Actor Matt Bomer revealed that he was considered for the role of Superman in a Warner Bros. film that never came to fruition but believes he was ultimately rejected due to his sexuality. Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Bomer shared that he was up for a role in an early version of Superman, titled Superman: Flyby, written by J.J. Abrams. At the time, Bomer was filming the soap opera Guiding Light and was written off the show due to his potential superhero role. “It appeared that I was the director’s choice for the role, and I had signed a three-picture deal with Warner Bros.,” Bomer said.
When asked if his sexuality influenced the casting decision, he stated that it was his “understanding,” noting, “That was a time in the industry when something like that could still really be weaponized against you. How, and why, and who, I don’t know, but yeah, that’s my understanding.” To date, no Superman: Flyby film has been produced.
Bomer did not publicly come out as gay until 2012, when he accepted the Steve Chase Humanitarian Award and thanked his husband, Simon Halls, and their three children.
In 2006, Bryan Singer directed Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh. The film, produced by Warner Bros., followed Superman’s return to Earth after a five-year absence, during which he discovers that Lois Lane has moved on and Lex Luthor is plotting against him. The movie received mixed reviews.
James Gunn’s Superman reboot, originally titled Superman: Legacy, is set to be released on July 11, 2025, with David Corenswet playing the titular role. Although Henry Cavill was initially expected to reprise his role as Superman, those plans were scrapped due to the troubled production of Justice League.
