ICYMI: Awesome Documentary On Nic Cage Superman Movie From Batman’s Tim Burton
What’s up, Rat Rock Nation? Davey Mac here and as some of you may or may not know…I’m a massive movie buff. Whether it’s my favorite franchise, Star Wars, a movie from Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorcese, a picture from Steven Spielberg, etc….I love the escapism of the movies!
LAS VEGAS – MAY 29: Actress Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia Organa character and actor Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker character from “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” are shown on screen while musicians perform during “Star Wars: In Concert” at the Orleans Arena May 29, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The traveling production features a full symphony orchestra and choir playing music from all six of John Williams’ Star Wars scores synchronized with footage from the films displayed on a three-story-tall, HD LED screen.
And that includes documentaries as well. I’m always up for a behind-the-scenes look into a rock band, famous event, or even the making of a movie itself. And that’s where we come to the subject of this article. In 2015, a filmmaker named Jon Schnepp decided to make a feature-length documentary on the doomed Tim Burton Superman movie.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – APRIL 30: Director Jon Schnepp attends the world premiere of ‘The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened?’ at the Egyptian Theatre on April 30, 2015 in Hollywood, California.
Wait…what? Tim Burton, who singlehandedly resurrected the Batman franchise with the 1989 classic starring Michel Keaton and Jack Nicholson? The man behind Beetlejuice? Pee Wee’s Big Adventure? THAT Tim Burton? And the answer…is YES…THAT Tim Burton! He was interested in the aspect of Superman feeling like a strange alien on planet Earth just discovering his powers.
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 12: Jury President Tim Burton attends the Jury Presentation Photocall at the Palais des Festivals during the 63rd International Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 2010 in Cannes, France.
But, that’s not all the craziness this excellent doc has to offer. Who did Tim Burton want playing Superman? None other than Nicolas Cage! With long hair! And acting all weird and Nic Cagey! THAT Nicolas Cage!
TORONTO, ONTARIO – SEPTEMBER 09: Nicolas Cage attends the “Butcher’s Crossing” Premiere during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 09, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario.
The film also features legendary Hollywood producer Jon Peters…who is a real character (and perhaps the villain) in this story. Peters would sometimes like to demonstrate his amateur martial arts skills on the special effects guys who were prepping for the movie. He also apparently demanded that no matter what else happened in this Superman picture…it was a MUST that the movie feature a giant spider. Um…huh?
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – APRIL 24: Movie producer Jon Peters poses for a portrait at his home on April 24, 2007 in Beverly Hills, California.
And we learn that story from Jersey’s own Kevin Smith…who also appears in the doc. Smith actually takes a crack at the first script for Peters and Burton…and Kevin has some hysterical stories to tell as always. Kevin chats about producer Peters and how he had some of the worst ideas Smith had ever heard. Classic stuff.
SAN DIEGO, CA – JULY 20: Host Kevin Smith speaks onstage at the ComiXology Movie Trivia Panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2017 on July 20, 2017 in San Diego, California.
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All in all…this is a really cool documentary. Yeah…it’s nine years old…but it’s pretty obscure so I thought I’d share. It starts a little basic…so don’t judge it by the first five or six minutes…but then it quickly picks up steam…and you hear from Burton, Peters, Cage, Smith, and more on the making and ultimate failure of this insane movie! Watch The Death Of Superman Lives below!
– Davey Mac
