Superman Star Says Heroic Body Transformation “Didn’t Feel Great”

David Corenswet bulked up to play Clark Kent in the upcoming movie Superman, but it wasn’t necessarily the best experience. The star, who put on a lot of weight and muscle, said in a recent podcast interview that he wasn’t totally comfortable with himself when he was so much bigger, and none of his clothes fit him. Eventually his body got used to the extra bulk (topping out at around 240 pound and wearing 2XL sweatshirts) and he settled in, but he admitted that despite praise from his trainer, the star “didn’t feel great” when he first transformed his body.

“I wasn’t 238 [pounds] when we started shooting. I was 238 at my max,” Corenswet told “Manly Things (Sort Of)” podcast (via Variety). “I didn’t fit into any of my pants.” He later added that point was “at the peak of my bulk, and then I slowly lost weight before we started shooting. I started shooting at about 228, 230…I know I wanted this to be my excuse to see what it felt like to gain essentially as much weight as I could.”

Even then, the suit doesn’t show off his bulk as much as Henry Cavill’s did, leading many fans online to think Corsenswet had not bulked up that much. Of course, that’s just the nature of the internet — everyone is going to criticize any actor’s superhero physique until you see it in action.

Superman stars David Corenswet as the title character, with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Little is known about the story, other than that it will involve a version of Superman who is settled into his role as the world’s protector, but who also has a network of allies to fall back on. Superman will also star Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Terence Rosemore as Otis, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica / The Engineer, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mr. Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Christopher McDonald as Ron Troupe.

Gunn is lining up some familiar talent on the project, with cinematographer Henry Braham (The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3); production designer Beth Mickle (The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3); costume designer Judianna Makovsky (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Avengers: Endgame); and art director David Scott (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Spider-Man: No Way Home). Casting is by Yellowstone and Oppenheimer‘s John Papsidera.

Superman flies into cinemas on July 11th, 2025.