Superman (Wendell Pierce is Perry White) (July 11, 2025)

In what should come as no surprise, James Gunn will be directing his own script for Superman: Legacy, a major lynchpin project which will off the the multi-platform connected DC universe – “Chapter One, Gods and Monsters” ­– which he and his DC’ Co-Chairmen & CEO Peter Safran are launching.

Gunn announced back in the fall when he took the DC job that was penning a new Superman movie (something Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav is eager to see) and that Henry Cavill wouldn’t not be returning as the Man of the Steel as the project deals with the early days of Superman.

Superman Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. Gunn has already mentioned on social that his Superman will be younger than his forties.

The all-new action adventure is set to soar into theaters worldwide on July 11, 2025.

Gunn’s screenplay is based on characters from DC. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Superman Legacy is the trailblazing first title in a dynamic slate of films, with writer/director Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II hitting theaters on October 3, 2025. Safran’s most recent film,

New Line Cinema’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods, is in theaters worldwide this Friday, March 17, from Warner Bros. Pictures., and is set to open to $85M worldwide. As far as a threequel for Shazam!, star Zachary Levi told Deadline’s Natalie Sitek last night on the red carpet, “It all comes down to what the people want.” While Gunn will look for a new Superman, he and Safran are open to keeping the previous DC actors in place as their characters, those being Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and possibly even Ezra Miller as The Flash (though no hard decisions on that yet). Through Cavill is on the sidelines currently at the comic book studio, Gunn previously said on Dec 14 that at DC “We’re big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.”

After Shazam: Fury of the Gods, it’s DC’s The Flash, made during the Walter Hamada-run era of DC, which hits theaters on June 16. Gunn has hailed the movie as one of the best superhero movies of all-time. Warners is giving theater owners a sneak peek at the movie at CinemaCon at the end of April.

Source: Deadline

UltimateMarvel wrote:I feel like it's unnecessary responsibility he's adding to himself with everything else he's working on. As the first movie to launch this universe, failure is not an option. Half the work is already done, it's Superman so seats will be filled up but the world building aspect has to deliver. Good luck to him!

Anxiously waiting on the casting news....

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:When Gunn first addressed his WBD hiring I remember he stated that the studio specifically wanted him to direct for them, so he's honoring his deal.

I just didn't expect it right out of the gate.

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:In terms of casting, I'm just gonna throw this out there..

He was in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood but I haven't seen Elvis.

The quest for James Gunn’s Superman is up, up, and away.

Casting for Superman: Legacy, the feature that is meant to kick off Gunn and Peter Safran’s much-vaunted first chapter of DC Studios, is hitting a crucial phase, with a short list of names bubbling up for the roles of Clark Kent, Lois Lane and even Lex Luthor.

David Corenswet, who recently played the ill-fated projectionist opposite Mia Goth in Pearl, is among the top contenders to play Kent, aka Superman, advancing to the screen test stage that will likely take place after Memorial Day or early June, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Two other contenders may also be in the mix but their identities remain unknown.

Jacob Elordi, the sought-after star who broke out as the resident villain on HBO series Euphoria, is a name that surfaced for the role of Kent but sources say he never submitted himself into the ring. British actors Tom Brittney and Andrew Richardson are also names that were in the early mix.

As for Lane, the spunky reporter at Metropolis’ Daily Planet news organization, contenders have been Emma Mackey, one of the stars of the Netflix series Sex Education and who will appear in Warner Bros. title Barbie; Rachel Brosnahan, the Emmy-winning star of Amazon’s acclaimed The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor; and Samara Weaving, last seen in Scream VI. It is unclear who is advancing on to the testing stage. Brosnahan is said to have delivered an “outstanding” audition but, at 32, may be in the older range for what Gunn is ultimately hoping to achieve, a look Metropolis heroics via 20-something characters.

Sources caution that some of these are not screen testing and have merely been in the mix. One source, without providing additional detail, dismissed some of the names as “a chatroom list.” Warners had no comment and one insider said the filmmakers and studio “are nowhere near a decision.”

One role that seems to have only one person earmarked is the classic villain Luthor. Nicholas Hoult, currently starring in vampire thriller Renfield, has been tipped to play the bald-headed evil genius. Hoult’s name has been swirling around Legacy for several weeks now with some theorizing he was up for Superman. The actor had a previous close call with the DC movie realm when he the runner-up to play Batman for Matt Reeves, with the role going to Robert Pattinson. “The studio has loved him since Fury Road,” said one source, referring to Warners’ 2015 action classic from George Miller.

And while the roles being chased by many of the town’s up-and-comers include the trio of classic characters, sources say the movie will be populated by many faces as it will seek to introduce DC heroes that are already established in the movie’s setting.

Superman: Legacy will be the first film under the Gunn-Safran regime at DC, making the casting of particular note. The superhero holds a place of particular importance for Gunn. “I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am,” Gunn told THR in an April cover story. “He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”

As for the macroeconomics of Superman, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is betting big on the new superhero strategy. “DC is the biggest value creation opportunity for us,” Zaslav said in February, during a Q4 earnings report. In 2022 and early 2023, WBD cleared the DC decks, shelving Batgirl indefinitely claiming a tax write-down, and releasing Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods to mixed results at the box office. Still to come is Blue Beetle, which was once set for HBO Max but was moved to an August theatrical release, and June’s long-delayed Flash movie that has already been screened in full for exhibitors at CinemaCon with positive results. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, due out in December, is the final DC film made by the previous regime.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Cool! David Corenswet definitely has the Superman look. I watched X but I haven't seen Pearl, I heard good things about it.

Nicholas Hoult as Lex would be awesome but I also think a man of his caliber deserves a hero role of his own instead of a villain. This is tough!

The casting for “Superman: Legacy” is heating up as screen tests get underway Father’s Day weekend with Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, Phoebe Dynevor testing for Clark Kent and Lois Lane, according to insiders with knowledge of the projects

David Corenswet, Emma Mackey and Tom Brittney are also testing for the roles of Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

This isn’t Hoult’s first dash with a major superhero film — he was in the running to play Batman in Matt Reeves’ reboot, which eventually went to Robert Pattinson. Brosnahan, meanwhile, is just coming off the end of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” so her schedule is freed up.

“Superman: Legacy” — which Gunn wrote and will direct — is slated for release on July 11, 2025 and will tell the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent. Per DC Studios, “he is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old fashioned.”

The film will kick off a new era of the DCU in earnest, as Gunn and Peter Safran are spearheading a new interconnected series of films and TV shows much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe as part of their duties as DC Films co-CEOS. Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” sequel will follow “Legacy” in October 2025, although the Robert Pattinson film will continue to exist in its own separate universe – an outlier in Gunn and Safran’s overarching plans.

Those plans also include an additional, separate Batman movie with a different actor in the lead role called “The Brave and the Bold,” a “Supergirl” movie, a “Swamp Thing” film from director James Mangold, and an animated series called “Creature Commandos” for which Gunn has written all the scripts. There’s also an Amanda Waller spinoff series starring Viola Davis that will include much of the cast from Gunn’s DC HBO Max series “Peacemaker.”

Reps for Warner Brothers Discovery had no comment.

Deadline first reported the news.

Source: THR

Following months of audition tapes and in-person screen tests, Warner Bros and DC Studios have their new Clark Kent and Lois Lane. David Corenswet has been set to play Superman while Rachel Brosnahan are on board to play Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.

The decision comes after the two were among the few selected to test in front of DC co-chairs Peter Safran and Gunn (who is directing) in full costume and makeup for the parts.

The tests took place over two days with the men; one of the days saw the three actors in full Superman attire. Sources close to the situation said that each actor had closed test deals that would expire after two business weeks, so clearly all parties wanted this sorted out before a potential SAG-AFTRA strike, which could go into effect at midnight June 30.

 Warner Bros has yet to say whether it will be attending next month’s Comic-Con in San Diego, so there is still a chance the two could be introduced at the studio’s Hall H panel. That said, if there is a SAG-AFTRA strike, Corenswet and Brosnahan could not attend as strike guidelines state no actors can promote any projects during a strike.

The Superman: Legacy casting process has gone on for months, with Safran and Gunn wanting a thorough search to find the new leads for this new franchise. With the two roles now locked up, Gunn will now look to fill the shoes of Superman’s arch-nemesis Lex Luthor as well as other supporting characters like Kent’s friend Jimmy Olsen.

The project was announced earlier this year when Gunn and Safran laid out their plan for the first phase of this revamped slate and Superman: Legacy was front and center as the project that would help launch this strategy. That presentation also included plans for a new Batman pic, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which recently tapped Andy Muschietti to direct; and The Authority.

For Corenswet, the film will mark his first major leading role in a major studio film having previously appeared in projects like Pearl, The Politician and We Own This City. From the start, his name has floated to the top and, following that final audition, sealed the deal on the biggest role of his career so far.

Brosnahan is coming off the final season of her career-making role in Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which has earned a number of accolades including an Emmy win. She also has been at the top of the list of woman to play Lois Lane following what many have described as the best audition of the process.

Superman Legacy, the movie that will mark the live-action rebirth of the DC Universe, has added three new actors to its cast, each of them playing a superhero with a long history in the comic books. Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi will be Mister Terrific and Nathan Fillion will portray a Green Lantern (although not necessarily the Green Lantern.)

James Gunn, who wrote and will direct the 2025 movie, has already cast David Corenswet (The Politician) as Clark Kent and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. When it starts shooting in January 2024, it will set the course for the new DCU that the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker is building in collaboration with fellow chair and CEO of DC Studios Peter Safran.

In an exclusive to Vanity Fair, DC Studios revealed the new additions: Merced, best known for playing the besieged drug cartel daughter in Sicario: Day of the Soldado and the ever-exploring title character in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, will soar into the new universe as the winged warrior Hawkgirl. The hero's favorite battle accessories are melee weapons—swords, spears, and maces—and Merced's 5-foot-1 size will set her apart from the typical comic book brawler.

Gathegi, who played the double-dealing vampire Laurent in the Twilight films and the ever-evolving Darwin in X-Men: First Class, will take on the role of Mister Terrific, a.k.a. Michael Holt, who is not only a skilled combatant but one of the world's most brilliant inventors and tacticians, orbited by the floating T-Sphere weapons he designed. Among his superpowers is his otherworldly intellect. On the sleeve of his jacket is the phrase “Fair Play,” a tribute to the catchphrase of an earlier version of the Mister Terrific character as well as a statement of belief.

Finally, Fillion—a mainstay of Gunn's movies who starred in the director's first movie, the 2006 horror-comedy Slither, and his most recent one, Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, will join him again in Superman Legacy as a Green Lantern named Guy Gardner.

Comic fans primarily think of two primary characters in relation to the Green Lantern mantle. Hal Jordan was the original version of the comic book hero (played by Ryan Reynolds in the 2011 movie). The next iteration of the green glowing protector was named John Stewart, notable when he was introduced in the early ‘70s for being one of DC’s earliest and most prominent Black superheroes. Gardner, the character Fillion will play in Superman Legacy, is distinct from both of them for being somewhat less than heroic when he wears the matter-manifesting ring that gives the Green Lantern his powers.

Among the rest of the aliens and humans who serve in that group of galactic peacekeepers, Gardner is known as an abrasive, sometimes obnoxious presence. The role also brings a dose of awkward comedy to Superman Legacy. The character is known for his iconic bowl cut haircut, which will be a part of Fillion's look in the film.

While there is also a Green Lantern TV series in the works as part of the rebooted DCU, that one will focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

Fillion previously played a DC character in Gunn's The Suicide Squad known as T.D.K., or The Detachable Kid, whose powers consisted of the ability to separate his limbs from his body and telekinetically launch them at his enemies. T.D.K.—spoiler alert—didn't survive for very long in that movie. So there's no danger of the actor's duel roles ever crossing paths.

That raises the enduring question of what DC movies and TV shows from the past will end, and which will be woven into the new slate of storytelling. While Superman Legacy is the first movie in the rejuvenated DCU, the first project in the new universe will be an animated series for the Max streaming service called Creature Commandos.

Some characters from Gunn's previous DC work on The Suicide Squad will be grandfathered in to the new universe, such as Viola Davis' powerbroker Amanda Waller, who is getting her own TV series, and John Cena's Peacemaker, who was introduced in that movie and went on to star in his own self-titled TV show. A second season of Peacemaker will be part of the new DCU.

Gunn and Safran are selecting elements that will carry over, mostly based on actors. For instance, Gunn has said that Cobra Kai actor Xolo Maridueña, who stars in the upcoming Blue Beetle movie, will continue playing the character in the new DCU, but that upcoming movie will stand on its own.

The new leadership of DC Studios has stated that their overall goal is accessibility that allows viewers to go into any of the future movies and shows without the need for deep binge-watching research. “The good news is, if you've seen nothing that we've done before, you can watch Superman Legacy, you can watch Creature Commandos, you can watch Peacemaker season two, and you can watch Blue Beetle. All of that," Safran tells Vanity Fair. “We are trying to minimize audience confusion and maximize their enjoyment.”

UltimateMarvel wrote:Fillion is too old to play Guy Gardner, not sure if this is a good choice.

joey con carne wrote:So you guys know what I'm about to say, right? ORIGIN STORY WOO HOOOOOOO

So they need to make this a brand new reboot origin film. And those three (Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific, and Guy Gardner) will only appear in the last few minutes of the film to set up the next film coming in 2028.

Also, Lex Luthor needs to be the main villain of this Superman movie because with any proper origin film, they need to have Superman's greatest nemesis.

UltimateMarvel wrote:

joey con carne wrote:Do you guys think this will actually be good or do you think somehow they will manage to fuck this movie up?

I think it'll be good, Gunn is very talented in this genre. Marvel or DC, I can't say I didn't enjoy a single one so far. Some are better than others but they are entertaining overall.

UltimateMarvel wrote:
I think it'll be good, Gunn is very talented in this genre. Marvel or DC, I can't say I didn't enjoy a single one so far. Some are better than others but they are entertaining overall.

WyldeMan wrote:
Yes, I have more faith in Gunn turning out a quality Superman movie than Snyder or anybody else. I highly enjoyed all of Gunn's MCU efforts and I've seen The Suicide Squad multiple times and I enjoy it more with each viewing. I'm also a big fan of his Peacemaker series so I have total faith that he's going to turn in something truly weird, visually spectacular, enjoyable and worth repeat viewings but at some point I just know that Superman will battle something with tentacles....

Rusty wrote:Even I agree with both these points.

Snyder can make a good film, but he's better off making one-off films that have odd/unique source material: 300, Watchmen - shit, I even enjoyed Sucker Punch (which was an original idea from him). Limited self-contained stories that require unique visual styling is his forte. World building just isn't his thing

Gunn can make an interesting film out of random characters, and to be honest, Superman may be the most unintersting Superhero of all time. It'll be interesting to see what world Gunn can create for him.

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:The rumor mill is indicating that Righteous Gemstones' Skyler Gisondo has been cast as Jimmy Olsen and my immediate reaction to this news is that it kind of seems like perfect casting to me.

Yeah, I see it too. It just hit me that we didn't have a Jimmy Olsen in the DCEU.

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:I seem to recall a character claiming he was Jimmy Olsen when Lois Lane went to the Middle East, he was killed in the one scene he appeared in and I think he was a soldier.

Oh, shit! You're right, I remember that now. That was not like the character at all, a waste of time.

James Gunn is finally talking about the developments at DC Studios after SAG-AFTRA struck a deal with the studios following a prolonged strike.

Despite the WGA and SAG-AFTRA halting Hollywood for months, Gunn says his first DC film Superman: Legacy is still on track to make its debut on July 11, 2025.

“Thanks to the efforts of our talented crew, who never lost faith during the longest strikes in Hollywood history, and who never let their foot off the pedal, continuing to barrel forward, creating the most amazing character and set designs I’ve seen in my entire career, #SupermanLegacy will be making the originally planned release date of July 11, 2025,” Gunn shared on Threads.

Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

Cast confirmed for the DC film include David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent and Lois Lane with Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced and Edi Gathegi also set.

While DC keeps its original plans, rival Marvel Studios had to make some changes to its lineup for next year. Deadpool 3 was supposed to premiere in May 2024 but has been pushed back to July 2024 while Captain America: Brave New World will launch in 2025 following the strikes.

EXCLUSIVE: María Gabriela de Faría, the Venezuelan actress best known for roles in Fox comedies Animal Control and The Moodys, has landed a breakout part on the film side, joining the cast of James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.

Her character is Angela Spica aka The Engineer. Part of the Warner/DC flick’s villain team, Angie’s powers stem from nanotechnology built into her body. Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, she’s the second DC character to bear the name of The Engineer and was first introduced in The Authority vol.1 #1 in 1999.

The first title in a revamped DC slate, marking Gunn’s first directorial effort as co-head of DC Studios, Superman: Legacy will follow Superman as he looks to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. Others in the ensemble, as previously announced, include David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho.

In a recent post on Threads, Gunn confirmed that the film will retain its release date of July 11, 2025, even after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have forced many other titles to push. Gunn directs from his own script, drawing on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. DC Studios co-boss Peter Safran produces.

De Faría is best known on the feature side for a lead role in Lionsgate’s The Exorcism of God, a supernatural horror pic co-written and directed by Alejandro Hidalgo, which was released through Saban Films after world premiering at Fantastic Fest. Prior to the Joel McHale-led Animal Control, which has been renewed for a second season, the actress was seen opposite Denis Leary and Elizabeth Perkins on dysfunctional family comedy The Moodys.

The rising talent found her first meaty TV role stateside on Deadly Class, Syfy’s show based on the same-name Image Comics series, from executive producers Joe and Anthony Russo. She is repped by Buchwald.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I don't know this character but good for her. I haven't watched Deadly Class but it looks like it got cancelled after 2 seasons.

Heard some stuff about SUPERMAN: LEGACY. I trust the source but this stuff is always fuzzy. Superman's early in his career and isn't widely known. His big public reveal happens in the Middle East, where terrorists have gotten ahold of Kryptonian tech.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros has set Sara Sampaio (At Midnight) for the role of Eve Teschmacher in Superman: Legacy, Deadline can exclusively reveal.

First appearing in Superman and Superman II, the character created by Richard Donner and Mario Puzo is portrayed in the comics as Lex Luthor’s assistant turned love interest and right hand. Sampaio steps into a role previously inhabited by Valerie Perrine in the Christopher Reeve-led Superman flicks, and by Andrea Brooks on The CW’s Supergirl.

Portraying Luthor, as we were first to tell you, is Nicholas Hoult. David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan star as Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane, respectively. Also in the ensemble are Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho, and María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer.

The first title in a revamped DC slate, the James Gunn-directed Superman: Legacy follows Superman as he looks to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. Gunn also penned the script, drawing on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. DC Studios co-boss Peter Safran produces the pic slated for release on July 11, 2025.

A Portuguese actress and model well known for her work with Victoria’s Secret, Sampaio most recently starred alongside Monica Barbaro, Diego Boneta and more in Paramount+’s rom-com At Midnight, helmed by Jonah Feingold. Other past credits include dramedy The Clapper with Ed Helms and Amanda Seyfried and Showtime’s Emmy-winning drama Billions. Sampaio is repped by Brave Artists Management and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Wow! She's gorgeous!

Hoult is officially playing Lex by the way.

James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ movie is another step closer to being up, up, and away.

The inaugural DC Studios feature continues its casting spree post-actors strike and has now added two key members of the Man of Steel’s supporting cast.

Skyler Gisondo, known for his work on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, has been cast as Jimmy Olsen, the boyish cub photographer at The Daily Planet who works alongside Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

At the same time, Sara Sampaio, the Portuguese model known for her Victoria’s Secret work, has been cast as Eve Teschmacher, the assistant and sometimes mistress to the scheming villain Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

The pair join leads David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. With the actors strike ending, the feature will shoot early next year and is still set for its July 11, 2025 release date.

Jack Larson played Jimmy Olsen in the first Superman TV show, the 1950s Adventures of Superman, while Marc McClure portrayed Jimmy in 1978’s Superman and its three sequels. Decades later, Sam Huntington played him in 2006’s Superman Returns. Zack Snyder cast Michael Cassidy as Jimmy in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), though the character was a CIA operative posing as a photographer and was quickly killed off.

Teschmacher was not a comic book creation, but rather made her debut in Richard Donner’s Superman and was played by Valerie Perrine.

Superman: Legacy is shaping up to be one the most consequential superhero movies in years, and it has a lot riding on it. It will launch a new DC universe overseen by Gunn and his DC Studios co-head, James Safran.

Gisondo, also known from Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart, has superhero experience. In the Andrew Garfield-led Amazing Spider-Man films, he played Howard Stacy, brother of Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy.

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:Interestingly enough, I have yet to read a single rumor in all these months about Ma and Pa Kent's casting...

Oh, that's going to be interesting. What do you think of Jeff Bridges for Jonathan Kent?

It’s official. Nicholas Hoult will in fact play Lex Luthor in “Superman: Legacy,” director James Gunn confirmed on Monday.

Gunn made the announcement on social media, promising a “Lex that will be different from anything you’ve seen before and will never forget.”

“Yes, finally I can answer, @nicholashoult is Lex Luthor in #SupermanLegacy and I couldn’t be happier,” Gunn wrote. “We went out to dinner last night to celebrate and discuss how we can create a Lex that will be different from anything you’ve seen before and will never forget.”

He added an explanation for why he hadn’t responded to earlier rumors of Hoult playing the Superman archnemesis.

“‘But, James, we heard this weeks ago, why didn’t you tell us it was true?’ Because, although we were discussing it, it wasn’t final until a couple days ago and I don’t want to tell you all something that isn’t certain,” Gunn added. “Anyway, here’s to Lex (and Nicholas!), one of my very favorite characters in the DCU.”

The actor will face off against David Corenswet’s Man of Steel. He will also presumably menace and/or imperil Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in the upcoming DC Studios tentpole.

Hoult steps into the shoes of previous actors like Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey and Jesse Eisenberg who have brought the character of Lex Luthor to life on the big screen in previous “Superman” films.

In the DC comic books, Lex Luthor fancies himself the hero in his own warped narrative, justified in abusing his genius and vast resources to clear the stage of alien interlopers like Superman. So when he debuts his latest invention — a battlesuit or deadly nanobots perhaps — the city holds its breath, knowing calamity follows in the wake of this antagonist extraordinaire. Love him or hate him, Lex Luthor’s exploits never fail to both horrify and captivate Metropolis.

Rumors run rampant about Luthor’s hidden schemes as CEO of LexCorp, his megacorporate empire built on high-tech innovation that purports to better mankind even as he gets richer. Yet behind his veneer of altruism lurks an ego-driven thirst for control and recognition that fuels Luthor’s obsession with Superman. He forever plots to emerge from the Kryptonian’s shadow by sabotaging Metropolis’ champion.

The businessman and inventor casts an inescapable shadow over the city, his formidable intellect matched only by his bald head.

Written and directed by Gunn as part of a franchise relaunch, the latest Superman reboot will open theatrically on July 11, 2025.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Can't go wrong with casting unknowns if they fit character versus big name actors, I'm ok with that.