Nicholas Hoult And Rachel Brosnahan Were Mesmerized The First Time They Saw David Corenswet As Superman, But They Forgot One Obvious Truth

David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan filming in darkness in beautiful night scene Superman (formerly Legacy)
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

We’ve already heard so much about filming James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, but there's always more to learn before the flick hits theaters later this year. The upcoming 2025 movie has been hotly anticipated as it is ushering in a new era for DC movies on the big screen, and it’s bringing a brand new Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor to the big screen. It’s all so new that even the actors were mesmerized by seeing new lead David Corenswet in the suit for the first time (but humorously he had a bit of a different reaction).

Our Warner Bros. CinemaCon 2025 panel live blog already touched on Nicholas Hoult, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan coming onstage, but my favorite moment happened when the Lois Lane actress and Lex Luthor actor revealed what it was like to see Corenswet in the suit for the first time.

I have a clear memory of this. I was on a set and David, dressed as Superman, was kind of illuminated from behind. It was one of those moments where I felt like I experienced the magic of cinema for the first time.

Of course, it’s worth noting Hoult was on set to portray the literal villain in the movie, but he said that when filming the pivotal nighttime scene, he was more like a kid in a candy store. This wasn’t an unusual reaction for people seeing Superman on set, apparently, as Hoult humorously went on to describe how he felt he was having an emotional moment, then he turned around to see so many other people having the same reaction...

I had this warmth in my tummy, this stupid grin on my face... I turn around and there’s 50 other people in the room, all with the same look.

Brosnahan said while promoting the upcoming DC movie that she can distinctly recall her co-star’s “cape blowing in the distance” while they filmed a scene in the moonlight. It was spectacular for the newcomer actress on set, who has previously shared her five-word response to the first time she saw Superman’s look, but for Corenswet it was just another day in the suit.

I turned to him and was like, ‘Dude, you’re Superman.’ He was like, ‘Yeah I’ve been here many many months.’ [Laughed]

Of course, they'd forgotten one truth: If you are the guy playing Superman and you’ve been donning the cape and tights for many months, getting illuminated by some moonlight is not really that exciting. In fact, we’ve heard a lot in the past about how unglamorous it can be to film superhero movies. There are green screens and wire work, sweaty suits and just the humdrum that is actually the day-to-day of making movies. It can take hours and hours to make things just so.

For example, fans have been loving Superman’s air kiss in the trailer, but Corenswet also debunked that being a cool moment for him. He noted it’s “a lot less romantic when you’re being hoisted in the air by your underwear,” and I take his point about the Lois Lane kissing scene. But for those who weren’t personally involved in the trunks versus no trunks debate, and who weren’t on set with the superhero suit on from Day 1 like Corenswet, being on set did become something a bit more majesti.

Now let’s just hope that majesty plays out on the big screen.

Jessica Rawden
Managing Editor

Jessica Rawden is Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. She’s been kicking out news stories since 2007 and joined the full-time staff in 2014. She oversees news content, hiring and training for the site, and her areas of expertise include theme parks, rom-coms, Hallmark (particularly Christmas movie season), reality TV, celebrity interviews and primetime. She loves a good animated movie. Jessica has a Masters in Library Science degree from Indiana University, and used to be found behind a reference desk most definitely not shushing people. She now uses those skills in researching and tracking down information in very different ways. 

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