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Photo of Josh Hartnett Costume Test for "Superman: Flyby" Surfaces Online
Posted on November 08, 2023 by Neil Cole
A photo of Josh Hartnett has surfaced on-line that is supposedly from the actor's costume test for the failed "Superman: Flyby" film franchise reboot.
Hartnett is featured wearing a Superman costume that is similar to the one from the Max Fleischer cartoons from the 1940's complete with a Christopher Reeve stylized "S" shield.
Hartnett would ultimately turn down the role and touched on his decision in a 2020 interview with the UK newspaper Metro stating, "At the time it didn't seem like the sort of decision I would be talking about 15 years later. There were a lot of powers that be that wanted me to pursue those films, but I have always been interested in stories about people and I didn't want to be boxed into that superhero type."
Based on a script by J.J. Abrams with a budget exceeding $200 million, development on "Superman: Flyby" began in 2002 and was to be an origin story that would have featured a Krypton besieged by a civil war between Jor-El and his corrupt brother, Kata-Zor. Before Kata-Zor sentences Jor-El to prison, Kal-El is launched to Earth to fulfill a prophecy.
Warner Bros. would hire Brett Ratner to direct the film along with Christopher Reeve being brought onboard as a project consultant to help with the casting. In addition to Hartnett, several actors would be considered for the lead role including Jude Law, Paul Walker, Brendan Fraser, and future "Man of Steel" star Henry Cavill who actually auditioned in a concept suit for the film.
Following years of the film being stuck in development hell, the studio would ultimately bring in director Bryan Singer in July, 2004 which would resulted in the entire project being scrapped in favor of what would eventually become "Superman Returns".
Source: Ryan Unicomb
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