While the film is still a long way from shooting, Warner Bros is currently seeking a black actor to fulfill this life-changing leading role. We thought we should express our views on this. There are our choices below.
- Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
Choice : Regé-Jean Page
Why Do You Choose Him?
Bridgerton fans were left high and dry when the news came out that Regé-Jean Page would not be part of the second season. The actor might feel the urge to emancipate himself from the period drama character, as well as change gear by switching from television series popularity to movie stardom. Playing the DC Comics legend would be quite a twist in his career, and would also test the London actor on his skills in doing an American accent. The next step could be returning to a British role, as the first James Bond of colour!
- Abe Friedtanzer
Choice : Sterling K. Brown
Why Do You Choose Him?
Who better than Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown to step into the shoes of the famous Superman? He’s already proven that he knows how to be a hero to his family in his role as Randall on This Is Us, and that he’s not willing to let even the most determined enemies stop him. He delivered passionate and inspirational speeches in The People v. O.J. Simpson and even stepped into the comic book world – albeit Marvel – with a small role in Black Panther. He’s got the look, he’s got the stare, and from all that shirtless dancing recently on This Is Us, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to imagine that he might have the strength to back it up too.
• Matthew Schuchman
Choice : John David Washington
Why Do You Choose Him?
I’d bet my life that when posed with the question about which black actor would make the best Superman, most people are going to immediately lock their minds into either Idris Elba or Daniel Kaluuya. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see either of them with the trademark S emblazoned across their chest. But pound for pound, I think the best choice is John David Washington; unless you’re going with an unknown. While every good actor should be able to portray any type of character, I think Washington has shown the most prowess for sliding between two polar opposites. A skill that is needed to be Superman, and whatever alter ego they decide on if they end up moving away from Clark Kent. He is in the perfect celebrity space too, as while he is well known and popular with the general public, he still hasn’t hit that final step where his name is spoken in every household around the world, and Superman would present him with that status.
- Edward Moran
Choice : Actor Eli Goree
Why Do You Choose Him?
While Michael B Jordan (Black Panther, Creed) seems the odds-on favorite for the role because of his steely good looks and reputation as a Black icon, I’m rooting for Eli Goree, who won critical acclaim for his recent performance as Cassius Clay in Regina King’s One Night in Miami. The role of Superman in the new script Ta-Nehisi Coates is bound to be more woke than the traditional comic-book superhero characterization that served audiences in the heady post-WWII era when “truth, justice, and the American way” was the province of George Reeves, Christopher Reeve and their whitebread lookalikes. Having Goree play the role — he already displayed his Supermanesque mild-mannered creds in Miami — would acknowledge that the Superman for today must represent a newer, more diverse America. If Goree can channel his inner Cassius in the role, this message will be delivered faster than a speeding bullet.
- Nobuhiro Hosoki
Choice ：Regé-Jean Page
Why Do You Choose Him?
My recollection of “Superman” is always Christopher Reeves, there’s no comparison, and still he is the one. Therefore, to live up to that high expectation, the actor has to posses something beyond the physical. That’s why I didn’t choose Micheal B. Jordan or John David Washington, don’t get me wrong, they are both great actors. But the reason I chose Bridgerton star was, how he bears the British dignity that I felt almost similar to the presence of Christopher Reeves on the screen. And he’s currently filming action flicks with “Dungeons & Dragons” and Russo Brother’s latest work, “The Gray Man.” The moment finished everything, he could be a strong candidate, so far I couldn’t find Kryptonite in him yet…