The DC Universe might be failing to catch eyes now, but during its early years of raging in the industry, it was nothing short of one of the biggest and most hyped-up franchises of all time. And earning the chance to bag a role in this superhit franchise would have been a dream of many at the time.
However, even then, there were numerous actors who either weren’t ready to star in big-budget films from the DC Universe or just didn’t fancy the role. So here is a list of 5 of all the actors who turned down the DCU. And, as surprising as it could be, their rejection of the roles from the superhit franchise didn’t leave any space for regrets for them either!
5 Actors Who Turned Down The DC Universe
1. Leonardo DiCaprio
This might be unbelievable (or it might not be) but Leonardo DiCaprio was actually offered the role of Robin in Batman Forever from the DC Universe, back when was one of the most in-demand actors of the time.
But, like every other actor on this list, the Hollywood heartthrob wasn’t up for the role either (and thankfully so). As per what he shared in an interview with ShortList:
“I never screen-tested. Er, I don’t think I [actually wanted to take on the role], no (laughs). As I recall I took the meeting, but didn’t want to play the role. Joel Schumacher is a very talented director but I don’t think I was ready for anything like that.”
Though he might not have known it back then, but Leonardo DiCaprio most certainly ended up dodging a bullet by turning down the role, considering the epic flop that was Batman Forever which could have easily ended up deeply impacting his equally-successful-otherwise career.
2. Jude Law
Jude Law is a masterpiece. A true masterpiece. Perhaps that was why he was offered to play one of DC’s biggest fan-favorite superheroes, Superman in Superman Returns. As he confessed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert:
“I was approached [for Superman], and at the time, I don’t know, it didn’t float in my boat. I just really didn’t want To go there. I’m an Englishman and it didn’t seem to fit. And I was always worried about the outfit, and I just didn’t fancy it.”
However, director Bryan Singer had too close of an eye on Law for the role that he wasn’t willing to let Jude Law just throw it away. In fact, he even had the ‘revamped’ costume for the Man of Steel sent to the Sherlock Holmes star to try on! But that’s what made Law want to turn down the role even more:
“I’m putting [the costume] on and then I look around: I’m in the mirror and suddenly I’m Superman, right? And the music kind of comes in. Ta-Ta-Ta. [Laughs] Well, I stood there and then I had this picture of me in that costume on posters all over the world, and I was like, ‘No way.’ And I unzipped it. But I was Superman for two minutes–that’s enough.”
As expected, Jude Law turned down the role of the Last Son of Krypton as well, and a long time after passing down to numerous other actors, the lead’s role in DC’s Superman Returns finally landed back in its owner’s lap: Brandon Routh.
3. Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart might be super famous for her breathtaking roles in movies like the Twilight film series and Snow White and the Huntsman, but she never got around to starring in any major superhero franchises, like the DC Universe–not by chance, but by choice.
As it turns out, the actress was actually offered the role of Lois Lane aka Superman’s love interest in Zack Snyder‘s DC reboot film, Man of Steel. But as much as she was in demand for the role, Stewart had all the less interest in it–for reasons all too understandable.
According to sources, Stewart was only just done with the Twilight franchise and was so “caught off guard” by the massive success of it that she just didn’t feel right jumping into another major superhero franchise so quick.
However, it wasn’t like turning it down left a dent in her wallet. Furthermore, Kristen Stewart’s passing on the role only led to the door opening for Margot Kidder who did a remarkable job as the Man of Steel’s iconic heroine.
4. Josh Hartnett
Josh Hartnett may have made his way to becoming a fan-favorite actor cum producer with his superhit television series like Black Mirror and Penny Dreadful, and movies like his most recent starrer, Oppenheimer, but he also got the chance once to becoming a major fan-favorite star in DC: Superman. And, that too, during the time he was a hotshot raging in Hollywood.
However, as per reports, the star was apparently too nervous about being ‘pigeonholed’ and that maybe starring in hit blockbusters like the ones he was offered simply ‘wasn’t made for him’.
Regardless, that last comment most certainly seems to have been proven wrong, considering how Hartnett was recently a part of Christopher Nolan‘s epic blockbuster Oppenheimer, for which he received worldwide critical acclamation.
Furthermore, judging from how much fans loved the other actors who were finalized for the respective roles of the Man of Steel in different films, Josh Hartnett probably doesn’t regret his decision to stay away from superhero movies.
5. Will Smith
We know what you’re thinking: Why is Will Smith here? He’s already a part of DCU as Deadshot in the Suicide Squad, no? Yes, that’s true. Except that way before he agreed to take on the part of the deadly assassin aka Floyd Lawton, he was actually offered the role of a superhero in DC: the Man of Steel in Superman Returns! Pretty crazy, no?
However, Smith ended up turning it down for reasons all too understandable. As per his interview with MTV from 2008, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star said:
“The last ‘Superman’ I got offered,” Will Smith reminisced. “The script came, and I was like, ‘There is no way I’m playing Superman!’ Because I had already done Jim West [of ‘Wild Wild West’], and you can’t be messing up white people’s heroes in Hollywood!” Laughing, he added, “You mess up white people’s heroes in Hollywood, you’ll never work in this town again!”
So it wasn’t really like Will Smith didn’t want to take on a superhero role (considering how he, later on, jumped in the superhero pool with his Hancock role), but he just didn’t want to ‘mess up white people’s heroes’.
And, after all, it wasn’t like he ended up regretting turning down the chance to play Superman, judging from his equally successful career even after rejecting the role and Brandon Routh‘s perfect portrayal of the fan-favorite DC superhero, which left no room for regrets.
