Reeve successor has always coveted cape

Brandon Routh could not have chosen a more perfect Halloween costume last year.

He showed up at a costume contest at Hollywood's hip Lucky Strike bowling alley wearing a black suit, a tie and a pair of geeky thick-rimmed glasses. His starched white shirt was unbuttoned just so, revealing a blue undershirt emblazoned with the Superman logo. His hair was perfect, right down to the curl on his forehead. He was so convincing, he won first place.

Flash-forward a year. That Clark Kent-Superman getup is no longer just a Halloween costume.

The relatively unknown actor, 25, was thrust into the spotlight last month when Warner Bros. announced that Routh would star in its long-awaited Superman movie.

"He's always had a desire to play Superman," says his agent, Mara Santino, who notes that the Halloween costume contest occurred months before the movie role was even a possibility.

Routh (pronounced Rowth) was chosen from thousands of candidates interviewed at casting calls in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia.

"Casting has always been a challenge," says Jeff Robinov, president of production for Warner Bros. Pictures.

"As you look to more recognizable people, it's hard to separate who they are and what they've done from the role of Superman. So we decided to look at unknowns.

"It takes a while to find that odd mix of strength, vulnerability, warmth, likability. At the same time, you want them to have the size and physicality of what you'd think of as Superman."

Like longtime Man of Steel Christopher Reeve, who died Oct. 10, Routh has square-jawed, chiseled good looks and loves sports.

Routh likes shooting hoops with friends and also swam and played soccer in high school. Routh is 6 feet 2 inches tall; Reeve was 6-4.

Nearly every actor who has ever played the Man of Steel was unknown before donning cape and tights. Reeve had just one film role before he landed 1978's Superman and three sequels.