Discussions among fans and critics are ablaze regarding director Zack Snyder’s depiction of Superman in Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. In contrast, when director Richard Donner introduced the superhero to cinema with 1978’s Superman, there were no such contentious debates. Even Sylvester Stallone was in the running for a titular role.
The movie confidently pledged, “You will believe a man can fly,” and audiences fully embraced it. The film raked in a worldwide total of $300 million — equivalent to $1.09 billion today — and maintains an impressive 93 percent approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com.
Sylvester Stallone Was Almost Cast As Superman
An actor who boasts roles in some of the finest Marvel and DC films is Sylvester Stallone, known for his appearances in Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol. 2 and 3) and The Suicide Squad. Despite his eventual comic book debut as the titular character in 1995’s Judge Dredd, the opportunity could have arisen much earlier.
Stallone crossed paths with director Richard Donner for consideration as the lead in 1978’s Superman. Donner expressed appreciation for the Rocky franchise star; however, he was opposed to casting a high-profile name. Eventually, his wish was fulfilled when the then-unknown Reeve took on the role.
In regard to the casting process, Richard Donner recalled that they had a skilled casting director, Lynn Stalmaster, who arranged numerous auditions. However, the Salkinds were insistent on having a recognizable name for the role. Donner recounted meeting Sylvester Stallone as a result of their request, but he expressed his disagreement with the choice. Despite this, Donner held a positive opinion of Stallone, considering him a pleasant individual.
“I met with Sylvester Stallone because of them. I tried to be nice and say, “This is wrong.” I liked Stallone; he turned out to be a nice guy. He wanted to do it. I remember meeting him in his manager’s office and I was as cordial as I could be. He was a big star and I’m some punk kid.”
As fate would have it, the role eventually went to Christopher Reeve, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Sylvester Stallone Auditioned For The Godfather
There’s little dispute over the fact that The Godfather stands as a masterpiece and ranks among the greatest films in history. Helmed by Francis Ford Coppola and featuring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro, the movie has achieved remarkable accomplishments in terms of both box office triumph and critical acclaim. Interestingly, Sylvester Stallone was once turned down for even a minor role in this iconic gangster film. He shared in an interview with ABC News,
“I couldn’t even get casted as an Italian. I said, ‘If there is one movie I can definitely get into, it would be ‘The Godfather’ because there’s a party scene and there’s three hundred guests.”
It appears the selection process for even background artists was exceptionally rigorous, possibly reflecting one of Coppola’s distinct filmmaking approaches. While this rejection might align with the standards set by Coppola, it undoubtedly came as a blow to Stallone. “They said no,” Stallone revealed, highlighting the disappointment. For any aspiring actor, the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed directors, even in minor roles, holds allure. Despite the setback of his dream to work with The Godfather director being dashed, Stallone remained resolute in his pursuit of an acting career.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
