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As much of a beloved character Superman is, he has also found some really perfect real-life counterparts to bring him to life. That said, the first names to have popped into most fans’ minds must have been Henry Cavill and David Corenswet, for the former’s performance as the Man of Steel was widely acclaimed while the latter’s performance is expected to do the same.
While these names have gained wide publicity, one name that many might have been unaware of being connected with Clark Kent is Brendan Fraser. For a movie that never happened, the actor was one of the contenders screen-testing for the role. And, whether you like to admit it or not, both Cavill and Corenswet would have looked puny standing next to Fraser’s Kal-El.
Brendan Fraser Could Have Dwarfed Even Henry Cavill in His Superman Film That Never Happened
Sometime down the time lane, after the 1987 filmSuperman IV: The Quest for Peacebrutally disappointed audiences in all terms—which was then followed by a further series of failed attempts to revitalize the character on the big screens — Warner Bros. finally tapped the then-screenwriterJ.J. Abramsto pen a new script for the superhero.
As perDen of Geek, this script entered various stages of pre-production under the working title ofSuperman: Flyby, and notably made sure that every element of the Man of Steel’s origin was portrayed significantly and every relationship introduced explained in great detail. But as much controversy as it garnered for its elements, the film was scrapped, presumably due to budget constraints.
Nonetheless, out of perhaps innumerable other contenders wishing to land the role, one of the now-big names who screen-tested for this role was none other thanBrendan Fraser. However,The Whalestar was unable to seal the deal for himself. One of the reasons why he found himself second-guessing his choice was that he wasn’t okay with beingforevermore known as the Man of Steel.
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Talking to Howard Stern, he came clean about his feelings toward the same, saying (viaVariety), “There was a sort of Faustian bargain that went into it. I think inherently, I didn’t want to be known for only one thing because I prided myself on diversity my whole professional life and I’m not a one-trick pony.” Even then, not landing the role was nothing short of disappointing for him.
Sharing his feelings about not scoring the role and the reasons why the script couldn’t materialize, he said:
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%.
We’re weaker as a species because this didn’t happen 20 years ago..pic.twitter.com/6W0mXWPj9u
But while that was that, it didn’t stop the world from dreaming. To say the least, comic book writerMark Millarrecently took to his X handle@mrmarkmillarto remind fans of the studios’ lost opportunity to deliver one of the best films on Kal-El starring Fraser in the lead. Posting an art of Fraser in the iconic suit, he captioned it:
We’re weaker as a species because this didn’t happen 20 years ago..
Effortlessly enough, in the picture alone, the 55-year-old actor looks as canonically similar to Man of Steel as ever, his resemblance being uncannily same to the Clark Kent in the comics. Then there’s his bulky figure drawn, with bulging muscles, which further proves that evenHenry Cavill‘s andDavid Corenswet‘s Kal-El would look puny in front of him.
That being said, reminded of the commendably good work they could have gotten on the Man of Steel, fans are now wishing Fraser was actually cast inFlybyand the film wasn’t scrapped as mercilessly as it did.
Fans Are Now Reminiscing the Loss of Brendan Fraser’s Superman
While, yes, the fact that he didn’t get cast in the role is one thing to remember before even talking about the scrapped film, fans still can’t help but feel like the studios took a massive L by losing out on Fraserfor the role of Clark Kent. That said, some are also suggesting that the actor could be cast in this respective role or a similar one even now, if given the golden opportunity.
All in all, taking to the comment section of Millar’s X post, here’s what those fans have to say about Fraser’s casting as Clark Kent:
The resemblance is uncanny. 🤯pic.twitter.com/SIgGeg9fgz
Why not now?Brendan could still be Superman.Why not Supreme or Marvel Man even?
The similarity to@frankquitely1’s#AllStarSupermanis haunting my inner geek.
Its actually perfect casting
Wow, Quitely’s Superman come to life.
You know what, I think he’d have pulled it off.
Sad. He would have made a great Quitely Superman.
He would have been great as Superman. 😢
It’s not too late.
With all of this being put out there, it’s unarguable to admit that even fans considered Brendan Fraser to be one of the worthiest contenders to bring Kal-El to life. At the same time, as many pointed out, it’s still nottoo late to right the wrongs, and if not for the script developed by Abrams, the actor could still be cast now to play the superhero in a different script.
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Either way, if this ends up happening, then it would inevitably be one of the most-anticipated and best films on the Man of Steel to date.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
