In a humorous video posted to his Instagram account, actor and comedian Jack Black has taken up the role of Superman in the DC Universe following Henry Cavill’s exit last year in favor of a younger actor. Cavill debuted as the character in 2013 with his final appearance coming in a Black Adam cameo last year.
The Instagram video opens with Black sleeping in an outdoor cot. However, he is woken up by the sound of his phone. He promptly picks up, and responds "What's up Jamie-Jamie Gunn-Gunn? I was just takin' a napskee." The Grammy Award winner then seemingly declines an invitation to play a superhero character with the excuse that he has already played all the superheroes. Unfortunately for him, his caller wouldn’t take no for an answer and he is eventually forced to accept the role.
When the call ends, Black takes off his sunglasses, throws off his blanket, and gets to his feet revealing he was wearing in a skintight Superman costume all along. The 53-year-old actor makes a few poses for the camera before leaping into the sky and flying off. He also shows off his laser vision and super speed seemingly demonstrating his suitability for the role.
Finally, the skit pans to the actor on a table with his dad waving his cape amid background music.
Since its release, Black’s skit has garnered over 400,000 likes and caught the attention of numerous fans, including James Gunn, the co-chair of DC Studios and the man responsible for the film’s script. Upon coming across Black’s comedic video, he responded "I thought we agreed to save this news for ComicCon."
Superman: Legacy is a reboot of the DC comic character. Scheduled to arrive in theaters in June 2025, the film will feature a young Clark Kent during his early days in Metropolis City, including his work as a reporter as well as his relationship with Lois Lane.
Given his role in DC Studios, Gunn is also one of the film’s producers and will, as a result, be involved in the selection of its cast members. Recently, he announced that the film’s cast will be announced in the coming months and his comment that the news was to be announced at the ComicCon might be a clue that DC Studios will reveal the film’s cast at the forthcoming San Diego ComicCon.
Black is most famous for voicing the titular character, Po, in the 2008 film Kung Fu Panda, as well as its sequels, including the fourth installment that is slated for release in 2024. He voices the character in Netflix’s spinoff series titled The Dragon Knight. He is also widely known for his role as Bernie in the 2011 black comedy film of the same name and he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.
