David Corenswet's Take On Superman's 'Most Interesting' Trait May Shock You
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro says there are only a few "universal characters" in fiction, such as Pinocchio, Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes, and Tarzan. Far be it from me to compare my wisdom to GDT's, but I would add Superman to that roster. The first and most mythic American superhero, there's something about Clark Kent everyone responds to.
With the original 1978 "Superman" film, director Richard Donner and screenwriter Mario Puzo spun co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's original Moses myth into a Christ allegory. Zack Snyder, director of "Man of Steel," echoed that but with a darker focus on the burdens of being mankind's savior, "Last Temptation of Christ" style.
John Byrne, who relaunched Superman comics in 1986, focused on the immigrant parable of Superman as the Last Son of Krypton living on Earth. Byrne is the one who redefined Superman as Clark Kent first, Kal-El second.
Grant Morrison, author of "All-Star Superman" and 2011's "Action Comics," appreciates Superman most as a symbol, whether as one we created to aspire to (as in "All-Star") or one co-opted by insidious corporate forces (in "Action Comics").
David Corenswet, who will be playing the Man of Steel in James Gunn's upcoming "Superman: Legacy," has his own idea of what makes Superman special — and it's the opposite of what most believe. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Corenswet opined:
"The cool thing about Superman is the thing that everybody says is the problem with the character, which is that he's invincible. That's the most interesting thing [about] him. What a difficult position for a person to be in. There's so much to be mined there, and deal with the drama that's inherent in somebody who doesn't have any problems and can't die."
Does Corenswet have a point? And how might we see this invincibility portrayed in "Superman: Legacy"?
An invincible hero
A common complaint about Superman is that he's supposedly "boring," because he's both morally pure and impossibly powerful. Why has Batman eclipsed Superman as DC's flagship character? Some say it's because he's more human (well, that and The Dark Knight has better villains). Evil Superman parodies are also in vogue because many can't buy into a perfect hero.
However, the only thing that makes a story "boring" is the limit of imagination to the one telling it. Corenswet's point is a solid one; Superman lives in a world that isn't made for him, yet he still cherishes and protects it. I'd point to the animated "Justice League" series. In the episode, "Only A Dream," Clark has a nightmare where he loses control of his powers and accidentally kills Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen; the implication is he lives with this fear every day.
In the series finale "Destroyer," when Superman is fighting Darkseid, he throws his usual caution to the wind. He unleashes the worst beating the God of Evil has ever taken and monologues:
"I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control even for a moment, or someone could die. But you can take it, can't you, big man? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I really am."
Since Gunn's DC Universe is bringing in totalitarian vigilantes the Authority, I think "Legacy" and the franchise it's meant to spawn also have a great opportunity to spotlight Superman's invincible will. With his power, he could exert himself on Earth as a dictator, but he chooses not to — and is a stronger man for it.
"Superman: Legacy" is set for theatrical release on July 11, 2025.