Twisters director says that James Gunn “lucked out” getting David Corenswet for Superman: “He’s going to kill it”

Looking back at 1996 disaster movie Twister, it has a fascinating ensemble cast. Alongside leads Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt – better known as character actors than action stars – the supporting cast included Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck and Todd Field. 

It’s not hard to imagine the cast of this year’s Twisters – a new chapter in the storm-chasing saga, populated by entirely new characters – going on to equally interesting things. Among the supporting players are Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) and Sasha Lane (American Honey).

But, also popping up in a key supporting role in Twisters is David Corenswet, who plays Scott, a member of Anthony Ramos’ technologically advanced storm-chasing crew. This is a chance to see Corenswet before all eyes are on him in the title role in James Gunn’s Superman.

In an interview on the Inside Total Film podcast, Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung spoke about working with Corenswet, and his expectations for him as the DC superhero.

“So David was going out for that role when we were filming,” Chung explains. “I remember, we were all really secretly rooting for him. When we found out he was on a shortlist, a lot of us were saying, ‘You know, he actually would be a great Superman.’

“He is such an imposing and big presence and larger than life – but there’s this genuine purity to him, in a weird way, that I feel fits in a lot with Superman. I remember when he came back from doing auditions in LA. He came back to set, and he was still carrying that Superman to us. He’s someone who stays within the role a little bit. I’m not saying he’s method, but he kind of takes on that aura a little bit.”

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

It was a stark contrast to his role in Twisters. “For us, he was playing an antagonist,” continues Chung, “so, a lot of times, I was just seeing Scott. But when he came back from that audition, I remember feeling like he must have got it. It was this weird sense that I had that he just looked the part. He just felt the part to me. Man, I feel like James Gunn has lucked out finding this guy, because he’s a real discovery, and he’s going to kill it.”

Twisters opens in UK cinemas on July 17, before opening in the US on July 19. Superman lands in summer 2025. For more from Chung, check out the new episode of the Inside Total Film podcast, which is out now.

For more upcoming movies, check out our list of 2024 movie release dates.