Nicolas Cage was originally cast as Superman in a dead project focusing on the character titled "Superman Lives", that Tim Burton was originally set to direct, which would have featured Superman looking the same as that top picture.
Contact Music claims that at the premiere of his new movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", Cage spoke to WENN.com, who mentioned the fact he was at one point set to be Superman, and he replied, sighing: "No, I think my Superman days are over."
Although this is not breaking news or anything, I found this to be pretty good news for most of us here (including me). So, Cage will never take up the red cape of Superman!