Get ready for some super news! After months of intense auditions and screen tests, Warner Bros and DC Studios have finally found their new Clark Kent and Lois Lane for James Gunn’s upcoming film, Superman: Legacy. David Corenswet will be donning the iconic red cape as Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan will be taking on the role of Lois Lane. These two talented actors were among the few selected to test in front of DC co-chairs Peter Safran and Gunn, in full costume and makeup for the parts. The tests took place over two days, with one day seeing the three actors in full Superman attire. Sources close to the situation have revealed that each actor had closed test deals that would expire after two business weeks, so all parties wanted to sort this out before a potential SAG-AFTRA strike, which could go into effect at midnight on June 30.
The casting process for Superman: Legacy has been a long and thorough one, with Safran and Gunn leaving no stone unturned in their search for the perfect leads for this new franchise. With Corenswet and Brosnahan now locked in, Gunn will be looking to fill the shoes of Superman’s arch-nemesis Lex Luthor, as well as other supporting characters like Kent’s friend Jimmy Olsen.
Gunn, the director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad, and the original Max series Peacemaker, is directing from his screenplay based on the DC characters. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film is being produced by Safran (Aquaman, the upcoming Aquaman 2, The Conjuring franchise). Superman: Legacy is set for a worldwide release on July 11, 2025.
The project was announced earlier this year when Gunn and Safran laid out their plan for the first phase of this revamped slate, with Superman: Legacy front and center as the project that would help launch this strategy. That presentation also included plans for a new Batman pic, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which recently tapped Andy Muschietti to direct, and The Authority.
For Corenswet, this film will mark his first major leading role in a major studio film, having previously appeared in projects like Pearl, The Politician, and We Own This City. From the start, his name has floated to the top, and following that final audition, he has sealed the deal on the biggest role of his career so far. Brosnahan, on the other hand, is coming off the final season of her career-making role in Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which has earned her a number of accolades, including an Emmy win. She also had the best audition of the process and has been at the top of the list of women to play Lois Lane.
Warner Bros has yet to confirm whether they will be attending next month’s Comic-Con in San Diego, so there is still a chance that Corenswet and Brosnahan could be introduced at the studio’s Hall H panel. However, if there is a SAG-AFTRA strike, they will not be able to attend as strike guidelines state that no actors can promote any projects during a strike. Corenswet is repped by CAA, Untitled, and Jackoway Tyerman, while Brosnahan is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
