The old saying goes that "a hero is only as good as their villain." That's a philosophy that David Corenswet discovered firsthand when he was cast in the iconic role of Clark Kent for James Gunn's much-anticipated Superman. Fresh off of roles in this year's natural disaster blockbuster Twisters and Apple TV+'s Lady in the Lake, he'll look to take the Man of Steel in a new direction next year that leans more into the character's trademark hope and compassion than the grittiness of Henry Cavill and the old DCEU. The process of creating that more positive Superman was a long one with plenty of inspirations playing into the final product seen on screen. It wasn't just comics or Gunn's direction that got him to a spot he was happy with, but also his co-stars, who helped him fully understand who this version of Clark is at his heart.
Corenswet joined Gunn and his co-stars Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Brosnahan for a press conference ahead of the trailer launch, which Collider's Steve Weintraub was in attendance for. In addition to discussing Superman and its trailer, the film's star opened up about how he tackled preparing to become DC's golden boy. There is undoubtedly a lot of pressure in taking up such a mantle given the stature of the character within DC Comics and the past actors that have worn the cape before, from Cavill to Christopher Reeve. Not to mention, there are a ton of moving parts to this movie as it aims to lay the groundwork for the entirety of the DCU with other comic characters, including Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and The Engineer, aka Angela Spica (María Gabriela De Faría) among many others. Fortunately, Gunn became a valuable resource for Corenswet given his knowledge and understanding of Superman's best stories.
The director previously named several stories from the comics and beyond that were the most influential in developing the challenges Clark faces in his double life and the deep love he shares with Lois Lane. However, Corenswet admitted that going into Superman, his comic knowledge was lacking. With Gunn's help, he was able to figure out where to start to best understand the bits of history that were going into the creation of the film and reconcile it with his own knowledge of the character's on-screen appearances:
"James suggested All-Star Superman to read for Clark, specifically, because there are interesting challenges with Clark. It was interesting having a silent version to look at. I hadn't read so many Superman comics that I had since all the different Clarks that have appeared in the comics. I knew the ones that appeared in television and films, but it was great having a silent one and getting the impression from that. So, I drew a lot from that, specifically, for Clark. I also loosely stole some stuff from my brother-in-law, who's 6’8” and 270 pounds, and has the deepest voice, and is always in the way and always trying not to be."
Corenswet's Greatest Inspiration Came From the 'Superman' Team
Gunn didn't just help by recommending comics for Corenswet to read, but by working closely with him and creating an environment for him to succeed. Most of the actors that have worked with the Guardians of the Galaxy mastermind have sung his praises as a great director to work with, including other stars on Superman. Like the aforementioned saying about heroes and their villains, however, Corenswet says he may have gained the most from working with Hoult, who's set to play Supes's archrival Lex Luthor, and Brosnahan, who's playing Lois Lane. Both of them, in his eyes, say a lot about who Clark is to the people around him and thus inform how he can be that character that would clash with the former and fall in love with the latter.
"Mostly, I draw inspiration from the other actors and from James. I feel like I want to be living in the world that we're living in, and so it was when I started working with Rachel that I got clear about who Clark and who Superman was. Especially for Superman, a hero is only as interesting or cool as the nemesis that they're up against, and so, standing eye-to-eye with Nick for the first time, I started to get clear about who I was. That's where I started to get clear about who I am, because I see so clearly who they are."
Superman introduces the new DCU to the big screen on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the film as it flies toward its release and watch the trailer now.
Follows the titular superhero as he reconciles his heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way in a world that views kindness as old-fashioned.
Release Date July 11, 2025
English (US) ·