How 'Superman 4: The Quest for Peace' Destroyed the Franchise
Christopher Reeve regretted his decision to return as Superman in 'Superman 4: The Quest for Peace,' and so did the audience.
Following the 1983 release of Superman III, Christopher Reeve stated that he was no longer interested in playing the hero. Moreover, the dismal failure of the 1984 spin-off film Supergirl convinced original Superman film series producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind that the film series had run its course. In 1985, the Salkinds sold the rights to the franchise to Cannon Films, the rogue 1980s Hollywood production company best known for low-budget action films starring Charles Bronson and Chuck Norris. To convince Reeve to reprise the role of Superman, Cannon owners Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus offered Reeve various enticements, including creative control. Accordingly, the script for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace incorporated the theme of nuclear disarmament, a subject Reeve was passionate about.
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