10 Cancelled Movies (That SECRETLY Lived On)

1. Superman Lives

The Film

For a while there, Superman Lives was mostly just known as the subject of one of Kevin Smith's best anecdotes from his stand-up shows, because the production process was beset by the "creativity" of some of the studio executives. Then we got The Death Of Superman Lives - a great look into what could have been that told the production story in way more detail - and it became clear how close the film got to being made.

Ultimately, though, Warner Bros simply lost their enthusiasm for the project, believing it couldn't be profitable (they'd already spent $30m on NOT making it by that point) and Smith got his great after dinner speech content.

How It Lived On

Smith's story goes that he was brought in to write Superman Lives by hairdresser-turned-film producer, Jon Peters and the producer insisted he use some of his own ideas. That included a scene in which he wanted to see Superman do battle with a giant spider-like creature called a "Thanagarian Snare Beast."

Smith obliged, and some concept art was even drawn up...

In the end, Smith's draft was rejected - probably because it included terrible ideas like giant spider monsters - and the production moved onto Tim Burton's version. But Peters wouldn't be foiled entirely, because he was also producing Wild Wild West and much to Smith's amusement, that film included the hero doing battle with a giant spider.

It might have been a steampunk one this time, rather than an alien, but it was clear that Peters had got his own way despite Spider-Man Lives' cancellation.