James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy is looking for a new Superman actor, and five possible candidates have reportedly been revealed. New reports detailing the search for a new Superman actor as well as for other Superman: Legacy roles help predict what James Gunn’s Superman reboot will look like. Unlike Man of Steel, Superman: Legacy will not be an origin story. However, the film will follow Superman at the beginning of his superhero career, meaning that it will likely feature a relatively young actor as Clark Kent. Henry Cavill was 30 years old when Man of Steel premiered, although Clark Kent was 33 when he became Superman in the DCEU.
Henry Cavill will not return as Superman in James Gunn’s DC Universe, and Superman: Legacy will work as a reboot not only for the character but for the DC cinematic universe as a whole. Cavill’s exit from the role was surprising, as the actor had announced his return to the role following Black Adam‘s post-credits scene.The next Superman actor will have the difficult mission of replacing the previous version only a few years after Cavill’s last appearance as Superman. Here are the reported 5 new Superman actor candidates, ranked by excitement, and what they could bring to both Clark Kent and Superman.
5 Andrew Richardson
31-year-old British actor Andrew Richardson was reportedly in the early mix for the role of Superman in the James Gunn reboot. Richardson’s most recent roles include Alfonse in A Call To Spy, Martin Eden in Martin Eden, Vince in Killer Among Us, Josh in Daughter of the Bride, and Kevin Conrad in The Independent. Richardson’s relatively new career includes both drama and comedy roles, suggesting a promising range that could make for an interesting Superman. It is difficult to predict in what direction Richardson would take Superman, but some of the most inspired superhero casting choices involved actors whose careers had just started. Henry Cavill as Superman itself is an example.
4 Tom Brittney
British actor Tom Brittney, 32, was also reportedly in the early mix for the role of Superman in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. Brittney is best known for playing Will Davenport, the vicar of Grantchester, in the ITV drama Grantchester. Other Tom Brittney roles include Roger Lockwood in the UnREAL series, Billy in the Make Me Famous film, Jeremy Foster in Outlander, and Lt. Watson in the Tom Hanks-led Greyhound. Tom Brittney was reportedly among the actors considered for the role of young Alfred in DC’s Pennyworth show. Brittney’s recent roles indicate that he could deliver both the seriousness and the levity that an early-career Superman asks for.
3 Jacob Elordi
While Jacob Elordi reportedly did not submit an audition for the role of Superman in Superman: Legacy, the Euphoria star was apparently considered as the next Superman actor. The 25-year-old Australian actor had his breakout role in The Kissing Booth, where he played Noah Flynn. Elordi would reprise his role as Noah in The Kissing Booth 2 and The Kissing Booth 3. The actor currently stars in Euphoria as Nate Jacobs, the show’s main antagonist. Recently, Elordi played Charlie alongside Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas in Deep Water. One of the most popular Superman fan-casts, Jacob Elordi as Superman would fit Superman: Legacy’s young Clark Kent concept.
2 Nicholas Hoult
The most experienced actor in the reported list of Superman candidates, Nicholas Hoult would make for a great Superman in the James Gunn reboot. The 33-year-old British actor had Skins‘ Tony Stonem his breakout role and has since been in multiple movies and shows. If Hoult is cast as Superman in Superman: Legacy, it would be the second superhero role in his career. Nicholas Hoult played Hank McCoy, the X-Men’s Beast, in FOX’s X-Men universe. After debuting in X-Men: First Class, Hoult reprised his role as Beast in X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool 2, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Curiously, Hank McCoy’s personality in First Class was very Clark Kent-ish.
Even though multiple actors have played two different comic book characters, Hoult going from Beast to Superman would be quite interesting. Hoult’s run in the X-Men films means that he is already used to superhero blockbusters, which can sometimes be challenging for actors. In addition, Nicholas Hoult screen tested for the role of Batman in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which eventually went to Robert Pattinson. Hoult’s filmography, which includes movies such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Tolkien, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Menu, and Renfield, exemplifies how much range the actor has. After playing Beast and almost playing Batman, Nicholas Hoult would be a solid choice for Superman.
It must be noticed that there have been conflicting reports on whether Nicholas Hoult is being eyed to play Superman or Lex Luthor. The original Superman: Legacy casting report by The Hollywood Reporter mentioned that Hoult was the top contender for the role of Lex Luthor, Superman’s arch-nemesis. However, a subsequent report by Deadline’s Justin Kroll stated that Nicholas Hoult is among the names considered for Superman. Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor would be a good choice for the Superman villain, but Hoult as Superman himself could be even more interesting.
1 David Corenswet
American actor David Corenswet, 29, is reportedly among the top contenders for the role of Superman in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. Corenswet has been fancast in the role of Superman for a while now, meaning that he could join the list of popular fan-casts that came true. Corenswet’s breakout role happened in Ryan Murphy’s The Politician, where he played River Barkley. Corenswet would then star in Hollywood, also by Ryan Murphy, of which he served as an executive producer. In 2022, David Corenswet played David McDougall in We Own This City, the HBO sequel to The Wire. Also in 2022, David Corenswet played The Projectionist, an antagonist in A24’s Pearl.
The list of David Corenswet roles is quite impressive, especially for a relatively young actor. While casting unknown actors in major roles such as Superman or the Joker has worked great in the past, Superman: Legacy might benefit from an already-established name like Corenswet. The actor would embody a young Superman perfectly, allowing the new DC Universe to follow this new version of Clark Kent as he becomes the Man of Steel who audiences are used to. Corenswet’s experience in dramas and comedies can result in the perfect combination for a new Superman, even more so in a movie directed by James Gunn.
Interestingly, David Corenswet once addressed the Superman fan casts. During an interview withEW in 2019, Corenswet revealed that he was aware of the Superman fan casts. The actor mentioned that playing Superman was his “pie-in-the-sky ambition,” noting that he would love to see an “upbeat, throwback” Superman version. Corenswet also commented how he is a fan of “the Henry Cavill dark and gritty take,” but that he would like to see the next Superman film as “very bright and optimistic.” Corenswet’s hopes for the next Superman movie fit into whatSuperman: Legacy is expected to deliver. In conclusion, David Corenswet as Superman is the most exciting of the mentioned scenarios.
Key Release Dates
