The DCU is in need of a new Superman. Despite previously confirming his return following a cameo in Black Adam, Henry Cavill will no longer play Superman. The news came just two months into the DC Universe's massive overhaul behind the scenes, with filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran becoming the new heads of DC Studios. Gunn and Safran are looking to make a more interconnected DC Universe franchise, one that spans film, television, and even video games.
Update June 14, 2023: Today marks the tenth anniversary of the release of Man of Steel, so with The Flash set to wrap up the DCEU and make way for the DCU, this list has been updated to include more potential Superman actors, including some rumored names that are testing for the part.
One of the first projects that has been announced is a new Superman movie titled Superman: Legacy, which Gunn is both writing and directing. It was revealed that the new Superman movie will focus on a younger version of the character, and that is why Cavill will not return for the role. It was stressed that the film would not be an origin story but instead focus on Superman's early days and Clark Kent's career as a journalist at the Daily Planet.
As was the case with past castings of Superman, it is a highly sought-after part that has generated great interest. Gunn has shared a few details about what will make a great Superman, including needing to be humble. While no more details have been announced, fans are already speculating who could be the new Man of Steel. Here are seven choices for who should wear the big red S now that Cavill is out.
David Corenswet
David Corenswet seems to be the top choice to take over Superman by fans online, and it isn't difficult to see why. The young star has shinned in projects ranging from Netflix's Hollywood to The Politician. In 2022, he starred in two very different films, the horror film Pearl and the romantic coming-of-age Look Both Ways. Both films played off his traditional leading man's good looks and his charismatic charm, which would be ideal for Superman.
Standing at 6 ft 4, he certainly has the build and looks to play Superman while also being a relatively unknown star to general audiences, where he could really become Superman to a new generation. Corenswet has generated a great deal of buzz recently as he is reported on the shortlist and is screen testing for the part.
Nicholas Hoult
Nicholas Hoult and superhero movies just go together. Hoult previously played Hank McCoy, more commonly known as Beast, in four X-Men movies, including X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix. He is known for a wide variety of roles, including his work in films like Mad Max: Fury Road, The Menu, and Warm Bodies. He was one of the finalists to play Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves' The Batman before Robert Pattinson got the part.
Hoult reportedly is screen testing for the role of Superman. Not only is he being considered for the Man of Steel, he is also reportedly being considered for the part of Superman's arch-enemy Lex Luthor. While it feels like there should not be an overlap between Superman and Lex Luthor, worth remembering as before he was cast as Loki, Tom Hiddleston auditioned for Thor, and Heath Ledger was offered the part of Batman before he was cast as The Joker, so there is something to be said about an actor who can play hero and villain. Hoult is certainly the biggest name on this list, but he has the looks and the acting chops to play Superman.
Alden Ehrenreich
Alden Ehrenreich did play a young Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, but this is not just to typecast him as another younger version of a popular character. Ehrenreich's career might not be long, but he has worked with some of the most prominent filmmakers in Hollywood, including Francis Ford Coppola, Park-Chang Wook, and the Coen Brothers. Ehrenreich certainly has the look for both Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent and his performance in Hail, Caesar! showcased that Ehrenreich has what it takes to pull off the sweet comedic side of the character.
2023 is set to be a big year for the actor as he stars in Cocaine Bear, will appear in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, and will have a role in the Marvel Studios series Ironheart. While he has joined the MCU, depending on the size of his role in that franchise, he could easily jump over into the DCU. It wouldn't be unheard of, as Zachary Levi went from a small role in Thor: The Dark World to the lead in Shazam! Not to mention, James Gunn himself has now moved from his Guardians of the Galaxy MCU work to the DCU as a whole.
Joseph Quinn
Joseph Quinn broke out in 2022 with his star-making role as Eddie Munson in season four of Stranger Things. Quinn has been an in-demand actor ever since and seems like an ideal candidate to play Superman. He is a star but not too famous to where he would overshadow the character of Superman. He is a young, rising talent that could grow into the role for many years and would grab people's attention.
Yet most importantly, Quinn's performance as Eddie Munson might be the key to what would make him a good Superman. Quinn has a natural charm to him and a soft, vulnerable, but also incredibly powerful presence to himself that would fit with Superman. The character, after all, should be welcoming but also powerful, and Quinn projects that and could cash in on the actor's passionate fanbase.
Eli Goree
Superman is a Kryptonian, which is a fictional race of aliens, meaning they can look however the filmmaker wants. There is nothing to say that Kryptonians need to be white, and that opens the door for plenty of exciting casting possibilities for who can play Superman, and one that immediately jumps to mind is Eli Goree. Goree is most famous for playing boxer Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali, in the film One Night in Miami.
Goree certainly has the build to play Superman and is 6ft 4, so he certainly fits the part. Yet notably, Goree also has a caring presence to him which is an important element to Superman. He is powerful but also not intimidating, which Goree can nicely balance. Warner Bros. is still developing a separate Black Superman film, and while Goree would be great in that film, it would be a shame not to consider him for the main DCU Superman role as well.
Glen Powell
Glen Powell's star has certainly risen quite a bit in a decade. The actor had a small role in The Dark Knight Rises, and since then has gone on to star in television series like Scream Queens and films like Set It Up, Hidden Figures, and Everybody Wants Some alongside fellow Superman actor Tyler Hoechlin. It was in 2022 that he truly broke out into the next level of stardom with his role in the year's biggest hit, Top Gun: Maverick.
While Powell might not strike the traditional image of Superman, both in appearance or in his past roles, the actor has shown an ability to diversify himself in a number of different genres and performances. He could easily fit as the classic Silver Age 60s version of Superman, a strong leading man, and a traditional Hollywood heartthrob, while giving a new dimension to the role of Clark Kent.
David Alvarez
David Alvarez won a Tony Award for Best Actor In a Leading Role in a Musical at the age of 15 for his performance in Billy Elliot: The Musical (he won jointly with fellow actors Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish). After leaving the theater for a few years to serve in the United States Army, he returned to acting and, in 2021, starred in the short-lived series American Rust and played the role of Bernardo in Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed remake of West Side Story.
Not only is Alvarez a talented performer, which is always something to consider for someone taking on an iconic role, but his casting would indicate a different type of Superman, and one audience would recognize him as different. The idea of a Superman played by an actor of Latino origin is not a new one, as D.J. Cotrona almost played the role in George Miller's canceled Justice League: Mortal. Alverez's casting could also help make Superman's immigrant origin subtext into literal text and make for a more culturally relevant and socially topical film.
Jonah Hauer-King
While Jonah Hauer-King had appeared in films like Postcards from London and A Dog's Way Home, he most likely is best known to audiences now following his appearance as Prince Eric in Disney's live-action remake, The Little Mermaid. While much attention has rightfully been paid to star Halle Bailey, Hauer-King also shines as an on-screen presence and gives some much-needed depth to the Disney character.
Hauer-King certainly has the look for Superman and would fit what Gunn is looking for in terms of a young Superman. He is a relative unknown to general audiences, so he could easily be thought of as Superman. Going for a young heartthrob version of Superman might be a great way to reinvite the character for modern audiences.
Jacob Elordi
One of the stars of the hit television series Euphoria, Jacob Elordi, feels like the perfect candidate for a younger Superman. Currently 25 years old, 6 foot 5, and featuring the traditional dark hair and strong jaw that Superman has always been associated with, Elordi fits the typical hallmarks of Superman. Casting an up-and-coming actor from a hit television show could be just what the Superman franchise needs to draw in new audiences. Much like Cavill before him, Elordi might just be too perfect of a Superman candidate on paper to pass up and a case where a fan cast becomes reality.
Tom Brittney
Tom Brittney is one of the three actors rumored to be screen testing for the Superman role alongside Hoult and Corenswet. His casting would be in keeping with past traditions of casting a relatively unknown Superman, as to most audiences, Brittney is an unknown performer. Brittney is an English actor who is known for the television series Grantchester and The Five. His two feature film credits are 2017's Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool and 2020's Greyhound.
While that might not be much to go off of, there is a level of excitement that Brittney's casting would bring Superman. It is often so rare that a major role is given to a relative unknown, and for the chance to have a true star is born moment. Nobody could have known what to expect when Australian soap-opera star Chris Hemsworth was cast as Thor, but now it is hard to imagine anyone else in the part. Same when a young Christopher Reeve was first cast as Superman. Brittney might be the most exciting casting choice because he is unexpected.
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