The Runner Up For The Batman Is Now A Front-Runner To Play Superman
ScreenRant
5/15/2023
One of the runners-up for the role of Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves' The Batman may end up playing the titular role in James Gunn's Superman: Legacy. During the press tour for the recently-released Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn mentioned that Superman: Legacy goes into production in January 2024. Due to this, various reports began circling online regarding the casting of the film's biggest characters.
From the casting of Superman: Legacy's Clark Kent and Lois Lane to the villainous Lex Luthor, many names have been put into circulation regarding who will play the iconic Metropolis trio. Regarding Superman, the front-runners include David Corenswet, Andrew Richardson, and Jacob Elordi, though the latter has been reported to have not submitted himself officially for the role. Besides these names, one other somewhat surprising inclusion for the potential casting of Clark Kent is an actor who was the second choice to play Batman in Matt Reeves' Elseworlds film.
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Nicholas Hoult Was Almost In The Batman... Will He Play Superman Instead?
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Nicholas Hoult next to Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in The Batman
The actor in question is none other than Nicholas Hoult. Hoult has been in and around the world of superhero cinema for a while, after portraying Hank McCoy/Beast in four X-Men films for 20th Century Fox - five when counting his uncredited cameo in Deadpool 2. However, in a recent interview with GQ España, Hoult confirmed that he missed out on the role of Batman in The Batman, coming only second to Robert Pattinson who eventually played the role. This was first confirmed by The Guardian, though Hoult went into more detail with GQ.
Despite this disappointment, Hoult could still step into the world of DC through another of the studios' big three comic book heroes: Superman. As confirmed by various reports, Hoult has been in the mix for a role as either Superman or his villainous nemesis Lex Luthor for Superman: Legacy. While casting for the film will likely not be confirmed until the latter half of 2023, reports indicate that Hoult is up for the role of Superman, as confirmed by Deadline's Justin Kroll.
Why Nicholas Hoult's Superman Could Be Even Better For Him Than Batman
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Nicholas Hoult as Superman
With this news, it becomes clear that Hoult better fits the role of Superman than Batman. Despite some somewhat unhinged performances Hoult has had over the years, such as Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road or the titular character in Renfield, it is hard to imagine the actor portraying the dark, brooding personality of Bruce Wayne better than Pattinson did. While this is by no means a discrediting of Hoult's acting abilities, the actor has even told GQ España that he cannot imagine himself doing a better job than Pattinson in The Batman.
With Superman though, Hoult could easily fill the upbeat, heroic, hopeful personality that is required of Superman. Admittedly, the likes of David Corenswet and Andrew Richardson may look more akin to Superman's iconic visual appearance. That being said, Hoult would arguably be a better fit for Superman's personality than the other two actors, especially given his illustrious Hollywood career, variety of roles, and the charm he regularly exudes. Regardless of whether Hoult ends up playing Superman in Superman: Legacy, there is no denying that it would always have been a better fit for him than Superman's Gotham City counterpart, Batman.
Sources: The Guardian, GQ España
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