5 Actors Who Almost Played Superman Before David Corenswet

Thanks to James Gunn's charmingly silly "Superman," David Corenswet has joined a class of actors that includes the likes of Christopher Reeve, Henry Cavill, and Brandon Routh, all of whom have had the honor of playing the Man of Steel in a live-action project. Where history ranks the Corenswet among the greats who've portrayed Clark Kent and his superhero alter ego throughout the years remains to be seen, but his iteration of the character is certainly the funniest version in quite some time. It's also a refreshing change of pace following Superman's ultra-serious era under Zack Snyder, which will divide fans of superhero cinema until the end of time.

What's more, no one is disputing the fact that Corenswet looks the part. His dark hair, endearing smile, general good looks, and nice guy qualities align with Superman's classic features and characteristics. Heck, it wouldn't be shocking to learn that he was hand-picked by Gunn to play Superman from the outset. That's not how Hollywood works, though, as Corenswet still had to compete against five other actors who could have been equally great at playing the Man of Steel if given the opportunity. With that in mind, let's find out which performers he beat to land the part in the DC Studios blockbuster.

As documented by The Hollywood Reporter, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Brittney, and David Corenswet all received calls to audition for Superman in 2023. At the time, they were paired up with Rachel Brosnahan, Phoebe Dynevor, and Emma Mackey, respectively, who were all being considered for the role of Lois Lane, which ultimately went to Brosnahan. Hoult, on the other hand, was cast as Lex Luthor, and that's a sweet gig in its own right.

The race didn't end there, though. Hoult, Brittney, and Corenswet all faced competition from Andrew Richardson, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Jacob Elordi, each of whom was asked to either submit tapes or audition for the role of Krypton's most noble hero. However, Elordi turned down the chance to read for "Superman," revealing that the project was too dark for him (and this is the same guy who starred in "Saltburn" and "Euphoria"). Brittney, though, was very interested in landing the part, as he's confirmed that he attended his audition and accidentally tore the same suit that was worn by Henry Cavill in the past.

Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, didn't even make it to the in-person audition stage. During an interview with the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast (via Variety), he confirmed that he was asked to submit a tape, and it seems that it didn't make an impression on Gunn and co. "I don't think I got any feedback," Schwarzenegger recalled. "I think it was like, 'No, not for you.'"

Now that a "Superman" follow-up is reportedly in the works at DC Studios, fans can look forward to seeing Corenswet play the Man of Steel in more big screen adventures. The only downside is that the project isn't the studio's number one priority at the moment, as Gunn and the gang are focusing on building out the DC Universe one movie at a time.

"Superman" is currently playing in theaters.