Although there was a brief period in time when it looked like we’d be seeing more of Henry Cavil’s Superman following his cameo in Black Adam, by December 2022, it was revealed this wasn’t the case at all. Instead, DC Comics’ Man of Steel is being rebooted again as part of the new DC Universe’s Chapter One slate, with this new movie being officially titled Superman: Legacy by January 2023. Although this won’t be the first DC Universe project, with that honor belonging to the Creature Commandos animated series being released to Max subscribers, DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have said they consider Legacy to be the “true beginning” of this shared continuity.
Speaking of Gunn, along with writing the script, he’s also directing Superman: Legacy, making this his third time directly helming a DC project, following The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. While the specific plot is being kept under wraps, along with a handful of story details being shared, we’ve also been learning who will comprise the main cast. So let’s go over which actors have boarded Legacy, starting with the man taking over as The Last Son of Krypton.
David Corenswet
After actors like Pierson Fodé, Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney were said to be in the running for the role, David Corenswet was ultimately selected to play the new Superman. Needless to say this will be Corenswet’s biggest film appearance yet, with his prior credits in that area including Affairs of State, The Sunlit Night, Look Both Ways and Pearl, as well as upcoming offerings like Twisters and The Greatest Hits. He’s also built a solid TV resume, appearing in The Politician, Hollywood, We Own This City and the upcoming Lady in the Lake. Although Corenswet’s Superman is younger than Henry Cavill’s, Legacy will take a cue from The Batman by introducing him as an established superhero and forgo showing any aspects of his origin story.
Rachel Brosnahan
Rachel Brosnahan’s casting in Superman: Legacy was announced at the same time as David Corenswet’s, and if you’re like our own Riley Utley, you agree that she’s the perfect choice to play Lois Lane. Brosnahan is best known for playing Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, though before that, she caught attention for her roles on House of Cards and Manhattan, among other shows. Film-wise, she’s appeared in The Finest Hours, Patriots Day, Spies in Disguise and The Courier, to name a few. When we meet Brosnahan’s Lois in Legacy, she and Clark Kent already know each other, although it’s unclear if their relationship is purely professional or if they’ve moved to building a more personal dynamic.
Nathan Fillion
Not only has David Corenswet’s Superman been protecting people for a while when we meet him in Superman: Legacy, he’s one of many superheroes already active in the DC Universe. The first we’ll bring up is Green Lantern, who will be played by Nathan Fillion. However, rather than playing Hal Jordan, whom he’s been fanciest for years and voiced in numerous animated DC movies, the star of ABC’s The Rookie will instead play Guy Gardner, who has a more arrogant and abrasive personality. It’s also important to mention that Gardner will not be one of the leads in the Lanterns Max series, though that’s not to say we couldn’t see more of him in the DC Universe. This is the latest of Fillion’s collaborations with James Gunn, and the second time he’s appearing in one of his DC movies, having previously played TDK in The Suicide Squad.
Isabela Merced
Isabela Merced has appeared in many major Hollywood productions over the last decade, including Transformers: The Last Knight, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, the 2022 Father of the Bride remake and Rosaline. Well, along with leading the next Alien movie and making her first foray into the superhero genre for Madame Web, Merced will also lend her talents to Superman: Legacy as Hawkgirl. It’s unclear if this Hawkgirl will be the Shiera Sanders Hall, Shayera Holt or Kendra Saunders version.
Edi Gathegi
You may remember Edi Gathegi from X-Men: First Class for playing Darwin, the mutant with the ability of reactive evolution, i.e. being able to survive practically anything… who was then promptly killed by Kevin Bacon’s Sebastian Shaw. Others might know Gathegi better from projects like three of the Twilight movies, The Harder They Fall, House, The Blacklist and For All Mankind. For Superman: Legacy, he’ll be playing the Michael Holt incarnation of Mr. Terrific, who’s been described in the comics as the third-smartest person in the world and fights crime using technology like his T-Spheres and T-Mask.
Anthony Carrigan
Anthony Carrigan is no stranger to DC Comics lore, having first appeared in two episodes of The Flash as Kyle Nimbus, a.k.a. The Mist, and then recurred as Victor Zsasz on Gotham. There’s no question, though, that Superman: Legacy is the biggest of the bunch, as he’ll appear in the reboot as Metamorpho. Unlike Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl and Mr. Terrific, this will be Metamorpho’s first time being depicted in live-action. These days, Carrigan is best known for his Emmy-nominated role as NoHo Hank in Barry, and he’s also starred in movies like Bill & Ted: Face the Music and Fatherhood.
In addition to all the characters mentioned above, James Gunn has confirmed that Superman: Legacy will feature Jimmy Olsen, and Lex Luthor will also reportedly show up (though Daniel Craig has not been lined up to play the bald baddie). It’s also rumored that members of The Authority will appear ahead of their own movie. Although all these superheroes showing up “fit the story” Gunn is telling, he’s also assured fans that “[t]he primary story most definitely revolves around Superman and Lois,” for those concerned about the amount of attention Superman will receive.
Superman: Legacy is positioned on the upcoming DC movies schedule for a July 11, 2025 release, so periodically check back here to see what other actors have been added to the cast.
