Jude Law turned down Superman in the early 2000s because “it just didn’t feel right,” which he says sounds ridiculous considering he would later agree to star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and play Dumbledore in the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise . The actor confirmed he was being courted to play the Man of Steel in Brett Ratner’s failed Superman project, which was announced in 2002 and was based on a rehash of JJ Abrams’ “Superman: Flyby” script.
“So this is true. Yes. And there was a process of flirting going on,” Law further said The playlist podcast ‘Discourse’. “And I always resisted, because that’s just how it felt [off]. And I know you might say, “Well, but you played Yonn-Rogg and Dumbledore!” It just felt like a step too far.”
“I think it was when Brett Ratner started directing. And they didn’t have a script, if I remember correctly,” Law continued. “Did they have a script? I don’t remember reading one. This was a long time ago. They brought me the suit. They thought, ‘This might change your mind.’”
Even trying on the suit wasn’t enough to convince Law that he should play Superman. Despite reports to the contrary, Law didn’t try on Christopher Reeves’ original Superman suit and instead wore something that was “more metallic.”
“Anyway, I tried it and I looked in the mirror and part of me initially thought, ‘Wow, this could be a [good thing]’, and then I just thought, ‘No, you can’t – you can’t do this. You can’t do that,” Law said. “And I didn’t sell myself to myself. And I walked away and the movie never happened anyway. So maybe it probably wouldn’t have accomplished anything.”
Ratner’s Superman project collapsed, just as Tim Burton’s Superman project failed before it. Warner Bros. would eventually manage to get a Man of Steel project off the ground with Bryan Singer’s 2006 tentpole “Superman Returns,” which starred Brandon Routh as the superhero.
Law wasn’t the only actor to play Ratner’s Superman. Matt Bomer recently mentioned it The Hollywood Reporter that he may have been the director’s final choice for the role, but that was taken away from him when he came out as gay.
“That was a time in the industry where something like that could still really be used against you,” Bomer said. “How, and why, and who, I don’t know, but yes, that’s what I understand.”
