Jacob Elordi Turned Down Auditioning for Superman, Felt It Was Too Dark for Him
Elordi reveals he was "asked" to read for the DC character.
A new era of the man of steel is on the horizon, with James Gunn's Superman: Legacy poised to arrive in theaters in 2025. The film, which will reboot Clark Kent / Superman for a new generation, has been pretty anticipated amongst fans, especially now that David Corenswet has been cast as the titular character. Prior to Corenswet's casting, Euphoria and Priscilla star Jacob Elordi was another actor that fans wanted to see take on the role — but now we know why that didn't happen. In a recent profile with GQ, Elordi revealed that he was asked to audition for Superman, but decided against it because the character is "too dark", after Henry Cavill's iteration of the character definitely took on a grittier tone.
"Well, they asked me to read for Superman," Elordi revealed. "That was immediately, 'No, thank you.' That's too much. That's too dark for me."
What Is Superman: Legacy About?
Per DC Studios, 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.
"We got James Gunn and Peter (Safran) working very hard on DC, which is going to be a very big growth driver for this company," Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav explained earlier this year. "We are very bullish on DC. The Superman script first draft is done. Gunn is on a mission from god. It is a really good moment to prove out on DC what we got and how strong it is globally for long-term sustainable growth."
When Will Superman: Legacy Be Released?
Superman: Legacy is currently scheduled to be released on July 11, 2025 — a date that has a special emotional significance for Gunn.
"My brother Matt told me when he saw the release date he started to cry," Gunn wrote when announcing that he was directing the film. "I asked him why. He said, "Dude, it's Dad's birthday." I hadn't realized. I lost my Dad almost three years ago. He was my best friend. He didn't understand me as a kid, but he supported my love of comics and my love of film and I wouldn't be making this movie now without him. It has been a long road to this point. I was offered Superman years ago – I initially said no because I didn't have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved. Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in, in many ways centering around Superman's heritage – how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes. So I chose to finally take on writing the script. But I was hesitant to direct, despite the constant pestering by Peter Safran and others to commit (sorry, Peter). Just because I write something doesn't mean I feel it in my bones, visually and emotionally, enough to spend over two years directing it, especially not something of this magnitude. But, the long and the short of it is, I love this script, and I'm incredibly excited as we begin this journey. #UpUpandAway"
Would you have wanted to see Jacob Elordi play Superman in Superman: Legacy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!