A close call: 7 actors who almost played Superman

Superman has been a popular superhero in movies and comic books. Many actors fantasize about donning the cape and becoming Clark Kent. Although there have been some, like Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill, who actually portrayed the hero on screen, many others did not get that opportunity. Some actors lost the role due to time constraints.

Creative disputes, studio doubts, or personal reasons blocked their chances. Some of them even put on the costume but never appeared on screen. These near-misses reveal how unpredictable the film industry can be, and even talented actors sometimes fail to become Superman.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

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Here is the list of 7 Superman castings that never materialized:

7. Nicolas Cage

In the late 1990s, Nicolas Cage was being cast as Clark Kent in a project called Superman Lives, which was to be directed by Tim Burton & produced by John Peters. The script went through several rewrites before Tim Burton left to work on Sleepy Hollow. Cage even did costume tests, wearing a skintight blue suit and long brown hair. The vision for this Superman was darker, troubled, and with psychological depth.

At one point, the studio had set designs, costumes, and concept art. However, Superman Lives was scrapped just as filming was about to begin due to rising costs, creative disagreements, and studio concerns about losing money. Fans of Instagram have seen test-suit photographs and footage from the documentary "The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?" which investigates how far the film progressed and why it was

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6. Joe Manganiello

Joe Manganiello was among the front-runners for the character of Superman when Warner Bros re-booted the franchise with Man of Steel. He was one of the candidates on the table until Henry Cavill was chosen. Manganiello stated that conflicts with his TV show True Blood took the opportunity away from him. Warner Bros wanted him to screen test, but he was booked for the fifth season of True Blood.

His character in the show had big dreams, so the producers could not divide his time between the two characters of the Man of Steel. Manganiello stated he became depressed for months after he missed the chance. He felt he had a brilliant direction for the character. He was never able to compete in the final rounds or don the Superman outfit because of the conflict.

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5. D.J. Cotrona

D.J. Cotrona was cast as Superman in Justice League: Mortal. The movie was George Miller's spin-off of the live-action Justice League film. The movie already had a full cast, including Batman (Armie Hammer), Wonder Woman (Megan Gale), and Green Lantern. Cotrona's Superman outfit was made, and photographs of him wearing it exist. The costume blended elements from earlier comic book movies with traditional features, such as the iconic red and blue colors and the distinctive curl in the hair.

However, Justice League: Mortal was never brought to a conclusion. The project was cancelled for a variety of reasons, including the writers' strike, concerns about the cost incentive in Australia, and strikes by potential performers. The project was cancelled in early 2008, before primary filming could begin.

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4. Christian Bale

Christian Bale has been mentioned in rumors and interviews as being involved with playing Superman, but the evidence is more sparse than for the others. Christian Bale was considered for the Superman part in one of Wolfgang Petersen's movies in an early draft of Batman vs. Superman (before Zack Snyder's final edit). The planned change never happened. Zack Snyder later stated that he considered casting Christian Bale in the film Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. However, it wasn't for either Batman or Superman. The idea was to show that this new movie universe was separate from Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

Snyder suggested the possibility of Bale acting as someone akin to Alfred (but older, with makeup), just as a means of showing the crowd it was another world. Bale denied allegations that he was being offered jobs within the new DC franchise universe. He went on to say that the studio never approached him seriously about returning to those superhero pictures.

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3. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger contemplated playing Superman early in the film's production. He possessed the physique and figure that many believed suited the role. However, Arnold's accent was a major concern. Others engaged in casting believed that people in the audience would not easily accept a Superman with a heavy accent. Besides Schwarzenegger, other actors listed include Warren Beatty, James Caan, Nick Nolte, and Christopher Walken.

In the end, Christopher Reeve played the part. The goal was to find someone who could fly in the suit while simultaneously appearing down-to-earth and "Everyman" as Clark Kent. The beauty and the accent were some things that worked against Schwarzenegger. As a result, his chances of becoming Superman at that time period were nil.

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2. Will Smith

Will Smith had the option to play Superman in the film Superman Returns (2006), but he declined. He asserted that he received the script, and it was not his. He had already portrayed Jim West in Wild Wild West. Moreover, he was aware that playing Superman, a historically white hero, would elicit strong reactions. He once said,

"You mess up white people's heroes in Hollywood, you'll never work in this town again."

It was on this account that he refused. If he had taken the part, he might have played Superman instead of Brandon Routh, who played the character in Superman Returns. Will Smith considered taking on superhero roles in different types of movies. However, he decided against playing Superman because he was concerned about the potential negative impact it could have on Hollywood.

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1. Matt Bomer

In the early 2000s, Matt Bomer was in high contention to play Superman in a film known as Superman: Flyby, written by J.J. Abrams, and was supposed to be directed by Brett Ratner at one point. Over a few months, Bomer said he auditioned numerous times. He traveled to New York and Los Angeles for screen tests and chemistry reads. He believed he was chosen by the director at one time. He also reported that he had a three-picture contract with Warner Bros.

Brandon Routh starred in the reworked Superman Returns (2006) after the movie was shelved. Bomer later came out by saying that he feels he has been used against in that casting process by being outed as gay. He replied that in a time when Hollywood could still weaponize such personal details. Despite not obtaining the job, he has stated that he has no regrets and that the audition process helped him open many doors in his career.

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The casting of Superman revealed the vagaries of Hollywood. Several performers who were considered for the role went on to become well-known in other films or on television. Some were disappointed, and others looked back without regrets. Projects were cancelled, filmmakers were abandoned, and studios recast their ideas, leaving various titles for a Superman film that never occurred.

Despite not wearing these capes, these performers' stories helped to create the Superman mystique. Fans were reminded that casting decisions can lead the history of superheroes in unexpected directions.