit that seemed somewhat like the classic version, but styled up a little here and there to make it ready for the 21st century! The best touch was the LONG cape which seemed like it was out of Spawn. Labeled 'Superman modernized.' (Or something along those lines)
Figure #4: Imagine the costume for Batman... now imagine if they did a Superman one just like it. That's what you have hear. Armor and everything. I like this look for Batman but not Superman. (And besides why would Superman have to wear armor???) Labeled 'Man of Steel.'
Now comes the coolest part: There were two computer screens in the corner. One had a screensaver on and the other had stopped video. My friend played the video which lasted about 20 seconds... except those 20 seconds kicked ASS! Here's what I saw:
The Superman symbol morphes into some text that says, 'SUPERMAN TEST FLIGHT: Part 2.' A live action (yep, ya heard me) Superman flies up from some fog, and into the sky. We see him fly right by a CGI plane. (Superman is wearing the costume in 'figure 1') then he does a front flip and lands feet first on a skyscraper. (The wire work looks well-done. I didn't know who the actor was, but I'm guessing a stunt double or acrobat.) Then Supes looks off of the skyscaper at the traffic below, with the wind against his face, and his cape blowing in the air. Then he dives off like a diver and as he is going down he does a Peter Pan like twist in the air and looks at the camera and waves. Then... it ends.
I just stood and wanted more. It was great. Okay, so the SFX weren't as good as THE MATRIX or CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, but it was the best we've ever seen Superman. (It rocked the crap outa the stupid TNT 'Lois and Clark'!) I then got to look at the wall which was covered in pre-production storyboards of Superman fighting some guys in terrorist suits and holding big, Men-in-Black-like guns. It showed the same few shots each with Superman wearing the different suites from the different figures.
On the car ride home, I tried to find out as much as I could from my friend, but he didn't know anything... no director, no actor, no nothing. So that's it, I'll send in anymore info when I get it."

2001 Movie News

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