Superman Ii - The Expanded Richard Donner Cut |link| -

If you have only seen the 2006 official Donner Cut, you have not seen the promised land. Here is what the Expanded Cut adds:

The production of Superman: The Movie and Superman II was a massive undertaking, with Richard Donner filming both concurrently. By the time production on the sequel was halted to focus on finishing the first film, Donner had completed approximately of Superman II .

The chemistry between Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder was always electric, but Donner understood that their love story had to be sad. The famous “Niagara Falls” sequence is restored with alternate takes and a different score. The scene where Clark reveals he is Superman to Lois in the hotel suite is raw.

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is not a perfect film. The restoration is a bit rough—you can see the "screen tests" used to fill gaps (Reeve and Kidder had aged a few years, and some shots use a body double for Kidder). The audio warbles in a few places. superman ii - the expanded richard donner cut

Do not start here. If you have never seen Superman II , watch the theatrical Lester cut (1981). It is flawed, but it is a complete movie. Then watch the official 2006 Donner cut to see the "what if." Finally, dive into the Expanded Cut to see the "what could have been."

The Restoration of a Vision: Superman II – The Richard Donner Cut Introduction The release of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

For decades, fans knew the legend: Director Richard Donner had shot the vast majority of Superman II simultaneously with the first film, only to be fired and replaced by Richard Lester, who reshot large portions to change the tone. But it wasn't until 2006 that the world finally saw Donner’s vision with the official DVD release of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut . If you have only seen the 2006 official

In 1977, producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind made the ambitious decision to film

What makes the Expanded Cut essential viewing?

If you have only ever seen the theatrical Superman II , you have only seen half a movie. You have seen the punchline, but not the joke. You have seen the fight, but not the sacrifice. The chemistry between Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder

In the Donner cut, there is no silly “amnesia kiss” (well, there is, but it’s handled much quicker and less offensively). Instead, the ending is changed. The film famously ends with Superman turning back time—a power he used in the first film. Many critics hate this deus ex machina. But in the context of the Donner cut, it works. It proves that Superman’s love for Lois is his greatest weakness, forcing him to make the ultimate selfish choice: erasing her memory of their happiest moments to save the world.

For decades, the mythology surrounding the Superman film franchise has been as tangled as a ball of Kryptonian fiber-optic cable. At the center of that tangle lies the ultimate "what if" of superhero cinema: .