Under his belt, Brendan Fraser has played many hit characters. But there was another one, a role that he came close to starring in: Superman.
Speaking to the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he shares that J.J. Abrams was both the writer and producer of the project. Brett Ratner, meanwhile, was set to direct it. The story was said to be an origin story showing a civil war in Krypton.
The Mummy star recalls that the process of offering him the role was secretive, adding that the team also made sure the script remained hidden from others.
"Oh, I loved that screenplay. They let me read it. They locked me in an empty office in, I don't know, some studio lot. [I] signed an NDA. It was printed black, on crimson paper, so you couldn't photocopy it or sneak it out the door inscospicuously," Brendan remembers.
Not only does he read the script, but the Academy-winning star also wore the superhero suit and lauded the movie's idea.
"I mean, it was Shakespeare in space. It was a really good screenplay. It really was. But, yes, I was considered. I did do a screen test. I did wear the big guy's suit.”
Despite this praise, Brendan was honest about having second thoughts about playing Superman. "If I think about it, I can remember feeling, you know, you feel a little certain anxiety anyway, when you're going up on some big job."
He continues, "But I also remember thinking, 'Hm, if I do get this job, then, well, I think 'Superman's gonna be chipped on my gravestone,' you know?”
"There’s an element of, 'You are that for the rest of your days. Your career.' And that's not a bad thing. I'm not saying that's gonna kill me anytime soon, but, you know, it is something that becomes part of your entire brand. Who you are," the star explains.
It is worth noting that the project never saw the light of day.