How did Richard Pryor end up in Superman III?

Yesterday, we posted a poll asking our readers to vote for their favorite Superman movie. Unsurprisingly, 1978’s Superman: The Movie topped the list, with strong showings for James Gunn’s Superman, Man of Steel, and both versions of Superman II (the theatrical cut and the Donner Cut). Near the bottom—faring even worse than the now-infamous Superman IV: The Quest for Peace—was 1983’s Superman III.

Despite earning a respectable $59 million (a solid figure at the time), Superman III was considered a major disappointment, grossing only about half of what Superman II did. One of the film’s biggest problems, as many fans and critics now agree, was the overwhelming presence of co-star Richard Pryor. His role dominated the movie so thoroughly that it often feels more like a Richard Pryor comedy than a Superman film.

So, how did Pryor end up in Superman III? Back in 1981, as he was recovering from a near-fatal freebasing incident, Pryor began to reemerge in the public eye—still visibly fragile. He appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, who was one of his most vocal supporters. During the interview, Carson asked what kinds of movies he enjoyed watching, and Pryor enthusiastically expressed his excitement for Superman II. You can see it in the clip, where Pryor exclaims:

“I wanna see Superman II. That’s what I’m waiting on to see. Did you ever see Superman I? Remember the people in the glass? Well, he goes and gets them and brings them back to Earth accidentally. Four Supermen and one Superwoman. Oh, it’s gonna be good—the previews are great!”

As it turns out, the Salkinds—producers of the Superman films—were watching. Despite his recent troubles, Pryor had just starred in a string of hits, including Stir Crazy, and was considered the biggest comedy star in the world. The producers offered him $5 million to join the next Superman film. To get the most bang for their buck, they elevated him to co-lead status. In the film, Pryor plays a computer genius who begins as a semi-villain but ultimately helps save the day.

The result was a critical and commercial misfire. Still, Pryor emerged relatively unscathed, going on to star in several more hit comedies before being diagnosed with MS and passing away at the age of 65.

Christopher Reeve, in his autobiography, reflected on the film, saying it became “more of a Richard Pryor comedy than a proper Superman film.” While Reeve seemed to place much of the blame on screenwriters David and Leslie Newman—who he said always tried to insert corny comedy into the franchise—he singled out one scene in particular for criticism: the moment when Pryor, wearing a pink blanket as a cape, skis off the roof of a building, crashes into traffic, and somehow emerges unhurt. It’s not hard to see where Reeve was coming from.

For more on the Superman III debacle, check out our Awfully Good episode below:

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