Jude Law once auditioned for the lead role in now-cancelled ‘Superman: Flyby.’ The actor shared the experience during an interview with The Playlist and recalled why he missed the chance:
“So, this is true. Yeah. And there was a process of flirtation going on. And, I always resisted because it just felt like [off]. And, I know you can say, ‘Well, but you played Yonn-Rogg and Dumbledore!’ It just felt like a step too far.”
Warner Bros. hired J.J. Abrams to write the script in 2002. The project went between directors Joseph ‘McG’ Nichols and Brett Ratner before it was shelved. Law said:
“And it was when Brett Ratner was going to direct, I think. And they didn’t have a script, if I remember rightly. Did they have a script? I don’t remember reading one. This is a long time ago. They brought me the suit. They thought, ‘This might change your mind.’”
The Suit Wasn’t Enough To Convince Him
Wearing the suit that was either a prototype or a costume for Tim Burton’s ‘Superman Lives’ didn’t convince the actor that he was right for the role:
“No, it wasn’t the Reeve suit; it was kind of like it was more metallic. Anyway, I tried it on, looked in the mirror, and part of me initially was like, ‘Wow, this would be a [good thing].’ Then I just thought, ‘No, you can’t – you can’t do this. You can’t.’ And I didn’t sell myself to myself.”
He added:
“And I stepped away and the film never happened anyway. So maybe it probably wouldn’t have done anything.”
The Cancelled Superman Film
McG also considered Jason Behr, Jared Padalecki, Michael Cassidy, and Henry Cavill to play Superman but dropped out of the project due to disagreement over budget planning and creative choices.
If it moved forward, ‘Superman: Flyby’ was reportedly going to feature Superman facing off evil Kryptonians, dying, and meeting his father in Kryptonian heaven. He was later going to come back to life and save Earth before leaving for his home planet.
Lex Luthor was going to be a government agent obsessed with UFOs with Lois Lane trying to expose him.
