James Gunn’s Superman is taking off at the box office, revitalizing the image of Superman from the put-upon reluctant savior of the Snyderverse to the beacon of hope that he was always meant to be. Taking on the role of the new big blue Boy Scout is David Corenswet, who infuses the role with an invigorating combination of humanity and compassion that has been connecting with audiences worldwide. But Corenswet hasn’t always been the Man of Steel. Let’s take a look at his best work leading up to this breakout role.
7
‘Pearl’ (2022)
Directed by Ti West
Pearl is the second installment in Ti West’s X film trilogy. This entry is a prequel that gives the origin story for the central character played by Mia Goth, who co-wrote this film with West. Joining Goth and Corenswet in this period horror film are Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland, and Emma Jenkins-Purro. Taking place in 1918 Texas, the titular Pearl tries to balance her ambitions of being an actress with taking care of her ailing father and strict mother, but her repressed rage starts to become an obstacle as it bubbles up into violent outbursts with deadly consequences.
Corenswet has a smaller role than usual, portraying a projectionist at Pearl’s favorite theater who often flirts with her and supports her dream of being a movie star. Corenswet is as charming as always, and the old-timey style looks great on him.
6
‘The Politician’ (2019 – 2020)
Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan
The Politician is a comedic drama created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan about an ambitious teen, played by Ben Platt, running for student body president of his high school. Like most Murphy shows, this two-season series features an all-star cast including Zoey Deutch, Lucy Boynton, Bob Balaban, Laura Dreyfuss, Jessica Lange, Judith Light, and Bette Midler.
Corenswet’s character, River Barkley, is initially set up as the primary obstacle to the protagonist’s dream, as he is the JFK of the school — popular, good-looking, and rich — but soon, it is revealed that there is a darkness lurking beneath the surface. Corenswet gives a great performance as he balances the effortless cool that people perceive from the high school upper crust with a seething emptiness just below the surface.
5
‘We Own This City’ (2022)
Created by David Simon and George Pelecanos
We Own This City is a six-episode miniseries adapting a true-crime story from a book by Justin Fenton, a former Baltimore Sun reporter. Producers George Pelecanos and David Simon bring an engaging tale about the short-lived and deeply corrupt Gun Trace Task Force of the Baltimore Police Department to life through a mix of investigation sequences and flashbacks that paint the full picture of the department’s history of unlawful behavior.
Corenswet takes on the role of the real-life Harford County narcotics cop David McDougall, who kicks off the investigation of Baltimore’s Gun Trace Task Force when he stumbles on a dead woman that leads him straight back to the corrupt Baltimore squad.
4
‘Hollywood’ (2020)
Created by Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy
Another Ryan Murphy series, Hollywood is a miniseries created by Murphy and Ian Brennan, set during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The story follows a group of filmmakers and actors trying to make it in post-WWII Los Angeles and stars regulars from Murphy projects like Darren Criss and Dylan McDermott, while also featuring a host of great talents like Samara Weaving, Jim Parsons, and Patti LuPone.
Corenswet plays a young veteran named Jack Castello, who moves to Hollywood with his wife to try his hand at acting but ends up secretly becoming a sex worker to support his family. Though the character is fictional, his experiences were very common in the era due to the combination of poor government veteran care and the financial demands of being a breadwinner, and Corenswet plays it perfectly.
3
‘Twisters’ (2024)
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung
Twisters is a legacy sequel to the late-’90s disaster film Twister, directed by Lee Isaac Chung and written by Mark L. Smith. Similar to the original, the film follows two competing storm chaser teams as they try to study and scan tornadoes. This entry features a new cast of characters played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Paul Scheer, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, and Sasha Lane.
Corenswet fills a similar role to Cary Elwes in the original film, as he is the money-backed main antagonist who seeks to profit from the disastrous weather phenomena. We rarely get to see Corenswet play the bad guy, as he excels as a lovable scamp, but this was a wonderful deviation from his usual happy-go-lucky characters.
2
‘Lady in the Lake’ (2024)
Created by Alma Har’el
Lady in the Lake, based on Laura Lippman’s novel of the same name, is a period crime drama created by Alma Har’el. The story takes place in the late ’60s and follows Natalie Portman as a reporter investigating two murders that seem to be connected. Joining Portman as the co-lead is Moses Ingram, who gives an equally enthralling performance.
Corenswet plays the grieving father of the young girl that Portman’s character is investigating, and we soon find out they have a history together. They age up Corenswet’s boyish good looks a bit, which helps sell him as a father, though he doesn’t need too much help selling the anger, grief, and betrayal that come with his character’s backstory.
1
‘Superman’ (2025)
Directed by James Gunn
Superman is the first film in James Gunn’s new DC Universe and was written and directed by Gunn himself. As mentioned in the intro, the film sets a bright tone for the rebooted film universe that was quite dark and gritty in the last decade. With Rachel Brosnahan serving as his co-lead, the film is filled with colorful characters and talented actors like Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Skyler Gisondo, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced.
Corenswet dons the cape as the Man of Steel, and it feels like he was born to play the role. Corenswet not only has the look, but he seems to understand the character on a level that hasn’t been seen on film since Christopher Reeve brought the character to life in the late ’70s.
