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Actors David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan have been cast to play Superman and Lois Lane in the upcoming film Superman: Legacy.

The new casting comes after British actor Henry Cavill was dropped from the superhero franchise last year.

The pair were among six actors in the running for the roles, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people," director James Gunn said on twitter.

Corenswet, 29, a Philadelphia native, is known for his roles in the 2022 thriller Pearl, Netflix series The Politician and miniseries We Own This City.

This will be his first leading role in a major studio film.

The 32-year-old Brosnahan rose to fame in the Netflix show House of Cards before starring as the titular character in Amazon's Emmy-winning hit The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

Gunn, who recently took over the superhero franchise alongside producer Peter Safran, said in February that Superman: Legacy will mark "the true beginning of the DCU", focusing on its titular star balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.

The film, due for release in the summer of 2025, is part of a fresh slate of new movie and TV titles set to be rolled out over the next decade, under the banner heading Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

Only three actors have ever played Superman on the big screen - Christopher Reeve in 1978, Brandon Routh in 2006 and Henry Cavill in Man of Steel in 2013.

Cavill went on to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

Corenswet and Brosnahan were finally picked for the roles after performing a screen test in full costume and makeup for the the DC Studios co-chairs, Deadline reported.