Josh Hartnett Turned Down the Role of Superman Twice

As a dedicated gamer and avid follower of Hollywood news, I can’t help but be intrigued by the stories surrounding Josh Hartnett‘s decisions to turn down the role of Superman not once, but twice. The image of him in that iconic red and blue costume, with the black background emblem, still surfaces from time to time, reminding us of what could have been.

Josh Hartnett is currently promoting the movie “Trap,” and as usual with such occasions, there are interviews where he’s asked about his past decisions. One notable topic that keeps coming up is his declining the offer to play Superman in Brett Ratner’s intended Superman film not once, but twice. This is quite significant given that Hartnett also had a meeting regarding Batman with Christopher Nolan, but only for Superman did he progress far enough to have a costume fitting. The actor, known for his work in “Oppenheimer” and who gained prominence at the turn of the century, has chosen to stay away from big franchises to maintain a balanced life.

In an interview with The Guardian, the actor revealed that he declined the offer to play Superman in the film not once, but twice. Previously reported news suggests that he had also passed on Superman Returns. It’s possible that Ratner’s project never materialized and eventually transformed into Superman Returns, while the star also turned down Bryan Singer later in the production process.

Hartnett expressed to the newspaper that he didn’t desire for his work to consume his entire life. At that point in time, there was a prevalent belief to completely dedicate oneself. Witnessing what happened to some individuals back then, who were absorbed by it and ultimately lost themselves, he didn’t want to follow that path for himself.

Last year, a picture of Hartnett’s wardrobe trial for Superman’s costume emerged. Notably, this costume sports a red emblem on a black backdrop instead of the traditional yellow one – a concept seen in animation before, such as in Max Fleischer cartoons, but never brought to live-action film until “Man of Steel,” where it appeared as raised and textured plastic rather than fabric. The wardrobe test stemmed from “Superman: Flyby,” a screenplay penned by JJ Abrams. However, Abrams departed the project, leaving Ratner to develop a movie based on his script. Various actors were in contention for Superman, including Henry Cavill and Brandon Routh. Hartnett was offered the part but declined. Matthew Bomer took over the role, but unfortunately, “Superman: Flyby” disintegrated shortly thereafter.

In 2020, Hartnett shared that he found himself in a fortunate position during his career where many filmmakers were approaching him to work on certain projects. He engaged in discussions with these directors and was frequently asked, “Would you be interested?” After considering their proposals, Hartnett made the decision not to join those productions. This stage in my career was quite exclusive for a young man and granted me the power to make that choice. Being somewhat unconventional, I had the ability to decline and opted for a different path.

Simultaneously, Hartnett held discussions with Christopher Nolan regarding the role of Batman, yet they went their separate ways prior to any proposal being made official.

What Is Trap About?

Here’s the official synopsis for Shyamalan and Hartnett’s latest:

Warner Bros. Pictures introduces a fresh take in the realm of M. Night Shayamalan–Trap –starring the up-and-coming musical talent, Saleka Shyamalan. In this thrilling tale, a father and his teenage daughter find themselves unwittingly caught in the heart of a mysterious and ominous situation at a pop concert.

“‘Trap’, a movie written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, features Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, and Allison Pill in the main roles. Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock, and M. Night Shyamalan are the producers of this film, while Steven Schneider serves as the executive producer.”

2024-07-30 17:40

What Is Trap About?

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