Scrapped Michael Bay Lobo Movie Would've Made Deadpool Look Tame
Screenwriter reveals the canceled DC film was so violent and psychotic that it would have dwarfed Marvel's R-rated antihero in terms of brutal content.
Jason Momoa's upcoming appearance as Lobo in the new Supergirl movie isn't the first time Hollywood tried to bring the intergalactic bounty hunter to theaters. Years ago, explosive action director Michael Bay was attached to helm a standalone Lobo project that would have pushed the boundaries of comic book violence to unprecedented levels.
Screenwriter Jason Fuchs recently opened up about the shelved production during an interview on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused Podcast, painting a picture of what could have been one of the most brutal superhero films ever conceived. The writer didn't hold back when describing the tone and content they had planned for the DC character.
An R-Rated Vision Too Extreme for Studios
According to Fuchs, the Bay-directed Lobo film was designed as a hard-R experience that would have redefined comic book movie violence. The screenwriter characterized the project as completely unhinged, describing it as psychotic in nature with extreme violent content throughout.
The comparison Fuchs made to other popular R-rated superhero content was particularly striking. He suggested that their version of the Main Man would have been so intense that it would have made Ryan Reynolds' foul-mouthed mercenary seem like children's entertainment by comparison.
A Tarantino-Style Space Adventure
Beyond the violence comparisons, Fuchs offered another intriguing description of what audiences might have experienced. He likened the planned film to a hypothetical scenario where the acclaimed director of Pulp Fiction had taken control of Marvel's cosmic team-up movie, suggesting a blend of space opera adventure with signature brutal storytelling.
This creative approach would have represented a significant departure from typical DC Extended Universe fare, potentially establishing Lobo as the franchise's answer to more adult-oriented comic adaptations. The character's comic book origins certainly support such an approach, given his reputation as one of DC's most violent and unpredictable antiheroes.
Why the Project Never Materialized
Despite the creative team's enthusiasm for the concept, Fuchs believes the extreme nature of their vision ultimately doomed the project. The screenwriter suggested that the sheer intensity of what they had planned likely made studio executives uncomfortable with moving forward.
The entertainment industry's relationship with R-rated superhero content has evolved significantly in recent years, but even by today's standards, the described Lobo film might have been too extreme for major studio backing. The project's cancellation reflects the ongoing tension between creative ambition and commercial viability in Hollywood's approach to comic book adaptations.