Superman’s cast just grew by two, with Skyler Gisondo and Sara Sampaio officially locked in as Jimmy Olsen and Eve Teschmacher, respectively, in the forthcoming comic book movie.
Superman is the first movie under James Gunn’s tenure as DC Studios‘ co-chief. As such, there’s a lot riding on the success of his superhero reboot.
The casting process has been in full force for much of 2023, with the writer-director posting about the production’s progress on social media and industry outlets writing frequent updates about the identity of those screen-testing.
We know that the likes of Tom Brittney and Emma Mackey came close to landing key roles in the comic book movie. But they missed out, with the following folk securing the coveted – and iconic – comic book parts.
Superman: All actors and characters
We know that Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen, Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, Eve Teschmacher, and The Engineer have all been cast in Superman: Legacy. The following are further details about those characters and the people who play them.
Contents
- David Corensweet: Superman
- Rachel Brosnahan: Lois Lane
- Nicholas Hoult: Lex Luthor
- Skyler Gisondo: Jimmy Olsen
- Isabela Merced: Hawkgirl
- Edi Gathegi: Mister Terrific
- Nathan Fillion: Guy Gardner
- Anthony Carrigan: Metamorpho
- María Gabriela de Faría: The Engineer
- Sara Sampaio: Eve Teschmacher
David Corensweet: Superman
Following in the footsteps of Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill, David Corensweet will be playing celluloid Superman. This means he’ll also be pulling double duty as Clark Kent.
The official synopsis gives insight into this take on the character: “Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”
David Corensweet is best-known for playing the projectionist in Pearl, while he’ll next be seen in Twisters. On TV, he starred in The Politician, Hollywood, and We Own This City, with an Apple series, Lady in the Lake, coming soon.
Rachel Brosnahan: Lois Lane
Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane, a reporter at The Daily Planet and love interest for Clark Kent/Superman. With Clark apparently being a “cub reporter” in the movie, Legacy may also feature Lois starting out in her career.
Brosnahan is an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for her work in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, while she also received an Emmy nomination for House of Cards.
Nicholas Hoult: Lex Luthor
While Nicholas Hoult missed out on Superman: Legacy’s titular role, the English actor is onboard as the Man of Steel’s arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor. There’s no word yet on whether Hoult’s Luthor will take any cues from earlier incarnations of the character played by Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, and Jesse Eisenberg.
Hoult previously filled a key supporting role in 20th Century Studios’ X-Men franchise, appearing as the young Hank McCoy Beast in X-Men: First Class and its sequels. He’s also enjoyed considerable success in non-franchise fare, including 2022 comedy-horror outing The Menu.
Skyler Gisondo: Jimmy Olsen
Skyler Gisondo is Jimmy Olsen, a character traditionally portrayed as close friend of both Superman and his bespectacled civilian alter-ego. Superman: Legacy will seemingly follow suit, with The Hollywood Reporter describing Gisondo’s Olsen as a “boyish cub photographer at The Daily Planet who works alongside Clark Kent and Lois Lane.”
Superman: Legacy is arguably Gisondo’s most high-profile role to date. The star is best known for appearing in smaller projects, such as Licorice Pizza and The Righteous Gemstones. That said, Gisondo has some experience with big budget blockbusters, having played a minor role in the Amazing Spider-Man movies.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Isabela Merced: Hawkgirl
Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, with Vanity Fair describing this iteration of the character as follows: “The hero’s favorite battle accessories are melee weapons – swords, spears, and maces – and Merced’s 5-foot-1 size will set her apart from the typical comic book brawler.”
Merced played the title character in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, while she also received acclaim for her role in Sicario: Day of the Soldado.
Edi Gathegi: Mister Terrific
Edi Gathegi is Michael Holt, aka Mister Terrific, whom Vanity Fair describes as “not only a skilled combatant but one of the world’s most brilliant inventors and tacticians, orbited by the floating T-Sphere weapons he designed.” This Mister Terrific will apparently have the words “Fair Play” written on his sleeve, in homage to a previous version of the character.
Gathegi has been a superhero before, playing Darwin in X-Men: First Class. However, he’s probably best known for his role as Laurent in the Twilight movies.
Nathan Fillion: Guy Gardner
Nathan Fillion will play Guy Gardner, aka Green Lantern, who is apparently less heroic than other Green Lanterns like Hal Jordan and John Stewart. In this version, Vanity Fair reports that Gardner is an “abrasive, sometimes obnoxious” presence. And Fillion will sport the character’s bowl haircut in the role.
Nathan Fillion played Mal Reynolds in the TV show Firefly and its spinoff movie Serenity. He’s also a longtime friend of James Gunn, and the pair have worked together on Slither, Super, The Suicide Squad, and the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Anthony Carrigan: Metamorpho
Anthony Carrigan is Rex Mason, aka Metamorpho, an adventurer exposed to a radioactive meteorite which forged a mythical Egyptian artifact. As a result, Mason become Metamorpho, with the ability to shapeshift, change his elemental makeup, and perform feats of hyperelasticity.
Carrigan is most notable for his role as NoHo Hank in the HBO comedy Barry. He’s also no stranger to the DC Universe, as he portrayed assassin Victor Zsasz in the television show Gotham.
María Gabriela de Faría: The Engineer
María Gabriela de Faría will play Angela Spica/The Engineer, a brilliant scientist who derives her superpowers from her nanite blood. Spica is also a member of the Authority, and Faría is expected to reprise the Engineer role in the anti-hero supergroup’s upcoming solo movie.
Superman: Legacy is Faría’s second comic book-inspired project, following her breakout turn in Syfy’s Deadly Class. The Venezuelan actress and singer is also known for her roles in a range of other movies and TV shows, such as The Exorcism of God and The Moodys.
Sara Sampaio: Eve Teschmacher
Sara Sampaio is Eve Teschmacher, a role previously immortalized in the Christopher Reeve Superman movies by Valerie Perrine. The Hollywood Reporter describes Sampaio’s Teschmacher as an “assistant and sometimes mistress” to Lex Luthor, in keeping with the character’s earlier portrayal.
Landing a part in Superman: Legacy is a big break for Sampaio, who is largely known for her modelling work. The Portuguese star already has several film credits under her belt, though, including The Clapper, Carga, Crisis, and Sombra.
Superman is due to start shooting in January 2024, for release on July 11, 2025. For more coverage of forthcoming DC movies, head here.
