There was once a time whenHenry Cavillwas known as the unluckiest actor in Hollywood. Losing out on major roles such as Superman (a role he would eventually win in Zack Snyder’s divisive DCEU), Batman, and James Bond all within a few years of each other, Cavill even turned down a leading role in anotherZack Snyderepic, rejecting the part to better prepare to potentially play 007 in 2006’sCasino Royale. A coveted role he ultimately lost to Daniel Craig.
Whether Cavill’s luck has changed all that much (he is no longer Superman followingJames Gunn’s DCU rebootand the drama behind the scenes ofhis other major projectThe Witcheris well documented) is open to debate, but things may have played out differently for Cavill, who could perhaps have seen his star rise faster sooner, had he not turned down a role in Zack Snyder’s 2007 action epic,300.
Discussing his bad luck back in 2013, Cavill revealed that he turned down “a leading role” in300as he knew that the next James Bond had come down to him and Daniel Craig. Of course, Craig became the new 007, withGerard Butler going on to lead the Spartansinto battle for Zack Snyder. This piece of Henry Cavill trivia will no doubt come as a surprise to many fans, who can only sit back anddream of either a Cavill-led300, or seeing the Man of Steel star share the screen with Butler. Check out what Cavill had to say about turning down the role below.
“When I wasn’t selected for Bond, I was very disappointed. I’d turned down a leading role in 300 because it was down to Daniel Craig and me, and auditioning for Bond took all my focus.”
Henry Cavill’s ‘James Bond’ Audition Tape Was Released Recently
Henry Cavill’s audition tape for James Bond – an audition tape that saw him come second to Daniel Craig –was released recently. While many still feel that the former Superman actor has all the necessary ingredients to make a great 007, many were surprised by his lack of charm and “wooden” delivery in the footage.
As for300, the Zack Snyder epic remains one of the divisive director’s best movies, boasting a magnetic lead performance fromGerard Butler as the Spartan leader, Leonidas. The warrior king is an older character, which suggests Cavill, who was in his early 20s at the time, would instead have been up for the role of younger character like Astinos, played in the movie by Tom Wisdom. Employing the use of Snyder’s classic slo-mo, and delivering violent battle scenes and glorious cinematography from Larry Fong that truly brings Frank Miller’s comic book to life, it’s easy to imagine Henry Cavill among Butler’s ranks.
Though he turned down the chance to star in300, Cavill did eventually join forces with Zack Snyder forMan of Steel, Batman V Superman,andJustice League, with some fans feeling that Cavill should still be leading the DC cinematic universe as the iconic superhero. Henry Cavill has plenty of major projects in the pipeline, including the action thrillerIn the Greyfrom director Guy Ritchie; Amazon’s live-action adaptation of thebeloved 80s cartoon,Voltron; and thelong-awaitedHighlanderreboot fromJohn Wickdirector Chad Stahelski.
Source: Nuts Magazine
