David Corenswet Won One Major Superman Argument With James Gunn
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David Corenswet emerged as a true star this year. While he'd already asserted himself as an actor to watch thanks to movies like "Pearl" and "Twisters," it was his leading role in director James Gunn's "Superman" that put him on everyone's radar. Not only was it broadly considered to be a very good start to the new DC Universe, but it ranks as the biggest comic book movie of the year overall. Naturally, Gunn and Corenswet clashed (amicably) during the making of the film, and while the director won most of those disagreements, the actor won a pivotal one.
During an "Actors on Actors" conversation for Variety, Corenswet sat down to talk with "Wicked: For Good" star Jonathan Bailey. During the conversation, Bailey praised Corenswet's kissing scene with Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane at the end of the movie, with the two sharing a passionate, skybound smooch. Corenswet then shed some light on the moment, revealing that Gunn originally wanted to have it executed differently. Here's what the actor had to say about it:
"James, when I was doing that chuckle when she says, 'I love you, too,' he came up to me and said, 'It's not working. It needs to be solemn.' I was like, 'No! The whole point is, 'I f***ing know that you love me...' Credit to James. He was right on 90 percent of everything. But on that one, he saw that chuckle was a very truthful thing."
The moment in question, as it exists, feels not entirely unlike the famed "I love you"/"I know." exchange in "Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back" between Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford). What Gunn wanted was something a little more earnest from Superman, rather than something so confident.
James Gunn was willing to collaborate with David Corenswet on Superman
However, as evidenced by the reception to the movie from both critics and audiences, it appears Gunn was right to hear Corenswet out. Gunn, who serves as the co-head of DC Studios in addition to the director, writer, and producer of "Superman," could easily have made it "my way or the highway." Instead, he was willing to leave the door open for collaboration.
This does seem to align with Gunn's general philosophy as a filmmaker. Gunn has a "zero a**hole" policy on all of his sets. Not that the director of a movie wanting a scene done a certain way would make him an a**hole, but fostering a collaborative environment that breeds good results is what Gunn appears to be about. Credit where credit is due, his track record speaks for itself, as he also has Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy to his name.
Indeed, it's no secret that Gunn had to exercise some patience with Corenswet while filming the movie, as this is just one example of their different creative viewpoints.
"David's a pain in the ass because he asks a ton of questions about every single little moment," Gunn previously said while discussing his collaboration with Corenswet. "But I honestly think my favorite moments were when I would get irritated by his endless questions and indulge him anyway, and then I'd see him turn those questions into something magical in his performance."
The two of them will have ample opportunity to collaborate again in the near future, as their sequel "Man of Tomorrow" is due to begin filming early next year. It will feature the villain Brainiac, with Supes teaming up with Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor.