‘She Saves Superman’: Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor Talks Losing Out On Playing Lois Lane In James Gunn’s Legacy Reboot
In addition to David Corenswet being announced as our new cinematic Superman back in June 2023, it was revealed the same day that Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane in the James Gunn-helmed Superman: Legacy. Among the finalists the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress beat for the role was Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne in the Netflix series Bridgerton. Yet despite not getting to play Lois in this upcoming DC movie, Dynevor shared that she looks back on the audition process positively and why she likes the Daily Planet reporter so much.
Dynevor briefly addressed her Legacy audition while chatting with Variety about her latest movie, Fair Play, which can also be streamed with a Netflix subscription. The actress summarized her experience and why Lois Lane appeals to her as follows:
It was a whirlwind and then I realized that it was over, but it was great... She saves Superman. She’s the brains; she’s actually the fearless one.
Lois Lane has been around just as long as Superman, debuting in the pages of 1938’s Action Comics #1 and, along with being Clark Kent’s main love interest, is an even better reporter than he is, so Dynevor calling her the “brains” is quite apt. And unlike Superman, Lois doesn’t have any powers, so the actress also isn’t wrong for describing her as the “fearless one” since she could easily be killed during a battle or disaster unfolding in Metropolis or elsewhere in the world. There’s a lot to admire about Lois, which is why she hasn’t just served as the Superman mythology’s most important supporting character, but has also led a handful of her own titles over the decades.
Alas, Phoebe Dynevor wasn’t chosen to play Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy, though there are plenty of people who think that Rachel Brosnahan was the perfect choice for the role. But just because this character didn’t work out doesn’t mean that Dynevor’s superhero media prospects are behind her. There are plenty of other movies and TV shows on the DC Universe Chapter One slate, so as we move forward into this new DC media era, maybe there’ll come another chance for her to score a key role in one of these projects.
As for the rest of Superman: Legacy’s cast, its lineup includes folks like Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Sara Sampaio as Miss Tessmacher. No specific plot details have been disclosed yet, but James Gunn has said the reboot will not tell Superman’s origin story again, and his script was also inspired by storylines like All-Star Superman and Superman: For All Seasons. Per Gunn, who’s also now running DC Studios with Peter Safran, Legacy’s production is “going swimmingly,” and filming is reportedly set to begin in March.
Superman: Legacy flies into theaters on July 11, 2025 as the second DCU project, with the animated series Creature Commandos kicking off this new shared continuity sometime later in 2024 to Max subscribers. Fans of Phoebe Dynevor can look forward to Bridgerton Season 3 premiering its first four episode on May 16, and the latter four will follow on June 13.
