Our "Space Princess": David Corenswet IS Clark Kent/Superman!

[Boom]

Haha yeah weren’t you the one who called him “Diet Cavill?” To be fair, it was accurate at the time at least in terms of looks.

That was 100% me.

 

[Dr.]

I appreciate that comic book illustrations often use deliberate exaggeration and stylization. But those versions of CK/Supes as a hulking giant — with a thick-necked linebacker physique — always struck me as a tad creepy. Doubly so when he was standing next to a tiny, almost juvenile-looking Lois Lane.

Much less of an issue in live action, I suppose. Still, I believe that Corenswet (6’3½“) and Brosnahan (5’3”) win the prize in terms of the greatest height difference between Supes and Lois. I trust Brosnahan will have a good supply of high heels.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Gunn clearly was not kidding about the "big 'ol galoot" thing!

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

He’s going to look like a giant next to Rachel while she verbally steamrolls over him, I love it.

First off, put this movie in front of my face right now! Secondly, I bet that Gunn's going for that All-Star approach to Clark this time around, and I'm totally here for it.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Side note: Navigating the Hype on mobile is definitely gonna take some getting used to.

 

[Invader Joker]

First off, put this movie in front of my face right now! Secondly, I bet that Gunn's going for that All-Star approach to Clark this time around, and I'm totally here for it.

I don't think Corenswet is even remotely quite yet to sell this sort of thing, but he'll probably come up with something. His physique is probably the exact same as Christopher Reeve so I expect something in line with that.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

I don't think Corenswet is even remotely quite yet to sell this sort of thing, but he'll probably come up with something.

Say again?

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Not quite *there* you mean, in terms of acting chops? Hmm. Perhaps. Perhaps not.

As far as Superman physiques go, Reeve never looked quite so massive to me. I mean, I fully expect David to start cutting and toning up before shooting starts. But right now he's huge (sweater or not)!

 

[Dr.]

As far as Superman physiques go, Reeve never looked quite so massive to me. I mean, I fully expect David to start cutting and toning up before shooting starts. But right now he's huge (sweater or not)!

Same here. Despite his training and muscle gain, I thought Reeve appeared somewhat slender in the form-fitting Superman suit (especially in the first movie). Meanwhile, he looked huge as CK. So it’s a balancing act. On the one hand, the bigger the actor gets, the closer he conforms to the idealized Mr. Universe physique of the comics. On the other, the bigger Clark Kent gets, the more implausible is the mild-mannered disguise.

 

[elgaz]

Same here. Despite his training and muscle gain, I thought Reeve appeared somewhat slender in the form-fitting Superman suit (especially in the first movie). Meanwhile, he looked huge as CK. So it’s a balancing act. On the one hand, the bigger the actor gets, the closer he conforms to the idealized Mr. Universe physique of the comics. On the other, the bigger Clark Kent gets, the more implausible is the mild-mannered disguise.

And I guess this is why the underbody 'muscle suit' came about. It allows the actor to maintain a more slender and less noticable physique as Clark, but shows off the idealised muscular form
à la comics when in Superman guise. It's not the most favoured way of doing it, so is maybe a necessary evil. Then again, maybe previous filmmakers just went a bit OTT with the muscle suit - a less extreme version might work well.

 

[flickchick85]

Muscle suits are totally fine when they’re not all shiny and/or plastic-y. It shouldn’t be so damned obvious they’re wearing a muscle suit.

 

[B]

Muscle suits are fine as long as they are kept to a minimum ie the sort of thing Cavill's suit had which looked like it was designed purely to help translate some of the definition through the fabric of the suit.

When they're used to try & make an actor look significantly bigger than he actually is, you end up with what Levi had as Shazam, in particular in the first film, which looked ridiculous for 95% of the film.

 

[B]

Same here. Despite his training and muscle gain, I thought Reeve appeared somewhat slender in the form-fitting Superman suit (especially in the first movie). Meanwhile, he looked huge as CK. So it’s a balancing act. On the one hand, the bigger the actor gets, the closer he conforms to the idealized Mr. Universe physique of the comics. On the other, the bigger Clark Kent gets, the more implausible is the mild-mannered disguise.

If I recall Reeve was still actively working out & bulking during filming of the first/second movies, which is why there's a few noticeable changes to his physique. I believe it's some of the FOS scenes as they must have been shot first or out of order, although I'd need to rewatch them, he does look slender in some scenes though as you say.

By the third film however Reeve was an absolute unit, particularly his neck, chest & shoulders looked significantly wider & bulkier even in the suit which probably wasn't as flattering a form fitting fabric as they have today.

 

[Dr.]

And I guess this is why the underbody 'muscle suit' came about. It allows the actor to maintain a more slender and less noticable physique as Clark, but shows off the idealised muscular form
à la comics when in Superman guise. It's not the most favoured way of doing it, so is maybe a necessary evil. Then again, maybe previous filmmakers just went a bit OTT with the muscle suit - a less extreme version might work well.

I agree. Obviously, Corenswet (like Cavill before him) should be built up enough to look impressive in the (probably) inevitable shirtless scenes. And therefore, the additional size and definition provided by a “muscle suit” won’t seem conspicuously exaggerated. (I assume even Dwayne Johnson used a “muscle suit” to compensate for a tight fabric’s tendency to erase definition.)

As to whether the typical superhero “muscle suit” — in universe — is supposed to represent a “natural” or “unenhanced” physique… Well, I’m not so sure. With Batman, we understand that the costume is body armor. So we don’t mistake the sculpted pecs and abs for actual muscles. And something similar might be going on with Superman. Or Shazam. Or Black Panther. (Et. al.) IOW, noting the artifice of a costumed physique is somewhat moot if we assume that the artifice has been deliberately/in universe incorporated into the costume.

 

[Lily Adler]

David is fat.

 

[king666]

I just hope that when it’s all said and done, he’ll have a more natural physique, not one where he clearly had to be under an obscene workout routine and diet to maintain.

And steroids, which is the real catalyst for 99% of all hollywood body transformations.

 

[GreenKToo]

Fwiw, both Chris reeve and corenswet trained at juilliard.
As far as the bodybuilder superman goes, i'm over that.
I want to see the big ole raised on a farm superman/clark.
Big yes, but not built like the hulk big where he can't even put his arms down by his sides normally.

 

[Invader Joker]

Not quite *there* you mean, in terms of acting chops? Hmm. Perhaps. Perhaps not.

As far as Superman physiques go, Reeve never looked quite so massive to me. I mean, I fully expect David to start cutting and toning up before shooting starts. But right now he's huge (sweater or not)!

I mean in terms of physique. Corenswet looks big, but not /that/ big. (Not that I think he has to, either)

And I feel that Reeve did look quite massive and I'd actually be very surprised if once Corenswet takes his shirt off he doesn't look identical to this tbh.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I mean in terms of physique. Corenswet looks big, but not /that/ big. (Not that I think he has to, either)

And I feel that Reeve did look quite massive and I'd actually be very surprised if once Corenswet takes his shirt off he doesn't look identical to this tbh.

Corenswet looks a lot bulkier and wider which is kinda shocking (and makes me a bit concerned about steroids, I'm not an expert though) given his natural build is pretty close to Reeve. David looks like a goddamn ox.

Man, Reeve looked incredible. Why the **** can't that type of look be sufficient for superheroes now?

 

[Invader Joker]

Corenswet looks a lot bulkier and wider which is kinda shocking (and makes me a bit concerned about steroids, I'm not an expert though) given his natural build is pretty close to Reeve. David looks like a goddamn ox.

Man, Reeve looked incredible. Why the **** can't that type of look be sufficient for superheroes now?

I guess we are gonna have to wait to see him sleeveless or without the sweater because idk, I really think it's giving a kinda misleading illusion. Reeve looked like that too when wearing similar clothes:

 

[Enriquespy]

This production is mean. We the fans require a shirtless photo of Corenswet every 2 weeks to monitor his progress, and instead we get loose hoodies and sweaters?.

 

[elgaz]

Fwiw, both Chris reeve and corenswet trained at juilliard.
As far as the bodybuilder superman goes, i'm over that.
I want to see the big ole raised on a farm superman/clark.
Big yes, but not built like the hulk big where he can't even put his arms down by his sides normally.

I feel like the only recent Superman actor who had that natural barrel-chested, strong farmboy look (without looking like they spent hours in the gym getting ripped) was Welling, no matter what many may think of his time in Smallville. Routh, Hoechlin, Cavill, even Reeve all started out as quite slim and even skinny at times before piling on muscle. Welling has always looked chunkier, particularly as he got older and filled out more.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

I mean in terms of physique. Corenswet looks big, but not /that/ big. (Not that I think he has to, either)

And I feel that Reeve did look quite massive and I'd actually be very surprised if once Corenswet takes his shirt off he doesn't look identical to this tbh.

Gotcha. I hear what you're saying, but I still think Reeve, although clearly muscled, had a slimmer/more tapered look to him.

Corenswet, on the other hand, appears to be carrying more body fat right now (you can see it in his face and neck). But we'll see. When all is said and done, he may very well come close to Reeve in terms of physique. Identical? Probably not for a few different reasons I won't get into now. But I can definitely see him achieving a similar build, assuming that's what Gunn wants.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

I feel like the only recent Superman actor who had that natural barrel-chested, strong farmboy look (without looking like they spent hours in the gym getting ripped) was Welling, no matter what many may think of his time in Smallville. Routh, Hoechlin, Cavill, even Reeve all started out as quite slim and even skinny at times before piling on muscle. Welling has always looked chunkier, particularly as he got older and filled out more.




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Absolutely. He's living proof that guys with taller frames can do wonders with their supposed "string bean genetics", as the late Reeve put it.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

I can actually see Gunn pushing for something more similar to Welling's build to be honest.