Josh Hartnett Says He Turned Down 'Superman Returns' As Well As Playing Spider-Man And Batman
Options
1CK1S
Members Posts: 27,471 ✭✭✭✭✭
This spring Josh Hartnett returns to our collective consciousness in Showtime's "Penny Dreadful," and it has been a long time since we've seen him anything. The past four of five years has seen the actor drift with indies nobody saw ("Stuck Between Stations," "August," "Girl Walks Into A Bar"), genre fare that no one saw ("Bunraku," "I Come With The Rain") and troubled international blockbusters ("Singularity"). But perhaps his career might've been different, if he had made some different choices.
In an interview with Details, the actor is up front about turning down some major roles, including Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns," early in his career. "Spider-Man was something we talked about. Batman was another one. But I somehow knew those roles had potential to define me, and I didn't want that. I didn't want to be labeled as Superman for the rest of my career. I was maybe 22, but I saw the danger," he explained.
And to be fair, there is a kernel of truth to that. Christopher Reeve forever carried the Supes tag, Brandon Routh is still referred to as "that-guy-who-played-Superman," and right now, the only thing Henry Cavill can stake his name to is wearing the blue and red tights. But as you might guess, those around Hartnett in Hollywood didn't take kindly to his attitude.
"I didn't have those agents for much longer after that. There was a lot of inf!ghting between my manager and agents, trying to figure out who to put the blame on. It got to the point where none of us were able to work together," Harnett said.
However, at age 35, Harnett has mellowed a bit, and if Warner Bros. came to him again (theoretically) to play Superman, he'd take a different approach. "I'd say, 'Let's talk about how it would be done, see if we can get on the same page.' Compromise doesn't scare me anymore."
Sometimes, life lessons are learned the hard way, but Hartnett seems pretty level-headed about it all. "Penny Dreadful" kicks off on May 11th.
Comments
-
Lol. Dude thought he was too nice.
-
Good. I don't see him playing any superhero, much less icons like Spidey, Super or Batman.
-
who? lmao sounds like the type of dude you know who talks about back when he could've been the next lebron or peyton manning but decided not to.
it's risky to take a role as big as some of these superheros, but face it, that might be your peak. no one's seen Routh since he was superman, tom welling who was superman for 10 years in smallville can barely get a small role, but you better believe they're both living good and aren't necessarily broke starving actors anymore.
-
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
Sounds like he had some dumb people making decisions for him. Obviously back before comic book movies were huge but you still had to know Spider-Man would make money
-
Only thing I liked him in was faculty and 30 days of night
-
What dumb logic. Every actor is going to be attached to their most successful project, comic book adaption or not. You never hear people say "Denzel Washington, the guy who played in Virtuosity!"
-
is he on suicide watch?
-
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
soul rattler wrote: »What dumb logic. Every actor is going to be attached to their most successful project, comic book adaption or not. You never hear people say "Denzel Washington, the guy who played in Virtuosity!"
Virtuosity was kinda dope save the terrible CGI. If it was released 10 years later with the same cast you couldn't make that statement.
-
And Denzel has 10 other movies that are easily better and more successful that people would recognize him from.Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »What dumb logic. Every actor is going to be attached to their most successful project, comic book adaption or not. You never hear people say "Denzel Washington, the guy who played in Virtuosity!"
Virtuosity was a good movie tho.
-
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »
And Denzel has 10 other movies that are easily better and more successful that people would recognize him from.Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »What dumb logic. Every actor is going to be attached to their most successful project, comic book adaption or not. You never hear people say "Denzel Washington, the guy who played in Virtuosity!"
Virtuosity was a good movie tho.
i will punch you in the face.
dont you ever say an unkind word about that movie.
Glory, Malcolm X, Courage Under Fire, Inside Man, Philadelphia, Crimson Tide, He Got Game, Remeber The Titans, Training Day, The Great Debators
Need I continue? -
Black_Samson wrote: »Bunraku was an epic movie tho.
the kid can act.
but he makes sean connery level decisions when it comes to picking movies.
Thought I was the only ? that liked this. ? had a dope cast, story and acting. He did pick the right movies and if he chose spidey, supes or bats, he have been deemed as a shifty actor. His roles in 30 days of night and sin city were underrated. -
-
I've always liked Josh as an actor, and ironically I always thought of him as being humble
-
Josh Hartnett as Ant Man. Boom. I love it.
I'm finna go watch Entourage. -
The past four of five years has seen the actor drift with indies nobody saw ("Stuck Between Stations," "August," "Girl Walks Into A Bar")
Funnily enough I've watched August and Girl Walks Into A Bar, neither are very good. -
soul rattler wrote: »Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »
And Denzel has 10 other movies that are easily better and more successful that people would recognize him from.Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »What dumb logic. Every actor is going to be attached to their most successful project, comic book adaption or not. You never hear people say "Denzel Washington, the guy who played in Virtuosity!"
Virtuosity was a good movie tho.
i will punch you in the face.
dont you ever say an unkind word about that movie.
Glory, Malcolm X, Courage Under Fire, Inside Man, Philadelphia, Crimson Tide, He Got Game, Remeber The Titans, Training Day, The Great Debators
Need I continue?
You ain't ? for leaving off Man on Fire but coming with the great debaters and remember the titans.
If Man on Fire didn't leave you feeling some type a way you ain't real. -
Harnett is from MN and I have talked to numerous FEMALES under the age of 21 who have no idea who he even is. Hoes loved Harnett when I was growing up.
-
soul rattler wrote: »Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »
And Denzel has 10 other movies that are easily better and more successful that people would recognize him from.Black_Samson wrote: »soul rattler wrote: »What dumb logic. Every actor is going to be attached to their most successful project, comic book adaption or not. You never hear people say "Denzel Washington, the guy who played in Virtuosity!"
Virtuosity was a good movie tho.
i will punch you in the face.
dont you ever say an unkind word about that movie.
Glory, Malcolm X, Courage Under Fire, Inside Man, Philadelphia, Crimson Tide, He Got Game, Remeber The Titans, Training Day, The Great Debators
Need I continue?
You ain't ? for leaving off Man on Fire but coming with the great debaters and remember the titans.
If Man on Fire didn't leave you feeling some type a way you ain't real.
? I said "Need I continue?"
![[Deleted User]](https://w1.vanillicon.com/v2/15efd8efe08bb34aae25f1808aaf5018.svg)
