In the late '90s, Tim Burton was hard at work developing Superman Lives with Nicolas Cage attached as the Man of Steel. The expected 'futuristic' reboot was canceled in 2001 after a financial struggle and script changes caused Burton to exit the project.
In a soon-to-be released documentary The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? the reasons behind Burton's departure are explored -- along with exactly what happened when the flick failed to push past the pre-production stage. Included within the film is some abandoned footage, shot in 1997, of Cage decked out for the first time in a brand new Supes suit.
In the clip Cage is neck-to-toe in the skin-tight blue costume. Burton also appears, and the two discuss the outfit as Cage swings his arms around to test the suit's range of motion. It's a rare glimpse into an alternate version of Superman that we'll only ever see through this type of test footage.
Will there be even more shots of Cage as Clark Kent? Find out when The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? arrives on DVD, Blu-ray and online July 9.
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