12 Actors Who Stupidly Turned Down Comic Book Movies

6. Josh Hartnett Turned Down Batman, Superman AND Spider-Man

So it seems beggars can be choosers. Okay, so perhaps that's a little harsh considering the actor is currently enjoying something of a revival thanks to the success of Penny Dreadful, but it's not like he's a particularly relevant star these days, and hasn't been since 30 Days Of Night in 2007. But back when he was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Hartnett was clearly ticking all of the right boxes for superhero movie casting agents, because he was apparently offered the chance to star as three of the most lucrative comic book characters ever on film:

"Spider-Man was something we talked about. Batman was another one. But I somehow knew those roles had potential to define me, and I didn't want that. I didn't want to be labeled as Superman for the rest of my career. I was maybe 22, but I saw the danger."

Better being labelled Superman than "hey remember that guy who was almost Superman?"