David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan Set to Soar as Superman and Lois Lane in James Gunn’s “Superman: Legacy”

David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan Set to Soar as Superman and Lois Lane in James Gunn’s “Superman: Legacy”

After an extensive search, director James Gunn has finally found his Superman and Lois Lane for the highly anticipated film “Superman: Legacy,” which will mark the beginning of DC’s new cinematic universe. Gunn, along with his DC Studios co-boss Peter Safran, has chosen David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan to don the iconic roles of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, respectively.

Corenswet and Brosnahan emerged as the top contenders among a pool of six actors who auditioned for the lead roles. Gunn conducted screen tests over the weekend of June 17, also considering Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney for the role of Superman/Clark Kent and Emma Mackey and Phoebe Dynevor for the character of Lois Lane, the intrepid reporter of the Daily Planet.

Securing the role of Superman comes with immense prestige and responsibility, especially in today’s film landscape. Corenswet’s portrayal will anchor DC’s new universe as the studio strives to reinvent itself following a string of mixed results, including disappointments like “Black Adam” (October), “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (March), and the recent release of “The Flash.” Throughout the history of Superman films, only three actors have taken on the iconic character. Christopher Reeve’s seminal performance in 1978’s “Superman” propelled the superhero genre into the modern era, spawning three sequels. Brandon Routh later starred in “Superman Returns” (2006), which failed to make a significant impact at the box office, resulting in a one-and-done situation. A decade ago, Henry Cavill’s portrayal in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” launched the DC Extended Universe and made Cavill a beloved actor for his dignified portrayal of Clark Kent.

Cavill reprised his role in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) and “Justice League” (2017) and recently made a cameo appearance in “Black Adam” (2022), expressing his intention to continue his journey as Superman. However, this was all before Gunn and Safran were enlisted to revamp the DC universe, which included plans for a younger iteration of Superman.

The casting process for “Superman: Legacy” has spanned several months, with Safran and Gunn committed to conducting an exhaustive search for the perfect leads in this new franchise. Now that the roles of Superman and Lois Lane have been filled, Gunn will focus on finding the right actor to embody Superman’s arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor, as well as other supporting characters such as Jimmy Olsen, Kent’s loyal friend.

“Superman: Legacy” is slated for release on July 11, 2025, with filming expected to commence early next year. The search will continue for key characters like Lex Luthor and the superhero team The Authority, who are set to make their debut in “Legacy” before headlining their own standalone film.

This Superman project will mark the first film produced entirely under the tenure of Gunn and Safran. While “The Flash” was released under their leadership, the movie faced challenges due to negative publicity surrounding star Ezra Miller, resulting in a disappointing opening weekend box office performance of $55 million.