DC's New Superman Risks Degrading Into 'Flying Captain America,' Fans Fear
It seems that David Corenswet teased what his ideal version of the iconic hero would look like long before he was cast.
When Zack Snyder's Man of Steel hit theaters in 2013, it presented a darker and more complex take on Superman, portrayed by Henry Cavill, compared to previous iterations of the character.
While some praised this change, others felt that the director completely missed the point of the character and went too far in making him dark.
So when it was announced that Cavill would no longer be playing the iconic superhero after the upcoming DCU reboot under James Gunn, many fans wondered what this meant for Superman and how different the new take would be.
And indeed, it seems that some big changes are coming.
David Corenswet, who was just recently officially revealed as the next Superman, has been dreaming of this for a long time, as he called it his "pie-in-the-sky ambition" in his 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly.
He also admitted that he looks a lot like Henry Cavill, but said that while he loves Cavill's take on Man of Steel, he would have liked the next one to be more "upbeat [...] bright and optimistic."
Who knew that Corenswet's wish would come true and that he himself would be that "next one."
Considering all this, it is very likely that the actor will deliver that "optimistic" portrayal, as the DCU has long since moved away from Snyder's dark tone in their films, and James Gunn, who will direct Superman: Legacy, is no stranger to adding comedy and optimism to his projects.
And just as with Cavill, this news has once again divided fans. Some are happy to see Superman return to his roots, as he is supposed to be the paragon for all people to aspire to.
Others say that such a change will make the character much less interesting and just a "flying Captain America, " as they enjoyed seeing how Cavill's version of the hero overcame difficulties and hardships despite being almost a god, which only made him deeper and more relatable.
There are also fans who didn't even find Cavill's Superman to be that dark and gritty, so they're worried that Corenswet's version might end up being a completely naive "boy scout" with a cape.
Either way, we won't know the truth until the movie, or at least the first trailer, is released. Superman: Legacy is scheduled for release on July 11, 2025.
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Reddit