Published Jun 28, 2026, 11:58 PM EDT
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant’s Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he’s Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC’s greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney’s D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Supergirl (2026)
The DC Universe’s new Supergirl movie may feature a pretty unexpected reference to one of the most infamous chapters in DC movie history (again). Although the new DCU movie directed by Craig Gillespie is largely inspired by Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic series, there are several deviations and changes. As such, one of them feels to me like a nod to Nicolas Cage and the infamous movie Superman Lives, one of the most well-known DC movies that never was.
Developed during the mid-to-late 90s, Superman Lives is one of the biggest “what ifs” in comic book movie history. Meant to be directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicolas Cage, the movie’s ill-fated production has some pretty bizarre concept art, behind-the-scenes stories, and infamous demands from producers. As such, there have been several references and tributes featured in various DC projects that were released, and the new Supergirl movie may be the latest to continue the tradition.
Whether intentional or not, there is a key moment in the new DCU movie that may very well be an homage to Nicolas Cage’s Superman and the bizarre threats he was meant to fight, while also being a much better tribute than the last one we saw in 2023’s The Flash.
One of Supergirl’s first action sequences features Sklarian Raiders, an all-female band of space pirates known for stealing advanced technologies across the galaxy. They first appeared in the comics back in 1977 (though not in Woman of Tomorrow). Likewise, the new DCU movie gives the Raiders a new weapon not seen on the page: a horde of robotic spiders who crawl through the space-faring bus Kara and Ruthye were on, seeking valuables from passengers and taking apart the vessel piece by piece.
Keeping that in mind, the spiders’ inclusion feels like a pretty deliberate creative decision, especially considering one of the most infamous behind-the-scenes stories about Tim Burton’s Superman Lives.
Superman Lives’ screenwriter Kevin Smith has repeatedly recounted how an overzealous studio executive insisted that Nicolas Cage’s Superman fight a giant robotic spider, making the bizarre demand one of the most memorable parts of the unmade movie’s production. This same executive is responsible for the giant robot spider featured in 1999’s Wild Wild West. Although Supergirl features much smaller robot spiders rather than one giant one, the parallel with the DCU’s Supergirl taking them all on feels more than mere coincidence.
It’s entirely possible it could just be a coincidence, though the similarities are definitely enough to raise my eyebrows. After all, when it comes to Superman lore, robot spiders really are best known for the battle they were meant to have with Nicolas Cage’s Man of Steel, especially after 2023.
Likewise, Supergirl’s robot spiders are certainly a more natural homage than DC’s previous Nicolas Cage Superman callback in 2023’s The Flash. In the third act of one of the DCEU’s final movies, audiences briefly saw Cage’s Superman battling a giant robot spider during The Flash’s major multiverse sequence, which included all kinds of alternate realities. However, the sequence received significant controversy with its poorly done and CGI-heavy execution, so much so that Cage himself claimed what was in the movie was nothing like what was filmed when he came to set.
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QUESTION 1 / 8ORIGINS
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
QUESTION 2 / 8ALLIES
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
QUESTION 3 / 8WEAKNESS
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
QUESTION 4 / 8FILMS
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
DChristopher Reeve
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
QUESTION 5 / 8VILLAINS
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
QUESTION 6 / 8ORIGINS
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
CSmallville, Kansas
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
QUESTION 7 / 8IDENTITY
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
CMetropolis Star DGotham Gazette
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
QUESTION 8 / 8VILLAINS
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013). ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
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However, there’s another fun connection between Supergirl and robotic spiders as well. In the second season of the Arrowverse’s Supergirl series starring Melissa Benoist as Kara Zor-El, Kevin Smith directed its mid-season premiere titled “Supergirl Lives.” Beyond the title as a fun homage to his past work writing the unmade Superman movie, the episode also featured a brief reference to a “Thanagarian Snarebeast”, the original name Smith had given to the giant robot spider he was forced to include in Superman Lives’ story.
All things considered, I’d certainly bet good money that the new Supergirl movie’s robot spiders were an intentional tribute. Even if not, I feel like it just makes sense to consider it a solid tribute to Nicolage Cage’s Superman all the same.
Supergirl is now playing in theaters from DC Studios.
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Craig Gillespie
James Gunn, Lars P. Winther, Nigel Gostelow, Peter Safran