Will Smith has built himself a reputation as the ‘could-have-been’ superhero of Hollywood. The Oscar-winning actor came close to playing two iconic superheroes in his career, apart from his actual role in Hancock. Interestingly, Hancock was in development hell for years with various actors pursuing the role before Smith took it on.
The King Richard actor had, at one point, come close to beating Henry Cavill for the role of Superman, not for the DCEU, but for the 2006 Bryan Singer film. Smith could have also played Captain America in the MCU.
Will Smith Was Considered for Superman Returns
A still from Superman Returns
Superman Returns, the sixth installment in the original Superman series, had a list of actors lined up to carry on the legacy of the late Christopher Reeve. Eventually, the role went to Brandon Routh, who bore a striking resemblance to Reeve. Among the notable actors considered was Henry Cavill, who would go on to portray Kal-El in the 2013 DCEU film, Man of Steel.
Will Smith, who was also considered for the role, was ahead of Cavill in the run. Smith became associated with the project as the idea of marking a cultural shift with a black Superman was explored. The Pursuit of Happyness actor ultimately opted not to take the opportunity to play the Kryptonian. In an interview with MTV, the Men in Black actor shared:
“‘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! You mess up white people’s heroes in Hollywood, you’ll never work in this town again!”
Furthermore, Smith’s preference leaned towards playing a hero with shades of gray rather than the traditional squeaky-clean image associated with Superman. Consequently, the I Am Legend actor went on to play the flawed superhero in Hancock. Interestingly, the depiction of Superman became a lot darker in the DCEU movies.
Will Smith Took On The Hancock Role But Later Missed Captain America
Will Smith in & as Hancock
Will Smith stepped into the shoes of Hancock after the film suffered various production challenges. The Bad Boys actor played a superhero scorned by the public for his alcoholic nature and for causing collateral damage. Hancock received mixed reviews from critics but became a commercial success collecting $629.4M worldwide. Although a sequel was announced, it never came to fruition.
The Seven Pounds actor was also approached for the role of Marvel’s Captain America. In a revelation to MTV, actor Derek Luke confirmed that the franchise aimed to cast a black actor, even though the original comics depicted the character as white. However, further discussions did not happen on the same.
Fans are left to speculate what Will Smith could have brought to both the superhero characters. In the meantime, fans of the Suicide Squad actor can stream Hancock on Amazon Prime Video and fans of the original Superman series can rent Superman Returns on Amazon.
News
Taylor Swift lands in Kansas City to see boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Chiefs face off against the Las Vegas Raiders in Christmas Day showdown
Taylor Swift has landed in Kansas City to see boyfriend Travis Kelce in action as the Chiefs take on the Raiders on Christmas Day. Kansas City welcomes Las Vegas to Arrowhead – with kick-off at 1pm…
Taylor Swift screams her support for boyfriend Travis Kelce while wearing a Christmas hat with his jersey number on at Arrowhead… after jetting in to Kansas City from Nashville with her mom and dad
Taylor Swift was seen screaming for boyfriend Travis Kelce as the Chiefs tight end tried to drag his team to victory over the Raiders on Christmas Day. The pop sensation jetted into Kansas City…
Taylor Swift legs it around NYC in a stylish outfit as insiders reveal she’s had ‘deep conversations’ with Travis Kelce about ‘their future together’
Taylor Swift put on a stylish display while out in NYC on Thursday as insiders revealed she’s had ‘deep conversations’ with Travis Kelce about ‘their future together’ – just four months after being…
Taylor Swift RESPONDS to tearful single mom’s touching story about how singer impacted her relationship with daughter …
Taylor Swift was left ‘so moved’ after learning how she made 2023 a year to remember for a single mother and her nine-year-old daughter. In a TikTok video uploaded…
Inside Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship as insider reveals how he uses different flowers to woo her.TH
Kansas City Chiefs tight end is embracing his new relationship with the global superstar singer TRAVIS KELCE is pulling out all the stops to show his love…
Kim Kardashian gives a shout out to Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend Timothee Chalamet as fans suspect couple secretly split
KIM Kardashian has given a shout-out to sister Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend, Timothee Chalamet, in a new video amid breakup rumors. In an Instagram Story, Kim, 43, gave followers…
End of content
No more pages to load