Nicholas Hoult has secured the highest salary among the main cast members in the new Superman film, earning $2 million for his role as Lex Luthor, the iconic villain in James Gunn’s reboot of the DC Comics franchise. This salary notably exceeds that of David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, who play Superman and Lois Lane, each paid $750,000.
Established Fame and Experience Drive Hoult’s Higher Pay
Hoult’s larger paycheck reflects his long-standing involvement in comic book films. He portrayed Hank McCoy, also known as Beast, in four installments of the X-Men series before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. The British actor’s career also includes two Golden Globe nominations and an Emmy nomination, factors that contributed to his elevated compensation in the Superman reboot.
Leading Actors’ Backgrounds Highlight Their Different Career Paths
Rachel Brosnahan, 34, comes to the Superman franchise with significant acclaim from television, earning an Emmy award and two Golden Globes for her lead role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Her film credits include the 2020 indie hit I’m Your Woman and a supporting role in Patriots Day alongside Mark Wahlberg. Brosnahan has also participated in voice work, lending her voice to the 2019 animated spy comedy Spies in Disguise, featuring Will Smith and Tom Holland.
David Corenswet, 32, has built his career primarily through television projects, including collaborations with Ryan Murphy on Netflix productions The Politician and Hollywood. In 2024, he starred in the disaster film Twisters and the Hulu romantic comedy The Greatest Hits, marking his rise in the film industry leading to his casting as Superman.
Historical Patterns of Superman Salaries Reveal Villains’ Pay Advantage
The phenomenon of an actor playing Superman earning less than the actor playing the villain has historical precedence. When Superman debuted in 1978, Christopher Reeve was paid $250,000 as a relatively unknown actor. In contrast, Gene Hackman, who portrayed Lex Luthor, earned $2 million and had higher billing. Similarly, Marlon Brando received $3.7 million plus a significant share of gross profits to play Jor-El, Superman’s father, despite limited screen time.
David Corenswet Embraces Role as Superman Amid Personal Milestones
Corenswet recently made his red carpet debut with his wife Julia Best Warner at the premiere held at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre. The couple also celebrated a personal milestone during his casting process. Corenswet shared with People magazine that his wife revealed her pregnancy just two days after he learned about his Superman screen test.
“She told me that she was pregnant two days after I found out I was going to screen test for Superman,”
he confirmed.
“For the first several months of her pregnancy, as is sort of protocol, we weren’t telling anybody. We had these two quite huge secrets that we just had between the two of us. And that was intense.”
—David Corenswet, Actor
Superman’s Global Release and Reception
The new Superman film, featuring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, is now showing in theaters worldwide. The casting decisions and salary distributions have sparked interest as fans observe the dynamic between actors portraying heroes and villains in modern superhero cinema.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Was Nicholas Hoult in Harry Potter?
A. Nicholas Hoult tried out for several key roles in the Harry Potter series, but he wasn’t chosen for any of them, according to IMDb.
Q. Are Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult still friends?
A. Hoult and Lawrence were in a relationship for five years after they met while filming the first movie in the series. They stayed friends after breaking up.
