David Corenswet’s Physique In Superman Fixes A Superhero Movie Problem

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David Corenswet, who plays Superman in James Gunn’s new film, didn’t focus on getting an overly muscular build – and that’s a positive change for superhero movies. For decades, male superheroes have often been portrayed with extremely ripped bodies, but Superman seems to be moving away from that trend, hopefully paving the way for more realistic portrayals in the upcoming Man of Tomorrow and future DC Universe films.

The filmmakers intentionally chose a less traditionally muscular physique for David Corenswet’s Superman. Corenswet’s trainer, Paolo Mascitti, explained to Business Insider that they wanted him to look “more like a farm boy than a complete bodybuilder.” Corenswet later told Geek Culture that he and director James Gunn were aiming for a look that was approachable, suggesting a strong, but not overly bulky, “farm boy” build.

The actor successfully portrayed the character as he intended. His Superman has the physique of a young man raised on a farm, which helps address a long-standing issue in superhero films: the tendency to show overly muscular and unrealistic bodies. This is a positive move towards seeing more believable physiques for superheroes on screen.

How Superman Fixes A Superhero Movie Problem

Over the past twenty years, with the rise of superhero films, Hollywood has increasingly featured extremely muscular bodies in these movies. Early Marvel Cinematic Universe films often included scenes of the lead actors showing off their ripped physiques. When Chris Pratt first showed off his transformation for the role of Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, it became a huge online sensation.

Many of those incredibly muscular scenes aren’t very realistic. The actors achieve those bodies through intense diets and workouts, and sometimes even dehydrate themselves right before filming to make their muscles look more defined. While it added to the fantasy of superhero films, it often didn’t quite fit the story. For example, Chris Evans’ physique in Captain America: The First Avenger made sense for his character’s transformation, but it didn’t really track that Star-Lord would have a six-pack.

With David Corenswet as Superman, a lot of thought went into his physical preparation. He purposefully gained muscle to look like someone who’d grown up working on a farm, which fits Clark Kent’s backstory. Even though Superman is incredibly strong, this approach made his physique feel more believable and practical.

Why Superman’s Physique Bucking The Superhero Movie Trend Is So Important

For a long time, Hollywood has faced criticism for creating unrealistic standards, especially when it comes to how men and women are expected to look. This problem has grown with the increasing popularity of plastic surgery, even though there’s also a growing demand for more relatable characters and stories. Generally, viewers want to see themselves and their lives reflected in the movies and shows they watch, not an idealized fantasy.

Superhero entertainment used to feature more believable body types. Actors like Tom Welling on Smallville and Hugh Jackman when he first played Wolverine in the X-Men films were strong, but their physiques weren’t overly exaggerated – which felt right for their characters and didn’t take away from the stories.

Superheroes don’t need to have overly muscular bodies, and it’s great that the new Superman movie seems to be moving away from that trend. Let’s hope James Gunn and David Corenswet continue that approach in the upcoming Man of Tomorrow sequel, as changing course would feel inconsistent with the character they’ve presented.

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2025-10-26 15:18