With early reviews and test screenings, James Gunn’s Superman is looking to be pretty darn impressive, and I do love almost everything that the movie has to offer (almost everything).

However, it was cruel fate that Brendan Fraser, who was once considered for the role of Superman in the early 2000s, never got to see his Man of Steel fly by. What hurts more is that Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock was also once attached to the project, and she could have been perfect for the role of Lois Lane against Brendan Fraser’s Superman.

Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock’s Superman never took flight

It was back in the early 2000s when Warner Bros. called on J.J. Abrams to pen a script about a new Superman movie. Brendan Fraser was one of the actors who had been heavily considered for the role alongside Paul Walker and others.

Brendan Fraser was once associated with the role of Superman | Credits: Alphaville Films

The movie, titled Superman: Flyby, was greenlit, but no actor had been cast in the role. Brendan Fraser revealed to Howard Stern (via Variety) that a lot of big names had been associated with the project, including Paul Walker.

Related: Warner Bros. Canceled the Only Movie Where Brendan Fraser Turned into a Supervillain After Being a Hero For Decades

Of course, Brendan Fraser did not get the role, nor was the movie ever made. However, when the actor did speak about the missed opportunity, Fraser stated that there were studio politics involved alongside a screen test where he wasn’t able to give his 100%.

I felt disappointed that there was an amazing opportunity, and it didn’t come to fruition. It had to do a lot with some shenanigans and studio politics. And probably, inherently, in my screen test. I think that’s why you test… they could kind of see I was only there like 98%.

Fraser was already reluctant to be a part of Superman: Flyby, but it was really unfair for Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock, who was the top choice for portraying the role of Lois Lane.

According to The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened? (a 2015 film about why the movie didn’t happen), Sandra Bullock was the lead choice for Lois Lane and would have starred alongside Nicolas Cage in a canceled film titled Superman Lives.

Our thoughts on how Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock’s Superman would have been perfect

Brendan Fraser found worldwide fame and acclaim for starring in The Mummy back in 1999 and in its subsequent sequels. The actor was known for his swashbuckling adventures and a sense of thrill and wonder, and movies like George of the Jungle and Journey to the Center of the Earth were some of his finest works.

Sandra Bullock in a still from Gravity | Credits: Heydey Films

If Bullock had been cast as Lois Lane and Superman Lives had been made, the world would have surely loved to see Nic Cage take on the role of Clark Kent. However, they would have loved to see Brendan Fraser as Superman more than Cage.

Related: The Hate Against David Corenswet’s Superman Should Vanish Really Quickly After His Comments on ‘All-Star Superman’

It would have been a sight for sore eyes to see Sandra Bullock portraying the heroic role of Lois Lane (like she did in Speed) alongside Brendan Fraser’s Clark Kent/Superman, who is a mix of humor, serious moments, and just pure fun.

We really think the duo would have been iconic in their portrayal, much like Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in The Mummy, and if fate had been kinder, could have set a benchmark for what these Superman movies should look like (especially the Lois Lane part).

Well, we now have David Corenswet’s Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane to look forward to when James Gunn’s Superman releases.

Superman is slated for a release date of July 11, 2025, in theaters (USA).
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