Continuing his streak of success, Ilya ventured into the creation of the blockbuster “Superman” franchise, which went on to become one of the most triumphant in cinematic history. The Academy Award-winning “Superman” (1978) also holds the distinction of being the pioneering major Comic Book film adaptation. Under Ilya’s guidance, the film and its first two sequels captivated audiences worldwide, with “Superman II” (1980) earning the title of Best Science Fiction Film of the year from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. Expanding into television, Ilya achieved further triumphs with the show “Superboy” (1988) (1988-1992), which enjoyed four successful seasons comprising a total of 100 episodes.
Throughout his illustrious career, Ilya Salkind earned a reputation for discovering and nurturing new talent, including Christopher Reeve (Superman), Helen Slater (Supergirl), and Catherine Zeta-Jones and Benicio Del Toro in “Christopher Columbus: The Discovery,” where they starred alongside the iconic Marlon Brando. His upcoming venture, “Alexander the Great from Macedonia,” is set for a summer release in 2006 and targets a teen audience.
Presently, Ilya Salkind is actively involved in pre-production for the ambitious film “The Abominable Snowman.” This legendary creature has intrigued the public imagination for centuries, remaining one of the world’s greatest unsolved mysteries.