Superman: James Gunn reveals first look at David Corenswet in costume

DC boss James Gunn has revealed the first look image of David Corenswet in his Superman threads.

Gunn posted the photo to Instagram with the caption “Get ready” and the date of the release, slated for July 2025.

Production on Gunn’s reboot of the Superman franchise started in February when the filmmaker posted a behind-the-scenes of the cast after a table read. The film had previously been named Superman: Legacy but has since dropped the Legacy part.

Gunn cast Corenswet after a selection process that saw the role go down to between him, Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney. Hoult was later offered the role of Superman nemesis, Lex Luthor.

Corenswet is best known for his work on the small screen in several Ryan Murphy TV series, including The Politician and Hollywood. Superman is a huge step up for the American actor.

Superman will also star Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Wendell Pierce as Perry White and Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl.

Corenswet takes over the role from British star Henry Cavill who played the superhero during filmmaker Zach Snyder’s tenure as the creative force behind DC movies, starting with the 2015 movie Man of Steel.

Cavill went on to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League before being put on hiatus. Dwayne Johnson took credit for engineering Cavill’s return to the onscreen DC world with a cameo in Black Adam.

Cavill then announced his “official” return to the DC Extended Universe, only for it to all blow up when Gunn and producer Peter Safran took charge of DC’s screen projects two months later.

Cavill said at the time, “I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire of [Gunn and Safran], this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life.”

He added, “My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will.”

Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh have played previous movie iterations of Superman while Dean Cain and Tom Welling have portrayed the character on TV.

Gunn and Safran were charged in late 2022 to oversee all film and TV projects for DC Comics by Warner Bros. Gunn, best known for his work on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies, had made The Suicide Squad for DC.

He later announced a slate of upcoming titles, kicking off with Superman in 2025. His other projects include a Creature Commandos animated series, a Suicide Squad spin-off called Waller in which Viola Davis will reprise her role as the merciless agent and a Green Lantern reboot.

He also cast Australian actor Milly Alcock, known for her performances in House of the Dragon and Upright, as Supergirl.