Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: Will Poulter Reacts to Playing James Gunn’s Superman

Is Will Poulter going from golden god to big blue boy scout? The British actor joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe in director James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, playing the gold-skinned man-god Adam Warlock, a powerful synthetic lifeform created by the Sovereign to destroy the Guardians. But with Gunn serving as the co-head of DC Studios, where he’ll reboot the Man of Steel with a younger actor in 2025’s Superman: Legacy, has the 30-year-old Poulter auditioned to play the Kryptonian Kal-El in the new DC Universe?

“No, I have not. I haven’t,” Poulter told Variety with a laugh at the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 premiere in Los Angeles. Asked if he’s thought about auditioning to play Gunn’s Superman, the actor answered, “Not until just now! No, I’m very grateful to be in this for the period of time that I am, and grateful for that alone.”

View on X

Gunn has debunked online rumors that Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC has found an actor to replace Henry Cavill’s Superman, tweeting last month that “we haven’t begun casting other than making lists, and it’s not limited to people in their twenties.” In another rumor-dispelling tweet, Gunn said no potential Superman actors have been approached, and that he’s prepping material for auditions. 

“It’s hard, but we’re looking,” Gunn told Variety in a separate interview Thursday. “And we actually have some really great choices, which I’m excited about. But it has to be somebody who has all of the humanity that Superman has, but he’s also an alien. It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has. And it has to be somebody that you want to give a hug.”

Gunn has described Superman: Legacy as the “foundation of our creative vision for the DC Universe” and the “true beginning of the DCU,” which will launch with 10 new film and television projects as part of the DCU’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. According to Gunn and co-head Peter Safran, the first chapter will tell stories that “highlight love, compassion, and the innate goodness of the human spirit” — core tenets of the Krypton-born, Smallville-raised Clark Kent.

“Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey toreconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as ClarkKent of Smallville, Kansas,” reads the official logline. “He is the embodiment of truth, justice andthe American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindnessas old-fashioned.”

The new movie is scheduled to release in theaters July 11th, 2025. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens May 5th.