David Corenswet Is Going To Be A Different Type Of Superman
David Corenswet promises that his version of Superman will be "bright and optimistic."
Superman has gone by many names over the years. Clark Kent, Kal-El, The Last Son of Krypton, the list goes on and on. Now thanks to James Gunn, there’s a new name to add to the list, David Corenswet, and according to Variety, he’s going to approach The Man of Steel from a whole new direction than the last guy, making the Superhero more cheerful.
Despite looking very similar to previous Superman actor Henry Cavill, David Corenswet is determined to play an “upbeat,” version of the Kryptonian, one who’s “bright and optimistic.” While Corenswet admits to loving Henry Cavill’s “dark and gritty take,” his vision for the Man of Tomorrow is more in line with the late Christopher Reeves’ portrayal of the character.
This would seem to align perfectly with James Gunn’s vision for Superman: Legacy. The writer-director of the upcoming DCU flagship production has stated that he wants his Superman to be somebody fans would want to wrap their arms around and give a big old bear hug.
Gunn called for a Superman with “kindness and compassion” traits David Corenswet is more than happy to bring to the character.
This new “Shiny Happy People” version of Superman stands in stark contrast to the darker superheroes that populated Zack Snyder‘s DCEU. Snyder, who once famously said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that Christopher Nolan’s Batman wasn’t “dark” because he didn’t get “raped in prison,” took a decidedly jet-black approach to the DC stable of superheroes, one that put him at odds with fans who thought his version of these beloved characters was a little too twisted.
Considering the director included a scene in his version of Justice League where a gun-toting Dark Knight tells the Joker, “I will f****** kill you!” it’s hard to argue that the DC universe could use some lightening up.
What could be argued is whether Henry Cavill is responsible for turning The Big Blue Boy Scout into The Big Blue Brooder or if Snyder should shoulder all of the blame. One of the few things that actually worked in Joss Whedon’s take on Justice League was the inclusion of scenes that feature Cavill interacting with civilians in a lighthearted fashion.
While David Corenswet is no doubt going to bring a positive vibe to Superman, it’s a shame fans will never get a chance to see how Henry Cavill might have portrayed the character if given more upbeat material to work with.
One thing that should help David Corenswet realize his dream of playing the perfect Superman is having the perfect Lois Lane to bounce off of. Gunn recently announced Rachel Brosnahan as the newest actress to play the plucky ace reporter, and fans couldn’t be happier with his decision.
Anyone who’s seen Brosnahan in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel knows that she is going to absolutely crush the role.
That, coupled with James Gunn’s track record directing successful superhero movies, should make it easy for the relatively unknown Corenswet to give Superman back the glow of positivity that surrounded him for 75 years before Zack Snyder got his hands on the S-shield.
