Imagine a world where Brendan Fraser, the beloved star of The Mummy, soared through the skies as Superman. It almost happened! Fraser recently opened up about his near-casting as Clark Kent in the ill-fated Superman: Flyby, revealing fascinating details about his audition and screen test. And get this: the director of X-Men: The Last Stand was at the helm of his screen test! This revelation alone is enough to make any comic book fan's jaw drop.
Superman's journey to the big screen has been, shall we say, turbulent. For every successful Superman movie, there's a graveyard of projects that never saw the light of day. Superman: Flyby, a project from the early 2000s spearheaded by J.J. Abrams (of Lost and Star Wars fame) and initially slated to be directed by Brett Ratner, aimed for a more sci-fi-oriented take on the Man of Steel. The list of actors considered for the role of Kal-El reads like a who's who of early 2000s Hollywood: Matt Bomer, Ashton Kutcher, the late Paul Walker, Henry Cavill, and, of course, Brendan Fraser.
Fraser, riding high on the success of films like George of the Jungle, The Mummy, and Bedazzled, was a serious contender. The idea of Fraser as Superman has become a legendary "what if?" in movie history, a topic that continues to spark debate and discussion to this day. Now, we're getting even more juicy details straight from the source.
In a recent appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Fraser confirmed that he did, in fact, don the iconic Superman suit. He revealed that Brett Ratner, who was briefly attached to direct the film before things went south, directed his screen test. Fraser praised the screenplay, describing the intense secrecy surrounding the project.
"Oh, I loved that screenplay," Fraser recounted. "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 inconspicuously." Can you imagine the pressure? Locked in a room with a potentially career-defining script, unable to even make a copy!
Fraser went on to gush about the script's quality. “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.” Sadly, no pictures exist of Fraser in the suit, as he was strictly forbidden from taking any.
When asked if he felt excitement during the audition process, Fraser admitted to feeling mostly anxious. And this is the part most people miss... he also expressed a reluctance to be forever associated with the Man of Steel. He feared being typecast, a common concern for actors taking on such iconic roles.
"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."
Fraser elaborated, questioning whether he was truly ready for such a monumental role. "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." This raises an interesting question: Is it better to chase every opportunity, or to wait for the right opportunity, even if it means passing on something huge?
This isn't the first time Fraser has hinted at his almost-superhero status. Back in 2023, during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, he reminisced about the intense competition for the role. "Everyone in town was reading for Superman. Like, again, we're testing I think, like six or seven guys in 2002-3. [...] I remember Paul Walker was before me. They were like the usual suspects."
Fraser also reiterated his hesitation about being forever linked to Superman. While he admitted to initial disappointment at not landing the role, he acknowledged a lack of complete commitment, which he believes Warner Bros. picked up on. "I felt disappointed that there was an amazing opportunity, and it didn't come to fruition. 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%." Only 98%? Is that enough to save Metropolis?
But here's where it gets controversial... Some argue that Fraser's reluctance might have actually made him a more compelling Superman. The character is often portrayed as stoic and burdened by his powers. Perhaps Fraser's internal conflict would have brought a unique vulnerability to the role.
So, what do you think? Would you have loved to see Brendan Fraser as Superman? What are your thoughts on the scrapped Superman: Flyby? Do you agree with Fraser's assessment of his own screen test, or do you think studio politics played a bigger role in his not getting the part? Sound off in the comments below!
