Over the weekend, there were many rumors that certain actors were auditioning for certain roles in the upcoming James Gunn starrer Superman Legacy. Gunn himself, who is usually quick to quash rumors wholesale, said he would not comment on the auditions one way or the other, lest it be unfair to the actors.

But hey, I guess it’s not a complete denial.

Here are the actors in question, based on incoming rumors The Wrapwhich I would consider more respectable than most:

• David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Jacob Elordi and Andrew Richardson audition for Superman.
• Rachel Brosnahan, Emma Mackey and Samara Weaving audition for Lois Lane.

• There are two separate rumors that Hoult (who also auditioned for Reeves’ Batman) might also be considered for Lex Luthor, and another rumor that Lex Luthor might be black in Gunn’s version instead (in DC’s Harley Quinn, show that James Gunn loves and has appeared in, Lex Luthor is black and played by Giancarlo Esposito).

So what are we to do with all this? Of the Superman options, I’d say that on pure looks, David Corenswet embodies the role the most, because he’s essentially a young Henry Cavill.

The Wrap reports that Ms. Maisel herself, Brosnahan, auditioned “strongly” for Lois Lane, though I’ve seen a popular selection online among fans that it’s Sex Education’s Emma Mackey, mostly based on her looks. Personally, I love Samara Weaving in everything I’ve ever seen her in, and I could see her as Lois.

As for Lex? When I first heard Hoult for the role, he seemed a bit young, even if we’re doing a “Young Lex” to go with a younger Clark, although after watching him in The Great I could see him being good for the role. But a black actor would also make sense given the predominantly white cast that makes up the majority of Superman’s roster.

Again, this is a movie that won’t be released until mid-2025 at the earliest, which may be delayed due to the writers’ strike. There are also rumors that HBO Max might pick up Superman and Lois for multiple seasons in the meantime, featuring Tyler Hoechlin’s much-loved but underseen Superman, but it’s clear that he won’t be moving into Gunn’s world at this point.

With Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy ending on a high note, plus his Suicide Squad one of the best films in the DCEU, I have pretty high hopes for his Superman legacy film, and I’m really excited about many of these potential choices for actors, especially that Lois roster where there seems to be no bad options. We’ll see what future rumors bring, even if most of the time rumblings about superhero actors don’t tend to come to fruition.

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