Superman Returns was the movie that gave us hopes that DC could perhaps someday even bring MCU to its knees. Undoubtedly, Henry Cavill really nailed the role of Clark Kent and in no time became synonymous with Superman.
It is difficult to imagine anyone playing Man of Steel apart from Cavill and it surely does come as a shock to learn that the role was first offered to What Happens in Vegas star, Ashton Kutcher. Despite his charming and typically American Clark Kent look, it is just impossible to imagine the supervillains and monsters being afraid of him.
Kutcher did have a good audition with Brett Ratner and was quite close to being cast as the lead for the Superman movie that never released: Superman Flyby. However, the thought of being recognized as Superman for the entirety of his life raised a red flag in his head, causing him to turn down the role.
Considering how Kutcher has played different kinds of characters in Two and a Half Men, The Ranch, and Killers, it might not be wrong to say that he made the right choice.
The director for Superman Flyby was going to be Brett Ratner, who was later replaced by McG, the original director, on the grounds that his movie demanded a $225 million budget.
McG then wanted to cast Johnny Depp as Lex Luthor and shoot in New York City and Canada, which led to a clash with Warner Bros., who wanted to film the movie in Sydney, Australia. They ended up replacing McG with Bryan Singer as the director in 2004, resulting in Superman Returns.
In an interview with MTV, Kutcher laughingly described his uncomfortable screen test for the movie. He started by mentioning how he auditioned in the Superman suit and admitted that it looked funny because he hadn't worked out. "I was like a rail with fake muscles," he said.
Ashton goes on to say, "I don't think I can be a superhero in tights; I can play He-Man."
It's funny to imagine that there's probably a tape out there with Ashton Kutcher in Superman costume. Not just that, McG also approached Scarlett Johannson with the intention to cast her to play Lois Lane.
Needless to say that DC fans really did dodge a Kryptonite bullet there!
