Before he entered the worlds of Star Trek and Star Wars, J.J. Abrams wrote a Superman reboot screenplay that nearly kicked off a new trilogy in the early 2000s.
The Abrams screenplay, titled Superman: Flyby, had a troubled history with changing directors and difficulties securing a new Man of Steel. Now, images of production concept art uncovered by Ryan Unicomb reveal what could have been of this ambitious film. The first image shows the classic Superman suit from the waist up. His face strongly resembles actor Josh Hartnett, who was a leading contender for the role at the time. The subsequent images show a rocky-looking Krypton, the skyline of Metropolis, and a shot of Superman and Lois Lane meeting on top of the Daily Planet at night.
The storyboards for Superman: Flyby were revealed in 2019 by Peter Ramsey, who went on to co-direct Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Ramsey was a storyboard artist on the unproduced project before moving on to directing opportunities.
Superman: Flyby was planned as a reimagining of the origin story with a civil war on Krypton, Lex Luthor as a government agent obsessed with UFOs, and a showdown against Ty-Zor and a trio of Kryptonians. Along the way, the Man of Steel tries to come to terms with his extraordinary powers. Directors such as Brett Ratner and McG were attached to the project. Actors including Paul Walker, Brendan Fraser, Jude Law, and Wentworth Miller were considered for the title role. Disagreements over filming locations and casting concerns resulted in the project being delayed over the course of two years.
Abrams shared his Superman: Flyby ideas during the release of Man of Steel in 2013. Ironically, Steel's star Henry Cavill was in serious contention for the Flyby project when he was an unknown actor.
When the Superman: Flyby project failed to get off the ground in 2004, Warner Bros. Pictures and producer Jon Peters decided to change direction with Bryan Singer's vision for the Man of Steel. That film became Superman Returns in 2006 starring Brandon Routh and served as a spiritual sequel to Superman: The Movie and Superman II. Despite mostly positive reviews from critics, Superman Returns failed to break even at the worldwide box office.
Abrams is currently working with Warner Bros. Pictures on a diverse Superman reboot with screenwriter Ta-Nehisi Coates. The project is reportedly focusing on a Black Kal-El of Krypton and will be treated as a standalone story outside the DC Extended Universe.
Source: Twitter