New Superman Actor David Corenswet Said Superman Was His Dream Role: I Want Him to Be ‘Bright and Optimistic’ After Henry Cavill’s ‘Gritty Take’

David Corenswet is officially the new Superman, which is a dream come true for the actor. Back in 2019, Corenswet was promoting his supporting role in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix limited series “Hollywood” when he told Entertainment Weekly that his biggest acting goal was “definitely to play Superman.” Here we are four years later.

The actor also said he was aware of his similar looks to Henry Cavill, who played Superman in four movies directed by Zack Snyder.

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“It came to my attention before the internet got a hold of me,” Corenswet told EW at the time about comparisons to Cavill. “But my pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman. I would love to see somebody do an upbeat, throwback [take on Superman]. I love the Henry Cavill dark and gritty take, but I would love to see the next one be very bright and optimistic.”

An “upbeat” and “optimistic” Superman sounds exactly like the kind of Superman that Corenswet will be playing in writer-director James Gunn’s “Superman: Legacy.” As Gunn told Variety during his casting search, “The next Superman has to be someone who has all the humanity that Superman has but he’s also an alien. It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has and be somebody who you want to give a hug.”

As Corenswet himself teased back in 2019, his approach to Superman will surely differ from that of the brooding Henry Cavill. Cavill was Superman in Zack Snyder’s DC Universe, which included films “Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Justice League.” James Gunn and Peter Safran are now in charge of DC Studios and are rebooting the DC Universe around a younger Superman, which is why Corenswet is taking over the role from Cavill.

For Corenswet, “Superman: Legacy” marks the biggest project of his career thus far. The actor is best known for his supporting roles in two Ryan Murphy-created Netflix series, “The Politician” and “Hollywood.” His film credits include A24’s “Pearl” opposite Mia Goth.

Joining Corenswet in “Superman: Legacy” is “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Gunn’s script focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.

“Superman: Legacy” is set for release on July 11, 2025 from Warner Bros.

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