‘Superman’ stars talk their “punk rock” comic book film

Superman is back on the big screen – this time, with rock-loving Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn at the helm. David Corenswet (Hollywood, Twisters) suits up as the caped crusader, while Nicholas Hoult depicts the villainous Lex Luthor and Rachel Brosnahan plays The Daily Planet’s intrepid reporter Lois Lane.

Here, we find out just how punk rock the movie’s leads really are, before asking Hoult to recall his big night out at the 2008 NME Awards…

Hi guys! As is the James Gunn way, this Superman has a lot of musical references, including a fictional band called The Mighty Crabjoys. Did James give you any backstory for them?

David Corenswet: “I mean, there’s a whole history of [the band]. Their poster is in the film and they have a fully developed, produced song in the film. Rachel, did James tell you anything about them as a band?”

Rachel Brosnahan: “That they’re not very punk rock. They’re more punk-lite.”

That fits into the film’s running gag in the film, which is that Clark Kent really wants to be punk rock but just isn’t.

RB: “But in a way, I think what we’re saying is that sometimes it’s pretty punk rock to just be yourself. You don’t have to be the traditional idea of ‘cool’ to be punk rock in your own way. You’re doing great, sweetie.”

David, do you think you’re more punk rock than Clark?

DC: “Definitely not. It would be hard to be less punk rock than I am.”

The viral video of you quoting Star Wars is pretty punk rock…

DC: “We Star Wars nerds will take it. But also, it’s a lot of pressure: once people start thinking of you as punk rock, and start expecting punk rock from you, it’s ‘work, work, work…’”

Of the three of you, who is the most punk rock?

DC: “Nick, you’re surprisingly cool and anti establishment.”

RB: “You’re shockingly cool. I feel like you just walk around your house with your middle finger up. You’re in your punk era”

Nicholas Hoult: “I’ll take it”

The dyed blond hair is pretty punk rock, to be fair. That was a compliment, because I want to embarrass you by bringing out a picture of you at the 2008 Shockwaves NME Awards.

RB: “Now that is pretty punk rock – look at those bangs!”

NH: “Oh, I thought I had a beanie on. I don’t, it’s actually just a helmet of hair.”

RB: “It’s giving Fall Out Boy.”

Superman (David Corenswet) and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) in ‘Superman’. CREDIT: Warner Bros. Entertainment

The NME Awards are a very British pop culture phenomenon. Nick, how would you describe them to your American castmates?

NH: “I remember having a great time at the NME awards. I feel like that was my big indie phase. There was a great mix of bands [there] that I was really into. It was kind of at that moment in culture where you could cut loose a little bit more, and there was less scrutiny. So we went and probably got very drunk.”

NH: “I think I did. I’ve got a photo, actually, of me and Alex Turner. I was a big fan of Arctic Monkeys – they were one of my favorite bands growing up and I got to
meet Alex Turner, which was very exciting.

We looked all over the internet for that picture…

NH: “It’s in my camera roll!”

What is an album you always go back to?

DC: “Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra Plays Hello, Dolly!’ That’s my comfort album.  It has orchestral instrumental arrangements of, I don’t know, three-quarters of the songs from the [Broadway] musical, so it’s sort of a big band jazz album. The song that my wife and I danced to at our wedding is on there.”

RB: “I actually can’t remember the name of the album, because there’s a few that I go back to a lot, but it’s the album by The Tallest Man on Earth that has ‘A Lion’s Heart’ on it.”

NH: “The one coming to mind, as my dad would listen to it a lot in the car, is Queen‘s ‘Greatest Hits 2’ album.”

Is your dad a big Queen fan?

NH: “Yeah, so therefore I am too.”

RB: “I saw them live with Adam Lambert – he was amazing. I mean, he’s great, but I was really surprised because it feels like an impossible thing to step into, but he was spectacular.”

‘Superman’ is in cinemas now

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