Before Nicolas Cage, the producer of Superman Lives had a different vision for the Man of Steel. Jon Peters, a Hollywood big shot, dreamed of a gritty, arachnid-fighting Superman. Peters wanted Sean Penn to play the role, inspired by his intense performance in 'Dead Man Walking'. However, when Tim Burton was hired, Nicolas Cage was cast instead. Cage's Superman was set to battle a giant spider in a gladiatorial arena, a concept that Peters had been pushing for. Despite the initial enthusiasm, 'Superman Lives' was ultimately scrapped, and Cage's iteration never materialized. The Flash, released in 2023, paid homage to this abandoned project with a Cage-style Superman fighting a giant spider, much to the delight of some fans, including Kevin Smith. This sequence sparked a debate about the potential success of such a film, leaving many to wonder what could have been.
