David Corenswet Will Play James Gunn’s Superman

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

The 29-year-old actor from Philadelphia has landed the lead role in the upcoming Superman: Legacy, which will relaunch the DC Comics movie and TV universe under the creative oversight of James Gunn. Gunn will also write and direct the film.

Corenswet already has his key co-star as well; Rachel Brosnahan — best known as the title character from Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been cast to play the Lois Lane to his Clark Kent.

After news of their casting leaked, Gunn confirmed it on his Twitter account, writing “Accurate! (They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people.)”

Gunn will both write and direct the new film; he has previously said it will “focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.” It will feature a new version of the Man of Steel, replacing the one that has appeared in DC movies for the last ten years — including most recently last fall in a brief cameo in Black Adam — portrayed by actor Henry Cavill.

According to various online reports Corenswet and Brosnahan beat out several other finalists for their roles, including Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney for Superman, and Phoebe Dynevor, and Emma Mackey as Lois Lane. In the film, Superman will be a younger character, coming into a world where superheroes already exist (including, apparently, the Authority).

A lot is riding on Corenswet and Brosnahan’s casting. Superman: Legacy is meant to launch a new DC cinematic universe at a time when the final installments of the previous universe, including Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and The Flash, have all faltered at the box office. Warner Bros. and DC will need the new Superman to be a major hit.

Superman: Legacy is expected to premiere in theaters in 2025.