Jude Law was almost the Man of Steel! The actor reveals why he turned down the starring role in a cancelled Superman film by director Brett Ratner.
The Superman IP was in an odd state in the early 2000s. Dozens of cancelled projects laid in the bin following the Richard Donner franchise ending, ultimately culminating in Suprman Returns, which many describe as rather subpar and led to let another period of dormancy of the character on the big screen until Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.
However, in the midst of all of this drama, there was an idea for a Superman film directed by Brett Ratner, best known for his work with the Rush Hour franchise. When the studio was developing the film, only one actor was on their minds to play the Man of Steel. Somehow, that actor was Jude Law.
Jude Law Speaks On Turning Down Superman
A quarter century divorced from the idea, fans know that Superman incarnation never came to life, with Jude Law turning down the project and the film eventually falling apart. However, it’s never been clear why Law rejected the Man of Steel. When asked during a recent podcast appearance, he admitted it simply felt “too far” for him.
“So this is true. Yeah. And there was a process of flirtation going on,” Law told The Discourse podcast. “And I always resisted because it just felt like [off]. And I know you can say, ‘Well, but you played Yonn-Rogg and Dumbledore!’ It just felt like a step too far.”
He added, “And it was when Brett Ratner was going to direct, I think. And they didn’t have a script, if I remember rightly. Did they have a script? I don’t remember reading one. This is a long time ago. They brought me the suit. They thought, ‘This might change your mind.’”
“No, it wasn’t the Reeve suit. It was a kind of like it was more metallic,” he said. “Anyway, I tried on and I looked in the mirror and part of me initially was like, ‘Wow, this would be a [good thing],’ and then I just thought, ‘No, you can’t – you can’t do this. You can’t.’ And I didn’t sell myself to myself. And I stepped away and the film never happened anyway. So maybe it probably wouldn’t have done anything.”
It certainly would have been interesting to see Jude Law transform into the Man of Steel on the silver screen. However, given the track record of DC at the time, it’s likely for the best that Brett Ratner’s Superman film never saw the light of day. At the very least Law got to fly up, up and away as Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel!
Superman is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
