Why did Josh Hartnett reject Superman offer? Actor explains decision to leave Hollywood

Josh Hartnett is an American actor who has starred in multiple critically and commercially successful films like Black Hawk Down and Pearl Harbour, which put him on the radar of several studios.

However, the actor rejected roles like Superman, as he did not want to be overwhelmed by work, considering the long commitments that playing a comic book character demands.

In an interview with The Guardian, Hartnett said,

“I just didn’t want my life to be swallowed up by my work.”

He also shared his struggles with the unhealthy attention that comes with being a Hollywood actor which includes dealing with stalkers.

During his rise to fame in Hollywood, Josh Hartnett rejected a couple of roles that could have brought him global stardom. Apart from Superman in Brett Ratner's project, he also said no to playing Batman in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins.

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Josh Hartnett did not want his life to be consumed by work

Josh Hartnett in Wicker Park (Image via 20th Century Fox)

Hartnett started his film career at the age of 20 with Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. Within the next three years, he developed a stable career and garnered a huge fan following by appearing in back to back critically and commercially successful films, including The Faculty, Black Hawk Down, Lucky Number Slevin, and Pearl Harbor.

He was being perceived as the future megastar of Hollywood, alongside Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. During this period he was offered to play Superman, which was being developed by Brett Ratner, but he declined the offer citing his problem with committing to a role that would probably span many years.

He was also offered the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman by Christopher Nolan, but he turned down the chance of playing the caped crusader. Instead, he asked to become a part of Nolan's The Prestige. However, he lost both parts to Christian Bale.

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Josh Hartnett left Hollywood due to unhealthy attention

Josh Hartnett also shared some uncomfortable instances where he felt that the attention that he was getting was unhealthy. He became a target of stalking and even had people showing up at his house. Talking about one such incident, he said to The Guardian,

“People showed up at my house. People that were stalking me. A guy showed up at one of my premieres with a gun, claiming to be my father. He ended up in prison. There were lots of things. It was a weird time."

These instances also became the reason for the actor's aversion to major studio projects like Superman or Batman.

However, in recent years, Hartnett has taken a step towards major films. He was last seen in Oppenheimer, playing Ernest Lawrence, and will be seen next in M. Night Shyamalan's Trap.

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What is Josh Hartnett's next project?

Josh Hartnett will next be seen in M. Night Shyamalan's thriller film Trap, set to release in the United States on August 2, 2024. Hartnett will reportedly play the role of Cooper, a loving father who takes his daughter to a music concert, but later finds out that the concert is a trap to capture a notorious serial killer.

As per the trailer, the initial twist is that Cooper himself is the serial killer called 'The Butcher,' who now must figure out a way to escape without getting captured.

Fans are expecting that Shyamalan would have some of his trademark twists in this musical tale. The film also stars Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donoghue, and Hayley Mills.

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Josh Hartnett's Trap will be released in cinemas on August 2, 2024. He has also recently played Frank in Hulu's comedy-drama series The Bear.