I don’t think there’s any doubt that Superman is going to be one of the tentpole upcoming movies this summer (though there may be a question of how tentpole), so anticipation was high about what we might learn about the movie ahead of us live-blogging Warner Bros.’ CinemaCon 2025 event. The studio saved its best for last, and brought out James Gunn along with the three leads in the new (potential) franchise: our David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan (who method dressed in a dress nodding to The Daily Planet) and Nicholas Hoult. The latter tends to be very funny and amusingly threw back to his previous failed DC auditions while onstage.
Here’s what happened. While I thought I was more interested in hearing about how Krypto the Superdog got fleshed out in James Gunn’s weird and wonderful brain, it turns out an innocuous question posed to our two heroes (and one villain) really took the cake during the panel for me. When asked what other DC characters they’d love to play, our newest Lex Luthor went right for the jugular and tackled the elephant in the room: his previous failed Batman (and Superman) auditions.
Well, I auditioned for Batman and Superman. … It’s funny, the first time I read [and] there [was] an inkling I’d be a better Lex I was like, ‘Shit that’s who I should be playing all along.’
An unexpected answer, for sure, but fitting as well, and the way he delivered the unfortunate reminder was funny, to boot. Back in 2019, Hoult auditioned for Batman alongside Robert Pattinson, who ultimately landed the role. He confirmed the reports himself later, admitting he wouldn’t have “done as good a job” as the other actor did.
He also auditioned for the role that ultimately went to David Corenswet, before ultimately coming to his senses and realizing he really was a better fit for a villain in the upcoming DC movie.
Having said this, it might seem like Hoult is 0 for 2 in the hero game, but he’s actually 1 for 3 if you’re counting Marvel, where he played Beast in the previous X-Men trilogy (after a weird audition involving a Family Guy character).
As for fellow co-stars Corenswet and Brosnahan, both had intriguing ideas for where they’d go in Gunn’s new era of DC. Corenswet said he “loved the animated series when Batman and Superman switched spots” and he’d like to play out that arc. Brosnahan said she, like Hoult, would love to try her hand at playing a female Lex Luthor, and promised she’d “commit to shaving” her head. I’m kind of now wondering what Brosnahan would have been like as Cassandra Nova, but I digress.
The three will make their DC debut as Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor on July 11, 2025.