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Josh Hartnett’s old Superman screen test photo surface online

November 11, 2023 by EJ Moreno

We just spoke recently about the Josh Hartnett renaissance we are about to enter, and now we get a dose of nostalgia from the actor.

Many know that Hartnett was once up for the role of Superman and almost landed it before Matt Bomer took on the part (the project would eventually fall through). We have our first photo evidence of the Josh Harnett/Superman era.

Shared by filmmaker Ryan Unicomb on Instagram, there’s a look of Harnett in full Man of Steel suit, which was initially planned for the J.J. Abrams-written and Brett Ratner-helmed Superman: Flyby film. At the time, actors were craving this role, with Brendan Fraser, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill all gunning for the part.

Hartnett was also one of the rare actors to be up for both of DC Studios’ most iconic parts, as around this time, the actor was also being courted to play Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Given how striking he looks in the cape and trunks, it seems like Superman would’ve been the right choice…

SEE ALSO: Joel Edgerton and Josh Hartnett enter the race to play The Batman: Part II’s Harvey Dent 

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Ryan (@itsryanunicomb)

Josh Hartnett recently signed on to star in an upcoming M. Night Shyamalan thriller and recently got rave reviews for his turn in Oppenheimer. 

Would you have liked to see Hartnett taking on the role of the Man of Steel? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…

 

Originally published November 11, 2023. Updated November 13, 2023.

Filed Under: EJ Moreno, Movies, News, Top Stories Tagged With: DC, dc studios, DC Universe, Josh Hartnett, Superman

About EJ Moreno

EJ Moreno is a film and television critic and entertainment writer who joined the pop culture website Flickering Myth in 2018 and now serves as the executive producer of Flickering Myth TV, a YouTube channel with over 27,000 subscribers. With over a decade of experience, he is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who is also part of the Critics Choice Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

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