"I think that’s a very Superman thing": David Corenswet explains Henry Cavill's comments about the former taking over as the DC icon

Henry Cavill may not be playing the Man of Steel anymore, but he has shared encouraging words for the new Superman star, David Corenswet. Corenswet is taking over the mantle from Cavill, who starred in three DC films and had a cameo in another. He also appeared briefly in 2022’s Black Adam and was expected to reprise the role in a future project. However, it didn’t materialize since the studio decided to overhaul its creative strategy under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.

It led to Corenswet’s casting as Superman, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, as part of a broader DC Universe reboot. Their collaboration will hit theaters next year, on July 11, 2025, which will show Corenswet as the son of Krypton for the first time on the big screen. As the release date inches closer, the star has been busy spreading the word about the project along with co-stars. In one such interview, he spoke about Cavill’s words of encouragement. During a red carpet premiere, he told Beat 102 103,

"I had the pleasure of exchanging letters with two previous Supermans, Henry Cavill and Tyler Hoechlin. Both of them interestingly said in their own words, 'I'm not gonna try to give you any tips.' I think that's a very Superman thing. Superman is not so much for giving advice or dictating how other people should be."

Hoechlin played the role in The CW series Superman & Lois. Corenswet further spoke about Hoechlin and Cavill’s words of wisdom. He said,

"They just conveyed to me encouragement and [told me] to have fun with it, which I think is Superman's way of doing it too. They were very encouraging, and we had a lovely exchange, and I'm excited to meet them one day. It'll be great if we can all get in a room together."

Based on Corenswet’s words, it seems like he is on the right path for playing the part. The encouragement from Hoechlin and Cavill must have helped him in his creative process.

Who played the DC hero before David Corenswet?

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David Corenswet is one of the handful of actors to have received the opportunity to play the Kryptonian hero hero on the big screen. Christopher Reeve was the first actor to ever play the part in the movies between 1978 and 1987. Since then, he became synonymous with the DC hero’s image.

More recently, Henry Cavill starred in the movies directed by Zack Snyder. He was introduced as the hero in 2013’s Man of Steel and returned to play the role in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League. Cavill also appeared briefly in Black Adam. Yet, soon after, Corenswet was brought in as the new Clark Kent.

What do we know about James Gunn's Superman?

"Superman" London Photocall - Source: Getty

Written and directed by James Gunn, the new chapter offers a fresh interpretation of classic DC characters. Here are the details about its central cast and characters: