Can you picture Will Smith as Superman? It may have occurred. However, Smith declined. Hard. Why? Read on.
Will Smith was offered Superman Returns by Bryan Singer in the mid-2000s. Why did he not wear the cape and fly? He was turned off by meddling with white heroes, not “saving the world”. “No way I’m playing Superman!” Smith recounts his reaction to the screenplay in his lap.
His Wild Wild West experience was the explanation. Smith plays twisted wild-west gunslinger Jim West in the film. But some didn’t like that role, and the backlash was serious. Smith bluntly stated, “You mess up white people’s heroes in Hollywood, and you’ll never work in this town again!” Smith wouldn’t make the same mistake after nearly ruining his career. He didn’t want to risk playing Superman, a white hero.
What happened instead? Hancock. The man played an anti-hero with its own morality. “Hancock is dark but he’s fun,” Smith told MTV. If it’s hilarious, you can get away with anything.” I found it humorous. In the 2008 superhero film, Smith played a damaged, jaded, and unpredictable superhero, giving him more flexibility than usual. No cape, no perfection. Just Smith being Smith. The atmosphere complemented his style.
Here are some numbers. Hancock grossed $624 million globally, surpassing Superman Returns’ $391 million. Two years apart, both films introduced superheroes, but one followed the rules and the other did not. Not so much. Smith made a good artistic and financial decision.
Imagine—what if? How about Will Smith as Superman? Digital artists have imagined Smith in the Superman outfit, and honestly? It would have been awesome. But we’ll never see the film.
Smith rejected Superman beyond the cape. He rejected it since it wasn’t him. Smith didn’t want a traditional hero for Superman Returns. Trying to break the mold. With Hancock, he proved that sometimes the anti-hero route leads to greater things.