“Could have bought my own island”

What would Superman have looked like if Fast & Furious star Paul Walker had played the iconic role? It almost actually happened because the actor was said to be the favorite to play the superhero in a project by Lost creator and Star Wars director JJ Abrams. However, Walker rejected a multi-million dollar dealbecause he didn’t care at all about all the money.

Paul Walker is said to have rejected the Superman role with clear words – and $10 million

In the documentary I Am Paul Walker (via Comic Book Movie), Walker’s former manager Matt Luber and his stunt double Oakley Lehman talk about how the Fast & Furious star was the Favorite for the Superman role in the never realized JJ Abrams project Superman: Flyby.

Luber knew that Walker didn’t want to do three or four Superman films or be reduced to the role for the rest of his life. He remembers the star’s clear rejection of the alleged 10 million deal:

I have an ‘S’ on, I’m wearing a cape, boots, tights… that’s not me. I have to get the hell out of here. I have to go. F–k you.’ And he was gone.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Walker already spoke in an interview in 2003 about how all the money from the potential Superman deal would mean nothing to him:

Yes, I could have made a ton of dollars from this franchise. I probably could have bought my own fleet of jets or my own island. You know what? I do not need it. My favorite brand of running shoes is $23. I rarely pay more than $40 for my jeans. Add a t-shirt and it costs me $20, or $10 if I buy it on the beach. I don’t need a ton of dollars to live a lifestyle like that.

JJ Abrams wanted Superman: Flyby back then deviate from some hallmarks of the DC mythology. After a first draft of the script landed online, a large fan movement campaigned for the project. However, aside from test footage in which Paul Walker appeared to be the favorite, Superman: Flyby never got off the ground. The film was finally canceled in 2002.

What’s next for Superman after Henry Cavill?

After Henry Cavill’s DC exit as Superman, David Corenswet (The Politician, Hollywood) will play the Man of Steel in James Gunn’s upcoming blockbuster Superman: Legacy. The cinema release is for July 10, 2025 planned.

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In 2024 we can look forward to, among other things, the sequel to Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon and the fantasy adventure Damsel with Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown. Additionally, Eddie Murphy returns in his most iconic role.