Next year will see the debut ofJames Gunn’sSuperman, featuringDavid Corenswetas the Man of Steel. Not only willSuperman— alongsideCreature Commandos— launch Gunn andPeter Safran’s new slate for DC Studios, but it also signals a resurgence of superhero stories on the big screen (includingThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will debut in the same month). What fans may not know is that Corenswet wasn’t the only person who auditioned for Clark Kent. The other two finalists for the Superman role wereNicholas Hoult, who eventually wound up snagging the role of Superman’s archnemesis Lex Luthor (it strangelywasn’t the first DC hero role Hoult lost out on) andTom Brittney. Brittney recently discussed his audition,which might have led to one of the wildest wardrobe malfunctions of all time.
What Happened to Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel Suit During the ‘Superman’ Auditions?
Brittney was a guest on theHellishpodcast, where the topic of hisSupermanaudition came up. Brittney then revealed that he auditioned in the same Superman suitHenry Cavillwore duringMan of Steel, and that he ended up ripping it:
“It was actually Henry Cavill’s Superman suit – it was his actual suit. It takes about half an hour to get into it – to get sewn into it. And yeah, I think I might have accidentally ripped it. I was more muscular than Henry Cavill, that’s the only reason.”
Gunn would later confirm this,writing on Threads: “Tom messed it up and then Corenswet came in [and] he was way too tall so it just got torn to shreds,” Gunn said. But there wasn’t any love lost between Gunn and Brittney, as the director said that Brittney was “truly one of my favorite actors. Incredibly talented guy.” Gunn also said that the suit used for auditions “was an original that wasn’t in the best shape to begin with.” When working on a big blockbuster, especially one concerning a superhero, there are plenty of costumes made during production. It only makes sense that there was a spare around for Corenswet, Brittney, and Hoult to wear. In fact, this is not the first time an actor wore a classic superhero suit for an audition.
Henry Cavill and Christian Bale Wore Classic Costumes for Their Superman & Batman Auditions
Henry Cavill actually took a similar route as his predecessors when he auditioned forMan of Steel, as he woreChristopher Reeve’s original Superman costume for his screen test.Zack Snyderposted images ofCavill in the suit online, while discussing howhe knew Cavill was the right pick for Supermanthe minute he slipped into the suit. But while Snyder was confident that Cavill could embody the Last Son of Krypton’s presence, Cavill himself wasn’t so sure. He toldEntertainment Weekly, “All I could think was, Oh, God, they’re going to look at me and go, ‘He’s not Superman. Not a chance.’ The actor inside me was going, ‘You’re not ready! You’re not ready!’” Cavill would eventually work with Snyder onMan of Steel,Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, andJustice League.
Deadpool Came for Zack Snyder’s ‘Batman v. Superman’ in the Absolute Best Way
He (thankfully) can’t keep his merc mouth shut.
Another suit that’s been pulled out of the mothballs for auditions isVal Kilmer’s Batman suit fromBatman Forever. Two future Batmen actually wore the Kilmer suit for their respective screen tests!Christian Balewore the suitfor hisBatman Beginsaudition, winning the role overCillian Murphy(who went on to play the Scarecrow inBegins).Robert Pattinsonalso revealed that he wore the Kilmer suit when screen-testing forThe Batman, and that itcame with a major drawback: “I remember we did like two takes and people were just saying, ‘What can we do about the sweat?’ (laughs) They were like, ‘Nothing! Nothing that can be done.’ I had to be drained of liquid.”
David Corenswet Has a New Costume for James Gunn’s ‘Superman’
Details onSupermanhave been scarce, but Gunn has postedtwo new looks at Corenswet in his full Superman costume: one featuring the Man of Steel suiting up, and the other with his loyal “Superdog” Krypto, who’s set to make a major appearance in the film. Gunn has also hinted that aSupermantrailer is in the works, which wasconfirmed byFrank Grillo(who said he had “goosebumps” after watching it). Corenswet’s new Superman suit looks pretty great, and it’s only a matter of time before fans witness it in action.
Supermanflies into theaters July 01, 2025.
Follows the titular superhero as he reconciles his heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way in a world that views kindness as old-fashioned.
