In what I guess is not a really a surprise move, Warner Bros. is getting ready to take advantage of the come back of the Superman franchise. With Superman Returns scheduled to open in late June, the studio is going back into the vaults to offer spiffed up editions of the four previous Superman films and now plans to release the Superboy TV series of the late 80s.
Much like last years Batman Anthology, original producer of the first three films, Ilya Salkind, is working with Warners on a boxed set that will offer up special editions of Superman, Superman II and Superman III (and one can guess, Superman IV will be included). While the studio did put out a “special directors edition” of 1978's Superman, which director Richard Donner added some footage to film that was incorporated when ABC aired the film on TV, I’m wondering if they are planning to add even more (as Donner did not include all the stuff that aired on ABC ).
Still, after a many years of bitterness between the Salkind’s and Donner, Warners has also appeared to finally approved Richard Donner to go back and give us his verison of Superman II. How can there be two versions, you ask? Well, due to the then cost of producing the first film, Warners decided to make two films simultaneously, this way the cost could be spread over two films. So, Richard Donner and his team made Superman and Superman II together. As production problems where adding up, and they were facing a possible delay release of the first film, the Salkind’s and Donner stopped working on Superman II (with about 80% or more of the film finished) and worked on getting the first film in theaters.
Donner and the Salkind’s were reported to have a very tenuous relationship, as both were seeking to bring the best possible film to the screen. After Superman was finished and Donner ready to head back and finish Superman II, he was abruptly fired by the Salkind’s. Director Richard Lester was brought in to complete the sequel. But since Donner had completed so much of the film, according to Directors Guild of America rules, no matter who finished the film, Donner would still need to be credited with it. So instead of doing that, the Salkind’s scrapped much of Donner’s work, reworked the script -adding some the cheesy humor that took over the film - and re-filmed others with Lester behind the camera.
Lester was credited as director, yet some of Donner’s work was present -which, while a good film, did give it an unevenness that -at times - was distracting. And add the fact that Gene Hackman refused to re-film any of his scenes with Lester added further to its problems.
Flash forward to 2003 when Donner was allowed to reincorporate the ABC footage into his version of the first film for its 25th anniversary. It was then that word began to get out even more that Richard Donner’s version of Superman II did exist, but because of all the animosity that existed between the Salkind’s, Donner. Lester and Warner Bros., the studio had no plans to allow that version to be released.
Yet, now that it appears that Superman Returns is the film of summer 2006, and that Bryan Singer’s new film is more or less a continuation of Superman II (which will include John Williams original score plus footage of the late Marlon Brando that was never used in the first two films), and that Singer has such high regards for Donner’s work, Warners seems to - along with Ilya Salkind - finally capitulated and will allow Donner to show his version of Superman II.
Also, the Salkind’s are also preparing a boxed set of Superboy: The Complete First Season. Unlike Smallville, this 1988-1992 syndicated series has Clark Kent donning the supersuit to save Lana Lang and the rest of Samllville from Lex Luthor and other evils. John Haymes Newton played Clark during season 1, and was replaced by Gerard Christopher for seasons 2 through 4. Stacy Haiduk -who would go onto to star in SeaQuest DSV - played Lana Lang and was only one of the main cast to survive all four seasons.
At this time, Warners has yet to announce when the special editions of the Superman films (including Donner’s new version of the second one) or when Superboy will be out, but June seems to be logical tie-in date.
Much like last years Batman Anthology, original producer of the first three films, Ilya Salkind, is working with Warners on a boxed set that will offer up special editions of Superman, Superman II and Superman III (and one can guess, Superman IV will be included). While the studio did put out a “special directors edition” of 1978's Superman, which director Richard Donner added some footage to film that was incorporated when ABC aired the film on TV, I’m wondering if they are planning to add even more (as Donner did not include all the stuff that aired on ABC ).
Still, after a many years of bitterness between the Salkind’s and Donner, Warners has also appeared to finally approved Richard Donner to go back and give us his verison of Superman II. How can there be two versions, you ask? Well, due to the then cost of producing the first film, Warners decided to make two films simultaneously, this way the cost could be spread over two films. So, Richard Donner and his team made Superman and Superman II together. As production problems where adding up, and they were facing a possible delay release of the first film, the Salkind’s and Donner stopped working on Superman II (with about 80% or more of the film finished) and worked on getting the first film in theaters.
Donner and the Salkind’s were reported to have a very tenuous relationship, as both were seeking to bring the best possible film to the screen. After Superman was finished and Donner ready to head back and finish Superman II, he was abruptly fired by the Salkind’s. Director Richard Lester was brought in to complete the sequel. But since Donner had completed so much of the film, according to Directors Guild of America rules, no matter who finished the film, Donner would still need to be credited with it. So instead of doing that, the Salkind’s scrapped much of Donner’s work, reworked the script -adding some the cheesy humor that took over the film - and re-filmed others with Lester behind the camera.
Lester was credited as director, yet some of Donner’s work was present -which, while a good film, did give it an unevenness that -at times - was distracting. And add the fact that Gene Hackman refused to re-film any of his scenes with Lester added further to its problems.
Flash forward to 2003 when Donner was allowed to reincorporate the ABC footage into his version of the first film for its 25th anniversary. It was then that word began to get out even more that Richard Donner’s version of Superman II did exist, but because of all the animosity that existed between the Salkind’s, Donner. Lester and Warner Bros., the studio had no plans to allow that version to be released.
Yet, now that it appears that Superman Returns is the film of summer 2006, and that Bryan Singer’s new film is more or less a continuation of Superman II (which will include John Williams original score plus footage of the late Marlon Brando that was never used in the first two films), and that Singer has such high regards for Donner’s work, Warners seems to - along with Ilya Salkind - finally capitulated and will allow Donner to show his version of Superman II.
Also, the Salkind’s are also preparing a boxed set of Superboy: The Complete First Season. Unlike Smallville, this 1988-1992 syndicated series has Clark Kent donning the supersuit to save Lana Lang and the rest of Samllville from Lex Luthor and other evils. John Haymes Newton played Clark during season 1, and was replaced by Gerard Christopher for seasons 2 through 4. Stacy Haiduk -who would go onto to star in SeaQuest DSV - played Lana Lang and was only one of the main cast to survive all four seasons.
At this time, Warners has yet to announce when the special editions of the Superman films (including Donner’s new version of the second one) or when Superboy will be out, but June seems to be logical tie-in date.
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