From the pages of Comics Scene Special 50th Issue – This interview takes place when Christopher Reeve is 42 years old, making it 1995, the year of his tragic accident and one year after the Dixie Trek Convention where he stated that he would have been the ‘first one to sign up’ had the production gone ahead only a few years earlier…
wow ive never read any of those comments from Reeve before – he sounds so against any more Supermans (but then im pretty sure he said the same kind of stuff after III) thats got to be the last interview b4 his accident.
Interesting hearing him talk about the Batman films and starring with Keaton (he was still in big movies up to his accident) and of turning big action movies down(Romancing the Stone? Running Man? Predator? Donners Lethal Weapon?) to do small actorly movies like Deathtrap, Noises Off etc…unlike some of the more serious stars of today like Bale or Jackman who try to alternate the smaller indie films with the big action stuff…maybe if he hadnt had his accident hed have jumped on board some of the big sci fi blockbusters in the 90s and early 00s (ID4? Phantom Menace? LOTRs?) and had something of a renaissance leading upto Superman Returns in 2006..
good to hear him talking about SiT..the film James Camerom basically remade as Titanic
There are so many good roles in popular blockbusters he could easily have played – but I think from watching him in interviews somehow that seemed lazy for him. He is quoted as 'taking wild risks' with his career and he didn't seem to care and was happiest doing theatre. Nonetheless even though he regarded himself as the 'temporary custodian' of Superman I think he defined the role for all time…
Hi Martin,
I was just digging out the above article to send to you but you got there first! The only thing I would add is that although the article was published in 1995, the conversation clearly takes place in late 1994 as Chris refers to having been to the Somewhere in Time reunion 'earlier this year' and that was definitely 1994.
This makes in the same year as Dixie Trek and implies he had made a very definite decision regarding any future in the role between these events.
Still enjoying the mannequin I bought from you last year. Congrats on an excellent site. I thought my collection was quite complete but you have some real treasures. Thanks for sharing them.
Cheers
Mark
taking note of the title of this particular thread – i think Reeve was feeling the same way Connery was after Diamonds are Forever at this point- swearing that hed never do another which led to the title Never Say Never Again. (i guess thatd make Superman III Reeves 'You Only Live Twice' where like Connery he said it would be his last – but was there again a few years later)
so its not impossible that Reeve mightve had a change of heart years on and done a fifth movie sometime in the 1990s (or perhaps even doing Superman Returns instead of Routh)
Hi all –
Thanks for the insights!
Based on the Dixie Trek vid alone I have to agree that Reeve was ready to go for the fifth film. There does seem to be a correlation between his and Connery's (they were apparently friends) point of view where they sometimes resented the association but were nonetheless propriatal over the role.
Since Ilya Salkind seems to be on the convention circuit now I'd love to speak to him for a few minutes about which version was semi-greenlighted and confirm Reeve's involvement – Salkind has always been unwavering about it starring Chris..
And Mark – Great to hear from you!!! I really miss that display – I'm glad it has a good new home…