Could Brendan Fraser have been the perfect Superman? The actor speaks out on playing the Man of Steel in the cancelled film by J.J. Abrams.
Brendan Fraser is having a bit of a career renaissance. The actor was one of THE leading men in the 2000s, starring in films like The Mummy and George of the Jungle. Personal issues led the actor to lay low until the late 2010s, eventually gaining his big revival moment with his Oscar win for The Whale. And when looking back on his history, some fans lament never getting to see him as Superman.
Yet for those uninitiated, that concept was closer to reality than fans may have thought. Superman: Flyby was an attempted reboot of the character in the early 2000s produced by J.J. Abrams and directed by Brett Ratner. The film was cancelled, leading to Superman Returns in 2006. However, major stars like Ashton Kutcher and Brendan Fraser auditioned for the leading role.
“Oh, I loved that screenplay,” Fraser explained on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “They let me read it. They locked me in an empty office in, I don’t know, some studio lot. [I] signed an NDA. It was printed black, on crimson paper, so you couldn’t photocopy it or sneak it out the door inscospicuously.”
“I mean, it was Shakespeare in space. It was a really good screenplay. It really was. But, yes, I was considered. I did do a screen test. I did wear the big guy’s suit.”
Brendan Fraser’s Nerves For Superman
Even though the film was ultimately cancelled, it’s interesting to think about a world where Brendan Fraser did play Superman on the big screen. It’s a role that likely would have redefined the actors legacy. Continuing on about the project, Fraser admits that he was nervous at the time. However, the part ultimately wasn’t right for him.
“If I think about it, I can remember feeling… you know, you feel a little certain anxiety anyway, when you’re going up on some big job. But I also remember thinking, ‘Hm, if I do get this job, then, well, I think ‘Superman’s gonna be chipped on my gravestone,’ you know?”
“There’s an element of, ‘You are that for the rest of your days. Your career.’ And that’s not a bad thing. I’m not saying that’s gonna kill me anytime soon, but, you know, it is something that becomes part of your entire brand. Who you are.”
“I don’t know if I was ready to take that on then. I mean, I felt I was, because, you know, big opportunity and excitement, et cetera, et cetera. But, I don’t know. Like [director Terry George] once said, ‘If it’s not for you, then it’ll pass you by’ and it wasn’t for me.”
Of course, Brendan Fraser would eventually make his way to the DC Universe by playing Robot Man in Doom Patrol (before ultimately landing a role in another cancelled project with Batgirl). And while fans may never see the day where Fraser takes on Superman’s tights and cape, fans should at least rest assured knowing that the universe tried- it just didn’t take.
Superman is now streaming on Max. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe!
