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Things We Saw Today: Check Out These Storyboards From J.J. Abrams’ Scrapped Superman Movie

Plus Harry Potter, Jon Hamm, and more!

By Jun 22nd, 2019, 5:52 pm
jj abrams, star wars, episode ix, rey, felicity, ending

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Hollywood is littered with discarded superhero films that, for one reason or another, never made the leap onto the big screen. One of these films was Superman: Flyby, written in the early 2000s by a young J.J. Abrams with McG (Charlie’s Angels) set to direct. This was back before Abrams became the man who reinvigorated both the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises, when he was just the successful showrunner of Felicity and Alias.

The synopsis for the film read:

Superman: Flyby was an origin story that included Krypton besieged by a civil war between Jor-El and his corrupt brother, Kata-Zor. Before Kata-Zor sentences Jor-El to prison, Kal-El is launched to Earth to fulfill a prophecy. Adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, he forms a romance with Lois Lane in the Daily Planet. However, Lois is more concerned with exposing Lex Luthor, written as a government agent obsessed with UFO phenomena. Clark reveals himself to the world as Superman, bringing Kata-Zor’s son, Ty-Zor, and three other Kryptonians to Earth. Superman is defeated and killed, and visits Jor-El (who committed suicide on Krypton while in prison) in Kryptonian heaven. Resurrected, he returns to Earth and defeats the four Kryptonians, while the script ends with Superman off to Krypton, leaving a cliffhanger for a sequel.

For one reason or another the film never came to be, and was soon scrapped in favor of Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns. Now, Peter Ramsey is sharing storyboards from the film on social media. Ramsey was a storyboard artist at the time, but has since risen in the ranks, and was one of the directors of last year’s excellent Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

These storyboards are a fascinating glimpse into the work that happens behind the scenes of these superhero movies. You can see that Ramsey clearly has a love of the material, and his passion shows in the delightful Spider-verse. What do you think? Would you want to watch a J.J. Abrams-McG Superman film, or better yet, a Peter Ramsey animated Supes film?

(via /Film, image: Ken Ishii/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

  • Jon Hamm and Adria Arjona on filming Good Omens and working with Neil Gaiman. (via Collider)
  • Hey Angelenos: a new Harry Potter-themed coffee shop, Nimbus Coffee, has opened in downtown L.A. Accio caffeine! (via DoLA)
  • Get a closer look at Dazzler, aka the best part of Dark Phoenix. (via CBR)
  • The Tobe Zoo in Japan demonstrated a lion escape drill with a man in a suit. The lions are not amused:
  • Here’s a peek at the alternate ending for Pet Sematary. (via /Film)
  • DC is rolling out a huge selection of YA/middle grade graphic novels in the coming years. (via The Beat)
  • Cancer season is officially upon us, where are my fellow crabs at?

What are you up to today, Junebugs?

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Author
Chelsea Steiner
Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.
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