Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 9, 2025 · Entertainment

The New Man of Steel: David Corenswet Soars as Superman!

The new Superman movie starring David Corenswet has Hollywood buzzing with hopes of an epic summer blockbuster, but the infamous 'Superman Curse' looms large

The Superman Scoop: A Juicy Look Behind the Cape

In a shocking turn of events, Hollywood's most iconic superhero franchise has seen its share of drama and departures. The latest? Henry Cavill, the dashing actor who brought Superman to life on the big screen, is hanging up his cape for good.

But before we dive into the juicy details, let's take a trip down memory lane and explore the fascinating history of Superman's many faces. From Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal in the 1970s and 1980s to Brandon Routh's modern reboot, this beloved character has been reimagined time and again.

Corenswet, 32, and director James Gunn, 58, pictured at Superman's Brazil premiere June 23

The Original: Christopher Reeve

It all started with the incomparable Christopher Reeve, who brought Superman to life in a way that captivated audiences worldwide. With his dashing good looks, charming smile, and powerful physique, Reeve embodied the essence of the iconic character. His performances in the original Superman film (1978) and its sequels (1980-1983) remain some of the most memorable in cinematic history.

The Modern Era: Brandon Routh

The two men who created the distinguished character, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, occupy a dubious spot in the history books - and remain a cautionary tale of when the average Joe gets eaten alive by corporate America

Fast-forward to 2006 when Brandon Routh donned the cape as Superman Returns, a film that received mixed reviews but still managed to capture the hearts of many. This reboot marked a new era for the character, with Routh's portrayal offering a fresh take on the classic hero.

The New Guard: Henry Cavill

In 2013, Henry Cavill burst onto the scene as Superman in Man of Steel, followed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). His performances earned praise from fans and critics alike, cementing his place as one of the most beloved Supermen of all time.

The duo in 1939 sold the rights to the character for a sum that comes out to about $2,493, adjusted for today¿s inflation rates

The Unexpected Twist

But then, just when we thought Cavill was set to continue donning the cape, he surprised us by announcing his departure from the role. It seems that James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new powers behind the Superman throne, had other plans in store for the character.

The New Blood: David Corenswet

The first actor to play a live-action Superman, Kirk Alyn's main consequence of taking on the role would be the dreaded element of typecasting that plagued his career after he portrayed the superhero in the serial

Enter David Corenswet, a 29-year-old actor with credits on Netflix's Look Both Ways (2022) and A24 film Pearl. This fresh face will take on the role of Clark Kent in Superman: Legacy, set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

The Drama Unfolds

Rumors swirled that Cavill was unhappy with the direction the franchise was taking, leading to his eventual departure. But in a statement released by The Scholarly Note (formerly Daily Mail), Cavill revealed that he had actually been asked to return for Season 4 of Netflix's The Witcher, only to be replaced by Liam Hemsworth.

George Reeves portrayed the Man of Steel on the Adventures of Superman for a six-season, 102-episode span from 1952 until 1958

The Future is Bright

As we bid farewell to Henry Cavill's Superman, it's clear that the franchise is ready to enter a new era. With David Corenswet at the helm and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane (replacing Amy Adams), Superman: Legacy promises to be an exciting chapter in this beloved character's ongoing saga.

Stay tuned for more updates on the ever-changing world of Superman, only on The Scholarly Note!

Christopher Reeve commandeered the role of the Man of Steel like no actor before or since, starring in four films over a decade-long span

Perhaps the person most closely associated with the Superman curse is late actor Christopher Reeve. Pictured in the 1978 Richard Donner film

Late actress Margot Kidder portrayed Superman's love interest Lois Lane in all four of the films headlined by Reeve. Pictured in Superman II

Coroners in Montana said in August of 2018 that the Canada-born actress died as 'a result of a self-inflicted drug and alcohol overdose

The Oscar-winning actor played the role of Superman antagonist Lex Luger in three of the films opposite Reeve

A seven-month-old baby in 1978's Superman, Lee John Quigley appeared as Kal-El on the screen opposite Marlon Brando, who portrayed Jor-El, and Susannah York, who played Lara

Iconic: The first actor to sport the iconic red cape was Kirk Alyn in 1948's movie Superman. He also returned to the role for a second time in the 1950 sequel Atom Man vs. Superman

Blame: Kirk was hired by Columbia Pictures because he resembled Clark Kent but later blamed his success as the character and his superhero alter-ego for ruining his acting career

Star: George Reeves took over as the Son of Krypton in 1951's film Superman and the Mole Men and reprised his role for the first Superman TV series, titled Adventures of Superman

Beloved: Next to wear the iconic cape was Christopher Reeve, who took on the role in Richard Donner's iconic 1978 movie, titled Superman: The Movie

Fan favourite: He arguably became the best-known and most-loved version of the famous superhero during his string of iconic movie appearances as the character from 1978 until 1987

TV show: John Haymes Newton landed his first on-screen role as Superboy in the show's first season before he was replaced by Gerard Christopher as producers were not impressed

Superhero: Dean Cain then ended up taking on the role of Superman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

Emblem: He played the role of Clark Kent and his alter-ego Superman alongside Teri Hatcher, who played Lois Lane, in the show, which ran from 1993 until 1997

Younger version: Tom Welling spent ten years playing a teenage Clark Kent on Smallville, which ran for ten series and 217 episodes from 2001 until 2011

Hit show: The actor, now 45, starred alongside the likes of Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum in Smallville, which saw a young Clark trying to find his place in the world

New face: Brandon Routh was next to slip on the iconic red and blue suit in 2006's Superman Returns, which saw him gain international fame and become a household name

Shot to fame: The star, now 43, starred alongside Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane for the Superman revival, only appearing as the Son of Krypton for one movie instalment

Ongoing role: Tyler Hoechlin put on the esteemed cape and made his small screen debut as Superman back in 2016 on The CW's Supergirl, before starring in his Superman & Lois series

On-screen family: He stars alongside Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane, with Jordan Elsass and Alexander Garfin playing their on-screen sons Jonathan and Jordan Kent

Big break: Henry Cavill made his foray into the Superman universe in 2013's Man of Steel and proved popular with longtime fans of the franchise

Return: The actor returned to the role once again in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice alongside Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot, and the much-maligned 2017 Justice League

New guard:  Look Both Ways actor David Corenswet will replace booted Henry Cavill in the new Superman film, Superman: Legacy