Will Smith Explains Why He Turned Down the Iconic Role: “There Is No Way”

Will Smith recently opened up about a major role he turned down that could have changed his career trajectory. Speaking to MTV back in 2008, the Oscar-winning actor revealed that he was offered the chance to play Superman in the 2006 film Superman Returns.

“The last ‘Superman’ I got offered, the script came, and I was like, ‘There is no way I’m playing Superman!’” Smith said. He added, “I had already done Jim West, and you can’t be messing up white people’s heroes in Hollywood! You mess up white people’s heroes in Hollywood, you’ll never work in this town again!”

Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer, was meant to continue the story from Superman II, ignoring the later Christopher Reeve films. Smith was considered for the role alongside other actors, including future Superman Henry Cavill. The role ultimately went to Brandon Routh, who closely resembled Reeve in his prime.

Smith’s comments highlight the racial expectations in Hollywood at the time. Despite race-blind casting being discussed in modern filmmaking, Superman has traditionally been portrayed as a white character. While there have been comic book variations through multiverse storylines, the main depiction of Clark Kent has historically stayed the same.

Although Smith passed on Superman, he didn’t step away from superhero films entirely. He starred in Hancock, a movie inspired by the Superman archetype, and later took on the role of Deadshot in 2016’s Suicide Squad. While Suicide Squad received mixed reviews, it wasn’t considered as much of a financial or critical failure as Superman Returns.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!