Brendan Fraser opens up about his Superman audition, which took place back in 2002. The star can currently be seen playing a literal man of steel as Robotman in DC Universe’s Doom Patrol, but long before that, he took his shot to portray the Kryptonian hero.
Despite Superman’s immense popularity, he has only been played by three different actors on the big screen. Christopher Reeve’s performance spawned four films beginning with Superman in 1978 and his is largely considered to be the definitive version of the character. Brandon Routh suited up as the Man of Steel for Superman Returns in 2006 and, of course, Henry Cavill played the Last Son of Krypton most recently in the DCEU. Aside from the successful attempts at bringing Superman to theaters, there have been several movies about the Kryptonian that never truly took flight. The most well-known of these is Tim Burton’s Superman Lives in the ‘90s, which would have starred Nicolas Cage. However, another abandoned project, penned by J.J. Abrams and to be directed by Brett Ratner, was in the works back in 2002. Titled Superman: Flyby, the movie saw many new faces audition for the chance to step into Superman’s red boots. One of those actors was Brendan Fraser.
Speaking to Yahoo Entertainment, Brendan Fraser opened up about his experience auditioning to portray the Man of Steel. He explained the incredible feeling of suiting up in Superman’s iconic costume, stating, “You feel kind of invincible, [like] ‘I can fly. The cape actually makes you think you have the power of flight even though you know you don’t.” Fraser went on to say that he loved Abrams’ script and that the process of reading it was quite intense. He explained, “The script was printed on crimson paper with black ink so it couldn’t be photocopied. I was allowed to sit in an office and read it for an hour. It was like a covert operation.” Fraser went up against other actors such as James Marsden and fellow Doom Patrol star Matt Bomer, but the project never really took shape, eventually evolving behind-the-scenes into the movie that would become Superman Returns. Still, Fraser feels proud to be a part of the rather exclusive club of actors to wear Superman’s trademark suit, proudly saying, “I’ve got that stripe! I did it.”
Once the heart of DC’s newly launched universe, Superman’s future has been a bit uncertain of late, with Henry Cavill hanging up his cape for good - though there has been some confusion about whether or not that’s actually the case. A fan favorite choice to don the mantle in his stead is Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan, a decision that former TV Superman Dean Cain fully supports. Jordan debunked the rumors of his casting, but did admit that he’d love to play Calvin Ellis. Despite all the speculation about who will take over as the Man of Steel, it has been previously reported that Warner Bros. plans to focus on a Supergirl movie before doing any more Superman films.
With Supergirl hoping to start production in 2020, it would seem that fans will be waiting quite a while to see the Last Son of Krypton back on the big screen. No one really knows what’s in store for the hero right now, but one thing is certain: DC isn’t finished with the Man of Steel. As one of the publishing company’s three most recognizable heroes, he’s a vital part of the DC Universe and always has been. With Wonder Woman 1984 hitting theaters in 2020 and the Dark Knight getting a fresh start in The Batman a year later, it seems safe to say that Superman will eventually return.
Next: Why A Black Superman Makes Sense For Future DC Movies
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
