9 Actors Whose Big Break Movies Almost Ruined Their Careers

6. Brandon Routh - Superman

For many, there was only one reason that Brandon Routh was cast as Superman in Superman Returns: the fact that he looked so much like Christopher Reeve. He'd auditioned for Superman twice - for Smallville and Superman Flyby - but it wasn't until Bryan Singer's project got off the ground that he was handed the plum role.

Sadly, Superman Returns was deemed a major misfire (despite the DCEU movies making it look like an actual masterpiece by comparison) whose biggest problem was that it was boring. Critics also took aim at Routh's apparent lack of charisma and he quickly became the film's scapegoat.

What should have been a stepping stone proved to be anything but.

Did He Survive It?

Initially, Routh was contracted to play Superman again and was attached to the reboot that would become Man of Steel, but that option lapsed and he went distinctly quiet.

Other than a great cameo in Zack & Miri and a good supporting role in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, he's done very little on the big screen, but he's found redemption on the small screen, first in Chuck and then in The CW's Arrowverse as The Atom.