Brendan Fraser almost played Superman but lost out due to “studio politics”
Speaking during a revealing new interview, Brendan Fraser has opened up about missing an opportunity to play Superman in a J.J. Abrams project during the early 2000s.
The actor, recently Oscar-nominated for his role in Darren Aronfsky’s The Whale, told Howard Stern that he was considered for the titular part of the superhero in Abrams’ Superman: Flyby. Apparently, plenty of big Hollywood names were also in the running. He shared: “Everyone in town was reading for Superman. Like, again, we’re testing I think six or seven guys in 2002/2003. Paul Walker, I remember Paul Walker was before me. They were like the usual suspects.”
Fraser explained that he if had landed the role, it would’ve been a “life-changing amazing opportunity”. However, he “had to reconcile with, ‘OK, say you do get the job to be the Man of Steel, it’s gonna be chipped on your gravestone, are you okay with that? I mean, forevermore known as the Man of Steel.'”
The actor continued: “There was a sort of Faustian bargain that went into it. I think inherently, I didn’t want to be known for only one thing because I prided myself on diversity my whole professional life and I’m not a one-trick pony.”
“I felt disappointed that there was an amazing opportunity and it didn’t come to fruition,” Fraser explained. “It had to do a lot with some shenanigans and studio politics. And probably, inherently, in my screen test. I think that’s why you test… they could kind of see I was only there like 98%.”
Abrams’ script never materialised. Instead, Warner Bros shifted the project’s direction, leading to 2006’s Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh as the eponymous character. It was directed by Bryan Singer and became the ninth highest-grossing movie of the year.
Fraser has taken home countless awards following his portrayal of a severely obese reclusive English teacher in The Whale since its September 2022 premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.
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