Highlights
- David Corenswet, the new Superman for the upcoming film Superman: Legacy, has been seen bulking up and getting in shape for the role, addressing fans' concerns about his physique.
- The casting of Corenswet has generated mixed reactions from fans, with many expressing a preference for Henry Cavill as Superman.
- Despite challenges such as ongoing strike action and superhero movie fatigue, the filmmakers behind Superman: Legacy have time to strategize and ensure the success of the film and the new DCU.
Superman: Legacy actor David has been seen bulked up in recent photos. The news comes as fans still actively argue the merits of his addition in place of Henry Cavill.
The DCEU was kicked off by the 2013 Superman project Man of Steel, which avoided getting tangled up in the Dark Knight trilogy and paved the way for the rest of the projects leading up to and stemming from 2019’s Justice League, including 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Wonder Woman the following year. In a similar style, Gunn and Safran's new DCU is set to begin with a brand new Superman to launch the cinematic universe post-rebirth.
After Gunn's updates on the casting process for the next Superman turned up Corenswet as the new centerpiece of the DC Studios strategy, many fans balked at the announcement, taking to social media to launch a litany of complaints about the choice, mostly boiling down to a preference for Henry Cavill. While the discussion continues, one popular complaint seems to have been remedied. Recent photos posted by the Jon Schueler Foundation reveal that Corenswet has been hard at work getting in shape and bulking up his physique in preparation for his leading role in Superman: Legacy.
The pictures show Corenswet working behind the scenes as a cinematographer on a documentary about the works of Jon Schueler, who the foundation is named after. In them, fans can see Corenswet looking considerably more muscular and wider in the right areas than when he was last seen, giving him some recourse from the physique discussion that has been going on since Gunn announced Superman: Legacy. The debate also spilled out to other social media platforms, with many online denizens (fans and haters of Corenswet alike) approving the change and hoping for more work.
Replacing Cavill was always going to be a tall order. He was so well-liked by some fans and contemporaries alike that Dwayne Johnson brought his Superman back for Black Adam despite WB wanting to recast, with the buzz around his perceived return almost supplanting any interest in seeing Black Adam for many. While the whims of the fanbase aren’t always logical and earnestly stated, bulking up for the role is bound to win Corenswet some points with the fanbase ahead of his performance in the franchise-launching film.
While Corenswet and others prepare to work on the film, other troubles abound, including the ongoing strike action delaying major projects and the seemingly ever-increasing wave of superhero fatigue amongst moviegoers. However, the two might not be all bad together, as while Kevin Feige's approach to MCU superhero movie fatigue might not work, Gunn and Safran have quite some time to work on a different strategy to ensure the success of Superman: Legacy and the new DCU.
Superman: Legacy is currently set for a theatrical release on July 11, 2025.
Source: Jon Schueler Foundation/Facebook