Let’s be real—Superman is the biggest “what if?” in Hollywood. For each actor who’s worn the cape, there’s a galaxy of stars who got this close to becoming Clark Kent. From A-list talent to cult heroes, the reasons why these near-misses didn’t quite work out are as crazy as a Kryptonian power surge. Here’s a countdown of the 10 most iconic almost-Supermen.
10. Matthew Goode – Zack Snyder’s First Choice
Before Henry Cavill was the DCEU’s Man of Steel, Matthew Goode was in the running. Snyder had recently collaborated with Goode on Watchmen and considered him to be an interesting choice for the role. Ultimately, Cavill landed the role—but it’s amusing to consider Ozymandias swapping his purple tights for the red cape.
9. D.J. Cotrona – The Superman Who Almost Flew
D.J. Cotrona made it to costume tests for George Miller’s doomed Justice League: Mortal in 2009. The movie was set to usher in a new era of DC heroes, but a writers’ strike and production problems ended the project. Cotrona never had his Kryptonian moment, and fans were left to wonder what could have been.
8. Jude Law – Two Minutes in the Suit
Jude Law seriously considered playing Superman in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns. When Law looked at himself in the Superman suit, he said the harshness of global posters and public scrutiny suddenly clicked in—and he dropped out instantly. “I was Superman for two minutes, and that was enough,” he quipped.
7. Josh Hartnett – The Reluctant Hero
Hartnett was offered two opportunities to play Superman—first, in a Batman vs. Superman production, and second, in J.J. Abrams’ Superman: Flyby. Each time, he passed, fearing being typecast. “I was interested in telling more people stories,” Hartnett explained. Two close calls, no capes.
6. Brendan Fraser – Nearly a Man of Steel
Before his career resurgence, Fraser was also in consideration for Abrams’ Superman: Flyby. The film never happened, and Fraser chose to pull out. As he later revealed to Howard Stern, “I felt disappointed that there was an amazing opportunity and it didn’t come to fruition.” The multiverse owes us a Fraser Superman.
5. Will Smith – From Krypton to Hancock
Warner Bros. once eyed Will Smith for Superman, even sharing scripts for Superman Returns. Smith passed, preferring the antihero route with Hancock and later joining the DC universe as Deadshot. Somewhere in an alternate timeline, Smith soars over Metropolis instead of piloting a hoverboard.
4. Paul Newman & Robert Redford – Hollywood Royalty Declines
In the late ’70s, producers of Superman presented Paul Newman with his choice of Clark Kent, Lex Luthor, or Jor-El for a whopping $4 million. Newman refused. Somewhere during the same timeframe, Robert Redford was also asked and said no. Think about a world in which Redford or Newman had sported the S emblem—cinema would be forever altered.
3. Joe Manganiello – The Physique That Almost Was
Before Cavill, Zack Snyder had a preference for Joe Manganiello as Man of Steel. There were meetings arranged, but Manganiello’s True Blood schedule kept him from accepting the job. He would eventually become part of the DCEU as Deathstroke, with fans left to speculate what a Manganiello Superman could lift.
2. Ben Affleck – The Batman Who Almost Flew
Before he became Gotham’s guardian, Affleck was considered Superman in Kevin Smith’s Superman Lives. Affleck even got offers to direct Man of Steel. Instead, he’d go on to play George Reeves in Hollywoodland and become Batman in the DCEU—a role reversal only Hollywood could provide.
1. Nicolas Cage – The Legendary Almost-Superman
Nothing can top Nicolas Cage’s almost-cast as Superman in Tim Burton’s The Death of Superman adaptation. Cage even did costume tests and even wore the emo, long-haired version. The film was eventually dropped, but let this be a footnote: Cage finally received a cameo as Superman in The Flash, giving us small peeks of the unfulfilled vision.
From Oscar winners to action heroes, these near-Supermen reveal how close Hollywood was to redefining the Man of Steel. In some other universe, each of them had their turn in the cape—and fans still argue who would have been best.