With Henry Cavill officially done as the Man of Steel, James Gunn’s reboot of the character, Superman: Legacy, is targeting younger actors for sought-after role. Gunn’s DC Studios will be led by the film, meaning whoever snags this role is going to be busy for a long time to come. While rumors have been going around for weeks, THR has learned some of the names being eyed for the roles of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and villain Lex Luthor.
The top name being considered for Clark Kent aka Superman is Pearl actor David Corenswet, joined by a pair of unnamed contenders. Cornswet, who will also appear alongside Natalie Portman in Apple series Lady in the Lake, has advanced far enough to be at the screen testing stage, likely to take place this summer.
When those screen tests occur, they’ll probably want to pair Corenswet with a Lois Lane. Sex Education and Emily star Emma Mackey, Emmy-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan, Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor, and Ready or Not‘s Samara Weaving are up to play the spunky Daily Planet reporter and Clark Kent’s love interest. It’s unclear who is in the lead here, but with a shortlist like that Gunn has a tough choice to make.
As for Lex Luthor, the only name being mentioned is Renfield lead Nicholas Hoult. Obviously, Hoult is no stranger to superhero movies, having played Hank “Beast” McCoy in multiple X-Men films. He also lost out to Robert Pattinson for Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
The story also mentions past rumors about Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi, but he doesn’t seem to truly be in the mix for Clark Kent. British actors Tom Brittney and Andrew Richardson were early contenders but appear to have fallen off.
Superman: Legacy is expected to open in July 2025, and with Gunn finished with his Marvel duties expect the DC news to ramp up quickly.
