Thread by @dcumoviepage

Is NOVEMBER 2021, and i wanna celebrate the 16 years of SUPERMAN 2: THE RICHARD DONNER CUT and tell a little bit from the History of the [much] waited director's cut of the legendary filmmaker Richard Donner! #Superman2DonnerCut

Is time to officially dive in the history behind the Richard Donner's cut of 'Superman 2', celebrating their sweet 16 this year!!! So follow the thread, kneel before Zod and lets do this! #Superman2DonnerCut

The beginning: Richard Donner was hired by the Salkinds (Alexander and Ilya , the producers of Superman 1 and 2) to shoot both Superman movies back to back. But at the time, the 2 movies were a juggernaut production, Hollywood's most expansive project ever. #Superman2DonnerCut

The Salkind acussed Richard Donner to go over budget, but Donner said he never had a budget at first place. As the production goes bigger and more complicated (as a release date for the first movie has becoming closer) choices had to be made towards the movie. #Superman2DonnerCut

So the Salkind (together with his friend and also producer of 'Superman' films, Pierre Spangler) call Richard Lester (what worked with the trio in the '3 & 4 Musketeers' films) to be a "uncredited producer and second-unit director". #Superman2DonnerCut

Salkind ends to be the "middle man" in the communication between Donner and the producers, helping to deal with all the conversations and decisions to make the film finish his shot without (more) issues. #Superman2DonnerCut

Meanwhile, the decision is to finish the first movie to be release at Christmas 1978 is made, so Donner's energy was focused on the post-production of 'Superman: The Movie', while the Salkind got a negative pickup deal with Warner [+] #Superman2DonnerCut

Meaning that the studio paid for the independent producer a certain amount of $$$ for the movie to be deliovered at the right time. That allow WB sold the 1st movie for international release and TV, giving the producers money enough to finish Superman 2. #Superman2DonnerCut

So with that in mind, 'Superman: the Movie' was release in 1978, and the rest is history... Until the problems start poppin. #Superman2DonnerCut

The transition: After the movie release, Donner said he just return to finish 'Superman 2' if Pierre Spangler is out as producer, besides Spangler tried to sell there is no fight happening. #Superman2DonnerCut

To make things worse, Marlon Brando sued the Salkinds for not respecting the contract, what guarantee a share of the B.O as his payment. he ends to be paid 15 million, but his scenes werent allowed to be use in 'Superman 2'. #Superman2DonnerCut

Donner wanted full creative control and Splanger out of the production, but the Salkinds choose their friend over the director, and he was officially out of the project on March 1979. #Superman2DonnerCut

After that, the Salkinds tried to have Guy Hamilton (which were aways a option because of his hits with James Bond),to direct. But as we know it, guy wasn't a option at the time (finishing shoot 'Cuba'), and Richard Lester was chosen to do the movie. #Superman2DonnerCut

The Lester Era: Donner had shot about 70% of Superman 2, so the fact the first movie been a hit and have money in the bank to shoot the rest make the Salkind more relief, but changes had to be made. #Superman2DonnerCut

The movie ends to have more humor, more action and some key scenes have some major changes to fit the new tone stabilish for Lester. And to replace Brando, Susannah York as Lara become the new "ghost" of the Fortress of Solutude. #Superman2DonnerCut

But also, more problems ahead, with Superman himself, Christopher Reeve. He was locked to shoot both Superman movie backs to back, but with the production of the second one been hault for finishing the first movie, [+] #Superman2DonnerCut

the contract saying he was OBLIED to shoot back to back expired, and he did the also classic 'Somewhere in Time'. #Superman2DonnerCut

Of course, the Salkind tried to sue him, but a agreement gave Reeves a bigger paycheck (as him attempt have more creative control, because he have issues with Lester style). #Superman2DonnerCut

And more chaos on the pre-production, when both major key players died, as cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth and set designer Jonh Barry died during the gap between the two shootings. They had been replaced by Robert Paynter and Peter Murton. #Superman2DonnerCut

The shooting of the rest of the film was finish at March 1980, a year later of Donner be fired. By the rights of DGA, Donner had right of the co-shared credits as the director, but Donner, on his words, "don't share credit". #Superman2DonnerCut

BTW, was reveal in the release of his cut that Donner saw the first act of the movie and left the screening, which was the reason of him not wanting the credit because he and lester have different styles, and it shows. #Superman2DonnerCut

Lester (on his words) thought that "Donner was emphasizing a kind of grandiose myth" while him was more "quirky and I play around with slightly more unexpected silliness." if that ring any bells, is because you are right. #Superman2DonnerCut

Much of the Donner Cut case ends to be mirroring the Snyder Cut case but while on Zack's movie the changes were made on purpose by the studio (who actually put money for the movie happen since the start), [+] #Superman2DonnerCut

Superman 2 case was the Salkind's desperate attemp, as the ones what acftually paid for the movie be made, to save the movie at any cost. Warner was just responsable for buying the movie after made and get the rights. #Superman2DonnerCut

And there is nobody avaliable for making the movie as good (or better) as Donner wanted. Lester was the option which the Salkinds couldn't denied (in special because Lester also have issues with them because of money in the past). #Superman2DonnerCut

At the end, the movie was delivered, people enjoy it, everybody make some money from it, and Lester now could do the movie with full control, which result in 'Superman 3', a movie definitely not as good as its predecessors. But this wasn't the end, at all. #Superman2DonnerCut

The Television Cuts: As you may know it, back in the day, the rought cut of movies were sold to television to be exibit as "major movie events" during the week. And by that, many had the closest thing to the Donner Cut they could. But how that happen? #Superman2DonnerCut

To sell the "big week movie events" for the TV stations, the Salkind ended adding more scenes of the movie, but the issue was: there were all scenes shots by Donner, not Lester. #Superman2DonnerCut

There was 3 different TV versions of the film: the Canadian one, The ABC TV one, and the Europe/Asutralian one. The Canadian and ABC version have 17 minutes of new footage, even both versions have some different new scenes between each other. #Superman2DonnerCut

The European/Australian one was the big white whale: 24 minutes of new footage, also with some differences between the North American cuts. That was essential to fuel the fire for the fans wishing to see the original Donner Cut. #Superman2DonnerCut

The Donner Cut Era: The internet came and with that the audience get more power to demand what they wanted, and one of this things are the Donner Cut of Superman 2. #Superman2DonnerCut

Letter campaigns, chats in foruns, fan websites, all kinds of things to spread the word about the original version of the film. #Superman2DonnerCut

But there is certain events what put this version of the film in motion: the DVD market allow explore different movie versions, including a director's cut of the 1st Superman movie, release in 2001. #Superman2DonnerCut

But there is certain events what put this version of the film in motion: the DVD marklet allow explore different movie versions, including a director's cut of the 1st Superman movie, release in 2001. #Superman2DonnerCut

And besides at the time Warner have found more material shot from Donner for Superman 2 and interest to make his director's cut happen, for him, this was a closed chapter not worth returning. #Superman2DonnerCut

And besides at the time Warner have found more material shot from Donner for Superman 2, for him, this was a closed chapter not worth returning (so far). #Superman2DonnerCut

But the flames rise at the foruns when in 2004, for the Starlog Magazine, Margot Kidder confirmed the Donner shot enough film to make a cut of his own. the pressure was so much that even the Jim Cardwell, President of Warner Home Video, responded to the calls. #Superman2DonnerCut

Jim explained there was issues towards the rights of using Marlon Brando image which couldn't make the Donner Cut a reality. This all happen in 2004 BTW, which for the best or the worst, is a very important year for Superman. #Superman2DonnerCut

Marlon Brando and Christopher Reeve died in a gap of months, meanwhile, Bryan Singer was hired to helm a direct sequel of the Donner movies in the shape of Superman Returns. And Singer had plans for Brando, even in post-death. #Superman2DonnerCut

Singer wants to use footage (old and new) for recreate his Jor-El for the 2006 film, and with his death, the Brando estate allowed use his likeness from both cuts. #Superman2DonnerCut

Seen a opportunity there (and wanting another reason to profit towards the next Superman film), Warner approach Donner again, and this time, he decided is time to get back at the movie. #Superman2DonnerCut

I think he finish in special because the loss of Reeve, and deserve a proper closure to everyone involved. With editor Michael Thau, which was Donner assistant for years and help him to restore Superman 1, Donner starts working on his version of the film. #Superman2DonnerCut

But of course, there is the obvious problem: Donner didn't had shot EVERYTHING he wanted to back in the 70's, besides he shot a lot of what we wanted. #Superman2DonnerCut

The solution was use stand-ins for scenes with open/wide angles to fullfil the gaps between the material he already shot. #Superman2DonnerCut

Also, the scenes what Donner shot and ended used in Lester's Superman 2 join this cut, as the Margot Kidder's test for a major scene in his movie. #Superman2DonnerCut

And at last, in November 2006, 'Superman 2: The Richard Donner Cut' was finally released. Besides the Lester movie was more cohesive (because he shot everything he wanted), [+] #Superman2DonnerCut

the Donner Cut brought a freshness to the original material, what really rivals the first Superman movie, in special because Donner and Thau did some really modern, bold choices in the edition, [+] #Superman2DonnerCut

Donner deliver the movie he wanted (even with limitations), a history what really works with the connective issues, theamical and narrative,with 'Superman 1', and really building the feeling of a closed narrative arc better than the theatrical cut. #Superman2DonnerCut

The Donner Cut is avaliable on DVD, Blu Ray and on stream at HBO MAX. Thanks for following the history here, and i see you around! #Superman2DonnerCut

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