David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan are reportedly cast for the DC Universe film Superman: Legacy. The casting news comes after a 2-week screen testing process with DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran.
With the latest DC Extended Universe movie The Flash suffering a disappointing 2-week box office haul, things looked bleak for the planned reboot even before it officially starts. While Blue Beetle will be the first official project released under the new DC Universe, DC Studios Co-CEO and filmmaker James Gunn confirmed that Superman: Legacy serves as the true start of the 10-year planned overhaul of their superhero franchises.
The news was broken by entertainment outlets such as Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. The selection process reportedly took over the past two weeks, with the final stage of the audition over the course of the June 17 weekend, with DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran presiding.
DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn himself confirmed the news on his official Twitter account stating:
They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people.
Accurate! (They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people). https://t.co/1FtwYIDeYj
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 27, 2023
According to insider sources, David Corenswet screen tested with Nicholas Hoult (Renfield) and Tom Brittney (Grantchester) during the course of the two-week process. The three actors reportedly auditioned in full Superman costume as part of the screen tests. Meanwhile, Emma Mackey (Sex Education) and Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton) were the other actresses who vied for the Lois Lane role alongside Rachel Brosnahan.
Corenswet and Brosnahan will be taking over the roles previously essayed by Henry Cavill and Amy Adams. Cavill played Clark Kent/Superman and Amy Adams portrayed Lois Lane beginning with Man of Steel (2013) under the direction of Zack Snyder. But while Man of Steel was a critical and financial success, the cinematic universe dubbed the DCEU (or the Snyderverse, as some fans refer to it) has had mixed results since then.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav stated that overhauling their superhero cinematic universe was a priority, envisioning a 10-year plan to bring it in line with the highly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe over at Disney. By late 2022, it was confirmed that director James Gunn and veteran Hollywood producer Peter Safran would be Co-CEOs of the new DC Studios.
In January 2023, Gunn came out with the roadmap of the re-branded DC Universe. The DC Studios Co-CEO shared a video that lined up the first chapter of the DCU, marketed as Gods and Monsters. Aside from Superman: Legacy, this first chapter will include film, television, and video game projects such as Creature Commandos, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Waller, Lanterns, The Authority, Paradise Lost, Swamp Thing, and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
Gunn would later confirm that he would be writing the screenplay and direct Superman: Legacy himself. Since then, rumors who would be cast began circulating. But Gunn shot down any of the speculation stating:
For all of you asking, I would never comment on who is or isn’t AUDITIONING for a role. That’s the actor’s business only & isn’t something I’d make public unless they did it first after the fact
Now that the castings are confirmed, what do you think of David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as the new Daily Planet power couple? Do you agree with the casting? And which role do you think will be cast next for Superman: Legacy?
DC Studios is currently targeting Superman: Legacy for a theatrical release on July 11, 2025.
