Gunn, who is writing and directing the feature, held screen tests the weekend of June 17 on the Warners lot in Burbank, and the process has been kept in a lead-lined box as Gunn shows the assembled cuts to a deciding committee of executives, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav among them. Despite the secrecy, some details have emerged, even as the final choice has not.Gunn, according to sources, assembled three actors and three actresses for Superman and Lane, respectively, and on Saturday, the first day of the testing, the actors were seen in predetermined pairs: Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Brosnahan; Tom Brittney and Phoebe Dynevor; and David Corenswet and Emma Mackey. They were given several scenes to film, in which the males were in makeup and wardrobe as Daily Planet reporter Kent while the females were plucky journalist Lane.

Then on Sunday, Hoult, Brittney and Corenswet did another series of screen tests, this time in costume as Superman. Interestingly, only Mackey was brought in that day to portray Lane opposite the actors.

Sources caution that just because Mackey segued into the second day does not mean she is the front-runner for Lane, although it may be hard not to draw that conclusion.



Gunn had an assembled cut of the screen tests by Wednesday to show to Warners brass. A decision could come this week.

And once the decisions on Kent and Lane are made, Gunn will quickly pull the trigger on the next wave. Sources say there is also a shortlist for villain Lex Luthor (siblings Alexander and Bill Skarsgard have been mentioned as being on it, and it’s not clear whether Hoult, who was initially wanted for the part before deciding to try for Kent/Superman, would put himself in the running again.) There are also other heroes to cast, such as members of a supergroup named the Authority (part of the new storyline is Superman joining a world in which superheroes already exist).

Gunn hopes to have Superman: Legacy before cameras in early 2024, in time for a July 11, 2025, release.