This has been a big week for Superman fans, because just a few days ago, it was announced that David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan have been respectively cast as Clark Kent/Kal-El and Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy. Getting to play one of pop culture’s most famous superheroes would be a big deal for most actors, but it turns out that Corenswet has had his eye on the role for a long time. An interview from a few years ago has been making the rounds where he described getting to play Superman as a “pie-in-the-sky ambition” for him.
In November 2019, Corenswet was doing press for the first season of The Politician, the miniseries where he played River Barkley, the opponent of Ben Platt’s Payton Hobart for student body president. While speaking with EW back then, the actor pointed out that he’d been repeatedly told how much he looked like Henry Cavill, who by this point had appeared as Superman in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the theatrical cut of Justice League. As Corenswet explained:
It came to my attention before the internet got a hold of me. But my pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman. 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.
David Corenswet’s statement came at a time when Henry Cavill’s future as Superman was shrouded in uncertainty. Sure, the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League in early 2021 allowed Max subscribers to see the original footage he shot for the team-up story, but it was unclear if Man of Steel 2 was still in the cards or if Cavill’s Superman would appear in any other DCEU movies. Still, the role of cinematic Superman was technically still filled, but Corenswet still let it be known that he’d be interested in doing a lighter take on the character someday.
Cut to now, it’s been more than half a year since it was announced that Cavill’s Superman tenure would end, despite the fact that Black Adam’s end-credits scene was intended to set up more appearances from him. Instead, James Gunn, who’s running DC Studios with Peter Safran, decided to reboot the character with Superman: Legacy, which he’s writing and directing. It will be the first movie in the new DC Universe, and what was once a dream for David Corenswet has become a reality, as he’ll succeed Cavill as this shared continuity’s Clark Kent. And while no official plot details have been announced yet, given Gunn’s various comments on Legacy, including that it’s partially inspired by All-Star Superman, it’s looking like Corenswet will have plenty of “bright and optimistic” material to tackle.
Now that Superman: Legacy’s Clark and Lois actors have been selected, the next big casting on the horizon looks to be Lex Luthor, with brothers Alexander and Bill Skarsgård among the potential candidates. It’s also rumored that the reboot will include members of The Authority, the superhero team that will star in their own DC Universe movie. Legacy is expected to begin in early 2024, and the upcoming DC movie is slated for release on July 11, 2025.
Keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for updates on how Superman: Legacy is coming along. If you’re unfamiliar with David Corenswet, both The Politician and his adorable rom-com Look Both Ways can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.
