Movie development can be tricky to navigate. The movies that do make it to the big screen almost never resemble the original script that was put into development, and some never make it to the screen at all. What follows are just some of the many different movies that the general audience never got to see. I have also compared them to the version of the movie we got, if applicable.

Superman Lives starring Nicolas Cage

“Nic Cage in The Death of Superman Lives” appears courtesy of blog.coyoteproductions.co.uk

What we almost got: No list about movies that never got past the development stage is complete without mentioning Superman Lives. The film was set for a mid-‘90s release with Tim Burton directing a script by Kevin Smith, and starring Nicolas Cage as the last son of Krypton. Jim Carrey was cast as Brainiac, the big bad of the film, and Superman would have also fought a giant spider at some point. If that sounds completely insane, don’t worry; it is. Ultimately, the film never got out of pre-production despite the extensive work that Smith and Burton had done for the film. Watch the documentary The Death of Superman Lives for a more detailed account of what happened. And look up the costume test of Cage dressed as Superman because it is, just, delightful. [Ed. Note: See above. You’re welcome]  

What we actually got: Following a few more failed attempts to revive the character (including one involving J.J. Abrams), Superman made his return to the screen in 2006’s Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer. Though not without its moments, the film is widely regarded as a failure both as a movie and as an update of the character. Combine that with an unnecessary running time, and very little for its hero to do, and Man of Steel looks a little bit better by comparison. [Ed. Note: Man of Steel is fantastic. It just is, haters.]

Would it have been better? It’s impossible to tell how good the final version of Superman Lives would have turned out, but it’s safe to assume that it would have been one of the most memorable superhero films of all time. Combine Tim Burton during the prime of his career with a more consistently insane Nicolas Cage (as he was in the ‘90s) and this movie might have been a pretty fun watch.

Steven Spielberg’s Revenge of the Jedi

Photo appears courtesy of en.Wikipedia.org

What we almost got: When George Lucas was developing the second sequel to his smash hit Star Wars, he initially wanted his friend and Indiana Jones collaborator to take the reins. The film would have had its climax on Kashyyyk, a.k.a. Chewbacca’s home planet, and instead of adorable looking teddy bears, the Empire would have been defeated by an army of angry Chewbaccas. Damn, why wasn’t this made? Spielberg was interested in directing the film, but clashes between Lucas and the Director’s Guild (who’s membership included Steven Spielberg) made it impossible for a deal to be worked out, and Lucas handed the director reins to Richard Marquand.

What we actually got: Opinion on Return of the Jedi varies from fan to fan. Some like the intensity and catharsis that came from Luke’s final confrontation with Vader. The film also put Princess Leia in a bikini to the thanks of prepubescent boys everywhere. However, the criticism often brings up the fact that the Ewoks, the creatures who replaced the Wookies, were clearly a marketing gimmick designed to sell toys. The story has also been scrutinized, as it essentially retells the same story from the original film (the rebels have to blow up a Death Star), leading many to declaring this as the weakest of the original Star Wars trilogy. Despite these criticisms, the film does actually wrap up Star Wars’ story rather well.

Would it have been better? Probably. Spielberg was coming off his success with E.T., and it’s not that much of a stretch to think that he would have had a pretty big say in how the film would turn out. The Wookies would have probably been more welcome to the film’s climax, and the whole thing could have been slightly darker.

The Hobbit directed by Guillermo del Toro

Photo appears courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

What we almost got: After the success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, there was a lot of expectation about the possibility of a Hobbit movie. Originally, Peter Jackson (who directed Lord of the Rings) was set to produce a Guillermo del Toro directed Hobbit. Del Toro went to work and developed numerous different practical effects for the films, including a rather menacing looking orc that would have been the primary antagonist. Smaug would also have had a much more unique look, having a look that suggested more intelligence as opposed to the somewhat generic looking dragon he turned out to be. Despite del Toro’s work on the project, which included prosthetics tests, the studio would not green light the project (something that’s becoming frustratingly common with Guillermo del Toro projects). Combined with MGM’s bankruptcy, del Toro left the production, forcing Peter Jackson into a directing chair he didn’t want to be in.

What we actually got: The most expensive adaptation ever. Seriously, if you calculate how much money was spent per page it averages out to something like $10,000 a page, probably more. The Hobbit films are often compared to the Star Wars prequel trilogy; a whole lot of CGI sound and fury signifying nothing. It also didn’t help much when the movies were padded out from an already unnecessary two movies into three. Despite the box office grosses, which total well over a billion, the films are considered inferior to the previous Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Would it have been better? Without question. A big problem with Jackson’s Hobbit movies is the fact that he feels burned out by Middle-Earth. And who can blame him? The Lord of the Rings was one of the biggest productions ever. Jackson also had to start from scratch following del Toro’s exit and was not given the time needed to deliver great films. Looking at the concept art del Toro had done, as well as the perfect pairing of director with material, The Hobbit could have been something special.

We’ll be back next week with Part 2 of Movies We Almost Got, where Connor will take a look at 4 other films we almost had introduced to us, for better or for worse.

Don’t forget to check out Volume 3 of the Aberrant Literature Short Fiction Collection, available now on Amazon.com! Click the pic for more info!