David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan are set to take on the roles of Superman and Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.
Corenswet is best known for his roles in the Ryan Murphy shows Hollywood and The Politician and starring in 2022 horror prequel Pearl. Brosnahan has won an Emmy for her performance in Amazon’s period comedy The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and has also appeared in House of Cards and I’m Your Woman.
The announcement follows weeks of speculation, with the pair up against competitors such as Nicholas Hoult and Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dyvenor. It’s reported that screen tests involved the male actors dressing up in Superman’s outfit.
The news comes just before a potential Sag-Aftra strike which could potentially begin on 30 June if negotiations fail to result in a deal.
The film will be the beginning of a new DC universe led by Gunn, who directed the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy for Marvel. Gunn co-leads the new DC Studios with producer Peter Safran.
Gunn’s rebooted Superman film will follow a young version of the hero but will not be an origins story. Safran has described the character as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way; he’s kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned”.
Gunn has claimed that the new film will be “emotionally grounded” and will be “a four-quadrant film that should speak to everyone in the world”.
When Brosnahan was asked about playing the role in May, she said: “It would be extraordinary. I grew up watching Lois Lane, this incredibly talented journalist, far from a damsel in distress and I would jump at the chance if it arose.”
In response to the announcement, the writer-director tweeted: “They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people.”
The film will usher in a new era for DC films, currently suffering from a string of poor box office performers. Last year’s Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson, made $383m globally from a reported $200m budget and earlier this year Shazam! Fury of the Gods suffered with a $133m worldwide total from a budget of $125m.
This month’s release of The Flash has also seen disappointment, with the film underperforming in the US and in other territories. It’s been reported that it could end up losing Warner Bros about $200m.
The character of Superman was last played by Henry Cavill.
