Upon viewing the success of The Death of Superman comic storyline, Warner Bros. bought the film rights of Superman from the Salkinds in early 1993, handing the project to producer Jon Peters. The studio decided to not continue with the Salkind, Bates and Jones script for Superman: The New Movie. Peters hired Jonathan Lemkin to write the script. Lemkin cited the project as both a mainstream and family film, claiming he was primarily advised to perform the script in a style for the new teenage generation of the 1990s, and making it toyetic. Major toy companies insisted on seeing Lemkin's screenplay before the deadline of the American International Toy Fair.[8]
Lemkin's script, titled Superman Reborn, featured Lois Lane and Clark Kent with relationship troubles that are only resolved after Superman's battle with Doomsday. When he professes his love to her, his life force jumps between them, just as he dies, giving Lois a virgin birth. Their child, who grows 21-years-old in three weeks, becomes the resurrected Superman, and saves the world. Warner Bros. did not like the script because of similar underlying themes with Batman Forever.[9]
Peters brought Gregory Poirier, his collaborator on Rosewood, to rewrite the script.[8] Poirer's December 1995 script had Brainiac creating Doomsday, infused with "Kryptonite blood". Superman has romance problems with Lois Lane, and visits a psychiatrist. Superman is killed by Doomsday, and an alien named Cadmus, a victim of Brainiac, steals his corpse. Superman is resurrected and teams with Cadmus to defeat Brainiac. Powerless, Superman wears a robotic suit that mimics his old powers until he can learn to use his powers again on his own, which, according to the script, are a mental discipline called "Phin-yar", a concept similar to The Force. Other villains included Parasite and Silver Banshee.[7] Poirier's script impressed Warner Bros.,[9] but Kevin Smith was hired to rewrite.[10] Smith thought Poirier's script did not respect the Superman comic book properly.[8]