Nobody is quite sure exactly what is happening with Henry Cavill, Warner Bros and the next film in the Superman franchise. But if rumours are to be believed, change is afoot. If Cavill, who has taken on Clark Kent since 2012, really is out, then we can expect several months – if not years – of speculation about who will don the red pants next.

This, however, is all par for the course. After all, many surprising actors have come close to playing Superman. Here are five men who dodged a speeding bullet:

Nicolas Cage