James Gunn Had One Condition To Cast David Corenswet As Superman

We're just a few months away from David Corenswet's debut as the Man of Steel in director James Gunn's "Superman" reboot movie. Trailer footage shows the young star looking picture-perfect as both Superman and mild-mannered Clark Kent, although the real test will come this summer when the film finally opens in theaters.

It's undeniable that Corenswet has the right look for the part, and he's already given strong performances in his career up to this point. But according to Gunn, that's not all he was looking for when casting his Kal-El. As quoted in a Time article on Corenswet and the return of Superman to cinemas, the filmmaker noted that he had one condition for the actor — one that came from his positive experiences working alongside his previous leading men Chris Pratt ("Guardians of the Galaxy") and John Cena ("Peacemaker").

"They treated everyone with kindness and respect," Gunn said, referring to the standard set by those two stars. ""I've seen sets that cater to an actor or director's ego and that's just not something that would happen with David."

It's natural for a director to pump up their young star a bit in interviews, but that doesn't mean that Gunn isn't being sincere. In the same Time article, he commented on just how much Corenswet's off-set behavior and persona align with the character he's playing for DC Studios. "He is Superman," Gunn added, "even in his nerdiness. He listens to old jazz standards. Like that's what he listens to, just as normal procedure. Like Superman, he's a simple man in complicated times."

Gunn has put a lot of emphasis on how his film will center Superman's core nature as a pure-hearted hero — something that critics of Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill's tenure with the character felt was lacking. The simple use of John Williams' original Superman theme in promotional materials for the upcoming film signals that intention. However, the movie will also be stuffed full of supporting characters from DC's comics, which may mean less spotlight and screen time for Superman himself to shine. "He's madly in love with a woman who isn't so sure about him," Gunn told Time, referring to Superman's positioning within the story. "And he's made a few superhuman friends who like him but think of him as naive."

While Gunn has turned out some of the most acclaimed superhero movies of the last decade, he and Corenswet both have a lot more riding on things this time — namely, the potential start of Warner Bros.' brand-new DC Universe, which has already been heavily invested in. Not to mention, the Superman character himself has struggled to thrive on film in the modern age. We'll see if Gunn's "Superman" can change that when it soars into theaters July 11, 2025.