Few roles can be as daunting for an actor to take on as Superman. First, it's playing the most iconic of all superheroes, one known all over the world, and making it relatable to audiences. It's also being in the long shadow of Christopher Reeve, still regarded as the best actor to ever play the role.
David Corenswet is about to become the latest to don the blue suit and red cape in James Gunn's highly anticipated Superman film, opening July 11. It's the biggest role yet for the actor, best known for his turns in the Ryan Murphy Netflix shows The Politician and Hollywood.
Making a newcomer Superman is a challenge, but Gunn seems to have seen something in the actor. The trailers do show that Corenswet has a great aura in the part, both as Superman and mild-mannered Clark Kent. One would expect the man to have talked to previous actors who know how he feels and it turned out Corenswet did!
The advice that previous Superman stars offered David Corenswet
Talking to People Magazine at the Superman premiere red carpet, David Corenswet shared how he got letters from the previous two Superman actors, whose advice to him was unique.
"I was lucky enough to exchange letters with Tyler Hoechlin and Henry Cavill, two fellows who have played Superman before me. They both, in their way, sort of refrained from giving advice. There's not much advice that we can give, you know? You sort of have to do your own thing. But it was really wonderful to get words of encouragement from them and then to be able to write to them and talk about how appreciative I was of the way that they had stewarded the character in their time."
Tyler Hoechlin had just wrapped up his tenure as Superman in the CW's long-running Arrowverse franchise, where he debuted on Supergirl in 2016. He later played the role in standalone spinoff Superman & Lois, which ended its four-season run on The CW in December 2024, making Hoechlin the most current of the previous Superman actors. His performance on the show was praised, with many considering his work to be reminiscent of a modern day Christopher Reeve.
Henry Cavill, like Corenswet, was thrust into superstardom playing Superman in 2013's Man of Steel, which was intended to kick off the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). As many know, Cavill's tenure was marred by the mess of Justice League's infamous production (including that horrible CGI to remove his mustache). Cavill returned as Superman for a stinger in Black Adam that was meant to lead to more appearances, only for the whole DCEU to be halted for the creative reboot that saw James Gunn and Peter Safran take over to relaunch it as the new DC Universe.
The advice the pair gave Corenswet is good as they both make it clear he shouldn't be trying to copy them, or Reeve, or Brandon Routh, but put his own stamp on the part. It seems to be paying off by how Corenswet is playing the role in the trailers and making this Superman his own character while honoring those who came before him.
We still have to see how it all plays out on screen, but it's promising that David Corenswet is getting the support of past Supermen to make his own flight as The Last Son of Krypton an epic one.
Superman premieres in theaters July 11.