The search for the DC Universe’s Superman continues, and according to some reports, it all points to James Gunn possibly continuing a major Superman change in Superman: Legacy that began when Zack Snyder cast Henry Cavill. Superman was the hero that kicked off the DCEU, but unfortunately, this universe didn’t give him a consistent story after his debut in Man of Steel. After Man of Steel 2 was announced to be in development, these plans changed with the introduction of the DC Universe, which will have a younger version of Superman, thus leaving Henry Cavill’s version out of this new branch.
The DC Universe’s “Gods and Monsters” chapter will begin in 2025 with Superman: Legacy, which will follow a young version of the man of steel during his days as a reporter. Superman: Legacy will focus on Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human family in Kansas, so it will be a more personal story. Superman: Legacy is scheduled for a July 11, 2025, release, and the search for its lead actor has begun – and based on various casting reports, James Gunn seems to be continuing a Superman change that started with Zack Snyder: casting a British actor as Clark Kent.
Zack Snyder Cast The First British Actor As Superman With Henry Cavill
There have been certain casting traditions with various characters for years, such as casting British actors to play James Bond, and in Superman’s case, all its actors had been American until Man of Steel. For his Superman movie, Snyder cast Henry Cavill, born in Saint Helier, Jersey, in the Channel Islands, making him the first British actor to play Superman. The first live-action Superman was Kirk Alyn, who played the man of steel in the 1948 movie serial Superman and its sequel Atom Man vs Superman, in 1950. Next was George Reeves in the 1951 movie Superman and the Mole Men, after which he starred in the TV series Adventures of Superman.
In 1978, Christopher Reeve put on the Superman costume in the movie Superman, and his performance was so well-received that he’s considered the best Superman to date. Reeve was followed by John Haymes and Gerard Christopher in the TV show Superboy, Dean Cain in the series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Tom Welling in Smallville, and Brandon Routh in Superman Returns. After Henry Cavill, Tyler Hoechlin played the man of steel in the TV series Superman & Lois, but Cavill might not be the only British Superman as Superman: Legacy might have its own.
Two Of The Top Contenders For James Gunn’s Superman Are British
A recent report (via Deadline) revealed the top three contenders for the main role in Superman: Legacy, and two of them are British: Nicholas Hoult, David Corenswet, and Tom Brittney. Nicholas Hoult had been rumored to be among the top choices to play Superman, and funny enough, he was also a top choice to play Batman before Robert Pattinson was cast. Hoult is also no stranger to the superhero genre, as he played Hank McCoy in the X-Men prequels. Tom Brittney is known for his role as Will Davenport in Grantchester, and Superman: Legacy would be his first role in the superhero genre. Superman: Legacy is scheduled to begin filming in January 2024, so an official casting announcement might not be too far away.
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