Director James Gunn says he chose relative newcomer David Corenswet to headline Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Superman” after chemistry tests showed the actor’s ‘looser’ performance style paired more effectively with Rachel Brosnahan’s ‘controlled’ take on Lois Lane. Speaking in a newly released interview, Gunn added that Nicholas Hoult, whom he described as a ‘more controlled actor,’ delivered strong auditions but did not fit the tone he envisioned for the Man of Steel. Hoult, who previously played Beast in Fox’s “X-Men” films, instead takes on Superman’s longtime nemesis Lex Luthor. The actor told reporters he drew on the comic “All-Star Superman,” portraying Luthor as a tech billionaire determined to keep humanity ‘master of its own fate.’ “Superman” marks the first theatrical installment in Gunn’s revamped DC Universe. The film promises what the director calls ‘kindness, flying dogs and space battles’ alongside familiar characters such as Krypto. Warner Bros. begins the global rollout on 9 July, with North American cinemas opening on 11 July.