DC fans will soon be treated to yet another Superman film, which is set to hit the 2025 movie schedule and star David Corenswet in the lead role. He will be the latest actor to portray the fan-favorite superhero after Tyler Hoechlin, who wrapped up his run as Clark Kent last fall on The CW’s Superman & Lois. Despite the series receiving a premature end, likely because of the new Supes movie, I appreciate Hoechlin’s amiable take on someone else taking over.
Tyler Hoechlin debuted as Superman during the second season of Supergirl in 2016. He later reprised the character on The Flash, Arrow, Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow before eventually starring in his own series, Superman & Lois, with Bitsie Tulloch. The series premiered in 2021, and the emotional series finale aired this past December. Hoechlin appeared on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast, Inside of You, where he was asked if he was disappointed that the show only ran for four seasons. All in all, Hoechlin holds no hard feelings:
It is what it is. It worked out just how it was supposed to work out.… I think it was a lot of things [that contributed to the cancellation]. I think it was a lot of things you break down and why and everything [that I] probably could get into. But I always said I feel like this role found me for a reason… So I was always very happy to be like, ‘I’m here to service it for as long as it requires me to be here.’ So, if it’s four years, if it’s ten years, whatever it is, I’m just here to do what’s asked.
Obviously, portraying the Man of Steel is no small feat, and it sounds like Hoechlin was just happy that he was able to perform the role for as long as he did. On top of that, Superman & Lois‘ series finale provided perfect endings for all of the characters, including Clark. Cancellations can typically hit shows before their creative teams can provide closure., so it’s great that S&L had the opportunity to wrap everything up. While Hoechlin isn’t bummed out about the show ending, there is an aspect of the experience that he does miss:
Do I wish I could’ve kept working with those people, because I loved everybody on that crew and on that cast, yeah, 100 percent. But am I sitting here being like, ‘Oh man, I wish I was still playing Superman’? No, but not because I didn’t enjoy it. Just because I never had any expectations with it.
I can certainly understand Tyler Hoechlin being somewhat sad that he’s no longer working with his Superman & Lois colleagues and working with them on a regular basis. Based on the leading man’s comments, I’d imagine that in that time, they forged a close bond. And how can you not after working together through four seasons marked by global pandemic, a corporate merger and more?
Not a lot of people can say they played Superman and, regardless of how long that stint lasted, the Teen Wolf alum seems to be grateful for the experience. Additionally, he also shared sentiments about being able to pass on the mantle to the next actor, and I absolutely love these comments:
I was always very, very happy to just hold the place until it was my time to move on and let the next guy come in…. I was bummed that I wasn’t going to work with those people anymore, but I wasn’t bummed that I wasn’t going to play that character anymore.
Both Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch have been supportive of the new Superman movie as well. Hoechlin previously shared his excitement over seeing David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, while Tulloch shouted out new Lois actress Rachel Brosnahan in her Superman & Lois farewell post when filming on the final season wrapped. I love to see actors being supportive of each other.
It’s still sad that Superman & Lois is over, especially given the quality of the show and just how close the cast and crew seemed to be. Still, it’s heartwarming to know that Hoechlin is enthusiastic about passing the torch and remains grateful for his time in the role. Fans can watch all four seasons of S&L now with a Max subscription, while Superman flies into theaters on July 11.
