Superman II: Deleted Scenes

This fall Warner Brothers is re-releasing the Superman movies in a collectors box set that will include the four Christopher Reeves films and Supergirl (why Supergirl?). Included in the set will be a re-edit of Superman II that will include the previously lost footage shot by Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner. Donner was hired to film the first two Superman films at the same time, but while filming Superman II he was fired and replaced. From what your Uncle Buck has read, the first movie was supposed to end with a cliff hanger into Superman II. The idea was that the rocket that Lex Luther is using to destroy California is pushed into outer space by Superman and when it explodes the 3 criminals from Krypton (General Zod, Ursa and Non) escape and wreak havoc on Earth. Instead, when producers fired Donner and decided not to pay Marlon Brando the extra money to include a couple scenes with him in Superman II (which is why Supes has a heart to heart with his mom instead of his dad at the Fortress of Solitude), the story was changed to the h-bomb in the Eiffel Tower that releases General Zod and his crew. Anyway, thanks to DavisDVD.com, UB was alerted to a couple of the deleted scenes on YouTube.com:

In this 1st scene, Lois Lane and Superman have a little moment apparently after Zod and crew have been defeated and "snow police" have removed Lex Luther from the Fortress of Solitude:



In this 2nd deleted scene, Supes and Lois have returned home after the battle at the Fortress of Solitude.



As a bonus, here is a re-edited opening for Superman II by some fan. The idea is this is what Superman II would have started out like, had Donner completed the film. Once the credits begin to roll there is no more video, but you can enjoy the John Williams soundtrack. (Note that when Gen. Zod and the others are put in the Phantom Zone mirror thing they are begging for forgiveness from Jor-El, yet in the open of Superman II their cries of help are re-edited and Zod swears he will get his revenge, "You will bow down before me Jor-El!")

Richard Donner was asked about the release of his "lost" Superman II footage during an interview for his new film 16 Blocks. Here is that interview...

While Lex and Otis stew in jail, check out these links to Superman II deleted scenes, followed by some images:

- Superman thread with Forum

- Screen shots from deleted scenes and images from the TV version of Superman II

- More missing screen shots from Superman II

- Superman II errors

Clark and Jor-El try and get his powers back from this scene cut from Superman II...

Interestingly, Marlin Brando wrote many of his lines on the baby's diaper...he may have been lazy but he was the man...

"ROAR!!!!"

"Would you like some Super Soup?"

For some reason General Zod decides to use a machine gun to tear up the White House...what a jerk...

The North Pole police arrest Lex Luther...Hey, is that Tommy Lee Jones?

"Lois and Superman, you've just defeated the super criminals from Krypton, what are you going to do next?"

"Um, Clark...I told my parents we would spend the weekend with them in Amish Country..."

"You...did..."

"WHAT!!!!"