Who Should Play DC Studios’ New Superman?

The landscape of DC adaptations is continuing to only grow and evolve further, as James Gunn and Peter Safran’s plans for DC Studios snap into place. The duo’s decade-long hopes for the franchise have been shrouded in mystery and speculation as of late — up until Wednesday evening, when we learned the first project that is in the works under their new slate. Gunn himself will be writing a new film reboot of Superman, and could potentially direct it as well depending on the circumstances. Importantly, this new movie would not feature Henry Cavill’s previous take on Clark Kent / Superman, with a new younger actor being imagined for the part.

While Gunn has reiterated that the project will not be an origin story, there have obviously been a lot of theories as to which younger actor could take up the cape next. Here are a few possibilities. 

David Corenswet

You can’t go far on the Internet without finding people fancasting David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. The 29-year-old actor, whose filmography includes projects like Pearl, The Politician, and Hollywood, has already spawned a number of pieces of fanart imagining him as Superman, so we’ll ultimately have to wait and see if that proof of concept makes its way onto the screen.

Adam DiMarco

Thanks to the most recent season of HBO’s The White Lotus, a lot more people are now familiar with Adam DiMarco. The 32-year-old actor, whose work also includes The Order and The Magicians, could capture the lighthearted energy of a younger Clark Kent.

Lewis Pullman

Another member of a recent ensemble hit is Lewis Pullman, who most recently appeared as Bob in Top Gun: Maverick. The 29-year-old Pullman, whose work also includes Catch-22 and Bad Times at the El Royale, could be a good fit for the old-school charm of Superman.

Darren Criss

Darren Criss is already tied to the realm of Superman, having voiced the character in DC’s recent Superman: Man of Tomorrow animated movie. But honestly, the 35-year-old actor could be a good fit for a live-action version of the character as well — and as his many years on Glee proved, he can definitely play younger than his age.

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi’s career has only continued to blossom in recent years, between Netflix’s The Kissing Booth franchise, Euphoria, and Deep Water. Not only does the 25-year-old actor match the physicality of Superman, but it would be fun to see him explore the persona of Clark Kent as well.

Wolfgang Novogratz

Another popular Superman fancast — and another alum of teen movies — is Wolfgang Novogratz. The 25-year-old actor is known for performances in Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, The Half of It, and Yes, God, Yes, and he certainly fits the bill of a younger Superman.

Diego Calva

While Diego Calva might not be a household name yet, that is expected to change very soon through his starring role in Damian Chazelle’s Babylon. The 30-year-old Mexican actor, whose work also includes I Promise You Anarchy and Beautiful Losers, could absolutely offer an entirely fresh take on the Man of Steel. 

Somebody Unknown

If decades upon decades of comic book adaptations have taught us anything, it’s that some of the best casting options aren’t even ones that we’re aware of, until they officially happen. Gunn himself has proved this by casting Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher II in The Suicide Squad — so it certainly stands to reason that he, or whoever ends up in the director’s chair for this new Superman, could possibly find success with an unknown actor as well.