Wow... things have actually been pretty quite here on the "tear Hollywood a new one" front, but this story puts the powers that be right in my sights once again. According to a recent interview with Will Smith, he was offered the iconic role of Superman in Bryan Singer's Superman Returns before it was offered to Brandon Routh.

Thankfully, Smith had the presence of mind to turn it down.

According to MTV:

"There is no way I'm playing Superman!' Because I had already done Jim West [of 'Wild Wild West'], and you can't be messing up white people's heroes in Hollywood! You mess up white people's heroes in Hollywood, you'll never work in this town again!"

Well, I don't know about never working in Hollywood again, but would there be an outcry?

Are you kidding?

The only thing I'd like to know is what brilliant Hollywood mind floated that idea? I mean heck, maybe they could have suggested Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to play Muhammed Ali instead of Smith in Ali. I'm sure there might be a bit of controversy had that been the case.

This is complete speculation, but I'm wondering if there's any chance it was director Bryan Singer who floated the idea... after all he didn't have a problem with making Superman the father of an out-of-wedlock child.

I'm actually quite glad that Will Smith dipped his toe in the superhero genre with Hancock - I only wish the studio had kept their hands out of it and allowed the film to be released as an R-rated film as originally intended. I'm sure it would have turned out to be a better film.

This whole story is just a plain head-shaker as far as I'm concerned.

Source: MTV