Superman IV: The Quest for Peace – Cast It into the Sun

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is the sad end to a beloved series. Well, III was also terrible, but there is something uniquely depressing about Superman IV.

Perhaps it’s the fact that they coaxed Christopher Reeve into returning by agreeing to center the film on the threat of nuclear escalation; and then as they shot the movie, budget cuts kneecapped the project faster than a speeding bullet.

Superman IV was clearly hindered by Cannon’s frugal ways, but it’s a bizarre and poorly written film, as well. The movie’s central antagonist Nuclear Man has the look of a compelling villain, but his voice was dubbed with Gene Hackman’s. A move that truly put the f%*$ in WTF.

Couple that with shoddy special effects, a nonsensical love triangle, and a B-plot seemingly taken from an never produced episode of the George Reeves show and you’ve got one of the more notorious superhero movies ever made.

Hence, why it bombed with critics and at the box office. Superman IV grossed just $36.7 million worldwide, further worsening the financial woes of Cannon Films. And it’s 10% on Rotten Tomatoes is a far cry from even that of III (29%).

Reeve, Margot Kidder, and Hackman all deserved so much better, lest we forget Jackie Cooper and Mark McClure.

Now, sit back, go nuclear with a Sol Mexican Lager, and broker world peace through a tender hearted letter! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are fist-fighting some whacko with press-on nails and feathered hair on the Moon!

This Week’s Segments:

• Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Nuclear Power. In the best hands, it is dangerous. In the hands of Lex Luthor, it is pure evil. This is Superman's greatest battle. And it is for all of us! (00:00)
• Lingering Questions – The Double Turn Podcast throws Nuclear Man over the top rope, and then we discuss what, if anything, worked about Superman IV. (34:00)
• The "Lex's Secret Recipe" Trivia Challenge – I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (1:01:55)
• Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Hops and WTF Flops with the indescribable Heartbeeps! (1:16:00)

And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—Proto-Nuclear Man and more—from this week’s episode!

You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, Amazon Music, and more!