When James Gunn and Peter Safran were announced to be taking over the new DCU, fans were excited for some new direction for their favorite characters. However, DC fans went into a frenzy when Gunn revealed that he would be developing a new Superman movie without Man of Steel actor Henry Cavill. One of the main reasons that DC fans were happy with Gunn’s takeover was that they would get to see Cavill in another Superman movie after waiting so long.
In his defense, Gunn explained that he would need a much younger actor because the upcoming movie, Superman Legacy, would focus on Clark Kent as a newly hired reporter at the Daily Planet, and Cavill just couldn’t fit in the vision he wanted. While many fans expected Gunn to cast an already famous star for this role, he went with a less-known actor, David Corenswet. Some fans were still disappointed, but Corenswet is one of the best choices for the role, and here is why he is perfect for the role.
1. David Corenswet Is the Right Age
One of the major reasons Gunn decided to recast the role of Superman in the new DC Universe is because Cavill was much older to play the younger version of the character. Cavill is considerably older and in his forties, while Corenswet just turned 30, giving him more time to play the character if the movie is successful enough to get more sequels. Cavill was cast to play Superman when he was 27 and had played the character for nearly ten years since 2013. It will be exciting to see how well he will do in the role for the next ten years or maybe more.
2. He Is a Talented Actor
While Superman Legacy is the first major movie Corenswet will star in a lead role, he isn’t a stranger to playing roles on screen or stage. Corenswet is a traditionally trained stage actor, which makes him a rare find of talent in Hollywood. As a child, he starred in several theatre productions, including 2003’s Macbeth. Corenswet is a rising star in the entertainment industry, having starred in films like Twisters, Lady in the Lake, Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood and the Netflix series The Politician as River Burkley.
In 2022, he had a prominent role in the thriller Pearl, a dark and out-of-the-box film that showed the world he could do it all. His performances and emotional range in these roles were breathtaking, which catapulted his career in the right direction and landed him on Gunn’s radar. Superman has struggled with his identity, finding love and acceptance on a planet far away from home. He dealt with grief, joy, and pain, having to hide who he is from the world, and Corenswet can bring these emotions to the big screen. Corenswet must dig deep into his emotions to play a complicated character like the Man of Steel.
3. David Corenswet Looks Like Superman
No one can look exactly like Superman because he is a fictional character. Still, as far as his depiction in live-action movies and TV shows, Corenswet fits the image that Superman fans have of how the Kryptonian would look today. In earlier renditions, Superman has always been depicted as devilishly handsome, with curly black hair and adorable blue eyes. Corenswet is breathtakingly handsome and looks charming, while nerdy is given a pair of glasses.
Corenswer more than looks the part, so that’s one of the major aspects that Gunn got right in casting. He also has an eerie resemblance to former Superman actor Henry Cavill. Fans could almost mistake him for Cavill’s younger brother after he added considerable weight to bulk up before filming for the 2025 movie starts. Even if he hadn’t gotten physically larger for the role, other actors like Tyler Hoechlin have proven that a leaner Superman can still deliver the essence of this character that fans have come to love.
4. David Corenswet Loves the Character
There have been instances where an actor is cast for a role in which he is not passionate about which leads to some awkward interviews and moments where fans are disappointed because of the actor’s lack of enthusiasm with the character he is playing. This happens a lot with comic book and novel adaptations. However, with Superman being a very popular character, it helps that Corenswet is familiar with the comic book version of the role he is playing.
In 2019, during an interview with EW, he mentioned that one of the most interesting things about the classic American hero was that he was invincible, even though that was a fact he knew fans didn’t like this fact about the hero. Corenswet explained that Superman’s invincibility added complexity and drama to the character. This was all fans needed to know that Corenswet would be the perfect actor to play Superman as he understood the character very well.