Ryan Murphy player David Corenswet among top contenders to become Superman

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still tearing it up at the box office, but writer-director James Gunn is already moving on to his next project, and it’s a big one: rebuilding the DC Cinematic Universe for Warner Bros. Discovery alongside Peter Safran. Gunn’s first project is a new Superman movie called Superman: Legacy, and everyone wants to know who’s going to play the main characters.

We don’t know anything for sure yet, but The Hollywood Reporter is talking to its sources about who’s in the mix. According to THR, American actor David Corenswet — who’s appeared in Ryan Murphy dramas like The Politician and Hollywood as well as movies like Pearl — is one of the top contenders.

Corenswet has the look of Clark Kent, and at 6’4″ could likely have an appropriate screen presence. He’s 29 years old, which would fit Gunn’s preogative of casting a younger Superman, although he’s actually around the same age as Henry Cavill was when he was cast in Man of Steel.

Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane? Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor?

Other contenders for Superman include British actors Tom Brittney and Andrew Richardson. Switching over to Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane, THR puts forward several names, including Emma Mackey (Sex Education), Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton), Samara Weaving (Scream VI) and Rachel Brosnahan, who won an Emmy for her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Of the women on this list, she’s the one I know best; apparently she gave an “outstanding” audition.

Finally, THR says that Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Menu, Renfield, lots of other stuff) is in the running to play villain Lex Luthor. He’d be among the bigger names in consideration.

But really, we should take all of this with a grain of salt; THR consulted multiple sources, and some of them say conflicting things. We’ll know when we know.

James Gunn: “Only one person” has been cast in Superman: Legacy

We’re not gonna find out from James Gunn, in any case. He weighed in on the report on Twitter:

"For all of you asking, I would never comment on who is or isn’t AUDITIONING for a role. That’s the actor’s business only & isn’t something I’d make public unless they did it first after the fact…For now, only one person has been CAST in Superman: Legacy, and it isn’t any of the regular players in the Superman world."

Leave it to Gunn to still give us a hint as he says he won’t give us any hints.

Superman: Legacy is due out in theaters on July 11, 2025.

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