You've probably already seen the news that Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder are looking for their Superman, and they're specifically eyeing 28-to-32-year-old actors, many who are successful on TV but none who are actual stars. That's a pretty wide net to cast, especially since it's possible they'll pick a total unknown, but immediately our brains started whirring to think of which current TV actors might pop up on the list. Then when we came up with a list of possible candidates, we realized what they all shared in common: they would all be awful choices for Superman.
Yes, there are plenty of blue-eyed, brown-haired actors out there working who fit the perfect physical description of Superman, and many of them are working on TV now and are prepping their resumes as we speak. But here are 8 TV actors we were able to think of who might show up on the shortlist but who all, for one reason or another, would be terrible picks for Superman. This isn't so much a list to warn Nolan and Snyder-- we're sure they're smart enough to avoid all these pitfalls, and even if they cast one of these actors, they'll be able to work around the problems. Think of this as just a reminder that, though the list may be narrowed down, there's still a whole lot of thinking and planning to do before we have any idea who the right Superman will be.
John Krasinski, 31, The Office
He was already considered for the Captain America job, and he's got more name recognition than most TV actors without actually being a star. But he's also way too lanky, sarcastic and funny for the part, which requires a guy who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders-- sometimes literally.
Vincent Kartheiser, 31, Mad Men
He's the right age and has the looks, especially if you put 20-odd pounds of muscle on him, and he's recognizable to Mad Men fans without being a household name. But come on, he's Pete Campbell-- far better at playing snarky and underminey than hero to a nation.
Matt Bomer, 33, White Collar
He came very close to playing the part that eventually went to Brandon Routh in Superman Returns, and looks more like the classical Supes than anyone else on the list. Actually, he'd probably be just fine in the role, but given that he's already been through his hoopla before, doesn't it just feel a little obvious?
Ryan Kwanten, 34, True Blood
He's trying out action hero credentials with Red Hill, but he's known better for having sex all the time-- along with everyone else-- on True Blood. Is the world ready for a naked and horny Superman? Please think about all the gross implications of super strength before you answer this question.
Zachary Levi, 30, Chuck
He does action hero stuff every week on Chuck, and nails the strong-chinned roguish hero with his voice work in Tangled. But he's become somewhat famous for being a nerd, a reputation that suits Clark Kent but might be hard to shake in the spandex. Plus, we love Chuck, and don't want to see it have to move on so Levi can fly around in tights.
Aaron Paul, 31, Breaking Bad
He just won an Emmy for his work on Breaking Bad but definitely isn't famous yet, and has shown enough range on that show to handle pretty much anything. But we buy him far more as a scrawny drug dealer than a brawny and moral hero-- and we like it that way. It would be casting against type that seems almost destined to backfire.
Donald Glover, 27, Community
The "Donald for Spider-Man" campaign didn't get us what we want, so it's tempting to keep trying until the Community star gets his chance to fight crime for real. Then again, if he were Superman he'd have to leave Community, which is a fate too terrible to contemplate. Ideally we want to see him get the role and turn it down so Troy and Abed can make up songs together for eternity.
Cheyenne Jackson, 35, 30 Rock
Though slightly too old for the age range, he's got the perfect Superman looks, and as an experienced dancer would be able to handle the physical challenges. But Jackson's best skills are also in singing, dancing and comedy, three things that almost never come into superhero movies (we're ignoring Spider-Man 3's dance number for everyone's sake).
