Washington DC [US], July 5: James Gunn, head of DC Studios, opened up about why Nicholas Hoult missed out on the role of Superman in his upcoming superhero film, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
While Gunn praised Hoult as “a great actor,” he explained that the Nosferatu star simply “didn’t fit the role” of Clark Kent, describing Hoult’s performance style as “more controlled” compared to the “looser” approach of David Corenswet, who eventually landed the role.
“You know, Nick Hoult auditioned for Superman. He’s a great actor. Some might say he’s better than David in certain ways, but he just didn’t fit the role,” Gunn said. “As much as you can transform yourself as a person, Nick was just more controlled.”
Gunn revealed that chemistry tests played a key role in the casting process. Hoult had good chemistry with a different actress auditioning for Lois Lane, but Gunn preferred the dynamic between Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan. “David had better chemistry with Rachel because she’s a very controlled actor, and David is a little more loose, which creates a different type of dynamism on-screen,” he added.
Despite missing out on Superman, Hoult joined Gunn’s new DC Universe as the iconic villain Lex Luthor.
Hoult and Corenswet recently reminisced about their audition day during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Hoult recalled seeing Corenswet sitting in a ray of sunshine on the studio lot, joking that he looked like he was “charging up from the sun like Superman” and thinking, “I’d be happy if this guy was Superman.”