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A Look at the JJ Abrams/Brett Ratner Superman Movie That Never Was

Posted on Thursday, February 26th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta

jj abrams superman

In 2002, JJ Abrams wrote a script which was supposed to be the first film in a trilogy of Superman movies. Aint It Cool once wrote that the script read “like it’ll cost $400 million” and involved sequences featuring “air combat between five superpowered Kryptonians and fighter jets from 24 nations. Kryptonite missiles. Ass-kickin’ on a level we’ve never seen before on film.” A post-Matrix film project where Superman flies through the air fighting a villain using super-powered martial arts.

Over 30 pages of superfights, more action than 20 of Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns. Superman dies but returns from the dead, and the mind-numbingly horrible reveal that Lex Luthor is actually a second son of Krypton, and also has superpowers. A disaster.  Brett Ratner was attached to direct, but the project eventually fell into development hell.

Apparently the project got far enough into development that illustrator Phil Saunders was creating concept art for the project for four months. Recently Saunders released a random image from the failed project on his blog, showing Superman facing off against a Kryptonian Battle Pod called a Rouser in Gotham City (yes, Gotham City). Saunders explained that Production Designer Owen Patterson wanted a straight one-point perspective view “so you could compare scale.” Click on the image above to enlarge.

via: SuperPunch

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  • "wanted a straight one-point perspective view of Superman facing off against the Rouser (a Japa... er, Kryptonian Battle Pod, don't ask) so you could compare scale. I had fun designing the Rouser, though."

    Not sure if that Godzilla-style villian idea could have worked. Also the city resembles Gotham in that background. I like Superman because he's such a constrast to Batman. Both in terms of the city he lives in and the time of day he fights.
  • The city is actually Gotham City. From AICN's script review:

    "The film starts with a news broadcast. The anchor on TV looks frazzled, panicked. He tells everyone to get underground, that the Pyramids have been destroyed, that Paris is burning, that most of South America is gone. He blames it all on Superman. There’s a terrible noise, and we whipcut to outside, to the streets of Gotham City (yes, I said Gotham), where a figure in body armor and a ninja’s cloak walks down the center of the street, using breath that is the “force of a thousand hurricanes” to blow buses and cars away, flattening five square blocks in the process."
  • yeah, besides Gotham City is owned by DC Comics, and I've seen some comics of Superman in Gotham City.
  • No one seems to have mentioned the obvious, which is that the chaos described sounds very similar to Cloverfield.
  • Mecline
    Cloverfield had a Kryptonian in body armor leveling 5 blocks with a single breath?
  • If you check out the blog, the artist also has art from Jon Fav's John Carter of Mars (which is now under the direcotr of Pixar). Very interesting stuff.
  • [A]
    that image alone is more fun than Superman Returns. still, good thing it never happened: a JJ Abrams script directed by Brett Ratner? The horror, the horror..........
  • Kyle
    Yeah I would have much rather have gotten this than the Superman Returns Suckfest. If we were doomed to getting a disastrous Superman movie either way, then the one with excitement and mondo action is preferable.
  • Man I was already a defender of Superman Returns and I feel like this plot description gives me more fire power, you definitely can't say that thats not more ridiculous then Superman's kid which was really just a wtf moments nit pick that got blown out of proportion like most of the problems people have with Superman Returns... Boy I can't believe JJ Abrahms wrote that, that even makes me more concerned for Star Trek... That just sounds so bad.
  • Britpick
    Then you could honestly say that most of the gripes with the JJ Abrams version are also nit picks that got blown out of proportion. Both versions have the same amount of faults (Babymama drama vs Kryptonian Lex, etc). They are just different faults.
  • also, it seems like the artist of the blog (PHIL) is also working on TR2N. HE HAS THE BEST JOB IN TEH WORLD, DOESN'T HE?
  • Well yes, that all sounds rather awful...
  • The Picture is cool but the story isn't. A Krypton's Ninja...seriously...that have to be the dumbest thing i have ever heard and yet it sounds better then Superman Returns. But i think people want something new with the Superman movie's. I'd like to see Brainac or Bizzaro, hell even Mr. Mxyzptlk
  • Tokyopop
    If 2006 was destined to produce Superman in a trash movie, then better it be a trash movie with insane amounts of action. Mr. Mxyzptk is not a name that comes up often in these discussions, but he's very intriguing. Usually we get the same 3 villain names recycled over and over, but Mxyzptlk could do some serious damage. At least it's a refreshing idea even if I prefer the more usual Doomsday choice.
  • aye
    Wasn't the trilogy in pre-viz?
  • Palmer
    Well, at least Brett Ratner will never again be near a Superman project. And you know, no giant spider.
  • Prat
    Superman has still soo much potential to be a kick-ass dude. I wouldnt want him to be a hero though.. more of a anti-hero, like a good guy, whos soo good that people turn on him, kind of like a god. People would blame him for all the most stupid things and such, so that he goes nuts for a portion of the movie and comes back later in super duper flying mode.

    Wasnt that Miller was planning though? something like that? Would be cool.
  • it would be interesting if they end up using those unused action scenes in the next film...because I think we can all agree that the biggest issues were the action levels and villains...also it would make sense they've been talking about making it darker...what would make it more darker for Superman than fighting and or killing his own people to protect Earth
  • I agree, Superman Returns did lack action and if they could do this "Air combat between five superpowered Kryptonians and fighter jets from 24 nations," that would be cool.
  • that is the impending threat needed for the next movie...we need Superman saving the planet not just a city...it sounds amazingly epic maybe J.J. Abrams will actually end up directing if they don't end up having Singer back...if he could do for Superman what he's done for Star Trek I think fans would be happy
  • I wouldn't mind seeing a JJ Abrams Superman movie. I think he would have to work on the script just a bit though, you know for budget reasons and what not. Oh yeah, I think that when Abrams wrote that script, he might have had to follow certain guidelines like when Kevin Smith wrote his.
  • JFK
    Yeah guidelines... make it one long awkward wet dream of action and incoherence.
  • of course the script needs to be fixed but keep the action and epic scale in....the story has many problems but the action sequences sound really interesting if they ever made it on screen...
  • yeah. you guys are soooooooo right. Abrams is the man to direct this thing if they insist o ndoing it.
  • Wow that's some nice concept art. Gotham City looks like it does in The Dark Knight.
  • filmkid
    lets have Michael Bay direct a reboot Superman at least we see some major actions.

    im glad they did not do this movie cause i will be pissed if i find out now Lex Luther is a second son of Krypton. They should of really bring in Darkseid in the next movie and dont make Superman as a damn stalker.
  • Would love to J.J Abrams directing Superman: Doomsday would be crazy..
  • ARRRGH Sounds awful.
  • The action actually sounds like what I want from a Superman movie but some of the story ideas, like the Luthor thing...ugh...

    I'd really like a Superman trilogy telling the death of SUperman storyline.
  • shame we will have to wait years for another attempt at Supes .. hopefully it won't be the origin story as we all know it
  • Reed
    As we all know it. The general public, particularly the youth, is grossly ignorant of Superman's origin. I'm an avid fan, and people always ask me: "If Kryptonite is pieces of his planet, why does it hurt him?" My answer is a punch to the face.
    I think a light retelling of his origin would be worthwhile. It doesn't have to be a whole storyline, just a scene of Jor El's attempt to save his planet and only saving his son. For one, it's poignant and could make an entire movie of its own (someday I hope it does), second, it's relevant to earth today.
  • Tyler
    If this art is from 2002, then why is Nolan's Chicago-gotham the setting? You can see Wayne Tower from BB and TDK in the art, which didn't show up on screen until 2005??
  • Baconface
    this movie would have been freaking terrible
  • we need to move beyond ratner. have polanski do it- something unconventional - like ladger as joker.
  • If polanski did it. It would just be a film based on Superboy.
  • lol thats so mean.
  • John Freeman
    K, ill just go and say that - this would have been awesome, it had seen the light of day. Not only far better then what we got with superman returns, but over the top awsome to drool over, like matrix reloaded.
  • A. J.
    It's a shame that a superhero with incredible potential like Superman has yet to have a great movie made. I can't say I like the idea of Luthor being from Krypton but I'd love to see Supes in some extraordinary fights and actions sequences.
  • Django
    NOW I see what Joss Whedon was talking about. As Epic as you could make it, it STILL doesn't have my interest!
  • Reed
    Though baby-mama drama is abhorring, Kryptonian Lex would have been absolutely unacceptable.
  • Yeah that baby drama thing is bullshit.. That at best was a "oh thats wierd moment, I hope they don't have superboy". A krypton Lex and a Brett the rat directing are not speculative nit picks, you fucking stupid if you think Brett Ratner would have made a better Superman movie.
  • Does anyone though think that Brett Ratner would have made a better Superman movie?
  • thank god they never made this movie.
  • Agreed. This basically sounds like Michael Bay Superman...on crack.
  • thats exactly why i kinda want this
  • I'm mad there is still no Wonder Woman movie!
  • Two words: Invisible car!
  • Reed
    I've always thought a scene with Superman fighting an alien invasion supported by F-18s would be incredible.
  • Kind of like Independence Day meets Superman Returns, something like that? It would be cool to see Superman fly side by side with some fighter jets while they're helping destroy an alien invasion.
  • /filmhate
    that's cause it isn't very good
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