Superman II

Year:

1981

Duration:

127 min | USA:116 min (Richard Donner Cut)

Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

IMDB rate:

6.8

Director:

Richard Lester

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1981-06-19

Filming Locations: Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Earnings

Budget: $54,000,000

Opening Weekend: $14,100,523 (USA) (21 June 1981)

Gross: $101,347,629 (USA) (7 September 1981)

Cast

Actor

Character

Margot Kidder

Superman II

Gene Hackman

Lex Luthor

Christopher Reeve

Superman

Ned Beatty

Otis

Jackie Cooper

Perry White

Sarah Douglas

Ursa

Jack O'Halloran

Non

Valerie Perrine

Eve Teschmacher

Susannah York

Lara

Clifton James

Sheriff

E.G. Marshall

The President

Marc McClure

Jimmy Olsen

Terence Stamp

General Zod

Leueen Willoughby

Leueen

Robin Pappas

Alice

Roger Kemp

Spokesman

Roger Brierley

Terrorist #1

Anthony Milner

Terrorist #2

Richard Griffiths

Terrorist #3

Melissa Wiltsie

Nun

Alain Dehay

Gendarme

Marc Boyle

C.R.S. Man

Alan Stuart

Cab Driver

John Ratzenberger

Controller #1

Shane Rimmer

Controller #2

John Morton

Nate

Jim Dowdall

Boris (as Jim Dowdell)

Angus MacInnes

Prison Warden (as Angus McInnes)

Antony Sher

Bell Boy

Elva Mai Hoover

Mother (as Elva May Hoover)

Hadley Kay

Jason

Todd Woodcroft

Father

John Hollis

Krypton Elder

Gordon Rollings

Fisherman

Peter Whitman

Deputy Dwayne

Bill Bailey

J.J.

Dinny Powell

Boog

Hal Galili

Man in Diner

Marcus D'Amico

Willie

Jack Cooper

Dino (as Jackie Cooper)

Richard LeParmentier

Reporter

Don Fellows

General

Michael Shannon

President's Aide (as Michael J. Shannon)

Tony Sibbald

Presidential Imposter

Tommy Duggan

Diner Owner

Pamela Mandell

Waitress

Pepper Martin

Rocky

Eugene Lipinski

Newsvendor

Cleon Spencer

Kid #1

Carl Parris

Kid #2

Jean-Pierre Cassel

French Officer at the White House (uncredited)

Norman Chancer

White House Aide (uncredited)

Oz Clarke

Terrorist 4 (uncredited)

Richard Donner

Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)

Jeff East

Teenage Clark Kent in Opening Montage

Harry Fielder

Cop (uncredited)

Glenn Ford

Jonathan Kent in Opening Montage

Steven Lezak

Man in Crowd (uncredited)

Derek Lyons

American Soldier (uncredited)

Ralph Morse

Soldier (uncredited)

Beth Porter

Football Fan (uncredited)

Joe Praml

Man with Dark Glasses in Alaskan Bar (uncredited)

Eric Stine

Secret Service Agent (uncredited)

Burnell Tucker

White House Aide (uncredited)

Joe Walsh

Sailor Baby (uncredited)

Terry Walsh

KFC Man / French Officer (uncredited)

Fred Wood

Inmate (Working in prison Laundry) (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

In the original script, the nuclear missile from Superman (1978) releases Zod and companions from the Phantom Zone. This scene was added to "The Richard Donner Cut" DVD edition, and the scene in Paris was deleted.

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When Cosmonaut Boris meets General Zod on the moon, the approximate Russian translation is, "What is your name? Identify yourself!"

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Original director Richard Donner left the production due to a clash with the producers over the material.

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Goofs

When Superman takes Lois flying for the last time, scenes from Superman are used. She is wearing the blue outfit she wore in that movie, not the clothes she wore during the ordeal with the three Krypton villains at the Fortress of Solitude.

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In the long shots of Zod talking to Superman from the crane platform, the sky behind Zod is not the same shade of blue as the rest of the sky.

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When the astronaut tries to escape by jumping into the lunar module, Non grabs the leg of the descent stage to stop him. In reality, the descent stage is left behind and the ascent stage detaches in order to leave the Moon's orbit; holding the legs would do nothing.

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Quotes

Lex Luthor: [to Zod and Company, at the half-wrecked White House] ... Hi! Lex Luthor.

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Lex Luthor: Superman! Thank God!

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Ursa: [after their carnage on the moon] Strange, I tore those metal fibers like paper. And what HE did... was amazing! Something is happening...

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Faq

Q

Was Superman's amnesia kiss a real power he had in the comics?

A

Yes, but it was rarely used and later dropped.

Q

What are the differences between the Theatrical Version and the Richard Donner Cut?

A

A comparison between the Theatrical Version and the Richard Donner Cut is more than difficult, as both version are very different from each other. Not only the usual additional scenes were added, it is almost a completely new movie. Parts of the story are shown at completely different points in time, other sequences were completely removed and some new sequences were added. In total the Donner Cut is approx. 11 minutes shorter than the Theatrical Version and a very detailed comparison between both versions with pictures can be found here.

Q

Wouldn't the process of removing Zod's, Ursa's & Non's powers be as painful for them as it plainly was for Superman the 1st time?

A

Due to the humanisation process being spread out all over the vast interior of the Fortress of Solitude, rather than heavily concentrated into one small chamber as it was for Superman himself, it is feasible to conclude that the pain inflicted would be far less noticeable to them.

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