Nick Nolte didn't want to play Superman, insisted Supes should be schizophrenic

[DochaDocha]

Apparently, back in the 70s Nolte was approached to play Superman. He didn't want the role, so he sabotaged his chances by insisting that Superman should be schizophrenic.

1) How do you think Nolte could've performed if he wanted to play Superman?
2) What do you think of a version of Superman who had a DSM mental disorder? In this case, it could either be a "mainstream" take on the character or a Elseworlds.

[babyblob]

I dont know enough about Nick Nolte to say how he would have preformed in the roll so I wont comment on that.

But as some one with a severe mental illness in fact on the schizophrenic spectrum (Schizoeffective disorder) I would not want to see this done with Superman.

Number one the way they handle mental health disorders in comics is done very badly. Either they are psycho villains that do all of these bad things and pin it on their mental illness (Like pretty much every batman bad guy)

Or If a hero has a disorder it is treated as something that people should A. Fear B. Pity or C. they get over it in an issue or two with a pep talk from a friend or two sessions with a doctor and it is only brought up again as a plot device.

I have yet to see a mental health disorder done in a well realistic way that makes me want to see a hero with a mental disorder. And I know the whole every hero is a little crazy stuff people bring up.

So no I would pass on that for Superman because if they have the most power person in the world with a severe mental health disorder it will play into the "We have to be scared of him." And every time he does something not on board it would be blamed on his disorder and start the "He is too crazy for this much power. How do we bring him down." Stories.

Edit - I will say I think The Joker movie did a better job then most in handling a character with a mental health disorder.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

It could work as an Black Label comic but I'm skeptical of the premise.

[daBronzeBomma]

For Superman, absolutely not.

For Bizarro, tho ...

[Jim Kelly]

This would have been when young Nick Nolte was having his first taste of fame after being in the popular T.V. mini-series RICH MAN, POOR MAN. He was a good looking guy with no hint of any oddball attitude.

They tried out loads and loads of actors--hoping to get someone with a big name to play Superman. When that didn't work out, they went the other way with a relative unknown Christopher Reeve (I knew him because he'd been on my mother's favourite soap opera, LOVE OF LIFE).

[JBatmanFan05]

I love Nolte, and...love him even more for NOT wanting to be Superman, because I don't think it would have worked.

As far as the schizo thing, I see little reason to talk about it since Nolte apparently was disingenuously using that to make sure they lost interest in him being Superman.

[Lightning Rider]

This randomly made me curious about what a story might look like where Superman doesn't remember being Clark and their memories start to divide for some reason. (Which also reminds me of that random extra Clark walking around in Rebirth, don't remember how that was resolved.)

[The Frog Bros]

This randomly made me curious about what a story might look like where Superman doesn't remember being Clark and their memories start to divide for some reason. (Which also reminds me of that random extra Clark walking around in Rebirth, don't remember how that was resolved.)

Wasn't that extra Clark Mxy causing Mxy mischief?

[DABellWrites]

No idea who Nick Nolte is, but the idea of Superman having a mental disorder is not something I ever want to see. I know Tom King tried to play up that aspect in HiC, but to me characters like Superman just aren't right for that type of subject matter. If you want to use lesser known heroes or new characters, I'm all for it.

[achilles]

No idea who Nick Nolte is, but the idea of Superman having a mental disorder is not something I ever want to see. I know Tom King tried to play up that aspect in HiC, but to me characters like Superman just aren't right for that type of subject matter. If you want to use lesser known heroes or new characters, I'm all for it.

He's a meme. And various mug shots. Seriously though there was a day when he was good, see the 48 hours movies with Eddie Murphy. Superman, however, he was not. And why do people keep wanting to re-invent a character who works? If it was me, I'd take the ultimate good guy Superman, (similar in many respects to the MCU's Evans' Captain America), and let the right actor run with it.

I don't want to see Superman with problems; I have more than enough of them myself. I want to escape for two hours or so, and pretend I can be that sort of Superman. I want to leave the theatre feeling uplifted, rather than depressed and anxious.

[babyblob]

He's a meme. And various mug shots. Seriously though there was a day when he was good, see the 48 hours movies with Eddie Murphy. Superman, however, he was not. And why do people keep wanting to re-invent a character who works? If it was me, I'd take the ultimate good guy Superman, (similar in many respects to the MCU's Evans' Captain America), and let the right actor run with it.

I don't want to see Superman with problems; I have more than enough of them myself. I want to escape for two hours or so, and pretend I can be that sort of Superman. I want to leave the theatre feeling uplifted, rather than depressed and anxious.

This right here. I could not agree more.

I think that is why I like The Marvel movies so much. Yes they have their sad some what dark moments. But they are also a lot of fun. At the end of most of their movies and shows I left feeling very happy and pleased that I watched it.

[protege]

I wonder if this was where marvel got the idea for the sentry.

[Lightning Rider]

Wasn't that extra Clark Mxy causing Mxy mischief?

That makes sense.

[babyblob]

I wonder if this was where marvel got the idea for the sentry.

Wasnt there a Meme Where Batman told Superman the last time he inspired somebody was when Paul Jenkins created The Sentry?

A take off his speech where he told Supes the last time he inspired someone was when he was dead.

[OBrianTallent]

And why do people keep wanting to re-invent a character who works? If it was me, I'd take the ultimate good guy Superman, (similar in many respects to the MCU's Evans' Captain America), and let the right actor run with it.

I don't want to see Superman with problems; I have more than enough of them myself. I want to escape for two hours or so, and pretend I can be that sort of Superman. I want to leave the theatre feeling uplifted, rather than depressed and anxious.

This is what Warner Bros keeps missing, it's what they dont understand about their own characters that Disney and Marvel have gotten and the Marvel movies do so well and DC's are absolute shite for the most part. I dont read Superman and I sure dont want to watch a Superman who deals with my life, I want to escape my life for just a couple of hours. This is also why I did not want Nicholas Cage doing Superman (who did not want to wear the costume, but rather a t-shirt, jeans and trenchcoat....that's not Superman.)