If you're curious to know what James Gunn saw in David Corenswet to cast him as Superman, you just have to take a look at the actor's recently released audition tape.
The video, which is available to watch online, went viral on social media over the weekend, with DC fans praising Corenswet and saying he was "born to play" Clark Kent on the big screen.
In the clip, we see the actor introducing himself and reading some lines from the interview scene between Lois Lane and Clark. As this was a very early audition tape, Corenswet's wife, Julia Warner, reads Lois' lines off camera, while the actor delivers a really promising performance, particularly when he changes from Clark to Superman.
The moment when he takes off his glasses and a hair strand falls on his forehead is so perfect that we know nobody stood a chance against him during the casting process.
"The spirit of Christopher Reeve possessed him", said one fan on X.
"Seeing *his* Clark Kent without Gunn's direction is so interesting. It's like a combination of Christopher Reeve and teen Tom Welling," added another fan.
"Like Christopher Reeve, this dude is literally born for this role. Like his voice, height, his jawline, blue eyes, everything just screams Superman. I can't wait to see more of his performance in the future," said another fan.
In a GQ piece, director James Gunn revealed that he expected to conduct a lengthy search for his Superman, but even though he saw around 400 candidates, it was incredibly easy to choose Corenswet. "From the very beginning, he was the guy to beat, frankly," Gunn says.
We are now wishing that Gunn releases early reading tapes between Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, so we can see if their incredible chemistry in the movie was there from the first day.
Superman is now available to rent or buy on digital. For more, see our guide to the Superman ending explained or our spoiler-free Superman review, and check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows.
