Was Tobey Maguire the best actor to play Peter Parker in the Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy? Was Christian Bale the better choice to embody Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy? Could someone have done Clark Kent better than Brandon Routh in "Superman Returns?" Back then, casting agents had someone else in mind: "Black Hawk Down" and "Pearl Harbor" actor Josh Hartnett.

In a recent interview with Details magazine, the 35-year-old actor explained why he turned down "Superman Returns" and other iconic and career-boosting roles that Details says he was "in talks to play."

"Spider-Man was something we talked about. Batman was another one," Hartnett shared. "But I somehow knew those roles had potential to define me, and I didn't want that. I didn't want to be labeled as Superman for the rest of my career. I was maybe 22, but I saw the danger."

Now, however, Hartnett said he would be open minded about doing a superhero film with a studio like Warner Bros.

"I'd say, 'Let's talk about how it would be done, see if we can get on the same page,'" he said of a hypothetical offer. "Compromise doesn't scare me anymore."

Hartnett, who stars in Showtime's upcoming "Penny Dreadful," saw his career take a dramatic turn when he turned down the coveted roles.

"I didn't have those agents for much longer after that," he explained."There was a lot of infighting between my manager and agents, trying to figure out who to put the blame on. It got to the point where none of us were able to work together."

It seems, however, that Hartnett wanted to step out of the spotlight. In fact, he retreated to his hometown in Minnesota at the peak of his fame.

"I was on the cover of every magazine," he recalled. "I couldn't really go anywhere. I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin. I was alone. I didn't trust anyone ... I'm still finding my way through all that."

Did Hartnett make the right decision? When he came to Hollywood at age 18, he said he "didn't have to struggle as an actor," but today it's different.

"I still get offered films and TV roles, luckily, but years ago, if I saw a role I wanted, there was a good chance I could grab it," he revealed. "When I see a role now, I've got to fight for it. It's not bad. It's actually more rewarding. Depressing when something doesn't go your way, but only for a minute."

What do you think? Did Hartnett make the best decisions for him and his career? Would you have rather seen Hartnett in tights over Maguire, Bale or Routh?

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @SH____4.

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