DC Studios has found its Clark Kent and Lois Lane with David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, per Deadline. The two raven-haired actors will play the coveted roles in the inaugural movie, Superman: Legacy, from the new DC Studios’ heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The latest on-screen iteration of the iconic story of Clark Kent and Lois Lane will be penned and directed by Gunn himself (good news, everybody!). As reported by Collider, Safran said in January that Superman: Legacy will largely focus on “Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn held screentests with several hopeful actors over the weekend of June 17:
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; and 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.
Ultimately, winning the superhero fame lottery was Corenswet, who is a Julliard School alum and rose to fame in Ryan Murphy‘s Hollywood. He will join a list of some great actors who have played Superman over the years, such as Tom Welling, Bud Collyer, and Christopher Reeve. The character has also been played by actors such as Dean Cain, who can’t stand woke Captain America, and Henry Cavill, whose behavior toward women is questionable.
Corenswet is also Jewish. Although I do not know if that factored into the casting decision, it’s a nice nod to writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, who created Superman in 1933 and were the sons of Jews who escaped to America to avoid the pogroms. In Jewish circles, Superman is sometimes referred to as the American Golem or Supergölem.
Brosnahan is known for playing Mrs. Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, two Golden Globes, and many more awards. She is also the niece of the late fashion designer Kate Spade (not relevant to her acting ability but a nifty fact if you want to show off your nerd skills). Recently, she appeared in Lorraine Hansberry‘s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window opposite Oscar Isaac on Broadway.
Both Brosnahan and Corenswet are House of Cards alums. They will be reuniting for Superman: Legacy.
Superman: Legacy arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025.
