In a surprising revelation, actor Tom Brittney has shared that he accidentally tore Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel costume during his audition for the DCU’s Superman movie.
David Corenswet’s casting as the DCU’s Superman is a significant development in James Gunn’s DC Universe, with Corenswet set to be a central figure in multiple projects, including the 2025 Superman movie.
On the Hellish podcast, Brittney recounted his audition experience. He attended a costume test where he donned Cavill’s actual Superman suit. To his astonishment, the suit was reportedly tight, taking about half an hour to get into as it had to be sewn in. He humorously admitted that he might have ripped it, joking about being more muscular than Cavill. Brittney also closely resembles Cavill and is an inch taller.
The incident sheds light on common practices in superhero movie casting. Costume and screen tests often utilize previous wardrobe. For example, Cavill screen-tested in Christopher Reeve’s suit for Man of Steel, and actors like Cillian Murphy tested in Val Kilmer’s Batman Forever suit for Batman Begins. These tests help gauge an actor’s ability to embody the character on screen before final casting.
James Gunn is renowned for his excellent castings. His projects like The Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad have boosted many actors’ careers. Even the runners-up for his movies are highly talented. Amanda Seyfried nearly got the role of Gamora, and Emma Mackey almost joined as Lois Lane before Rachel Brosnahan.
Our take is that it appears Gunn was initially seeking a muscular actor for Superman. Tom Brittney is taller and seemingly more muscular than Cavill in the DCEU suit. David Corenswet, the chosen Superman, is even taller and bulked up quickly. The contrast between Superman’s big frame and his kind personality in the DCU movie, as seen in the comics, may also be an interesting aspect to watch.
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