We may be edging closer to finding out who will next sport the red cape and blue spandex of Superman in the upcoming reboot Superman: Legacy, with insiders close to production revealing that Nicholas Hoult (The Great), David Corenswet (Pearl), and Tom Brittney (Grantchester) are gearing up for in-person screen tests. According to Deadline, these tests “will take place around Father’s Day weekend,” with the trio trying out for the lead role of Clark Kent aka the DC icon Superman.
Not only that, but a trio of actresses will also be in-person testing for the equally iconic Lois Lane. Emma Mackey (Sex Education), Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), and Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton) will reportedly test for Lois, however Deadline adds that “some of the test deals are still being negotiated and haven’t all closed,” but “these are the names expected to participate in the auditions.”
While we await further updates, it certainly sounds like this collection of actors are the top-contenders for the roles of Superman and Lois in the DCU’s Superman: Legacy. There has been some confusion in the past over which role Hoult (who came second to Robert Pattinson for another DC outing, The Batman) is auditioning for, Superman or his archenemy Lex Luthor, but this update likely puts that to rest.
The news will come as good news for fans of David Corenswet. The actor, who is best known for the likes of Pearl, The Politician, and We Own This City, has been a fan-favorite for the role of Superman for some time, with the actor himself having previously expressed his passion for the comic book character. “My pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman,” the actor said back in 2019. “I would love to see somebody do an upbeat, throwback [take on Superman]. I love the Henry Cavill dark and gritty take, but I would love to see the next one be very bright and optimistic.”
Superman: Legacy Will Kick-Start the DCU in 2025
Superman: Legacy will reboot the DC icon in 2025, kick-starting James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU, beginning with a young version of the beloved character early in his superhero career. “Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas,” the official synopsis reads. “He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”
It has now been confirmed that Superman: Legacy will be written and directed by Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn, who recently explained the difficulties of crafting a Superman project. “It’s easier to take a character nobody knows, like the Guardians, or Peacemaker, and then do whatever you want with them. People in every single country in the world know the story of Superman,” he said, adding that it’s crucial he does something different with the Man of Steel. “How can I make it different from the Superman movies that have been made so far, but also have it respect all the Superman movies that have been made so far? So it just took me some time to try to figure it out,” Gunn explained.
The Superman reboot will be the beginning of the new DCU, with projects such as Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a Swamp Thing reboot, and a Wonder Woman prequel series titled Paradise Lost to follow as part of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Superman: Legacy is scheduled for release on July 11, 2025.
