SUPERMAN Star Wendell Pierce Isn't A Comic Book Reader But Is "Excited" To Play DCU's Perry White

SUPERMAN Star Wendell Pierce Isn't A Comic Book Reader But Is "Excited" To Play DCU's Perry White

SUPERMAN star Wendell Pierce has broken his silence on being cast as Perry White in DC Studios' upcoming reboot, admitting that while he's not a comic book reader, he is excited to take on the role...

By JoshWilding - Apr 03, 2024 01:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman: Legacy

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has assembled an impressive cast for SUPERMAN, including The Wire and Jack Ryan star Wendell Pierce. 

The actor appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers yesterday evening and was asked about his role as Daily Planet editor-in-chief, Perry White. He played coy but seems to be relishing the opportunity to board the DCU.

"The great James Gunn is directing that film. That's what I hear," Pierce teased. "You may know more about it than I do!"

"Like I said, I can remember my lines, but not my characters. I'm looking forward to this. I never grew up reading comics so I relied on my friends to tell me about it," he continued. "As you can see, I have a problem with memory. I'm excited about [it]."

When Pierce's casting was made official, Gunn said he too was "excited" to welcome the actor into this world. With both Clark Kent and Lois Lane expected to be front and centre in this story, we anticipate spending a lot of time at The Daily Planet; that likely means Pierce's role will be significant. 

"I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am," Gunn said of the Man of Tomorrow last year. "He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s [frick]ing Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like."

"How can I make it different from the Superman movies that have been made so far, but also have it respect all the Superman movies that have been made so far? [It] just took me some time to try to figure it out," he'd later say when asked about turning down the chance to helm a Superman project before The Suicide Squad.

You can hear more from Pierce in the players below. 

SUPERMAN tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

David Corenswet is playing the Man of Steel, while Rachel Brosnahan has been tapped to star as Lois Lane.

The movie's supporting cast includes Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.

SUPERMAN is currently set to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.

SUPERMAN Set Photos Appear To Confirm The Movie Will Feature An Alien Villain - Possible SPOILERS
Related:

SUPERMAN Set Photos Appear To Confirm The Movie Will Feature An Alien Villain - Possible SPOILERS

SUPERMAN Set Photos Feature DC Easter Eggs, A Nod To Tim Drake/Robin, And The Classic Daily Planet Logo
Recommended For You:

SUPERMAN Set Photos Feature DC Easter Eggs, A Nod To Tim Drake/Robin, And The Classic Daily Planet Logo

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

1 2
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 4/3/2024, 1:43 PM
Damn good actor. Congrats to him.
RedFury
RedFury - 4/3/2024, 1:45 PM
I can picture his Perry White already. He's got that boss man vibe to his acting, and I think he'll do great in the role.

I also appreciate the honesty of him saying he's not a comic-book reader. Far better than the folks that claim they are, when it's obvious they're not. You don't have to love the comics, just respect that people do.
mountainman
mountainman - 4/3/2024, 1:46 PM
Bunk!!!

Hopefully they don’t make Perry White a womanizing alcoholic.
BobGarlen
BobGarlen - 4/3/2024, 1:52 PM
This is a solid casting choice. His work on Jack Ryan alone shows he's great for the role. Excited to see how he handles it.
Order66
Order66 - 4/3/2024, 1:53 PM
He’s a great actor.

I guarantee you many years from now Perry White is going to be officially made into a black character just like how nick fury was officially made a black character. Nothing wrong with that. Just stating.
Odekahn
Odekahn - 4/3/2024, 3:52 PM
@Order66 - disagree. They should develop new roles for black actors in the movies. New characters they can establish and stop the race swapping. Do something creative instead of changing the identity of an established character. All it shows is that they believe only white characters have any value, when they could build value with newly created characters and still have diversity.
Odekahn
Odekahn - 4/3/2024, 3:54 PM
@Order66 - not saying he’s not a great actor or anything. I was commenting on White being Black from now on.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 4/3/2024, 1:53 PM
Amazing actor.

Gunn said “I’m Superman” lol
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 4/3/2024, 2:00 PM
The more I hear about this movie the more I feel like it's Gunns version of MOS (with a few extra characters)🤣

Isiah Whitlock Jr for Jimmy Olsen please!

User Comment Image
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 4/3/2024, 2:04 PM
"I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am," Gunn said of the Man of Tomorrow last year. "

User Comment Image
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 4/3/2024, 3:04 PM
@Nomis929 -
User Comment Image
User Comment Image
User Comment Image
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 4/3/2024, 3:11 PM
@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - He's not even remotely funny. And yet to make a movie I fully like (ThE Suicide Squad is the only one that comes close).
Zupernova
Zupernova - 4/8/2024, 4:09 PM
@Nomis929 - James was referring to how he relates to Superman feeling like an outsider, yet still choosing to be unapologetically yourself. I admit, it's weird how he worded it, but I wouldn't read too much into it. Whatever you think of the guy people LOVE his movies. Hell, Guardians 3 is the only real successful MCU movie lately.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 4/3/2024, 2:04 PM
Refreshing to see an actor not pretend to be a huge fan.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/3/2024, 2:05 PM
He is a great actor and I can easily see him in the role…

He can be irascible tough as nails boss aswell as warm father figure that Perry can be so excited to see him as the character!!.

User Comment Image
HermanM
HermanM - 4/3/2024, 2:06 PM
The only inaccurate casting so far, but if Perry were black, I think he'd be like this guy from that clip alone. He will do fine. Better than Laurence Fishburne.

Very excited for this movie.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/3/2024, 2:06 PM
Welcome to the club Mr Pierce.

User Comment Image
Steel86
Steel86 - 4/3/2024, 2:45 PM
@TheVisionary25 - This is pretty kool. As a Superman fan it amazes me how much of the supes we love didn't originate in the comics.
Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 4/3/2024, 2:09 PM
Waiting To Exhale
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 4/3/2024, 2:34 PM
@Godzilla2000Zer - literally every time I see him I think of Waiting to Exhale. She called him a human submarine sandwich lol. He also tried to shit Ray Charles out of money on Ray lol
Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 4/3/2024, 3:22 PM
@DarthOmega - Love that movie
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 4/3/2024, 5:00 PM
@Godzilla2000Zer - Angela Bassett and Lela Rachon looking like whole Goddesses in that film. Whitney too.
Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 4/3/2024, 5:16 PM
@DarthOmega - Yeah they all do especially Lela
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/3/2024, 2:11 PM
Off topic:

Drew Goddard to write & direct new “Matrix”

https://deadline.com/2024/04/the-matrix-drew-goddard-1235874947/

Jack O Connell in talks as the villain for Ryan Coogler & MBJ’s period genre film.

https://deadline.com/2024/04/jack-oconnell-circling-michael-b-jordan-ryan-coogler-pic-warner-bros-1235874332/
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 4/3/2024, 2:12 PM
@TheVisionary25 - really wish they’d let matrix die
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/3/2024, 2:17 PM
@ShimmyShimmyYA - I’m mixed on it

On one hand, I agree (though I never saw Resurrections but heard mixed things )

However on the other hand , I like Goddard and would like to see his take especially since he came to them with the idea.
RedFury
RedFury - 4/3/2024, 2:18 PM
@ShimmyShimmyYA - not me! Just need to put some new blood into it, and move on from the Wachowskis. They did us a great service of the original trilogy(more-so the first two) Now time for someone else to take a crack and breath some new life into it.

I think I was in grade 7 or 8 when the original came out and it blew my little mind.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 4/3/2024, 2:21 PM
@ShimmyShimmyYA - Yeeeeah, not much to recommend the series past it's first entry. Kinda wish they'd just left it as one-and-done.
SATW42
SATW42 - 4/3/2024, 2:37 PM
@TheVisionary25 - I think it's safe to say I'm probably the biggest Matrix series fan on this board, and I'm stoked.

The animatrix and the two Matrix comics showed there are plenty of good, non Neo centric, stories to be told in this world and I for one am looking forward to it.

I don't think you have to reboot, and I don't think you have to continue where Resurrections left off. I think you could either tell a completely random non Neo, non One story, or you can tell the story of a previous one who perhaps didn't have the same journey as Neo, which is canon because Neo wasn't coded like the other "Ones"

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a story about the first failed utopia matrix that had to be scrapped because humans were incapable of believing a perfect world to be possible. Lots of parallels to today's world with people choosing to be online and lead miserable unhappy existences. Like alot of users on this site actually.
RedFury
RedFury - 4/3/2024, 2:54 PM
@SATW42 - imagine if they go way back to the start and show us the war between man and machine that leads up the creation of the Matrix. I think that was my absolute favorite part of the animatrix, and would be blown away to see that in live action. Although it might echoe the terminator future a little too much for audiences to see it as fresh.

Though a new story without Neo would also be welcomed. As much as I love 'the one' they shouldn't keep milking his arc.
Forthas
Forthas - 4/3/2024, 2:11 PM
"DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has assembled an impressive cast for SUPERMAN"

Yet it pales in comparison to the cast of Man of Steel.
DTor91
DTor91 - 4/3/2024, 2:39 PM
@Forthas - Superman’s cast is far, FAR and away a better cast, and Man Of Steel wasted all its best actors.

Amy Adams was done one of the biggest disservices in the entirety of the previous run of DC films.
Forthas
Forthas - 4/3/2024, 2:48 PM
@DTor91 - Don't know what you are smoking but Man of Steel had six of with what I would describe as Oscar caliber actors or actresses

Diane Lane
Laurence Fishburne
Michael Shannon
Russell Crowe
Kevin Costner
Amy Adams

I cannot think of one for the upcoming Superman film.
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 4/3/2024, 3:19 PM
@Forthas - you're right, even if Adams was miscast it doesn't change the fact you're right!
Forthas
Forthas - 4/3/2024, 4:53 PM
@AquaClunge - I agree that Adams was a miscast. Not sure what Snyder was thinking. But she did a great job and I don't have any issues with her acting.
Zupernova
Zupernova - 4/8/2024, 4:11 PM
@Forthas - We haven't actually seen any of them in the movie yet, so comparing them to MOS this early is kinda pointless. Let's wait until AT LEAST a trailer or two.
Forthas
Forthas - 4/9/2024, 7:51 AM
@Zupernova - I am not comparing their performances or lack thereof this far....I am comparing their pedigree before when they were cast in their respective films. The cast of MOS was well established as an elite cast of actors compared to the ones for Superman.
Origame
Origame - 4/3/2024, 2:11 PM
...why did you quote excited in the title?

You controversy driving a$$.
RedFury
RedFury - 4/3/2024, 2:28 PM
@Origame - are you applying air quotes as you read that? Because he's quoted in the article as saying "I'm excited about [it]."

He just put the "excited" part in the article headline; which I don't see how that's controversial. Just saying.
1 2

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

View Recorder