Frank Zane in the Silver Surfer

Imagine this: It’s 1979, and Lee Kramer, a Hollywood producer and talent manager, has a dream so big it feels like it could redefine cinema. His vision? To create a groundbreaking rock opera based on Marvel’s Silver Surfer. But this wasn’t just about adapting a comic book to film. Kramer wanted to push boundaries with a cosmic epic featuring stunning visuals, a powerhouse rock-and-roll soundtrack, and a bodybuilding legend in the lead role.

That legend was Frank Zane. At the time, Kramer was managing Zane, the reigning Mr. Olympia and one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. Known for his perfectly balanced physique and near-unreal symmetry, Zane seemed tailor-made to embody the ethereal and powerful Silver Surfer.

Kramer envisioned a movie on the scale of 2001: A Space Odyssey, blending mind-blowing special effects with an unforgettable soundtrack. In fact, Kramer reached out to Paul McCartney’s management to score the film, and McCartney was reportedly very interested. He even described the Silver Surfer’s potential theme as a chant or fanfare played by a thousand electric guitars. This was a project designed to be larger than life in every way.

The story itself would have been penned by Marvel legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and it followed Frank Zane’s Silver Surfer as he rebels against his master, Galactus, and comes to Earth. There, he discovers that humanity holds the key to defeating the planet-devouring villain. But Galactus strikes back by creating a golden female counterpart for the Surfer named Ardina. This new character was designed by Stan Lee specifically for Kramer’s then-girlfriend, Olivia Newton-John, to play.

Newton-John later revealed in her memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’, that Kramer had even linked her hit song ‘Physical’ to the project. He thought it would be the perfect track for the Silver Surfer movie and casually pitched the idea to her, saying, ‘Maybe you could sing it?’

Looking back, it’s incredible to think about the ambition of this project. Frank Zane—arguably one of the most iconic bodybuilders in history—could have been more than just a champion; he could have been a Marvel superhero on the big screen. With Stan Lee and Jack Kirby crafting the story, Paul McCartney on the music, and Olivia Newton-John starring as Ardina, this project had the potential to be nothing short of legendary.

Unfortunately, it never came to life. But the thought of Frank Zane, shimmering in silver as the Silver Surfer, remains one of the greatest ‘what ifs’ in the world of pop culture. It’s a reminder of how even the most ambitious dreams sometimes get left in the stars.