If they ever make a Joe Ledger series, he is my pick.Alexander Skarsgard should be Sentry.
Middle dude for Supes.Update: June 26, 2023
Screen Test Details for Clark Kent and Lois Lane for SUPERMAN: LEGACY; Alexander and Bill Skarsgard in the Shortlist for Lex Luthor
With The Flash not proving to be the box office savior Warner Bros. was anticipating, the pressure on new DC Studios’ heads James Gunn and Peter Safran has increased exponentially.
And that, in turn, means increased weight on Superman: Legacy, the inaugural movie from Gunn and Safran. And it may not get any weightier than casting the right actor to play Clark Kent/Superman and his romantic and professional foil, Lois Lane.
Gunn, who is writing and directing the feature, held screen tests the weekend of June 17 on the Warners lot in Burbank, and the process has been kept in a lead-lined box as Gunn shows the assembled cuts to a deciding committee of executives, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav among them. Despite the secrecy, some details have emerged, even as the final choice has not.
Gunn, according to sources, assembled three actors and three actresses for Superman and Lane, respectively, and on Saturday, the first day of the testing, the actors were seen in predetermined pairs:
- Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Brosnahan
- Tom Brittney and Phoebe Dynevor
- David Corenswet and Emma Mackey
They were given several scenes to film, in which the males were in makeup and wardrobe as Daily Planet reporter Kent while the females were plucky journalist Lane.
Then on Sunday, Hoult, Brittney and Corenswet did another series of screen tests, this time in costume as Superman. Interestingly, only Mackey was brought in that day to portray Lane opposite the actors.
Sources caution that just because Mackey segued into the second day does not mean she is the front-runner for Lane, although it may be hard not to draw that conclusion.
The search for Superman is a complex one. In Gunn’s back-to-basics version, any choice has to be able to play the part of someone who is credibly a farmboy from Kansas, a reporter at a big city media outlet, and the Man of Steel, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
The search brings back memories of the testing for the lead in 2011’s infamous Green Lantern, in which actors had to play cocky pilot Hal Jordan and a mask-wearing space cop from the Green Lantern Corps. The casting came down to Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper, but the lynchpin was the mask. Some inside the studio preferred Cooper, but he fared poorly in the superhero costume tests. The same situation is very likely playing out on Legacy.
Gunn had an assembled cut of the screen tests by Wednesday to show to Warners brass. A decision could come this week.
And once the decisions on Kent and Lane are made, Gunn will quickly pull the trigger on the next wave. Sources say there is also a shortlist for villain Lex Luthor (siblings Alexander and Bill Skarsgard have been mentioned as being on it, and it’s not clear whether Hoult, who was initially wanted for the part before deciding to try for Kent/Superman, would put himself in the running again.) There are also other heroes to cast, such as members of a supergroup named the Authority (part of the new storyline is Superman joining a world in which superheroes already exist).
Gunn hopes to have Superman: Legacy before cameras in early 2024, in time for a July 11, 2025, release. The movie will attempt to kickstart a whole new slate based on the DC characters after two attempts in the last dozen years have fizzled due to various factors, box office failure and changes in studio ownership, among them.
Inside the ‘Superman: Legacy’ Screen Tests as Decision 2023 Drags Into Second Week
Disagree on Lois as IMO Mrs Masiel would be perfect for the role . Honestly don't know of many or any would be a better fit. Maybe it is she reminds a little of Kidders Lane who was by far the best one (I love Amy Adam's but it's not her bag) .
He looks boy scouty enough in the face. Buffing up is easy enough to do these day for actors. Seems fine to me.Update: June 27, 2023
It's Official: David Corenswet Cast as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan Cast as Lois Lane in James Gunn's SUPERMAN: LEGACY
James Gunn has found his Superman and Lois Lane. After a lengthy search, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan will star in Superman: Legacy, the film that will launch DC’s new universe under writer-director Gunn and his co-DC Studios boss, Peter Safran.
Corenswet and Brosnahan were among six actors who vied for the lead roles, with Gunn filming screen tests over the June 17 weekend with Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney also in contention to play Superman/Clark Kent and Emma Mackey and Phoebe Dynevor in the running for Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane.
Few roles are as coveted — or come with as much pressure — as Superman. That’s doubly true in the current landscape, as Corenswet will anchor a new universe as DC attempts to re-invent itself after a streak of misses with October’s Black Adam, March’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods and the recent The Flash. Only three actors have played the character on the big screen, with Christopher Reeves’ career-defining work in 1978’s Superman launching the modern superhero genre and spawning three sequels. Brandon Routh starred in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns (2006), a film that failed to ignite the box office and resulted in him being a one-and-done. And a decade ago, Henry Cavill starred in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the film that launched the DC Extended Universe and made Cavill a fan-favorite actor for his dignified work as Clark Kent.
Cavill went on to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017) and after years of away from the role, appeared in a cameo in Black Adam (2022) and announced his intention to star in more Superman projects. That was all before Gunn and Safran were hired to revamp DC, which included plans for a younger Superman.
Superman: Legacy has a release date of July 11, 2025. The Superman project will be the first film to be fully produced under Gunn and Safran’s tenure. The Flash film was released under the newly minted studio heads; that movie, which was plagued by the poor publicity incurred by star Ezra Miller, earned a disappointing $55 million during its opening weekend.
Legacy marks a massive career shift for Corenswet, not only coming in at No. 1 on the call sheet on a studio film for the first time but doing so as one of pop culture’s most enduring heroes. The actor first broke out in Ryan Murphy series The Politician, which was followed by a starring turn in another Murphy-backed Netflix series Hollywood. Other credits include HBO series We Own This City and A24 horror sequel, Pearl. Up next there is the Apple series Lady in the Lake and Twister sequel, Twisters.
Brosnahan is an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for her acclaimed series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She rose to prominence with House of Cards, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Three actors have previously played Lois Lane on the big screen. Margot Kidder gave a defining performance full of intelligence and spunk 1978’s Superman and its three sequels, in which she starred opposite Christopher Reeve. Kate Bosworth played Lois in one film, 2006’s Superman: Returns, while Amy Adams brought the character to life in Man of Steel (2016) and also starred in in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017).
“I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter in April for a cover story. “He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”
‘Superman: Legacy’ Finds Leads with David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan
Update: June 27, 2023
It's Official: David Corenswet Cast as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan Cast as Lois Lane in James Gunn's SUPERMAN: LEGACY
James Gunn has found his Superman and Lois Lane. After a lengthy search, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan will star in Superman: Legacy, the film that will launch DC’s new universe under writer-director Gunn and his co-DC Studios boss, Peter Safran.
Corenswet and Brosnahan were among six actors who vied for the lead roles, with Gunn filming screen tests over the June 17 weekend with Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney also in contention to play Superman/Clark Kent and Emma Mackey and Phoebe Dynevor in the running for Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane.
Few roles are as coveted — or come with as much pressure — as Superman. That’s doubly true in the current landscape, as Corenswet will anchor a new universe as DC attempts to re-invent itself after a streak of misses with October’s Black Adam, March’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods and the recent The Flash. Only three actors have played the character on the big screen, with Christopher Reeves’ career-defining work in 1978’s Superman launching the modern superhero genre and spawning three sequels. Brandon Routh starred in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns (2006), a film that failed to ignite the box office and resulted in him being a one-and-done. And a decade ago, Henry Cavill starred in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the film that launched the DC Extended Universe and made Cavill a fan-favorite actor for his dignified work as Clark Kent.
Cavill went on to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017) and after years of away from the role, appeared in a cameo in Black Adam (2022) and announced his intention to star in more Superman projects. That was all before Gunn and Safran were hired to revamp DC, which included plans for a younger Superman.
Superman: Legacy has a release date of July 11, 2025. The Superman project will be the first film to be fully produced under Gunn and Safran’s tenure. The Flash film was released under the newly minted studio heads; that movie, which was plagued by the poor publicity incurred by star Ezra Miller, earned a disappointing $55 million during its opening weekend.
Legacy marks a massive career shift for Corenswet, not only coming in at No. 1 on the call sheet on a studio film for the first time but doing so as one of pop culture’s most enduring heroes. The actor first broke out in Ryan Murphy series The Politician, which was followed by a starring turn in another Murphy-backed Netflix series Hollywood. Other credits include HBO series We Own This City and A24 horror sequel, Pearl. Up next there is the Apple series Lady in the Lake and Twister sequel, Twisters.
Brosnahan is an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for her acclaimed series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She rose to prominence with House of Cards, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Three actors have previously played Lois Lane on the big screen. Margot Kidder gave a defining performance full of intelligence and spunk 1978’s Superman and its three sequels, in which she starred opposite Christopher Reeve. Kate Bosworth played Lois in one film, 2006’s Superman: Returns, while Amy Adams brought the character to life in Man of Steel (2016) and also starred in in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017).
“I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter in April for a cover story. “He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”
‘Superman: Legacy’ Finds Leads with David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan
Update: June 27, 2023
It's Official: David Corenswet Cast as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan Cast as Lois Lane in James Gunn's SUPERMAN: LEGACY
James Gunn has found his Superman and Lois Lane. After a lengthy search, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan will star in Superman: Legacy, the film that will launch DC’s new universe under writer-director Gunn and his co-DC Studios boss, Peter Safran.
Corenswet and Brosnahan were among six actors who vied for the lead roles, with Gunn filming screen tests over the June 17 weekend with Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney also in contention to play Superman/Clark Kent and Emma Mackey and Phoebe Dynevor in the running for Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane.
Few roles are as coveted — or come with as much pressure — as Superman. That’s doubly true in the current landscape, as Corenswet will anchor a new universe as DC attempts to re-invent itself after a streak of misses with October’s Black Adam, March’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods and the recent The Flash. Only three actors have played the character on the big screen, with Christopher Reeves’ career-defining work in 1978’s Superman launching the modern superhero genre and spawning three sequels. Brandon Routh starred in Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns (2006), a film that failed to ignite the box office and resulted in him being a one-and-done. And a decade ago, Henry Cavill starred in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the film that launched the DC Extended Universe and made Cavill a fan-favorite actor for his dignified work as Clark Kent.
Cavill went on to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017) and after years of away from the role, appeared in a cameo in Black Adam (2022) and announced his intention to star in more Superman projects. That was all before Gunn and Safran were hired to revamp DC, which included plans for a younger Superman.
Superman: Legacy has a release date of July 11, 2025. The Superman project will be the first film to be fully produced under Gunn and Safran’s tenure. The Flash film was released under the newly minted studio heads; that movie, which was plagued by the poor publicity incurred by star Ezra Miller, earned a disappointing $55 million during its opening weekend.
Legacy marks a massive career shift for Corenswet, not only coming in at No. 1 on the call sheet on a studio film for the first time but doing so as one of pop culture’s most enduring heroes. The actor first broke out in Ryan Murphy series The Politician, which was followed by a starring turn in another Murphy-backed Netflix series Hollywood. Other credits include HBO series We Own This City and A24 horror sequel, Pearl. Up next there is the Apple series Lady in the Lake and Twister sequel, Twisters.
Brosnahan is an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for her acclaimed series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She rose to prominence with House of Cards, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Three actors have previously played Lois Lane on the big screen. Margot Kidder gave a defining performance full of intelligence and spunk 1978’s Superman and its three sequels, in which she starred opposite Christopher Reeve. Kate Bosworth played Lois in one film, 2006’s Superman: Returns, while Amy Adams brought the character to life in Man of Steel (2016) and also starred in in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017).
“I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter in April for a cover story. “He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”
‘Superman: Legacy’ Finds Leads with David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan
