While Brendan Fraser has become beloved by DC fans for his role as Cliff Steele/Robotman in HBO Max’s Doom patrol, he almost played a different hero. In the early 2000s, the actor was ready for the role of Superman in Superman: Flyby, JJ Abrams’ canceled Superman movie. For any actor who eventually gets to play the Man of Steel, it’s a life-changing thing and now Fraser is speaking out about almost having that chance. In a recent appearance on The Howard Stern ShowFraser spoke of the opportunity and how he was disappointed it didn’t happen.
“Obviously it’s a life-changing, amazing opportunity,” said Fraser, though he admitted that in a way it was good for him not to get the part. “I guess I inherently didn’t want to be known for just one thing because I’ve prided myself on diversity all my professional life…I’m not a one-trick pony.”
He added: “I was disappointed that there was a great opportunity, and it didn’t come to fruition.”
He also said there were a few factors that prevented him from getting the part.
“It had to do with it [real] shenanigans and studio politics and, probably, inherent in my screen test… they could sort of tell I was only 98 percent there,” he said.
Fraser got his DC hero moment as the voice of Robotman and also played the human Cliff Steele in HBO Max’s Doom Patrol, but he also landed a role in the bat girl movie – although that movie was shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery.
“It was a story about a man who was employed and had his benefits cut and he was very angry with the system and what is he going to do but burn it down?” Fraser said about his character, Firefly. “You’ve got some sympathy for him, you’ve got some humanity for him too, and a screw loose on top of that… Like all the best bad guys, you kind of like him. I enjoyed this part – it was a lot of fun.”
Why was bat girl cancelled?
bat girl was directed by Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi, with a script written by Christina Hodson. The film would have starred Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl, with JK Simmons reprising his role as Commissioner James Gordon and Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman. Ivory Aquino as Alysia Yeoh also joined the cast and Jacob Scipio, Rebecca Front, Corey Johnson, and Ethan Kai cast in currently unknown roles.
“The decision not to release Batgirl reflects our strategic leadership shift with respect to the DC Universe and HBO Max,” a Warner Bros. spokesperson said. in a statement when the cancellation was first confirmed. “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are the filmmakers of bat girl And Scoob! vacation pursuit and their respective casts and we hope to work with everyone again in the near future.”
