DC Studios pins their last hope on David Corenswet as Superman despite setbacks

DC Studios' casting change-up for Superman and Lois Lane raises doubts.

When news broke on Tuesday that David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan would be taking on the roles of Superman and Lois Lane in DC's upcoming film "Superman: Legacy," the reaction was less than enthusiastic.

Now, let's be clear, there's nothing wrong with the casting choices for the 2025 film. Corenswet, a 29-year-old actor known for his roles in "Hollywood" and "The Politician," bears a striking resemblance to his predecessor Henry Cavill and has proven his charisma on screen. Brosnahan, a 32-year-old star of Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," is a perfect fit for the role of Lois Lane.

But despite their talent, the casting announcement didn't feel like a major win for Warner Bros. and DC Studios. Instead, it seemed like a desperate attempt to salvage a sinking ship.

Is it too little, too late for the DC Extended Universe (DCEU)? This interconnected franchise of mostly disappointing superhero films, featuring characters like Wonder Woman, Batman, and Aquaman, is on the verge of being unsalvageable.

Both critics and audiences have turned against the DCEU, and the demand for new installments is dwindling. Since 2018, the DCEU has been a factory of flops.

Just two weeks ago, "The Flash," which was supposed to turn the tide for the studio, ended up being an even bigger bomb than expected. Films like "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," "Black Adam," "Wonder Woman 1984," "Birds of Prey," and "Shazam!" all underperformed at the box office. Even earlier entries like "Man of Steel" and "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" may have made money, but they were critically panned.

DC's attempt to compete with Marvel over the past decade has been a calamity. The franchise is plagued by conflicting visions and standalone experiments, while the films that have succeeded, like "Joker" and "The Batman," have no connection to the larger DCEU.

Now, new studio heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are tasked with reviving the struggling franchise. But they face an uphill battle as audiences seem to be growing tired of convoluted comic book worlds. Marvel's recent film "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" only grossed $476 million worldwide.

While Marvel may not be the powerhouse it once was, it still has a head start and a more consistent track record. DC has "Blue Beetle" and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" coming later this year, but they were filmed before the studio's reorganization and are unlikely to generate much excitement.

In 2025, "Superman: Legacy" will kick off a new era for DC with five related movies and five TV shows planned. But the whole endeavor seems exhausting and potentially fruitless.

It's worth noting that none of the 14 DCEU films released so far have come close to matching the quality of Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, which grossed nearly $2.5 billion worldwide.

So, perhaps there's a lesson to be learned here. Instead of announcing a massive slate of interconnected films that will drain millions of dollars from Warner Bros., why not focus on creating one well-thought-out hit?

DC Studios' ambitious plans could end up being their downfall.