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THE PUZO AND NEWMAN TREATMENTS As with the script treatment for the first film, Mario Puzo's initial concept for "Superman II" focused on an epic battle between the Man of Steel and three renegades from Krypton - at the time referred to as Jax-Ur, Professor Vakox, and Kru-El in the initial treatment - and Superman's relationship with Lois Lane. The story was to have continued directly from the events of "Superman I" and picked up from the first story's cliffhanger ending. These concepts were then fleshed out by David Newman, Leslie Newman, and Robert Benton in July 1976. In the early draft, many of the elements that would become the basis for the final product were already present. However, there are numerous similarities and differences from this version and the later drafts that would follow in 1977 and 1979. These concepts further fleshed out the camp elements initially conceived by Puzo and developed by the Newmans and Benton: - After disposing of the missile in the original climax of "Superman", the Man of Steel returns to Earth and in one single shot changes to Clark Kent (used in a similar manner in the final version of "II" and later in "Supergirl"). - Perry White orders Lois and Clark to cover a hostage situation in Metropolis. The sequence is extremely fast-paced and violent, resulting in violent shootouts between a group of terrorists and the police, - A considerable portion of the Puzo and Newmans' story survive into the final film, including Luthor's escape from prison, Clark and Lois' story at Honeymoon Haven, Luthor's arrival at the Fortress of Solitude, and Lois' revelation that Clark is Superman. These sequences comprise a third of the final product. - When Clark rescues Lois from the waters of Niagara Falls, she is grateful that Clark was there to rescue her and Superman wasn't, resulting in a romantic attraction between Lois and Clark. - The four villains from the Phantom Zone - now called General Zod, Non, Ursa, and Jak-El - terrorize a small Australian village with their acts of violence. This series of events is extremely graphic and violent in written form. - The confrontation with the bully in the diner ends quite differently, as Lois knocks the bully unconscious with a broken Coke bottle. - Upon returning to Metropolis, Clark and Lois discover the populace retreating. Clark then purchases a cheap Superman costume and uses his intellect and a few firecrackers to fake his powers in confronting Luthor. - As Luthor and Albert begin to attack Superman, the Man of Steel mysteriously regains his powers after coming into close contact with a red crystal Eve has pilfered from the Fortress and now wears as a<BR> pendant. - The confrontation at the Fortress ends differently, as Superman imprisons Luthor, Zod, Non, Ursa, and Jak-El in the molecular chamber, sending them throughout space. - Back at the Daily Planet, Clark uses his heat vision to heat up a cup of water for Lois, changing its molecular structure so she will forget that Clark and Superman are one and the same. Even in this 1976 draft many elements play out similarly to the final version of the movie. But despite a strong premise, camp humor elements once again become evident throughout the story. In order to maintain the integrity of the main storyline, the element of camp humor would have to be removed. Unfortunately, once Richard Lester took over as director, many small elements of camp humor became present once again in the form of sight gags and cute jokes. Robert Benton did not collaborate on the second script.
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