There are more dead Hollywood films out there than you could possibly imagine. No joke, for every one movie that gets made there are countless more that never get past the script stage. For one reason or another, these movies never gain enough momentum to get far. And then there are movies that go as far as pre-production before getting shut down unceremoniously. This was the case for Superman Lives, the Kevin Smith-penned movie starring Nicolas Cage. 

This is a project that was a part of Hollywood urban legends for the longest time. Years past, and really, the only stories the mainstream public had about the film came from an old Evening With Kevin Smith DVD. Of course, The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? changed things. It unraveled the entire thing right in front of our very eyes with exclusives clips and interviews.

But the mysteries keep on unraveling. Lex Luthor has been portrayed by countless actors across the mediums…but who did writer Kevin Smith have in mind for his movie? 

RELATED – Superman Lives: More Suit Footage Revealed

The filmmaker recently participated in a Focus Features watch party, where he discussed his second feature, Mallrats. For those who don’t know, Guardians of the Galaxy actor Michael Rooker was a part of the main cast of that film. I guess, it should come as no surprise that he was someone Smith had in mind for a fairly important role.

“When I wrote my Superman Lives script, Rooker was who I saw in my head as Lex Luthor. … So his head shaving became yet another comic book reference.”

Now, that’s not to say Rooker would have become Lex Luthor. As a writer on the project, Smith would have had little to no say on the subject. That being said, it would have been a pretty solid piece of casting, especially given how the actor looks. In the years since, Rooker has made quite a name for himself working alongside his buddy James Gunn. He’s no stranger to comic book movies these days, but that would have been an interesting one to add to his filmography.

Perhaps even more interesting is that he’s the actor Smith had in mind for the role. There’s something pretty special about situations where writers have specific actors in mind, and this would have been no exception.

How would you have felt about Michael Rooker playing Lex Luthor? Do you think Superman Lives was a missed opportunity? Let us know your thoughts down below!

Continue the LRM Online conversation on Discord by CLICKING HERE!

—–

Have you checked out LRM Online’s official podcast feed yet The LRM Online Podcast Network? This includes our flagship podcast Los Fanboys, our premiere podcast Breaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, and our morning show LRMornings. Check it out by listening below. It’s also available on all your favorite podcast apps!

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts |  Spotify  |  SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play

SOURCE: Focus Features (via MovieWeb)