Director Matthew Vaughn wanted Charlie Cox to be his Man of Steel

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Before Charlie Cox became our definitive live-action Daredevil, the actor was eyed to play another comic book hero. It turns out that director Matthew Vaughn wanted Charlie Cox to play Superman.

When Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar were still developing ideas for a SUPERMAN film, Vaughn really wanted Cox to take on the role. The actor appeared in Vaughn's film STARDUST so the two had a prior history. While doing an interview on YouTube with "The Aspiring Kryptonian", Millar detailed how he and Vaughn discussed potential casting ideas:

"Matthew had just worked with Charlie on Stardust a year or two before. He's like, 'There's just something really likable about him.' And he said, 'I know he's not big, and Superman's always big' — Charlie's only about 5'8", 5'9" or something — He says, 'But he looks a bit like the Golden Age Superman, when he's a bit more like a regular person."

Cox definitely doesn't match the physical stature of Superman but I can definitely see some Clark Kent vibes and that's likely what Vaughn was getting at when he suggested him. Although Millar revealed that they really never got to pitch the idea, years ago the duo had an idea for a SUPERMAN trilogy. Any ideas they might have had were dashed when Warner Bros. ultimately hired Zack Snyder to direct MAN OF STEEL & Henry Cavill was cast in the title role. In terms of casting, I think that choice worked out the best. It's also worth noting had Cox gotten the role, he wouldn't have been cast as Netflix's Daredevil series and we know now that was the role he was meant to play.

Vaughn and Millar have worked together before, most notably when Vaughn adapted KICK-ASS & the KINGSMAN films. Vaughn clearly gets Millar's material and the union has led to some pretty fun movies so it would've been interesting to see where their take on adapting Superman would've gone. Do YOU think Charlie Cox would've been a good choice?