David Corenswet’s Superman Self Tape Charms the Internet

David Corenswet made his debut as the Man of Steel this summer with the release of James Gunn’s “Superman” to largely positive reviews — but when his self-tape audition hit the internet Saturday, the post really pulled in all the raves. As one fan noted on X, “Why is this better than the movie??????”

Other users insisted Gunn “ruined” Corenswet in the fim. “OMG HOW DID GUNN RUIN SOMETHING SO NICE AND WHOLESOME,” a second fan wrote, “And the Clark look was far better.”

But not everyone was so quick to judge Gunn’s vision. “He literally just looks like Superman with glasses on. At least with the Gunn Clark, you would doubt he’s Superman,” a third chimed in to defend the director.

Gunn revealed earlier this month that he and Corenswet got into a heated argument while filming a crucial scene in the movie. Gunn was pushing for a big, emotional take on a speech delivered by the caped hero, but Corenswet wasn’t quiet sold.

“I felt like s–t about myself since the recording came out,” Corenswet said in a behind-the-scenes clip shared via X. “It’s just been like, ‘I don’t belong, I’m s–t, everything’s a lie, I’m not who I thought I was.’ When is, is this not the moment where I go, ‘I was wrong to feel that way.’”

“That’s exactly where the issue is, right? Because what (Pa Kent) didn’t tell you is it was wrong to feel that way,” Gunn responded. “There are feelings, and there are thoughts. Your feelings about feeling bad are OK. It’s not wrong for you to feel that way. You should just, it’s not right or wrong anything, none of it is right or wrong. All of it is being vulnerable and being human, being a human being. And in this moment, for you to talk about how it’s OK to be vulnerable, you have to be vulnerable, which means showing Lex that your f–king feelings are hurt in a point when you really shouldn’t.”

“The sentence that James said to me at the end of that conversation perfectly clarified what the character was doing in the moment, and what I should be doing in that moment,” Corenswet later said. “I went out there, I did it, and it was right.”

Both Gunn and Corenswet settled their differences about the scene and now credit the exchange as one of their favorite moments ever of filming.

You can watch Corenswet’s full audition tape in the clip above.