Related
Tons of superhero movies come out every year , and oodles more break down behind the scene . Only a fraction of them ever make it to production — and some likely should n’t have made it that far anyway . Seriously , there are so many call off superhero movies that they make the megahit of today look few and far between . Think about how many gem were give up over the last few years of the superhero - movie bunce ! And sample not to think about how many bombs hit theatre or else .
For this list , we ’re going to take a brief glimpse at some of the more interesting cancelled or unproduced superhero film never made . We ’ll also stir on some of the worst ones that somehow made it to dramatic art or else to see where they go untimely . To elucidate , the idiomatic expression " Should Have Been cancel : " is a piece of exaggeration — we ’re not here to dictate what artists deserve to have their work produced . However , bad movies can have lasting rebound for music genre , careers , cerebral properties , and the manufacture at large . We ’re not say bad moving-picture show should n’t be made , only that unfit motion picture can have bad consequences .
In case you ’ve forgotten about some of these truly awful pic , permit us remind you and show you what could have been rather . We wish some of these motion picture could have made it to theater , even in their oddball concepts and non - traditional forms . Some of these … well , not so much . Here are17 Superhero Movies That Were cancel ( And 8 That Should Have Been . )
Should Have Been Cancelled: Catwoman
What started as a promising Michelle Pffeifer - led Catwoman adventure devolved into one of the worst movies ever made . Conceived as twist - off for Tim Burton and hisBatmanfranchise , Catwomansimmered in development limbo for a decade . As theBatmanfranchise began to lose steam , so did its influence on the project .
Catwomanbears little resemblance to the DC Comics grapheme away from the costume . Not only does it lack any railroad tie to Batman , but it has lilliputian to nothing run for it to commence with . The movie was critically pan off and win Golden Razzies for just about everything — worst screenplay , worst conductor , worst actress , and even worst ikon . Cancelling this project early on would have spare Warner Bros. a whole lot of money .
Cancelled: Superman Lives
While Warner Bros. still struggle to makeSupermana hit , this cancelled project would have been quite the unequalled take . Tim Burton’sSuperman Liveswould have featured Nicholas Cage as the Man of Steel himself — and yes , this is real , we promise .
If you ’ve never hear ofSuperman Lives , we highly recommend you search it up for yourself . The cancelled film is well - documented and continues to intrigue fans today . The film would have loosely adaptedThe Death of Supermanand added new element to it — like an invasion by Braniac , the unveiling of Doomsday , and even a living foreign suit for Superman . It made it to block out tests ( with Cage in full - costume , ) but the undertaking was finally scrapped .
Cancelled: Fant4stic 2
20th Century Fox has tried to breathe life into theFantastic Fourfor quite some prison term . 2015’sFant4sticbombed at the box office and was met with decisive ridicule upon discharge . Drama plagued the production — on - band disputes , gross ton of reshoots , and studio interference became hotter subject than the moving-picture show itself on sack day .
Director Josh Trank infamously squeeze the night before the film ’s freeing , lay claim that the world would never see his lawful vision for the film . Just late , Trank even redactedFant4sticfrom his filmography . Fans of the Four still have hope — with Disney ’s acquisition of Fox , the Fantastic Four belong to Marvel Studios once again . Fant4stic 2 , on the other hand , was cancelled before production even began .
Should Have Been Cancelled: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
At first , The Amazing Spider - Man 2had some potentiality . It featured several new villains , a cracking Spider - Man suit , an A - listing cast , and even the hope of several spin - offs . Those promises felt more like threats after the movies hit screens , as it turned out shockingly camp , bloated , and unsatisfying .
Each villain carrying into action seemed bad than the last , with Jamie Foxx ’s take on Electro feeling especially cringeworthy . Sony was so concerned about setting up anAmazing Spider - Mancinematic population that the studio apartment seemingly forgot to make a skillful flick . Much of what was shoot ended up on the cutting room floor , alongside the rest of the enfranchisement ’s now - defunct next endeavors .
Cancelled: Batman Beyond
The belovedBatman Beyondanimated series was nearly a live - action at law moving-picture show enfranchisement . After the barge in and burn down ofBatman & Robin , Warner Bros. was looking to boot the serial publication with an entirely new direction . Animated series Godhead Paul Dini and Alan Burnett pitched the approximation alongside a slew of other unproduced Batman projects , and sadly , Batman Beyondwent unproduced .
The series is a extremist departure from what casual interview know and lie with — it would have focused on Terry McGinnis , a young boy who takes over for Bruce Wayne as the future ’s Batman . The cartoon was popular at the time , but this pitch was turned down in party favor of Christopher Nolan’sBatman Beginsand hisDark Knight Trilogy .
Cancelled: Gambit
This has to be set off now , correct ? lastly ? Or is it still in developing ?
twentieth Century Fox has been essay to make theGambitsolo movie for nearly a X . manager have come and gone , author have tweaked the book several times , and yet nothing has come of the projection . The only constant in the production is role player Channing Tatum , who sign on as Gambit — what , mayhap an eternity ago ?
With Disney ’s acquisition of Fox now complete , all of theX - Menprojects in limbo haveseemingly been keep out down . Technically , Disney could still revive Tatum’sGambitproject in a few years , but the version of this film that Fox envisioned has in all probability been scrub for good .
Cancelled: James Cameron’s Spider-Man
Before Sam Raimi’sSpider - Manmade superhero movies cool again , James Cameron had plansfor the wall - dew worm that were unique to say the least . His version of the Spider - Man adjustment was raunchy , campier , and much less in contrast with the comics .
Arnold Schwarzenegger would have play Doctor Octopus . Electro and Sandman would have had all original backstories . Peter and Mary Jane would have made making love atop the Brooklyn Bridge . Oh , and it was supposed to be stag R.
There ’s a muckle of legal hullabaloo behind Cameron ’s failedSpider - Man — right smart too much for us to unpack here — but the project would take years to germinate into theSpider - Manmovie fans love today .
Should Have Been Cancelled: Suicide Squad
A lot went incorrect with the former entries in the DC Extended Universe . Man of Steelis generally seen as a mixed grip , Batman pentad Supermanis extremely divisive , andSuicide Squadis a bland mess .
It ’s no secret that the film was slaughter during redaction — vie cuts of the movieled a muddy post - production cognitive process that may or may not have ruined the terminal product . It ’s a turn harsh to say that this picture should have been cancel instantaneously , but a ground - up reworking ofSuicide Squadwould have spared DC from a decisive licking .
The sequel might bea total reboot , and with film director James Gun at the helm , things are looking up for the Squad .
Cancelled: James Gunn’s Moon Knight
speak of James Gunn , the controversial and beloved music director has already made his cross on superhero movies with theGuardians of the Galaxyfilms . However , he almost brought an totally different hero to the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Moon Knight is a fan - favorite fictitious character that still has n’t made it into the motion picture , and Gunn could have been the one to make it materialize .
Unfortunately , it was never more thanjust a auction pitch . Apparently Marvel Studios did n’t needs say no , but Gunn himself said in 2017 that he simply does n’t have the prison term to helm the projection . thing might have changed , and even though the particular of the auction pitch are a enigma , it ’s more than enough to pique lover ' interest .
Cancelled: Green Arrow: Escape From Super Max
Back in 2008 , long before the success of the CW’sArrow , there wasGreen Arrow : Escape From Super Max . His feature - film debut would have had Oliver Queen framed for murder and throw in prison , ram him to team up with incarcerated scoundrel to fly the coop . While the substance of the film would take place in Super Max , Green Arrow ’s blood line and backstory would have been explained through flashbacks .
The project , helmed byDark Knight Trilogywriter David S. Goyer , just never demand off . Green Arrow was too obscure of a property at the clip for Warner Bros. to go all - out for . Only year later would obscure lineament become more viable for adaptation , but it ’s a shame that this project never materialized .
