DC Studios has named its next Superman, one of the highest-profile roles in film.
David Corenswet, 29, will play the superhero in the latest version of the storied series. The casting comes after months of intrigue and auditions about who would star in ‘Superman: Legacy’, set to come out on July 11, 2025, and directed by James Gunn.
Here’s what to know about the newest 'Man of Steel'.
What do we know about Corenswet?
Corenswet was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the Juilliard School in 2016 after being cast in various plays as a child actor.
Both of Corenswet’s parents are lawyers, and his dad, John Corenswet, was also a stage actor, according to IMDb. Corenswet’s grandfather, Edward Packard, is behind the idea of the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ book concept, the site notes.
In an interview with ‘Entertainment Weekly’ in 2019, Corenswet acknowledged he’d been told he bears a striking resemblance to the last person to play Superman, Henry Cavill. He also revealed that his “pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman”.
“I would love to see somebody do an upbeat, throwback [take on Superman],” he said. “I love the Henry Cavill dark and gritty take, but I would love to see the next one be very bright and optimistic.”
What movies and TV shows has Corenswet been in?
The 6-foot-4 actor and writer guest-starred in ‘House of Cards’ in 2018. Since then, he’s gained fame for his roles in ‘Pearl’, ‘We Own This City’ and a pair of Ryan Murphy shows.
In ‘The Politician’, Corenswet played River Barkley, a main character who dies by suicide while struggling with social pressures at school. He worked with Murphy again in 2020 in the award-winning ‘Hollywood’, playing Jack Castello, a wide-eyed Midwesterner who moves to Los Angeles after returning from war to try to make it as an actor. He was also an executive producer on the show.
Corenswet will also appear in the Apple TV Plus series ‘Lady in the Lake’.
What happened to Henry Cavill as Superman?
Cavill played Superman for years, starting with ‘Man of Steel’ in 2013 and most recently making a cameo appearance in ‘Black Adam’ in 2022.
Cavil announced in a December Instagram post that he was told by Gunn and producer Peter Safran he would not be coming back.
“After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, before their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life,” Cavill wrote. “The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. ... My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will.”
Who else is in the ‘Superman: Legacy’ cast?
Rachel Brosnahan, the only other actor to be cast as of Tuesday, is playing Lois Lane. She is joining after an award-winning run on ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’. She also previously appeared on Netflix’s ‘House of Cards’.
