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Over the last two decades, WB has been adamant about bringing Superman back to its glory on the big screen with releases including Brandon Routh’sSuperman Returnsand Henry Cavill’sMan of Steel. Although over time, fans did come to love Cavill’s iteration of the character and have been vocal against the idea of him being axed from the role, Brandon Routh’s version of the character did lose into obscurity.
Following the 2006’sSuperman Returns’underwhelming box office reception, the ambitious plans for its future were eventually scrapped in favor of Zack Snyder’s version of the character. However, the disappointing reception of the movie came as a surprise to the cast, as the leads of the movie were captivated by Bryan Singer’s vision and didn’t even read the script before tuning in.
Also read:“Just treat Superman Returns as the Ang Lee Hulk”: Before Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, Legendary DC Writer Demanded 2006 Brandon Routh Movie Be Wiped Out of Continuity
Brandon Routh didn’t read the script before agreeing to star inSuperman Returns
The 2000s saw some of the most influential Superhero media of all time, including Sam Raimi’sSpider-Manmovies and Christopher Nolan’sBatmanmovies, which reshaped the entire genre for the better. But among those major releases, there was another ambitious project led by Bryan Singer, who tried to take a different spin on the character of Superman. Engrossed in his grand vision for reviving the iconic franchise, the main cast, includingBrandon Routh, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, signed on without even reading a script.
Bryan Singer also explained why he chose Brandon Routh for the role ahead of other established actors at the time by stating,
“There was just something about one of Brandon Routh’s tapes that intrigued me. It wasn’t until I met him and we talked at length that I realized I would cast him, but I didn’t tell anyone. Two months later I told him.”
But despite his ambitious plans, the movie failed to hit the mark, and even though it was praised for its visuals and direction, it failed to leave an impact on the audience. But this wasn’t the last time we would witness Routh in the role, as the actor got the opportunity to reprise the role for a brief period in theArrowverse.
Also read:Before Zack Snyder Chose Henry Cavill, Brandon Routh Was Desperate To Play Superman in ‘Man of Steel’ after Superman Returns Debacle
Reprising the role of Superman healed Brandon Routh’s past wounds fromSuperman Returns
Although the underwhelming reception ofSuperman Returnsdid ruin the chances of the planned sequel, Brandon Routh did get the opportunity to get back in the tights for one last time. Considering the actor garnered success in the role of the Atom in theArrowverse, during its biggest event,Crisis on Infinite Earths, he was allowed to reprise the role of Superman. The actor explained that returning to the role was a healing experience for the past wounds from the failure ofSuperman Returns.He stated,
“Even if this is the only scene I’m doing the emotional wound or scar that was left from my experience on Superman Returns was mostly healed because all the lead-up to that”
Also read:Retired Superman Brandon Routh Responds to James Gunn Shutting Down Henry Cavill’s Replacement Rumors
With Routh andHenry Cavillout from the Superman debate, WB has now approached James Gunn to revive the iconic IP and following his passion for the project, fans can be hopeful for the future of Kal-EL.
Superman Returnsis available to stream on HBO Max.
Source:The Guardian
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
