McG keen to see Henry Cavill's Superman, had cast Robert Downey Jr as Lex Luthor in his own version

SUPERMAN returns to the big screen in June 2013 and filmmaker McG, whose own movie featuring the DC hero was scrapped, says he is looking forward to seeing Henry Cavill take on the role in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel.

McG had also wanted Cavill for his own unmade project, Superman: Flyby, which was in development between 2002 and 2004 with a script by JJ Abrams. After it was shelved, Bryan Singer stepped in and began work on 2006's Superman Returns.

McG, whose action comedy This Means War hits cinemas on March 2, told Digital Spy: "I did indeed cast Henry Cavill [as Superman]. He's a fantastic actor, he's very, very strong and he's wonderful.

"I think Zack Snyder's going to do a great job with Henry Cavill. I can't wait to see that picture."

He added: "I'm heartbroken that I never made my Superman, but it was my own f**k-up because I was afraid of flying and couldn't get down to Australia. I got properly thrown off that picture, sacked for being a mental case! You live and learn, you keep on truckin'."

Superman: Flyby went through many phases before it was cancelled. At first, Brett Ratner was set to direct and among those he reportedly considered for Superman, in what was obviously a difficult and wide-ranging search, were Josh Hartnett, Jude Law, Tom Welling, Paul Walker, Ashton Kutcher, Brendan Fraser, Matthew Bomer, Jerry O'Connell, David Boreanaz, Victor Webster, Joel Edgerton and James Marsden.

Ratner quit the project, partly because of that casting merry-go-round, and McG (pictured right) came on board. It was said he wanted Johnny Depp for the part of Lex Luthor but he recently admitted that, in fact, he had cast Robert Downey Jr as the archvillain. And despite what he told Digital Spy, he also says Cavill was not officially signed on to the picture.

McG told The Playlist: "We had Robert Downey Jr locked up to be Lex Luthor, which I think would have been extraordinary. Ironically, we liked Henry Cavill a lot, but we hadn't cast hi...

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[Source: Coventry Telegraph - The Geek Files]