Paul Newman as Batman would have been excellent casting within the Seventies. It might’ve been significantly cool if Newman’s Batman may’ve ultimately teamed up with Superman, performed by Christopher Reeves, in the identical time interval, however alas, such issues weren’t meant to be. Because it occurs, there was as soon as a rumor of Newman being connected to a canceled Batman film we by no means received to see. However earlier than you get too excited, that rumor was shot down rapidly.
After the frustration of “Batman & Robin,” Warner Bros. floated varied concepts on easy methods to carry the character again to the massive display. One thought was to push ahead with a live-action film primarily based on the “Batman Past” cartoon, and there have been additional rumors Paul Newman was approached to painting an older model of Bruce Wayne whereas Keanu Reeves may’ve been Terry McGinnis. Warner Bros. ultimately got here ahead denying the Paul Newman casting rumor. In 2000, TV Information revealed the next quote from an insider aware about the state of affairs: “There’s completely no fact to the rumor.” After all, a “Batman Past” live-action film by no means got here to fruition, and the franchise would find yourself being rebooted with 2005’s “Batman Begins.”
Whereas Newman’s Batman casting was by no means a actuality, a much more attention-grabbing casting tidbit is that the actor was approached to star in 1978’s “Superman.” He had his selection of components between the Man of Metal, Jor-El, and Lex Luthor, and he did not need to do any of them. However whenever you’re a legend like Paul Newman, you do not really want the enhance introduced on by a superhero flick.