The One Superman Choice David Corenswet Refused to Change for James Gunn
David Corenswet called the final shot on a Superman scene, putting his stamp on the film with a choice that made the cut.
There is a tiny, make-or-break moment at the end of James Gunn's Superman that almost went a very different way. David Corenswet says Gunn gave him one note about it — and he flat-out didn’t take it.
The chuckle that started a debate
Corenswet told the story during Variety's Actors on Actors with Jonathan Bailey, who knows a thing or two about mid-air romance himself thanks to his Wicked: For Good sequel. Bailey watched the end of Superman — the part after Superman takes down Lex Luthor — and immediately zeroed in on the kiss above Metropolis, when Lois finally tells Clark she loves him. His reaction to Corenswet: 'I was like, "Oh, shit" when I saw your kiss at the end... My favorite moment of chemistry is the chuckle.'
Yep, that little laugh Superman lets out right after Lois says it. That was the sticking point.
'James, when I was doing that chuckle when she says, "I love you too," he came up to me and said, "It’s not working. It needs to be solemn,"' Corenswet said. 'I was like, "No! The whole point is, I fucking know that you love me." Credit to James. He was right on 90% of everything, but on that one, he saw that chuckle was a very truthful thing.'
So, yes, there was a bit of behind-the-scenes push and pull over tone in the most swoony shot of the movie. Corenswet stuck to his read, and the chuckle stayed — which is probably why it pops. Also fun: Bailey's Fiyero shares his own levitating kiss with Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, so this was basically two airborne romantics comparing notes.
Where this leaves the DCU and beyond
- Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are both back for James Gunn's next DC film, Man of Tomorrow, which is reportedly not a straightforward sequel to Superman.
- Wicked: For Good is in theaters now.
- Superman is streaming on HBO Max.