LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - He's sent to Earth by his father, possesses remarkable powers and helps mankind. Obviously, we're talking about Superman -- or is it Jesus?
According to comic book writer Mark Millar, J.C. himself -- that is, "The Passion of the Christ" star Jim Caviezel -- will trade his crown of thorns for tights and a cape in the upcoming Bryan Singer-directed "Superman" film.
Ever since Monday (Aug. 30), when Millar revealed this tidbit on his website
www.millarworld.net, the rumor mill has been heating up as if the Man in Steel had cast his heat vision upon it.
A source from the office of Caviezel's manager, Beverlee Dean, denies the story, telling Zap2it.com, "We've heard it mentioned, but it's just a rumor. We'd love for that to happen, but we'll all just have to see."
Even Harry Knowles of Internet site AintItCoolNews decided to enter the fray, refuting the claim that Caviezel will star in the Warner Bros. project.
"It's still a wide search. I'm very curious who is feeding Mark Millar this off-kilter information," he writes, adding, "Bryan is beginning to form ideas regarding who would do for Superman, but ... they've never played Jesus or [have] been a TV Superman."
Knowles refers to reports that Singer has a verbal agreement with Tom Welling of the WB's "Smallville" fame and is merely considering other candidates until the studio is satisfied that all choices have been exhausted.
Despite all the naysayers, Millar is sticking to his guns. In a follow-up posting on his site on Thursday (Sept. 2), he writes, "I will personally write a cheque to charity for 1,000 dollars from my 'Wolverine' royalties ... if Jim Caviezel isn't cast as Superman on the day principal photography starts."
The upcoming "Superman" film will relate the hero's mythology from the very beginning on Krypton. The project aims for a 2006 release.