David Corenswet will take on the role of Superman with Rachel Brosnahan as his love interest, Lois Lane, in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy, DC Studios announced today.
Filmmaker James Gunn confirmed the news on Twitter by sharing a US-based entertainment magazine’s article. “Accurate! (They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people),” he wrote in the caption.
Corenswet is best known for his breakout role in Netflix’s comedy-drama series The Politician. He will replace British actor Henry Cavill as Superman, who first starred in the role in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel (2013) as part of the DC Extended Universe. Cavill went on to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017) and in a cameo in Black Adam (2022). However, after DC studio co-CEOs Gunn and Peter Safran were hired to revamp DC, they wanted a younger Superman.
Gunn had previously revealed that Corenswet was a contender for the role of Man of Steel alongside Renfield actor Nicholas Hoult. Sex Education star Emma Mackey and Phoebe Dynevor of Bridgerton fame were in running for the role of Lois Lane. But the role has eventually gone to Brosnahan, who earned Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her role as the title character in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Earlier, Gunn had confirmed that he’s directing Superman: Legacy via an Instagram post, saying that it would tell the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas.
Superman: Legacy is slated to release in theatres on July 11, 2025.