Josh Hartnett almost played Superman. This was before Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill and David Corenswet, and a never-before-seen photo shows what his Clark Kent would have looked like.
In the cinema, there was Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, Nicolas Cage for an appearance in The Flash which did not please Tim Burton, and there will soon be David Corenswet in the Superman Legacy that James Gunn is preparing for 2025. On the small screen, Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Dean Cain, Tom Welling and Tyler Hoechlin donned the cape and the legendary costume stamped with the “S”. But another actor almost played the Man of Steel from the DC comics: Josh Hartnett. It was in 2002 in the aborted project Superman: Flyby.
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Josh Hartnett in London on July 13, 2023
At the time, director Brett Ratner (revealed by Rush Hour and Family Man) was hired to direct this origin story ambitious written by JJ Abrams and with a substantial budget (sources say 200 million dollars). Among the actors met for the role was Josh Hartnett. Rising star, crowned with the successes of The Faculty, Virgin Suicides, Black Hawk Down, 40 Days and 40 Nights and Pearl Harbor, the American actor was even offered a contract on three feature films. He prefers to decline the offer.
In 2014, in the magazine DetailsJosh Hartnett explained his choice: “We had talked about Spider-Man. And also Batman. But I knew very well that these roles were likely to stick with me, and I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to be identified with Superman for the rest of my career . I may have only been 22, but I saw the danger.”. We will therefore never have seen him as Kal-El / Clark Kent, until today and this photo from the costume tests, unearthed by a fan and shared on social networks. A photo which confirms that the actor would have made a more than credible Superman, despite the very vintage side of the costume.
After his refusal, Brett Ratner will meet other actors for the role: Tom Welling (future hero of Smallville), Paul Walker, Brendan Fraser, Ashton Kutcher, David Boreanaz and even James Marsden. Among others. Without ever being able to make the project a reality. The director will leave the film in 2003 to make way for McG (Charlie and his funny ladies) who will audition Jared Padalecki or Henry Cavill. After his ouster, the film was finally taken over by Bryan Singer to become Superman Returns with Brandon Routh as a superhero. As for Henry Cavillhe will wait a few years to take on the cape and become Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.
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Josh Hartnett in Oppenheimer
As for Josh Hartnett, this decision will take him towards less exposed roles (Meet at Wicker Park, Sin City, Slevin, The Black Dahlia, 30 Days of Night, or the series Penny Dreadful). He recently appeared in an episode of season 6 of Black Mirror as well as in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer where he plays the physicist Ernest Lawrence.