MovieChat Forums > Superman (1978) Discussion > Did Richard Donner Have An Ending Planne...

Did Richard Donner Have An Ending Planned For This?

posted 18 days ago by FootOfDavros (8193)
7 replies | jump to latest

In the Donner Cut, it disappointingly just reuses the spinning earth backwards to reverse time ending we got in the first one. It seems Donner didn't like the magic kiss...

Anyway a lot of people don't like that and one of the criticisms was - Well he had plenty of time before making the re-cut to have come up with something else, even although the spinning was supposedly originally intended for the second film.

But what I don't really remember reading anything about is - If he always intended the second film to end that way, what was his idea for the first film?

He's still got the two missiles to deal with. Or did he originally have that happening at the end of two as well?

In which case, none of that Luthor plot was meant for the end of the first film. So what did he have planned instead?

[–] ak47wong (578) 5 days ago

In the original plan, one missile activates the San Andreas fault and Supes repairs the fault, rescues the school bus, builds a dam, etc. rescuing everyone including Lois who doesn't die a horrible suffocating death.

Meanwhile, the second missile explodes in space releasing the Kryptonian villains, ending the first movie on a cliffhanger with Zod shouting “FREEEEEE!” (shown in the pre-credits scene of the Donner Cut and I was never a fan of that particular shot).

[–] FootOfDavros (8193) 5 days ago

I do remember that from the start of the Donner cut. So does that mean the scenes with Lex talking about double jeopardy and not being able to stop then both were filmed after he was kicked off the park? If not and he filmed those scenes he shouldn't really have agreed to complain about the ending and make an alternate cut of II. After all, he's credited with the first one.

Also, in his original II to what point would Superman spin back time? Right until the Phantom Zone was cracked open? Because that would make the entirety of II not happen if he'd got his way...

[–] ak47wong (578) 5 days ago

About the double jeopardy comment: that applies no matter which version of the movie you watch. Whether the second missile explodes in space harmlessly or it releases the Phantom Zone villains, it’s true that Supes couldn’t stop both missiles.

About spinning back time: nothing about this plot device makes any sense at all so there’s no point trying to analyse it too deeply in my opinion 😄

[–] FootOfDavros (8193) 4 days ago

I don't get what you mean re the double jeopardy thing still applying in the Donner cut - The non Californian fault missile was heading towards New Jersey and Miss Tessmacher's mom wasn't It?

Are you saying Donner's intention was that it would just fail and blow up in space? But even still, Superman agreed to go after that one first...

[–] FootOfDavros (8193) 3 days ago

Are you saying Donner's intention was that it would just fail and blow up in space?

Just rewatched the start of the Donner cut and again it shows Miss Tessmacher freeing him and he goes after the first missile and pushes it into space. No random failure.

Then after the title credits, Lois and Jimmy are safely in the Daily Planet with no mention of the second missile!

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7704) 4 days ago

Personally I like it the way it turned out.

Cause spinning the earth backward in time to save your girlfriend is way better than spinning the earth backwards in time cause you can't stand you chose your girlfriend over the world.

[–] FootOfDavros (8193) 4 days ago

...cause you can't stand you chose your girlfriend over the world.

To be fair he kind of decides that anyway. It's 50/50 with getting beat up by Rocky and seeing Zod and co on the news.

Kind of pathetic really - he did last further than reaching that diner without his powers!