Editing Superman II (section)

=== Original production ===
[[Principal photography]] for both ''Superman'' films began on March 28, 1977 at [[Pinewood Studios]] for the Krypton scenes, but by May 1977, production had run two weeks behind schedule.{{sfn|Scivally|2008|p=83}} It was reported that Donner had developed tensions with [[Alexander Salkind|Alexander]] and [[Ilya Salkind]] and [[Pierre Spengler]] concerning the escalating production budget and production schedule. Donner responded by claiming he was never given a budget.<ref>{{cite news|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/14/movies/the-life-and-exceedingly-hard-times-of-superman.html|title=The Life and Exceedingly Hard Times of Superman|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|at=Section 2, p. 1|date=June 14, 1981|access-date=October 8, 2018|archive-date=October 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009013135/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/14/movies/the-life-and-exceedingly-hard-times-of-superman.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 1977, [[Richard Lester]]—who had previously directed ''[[The Three Musketeers (1973 live-action film)|The Three Musketeers]]'' (1973) and ''[[The Four Musketeers (1974 film)|The Four Musketeers]]'' (1974) for the Salkinds—came onboard the project as an uncredited [[Film producer|associate producer]] and [[intermediary]] on ''Superman'' to mediate the relationship between Donner and the Salkinds, who were no longer on speaking terms.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/383383074/ |title=Short Takes |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |at=Part IV, p. 6 |date=July 13, 1977 |access-date=October 5, 2018 |archive-date=October 9, 2018 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009052722/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/383383074/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to this, Lester had won a lawsuit against the Salkinds for money still owed to him from making the films, but the assets were held in legal entanglements in the [[Bahamas]]. The Salkinds then offered to compensate him if he would help on the ''Superman'' films, in which Lester became a [[second unit]] director where he and Donner formed an effective partnership.{{sfn|Rossen|2008|pp=93–94}}{{sfn|Weldon|2013|pp=185–186}}

By October 1977, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, and Valerie Perrine had completed their scenes. They were all under contract to finish both pictures. Nevertheless, with months left of filming, the Salkinds had halted filming ''Superman II'', of which Donner had shot 75 percent, to focus on finishing ''Superman''.{{sfn|Scivally|2008|pp=86–87}}<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Fyrbourne|first=Richard|title=The Man Behind Superman: Richard Donner|magazine=[[Starlog]]|date=January 1979|pages=40–44}}</ref> During the pause in filming, the Salkinds agreed to a [[negative pickup deal]] with [[Warner Bros. Pictures]], granting the studio rights to foreign distribution and television airings in exchange for more financing.{{sfn|Scivally|2008|pp=87–88}}