Superman Casts The Perfect Perry White
James Gunn’s upcoming Superman has received a number of major public updates in recent weeks, including significant casting news, a costume reveal, and even a change in the film’s title from the originally-slated Superman: Legacy. The latest news sees The Wire‘s Wendell Pierce cast in the role of Perry White, Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s boss at the illustrious print media giant The Daily Planet. This news arrives as the film is gearing up to begin active production, filming in locations throughout Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio.
Pierce Joins An Impressive Cast
Now that Wendell Pierce has joined the cast of Superman as Perry White, the main players within the story are all known to the public, with esteemed performers such as Isabela Merced and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan in the cast as Hawkgirl and Lois Lane respectively. Other performers appearing in the newly launched franchise include Nathan Fillion, Milly Alcock, Nicholas Hoult, Barry‘s Anthony Carrigan, and James Gunn’s brother and frequent collaborator Sean Gunn.
A New, But Established Superman
David Corenswet is poised to lead the film as Clark Kent, with a bold new take on Superman sure to have audiences comparing him to the likes of Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill. James Gunn previously revealed via social media that Superman will already be an established hero within Metropolis, avoiding the long and unnecessary context already provided by many iterations of the character in the past. With any luck, this will allow the new performers to seamlessly transition into their DCU roles, with the cinematic universe opening in medias res.
Perry White
The Perry White character may not necessarily be a household name, though his importance to the overall Superman story cannot be overstated. The character has origins which date back to Superman radio shows in 1940, and has been portrayed on the big screen by the likes of Jackie Cooper, Frank Langella, and, most recently, Laurence Fishburne. The character serves as the editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet, and, despite his grouchiness, often provides fatherly wisdom and advice to his bullpen of esteemed reporters.
Wendell Pierce
Before signing on to appear in Superman, and likely many other DCU outings, Wendell Pierce starred in a number of well-known projects, including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Suits, and a brief but memorable 5-episode stint on Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Pierce is also slated to appear in a number of upcoming projects, including a drama titled Silent Voice alongside Michael Jai White, and a biopic of hip hop icon Master P titled King of the South.
It Will Be A While Before We See The New Daily Planet Editor
While Wendell Pierce’s bonafides were certainly cemented with a number of landmark roles before his Superman casting, the upcoming DCU film will certainly catapult the prolific performer to household name status. Unfortunately, fans still have quite a wait ahead of them, as Superman is currently on pace to premiere in July of 2025. With any luck, James Gunn will continue to reveal small hype-building details about the film via social media as the release draws nearer.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
