A documentary about the glorious life of Christopher Reeve premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and became a huge success. The Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story project showcased the actor’s time in showbiz. Most importantly, it even covered the horrific accident he encountered in 1995 that paralyzed him from the shoulders down. Following the accident, Reeve spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair with a ventilator.
Variety recently reported that Warner Bros. Discovery is working on a deal to buy Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. This news is interesting because Warner Bros. produced the Superman movies he starred in. Many studios attempted to buy its rights. However, the studios managed to seal the deal in the $14 million to $15 million range. Other reported bidders were Neon and Netflix.
Before the documentary’s premiere, the late actor’s daughter Alexandra spoke to Variety about her father. She stated, “I think he was very conscious of that irony and the legacy of ‘Superman’ when people viewed his story and thought about him after the accident. He talked about redefining what it is to be a hero… it’s an everyday person who survives despite overwhelming obstacles.”
According to IMDb, the synopsis of Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story reads, “Reeve’s rise to becoming a film star follows with a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. After which he became an activist for spinal cord injury treatments and disability rights.”
Even though he starred in several hit films, he is best known for playing Superman in Superman, Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
Christopher Reeve Documentary: How will the Warner Bros. Discovery deal be structured?
Even though the deal above is almost inevitable, how it will be structured is unclear. Reports suggest that it could be distributed under the DC Studios banner or CNN, both owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Furthermore, it is also possible that the documentary will be released on the company’s streaming service Max.
Variety also reported that this deal has not closed yet and could even collapse at the very last moment. However, negotiations are exclusive. On May 27, 1995, Christopher Reeve met with a tragic accident that damaged his first and second vertebrae. According to reports, he was thrown from a horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia. Reeve passed away on October 10, 2004, at 52.
He once had a conversation with Ability Magazine, where he spoke about being considered a spokesperson for people with disabilities. He said, “I can’t speak for all people with disabilities because I have very limited knowledge of all disabilities. I am mostly aware of spinal cord injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s—all the diseases that affect the central nervous system and the brain. I talk to researchers and mostly focus on those conditions. There are so many other things, and I can’t take on the mantle of responsibility for everybody and all conditions.”
He further stated, “But, I’m doing what I can to raise awareness. That was the purpose of the television special on ABC a couple of weeks ago. I mean, to get two hours of primetime on national television during the ratings sweeps was to not only highlight spinal cord injuries but to also show at least three disabled performers, two comedians, and a dancer, was frankly unheard of.”
Christopher Reeve has three children: Matthew, Alexandra, and William.
