The daily gossip: David Corenswet cast as Superman, Fall Out Boy made a new 'We Didn't Start the Fire,' and more

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1. David Corenswet tapped as DC's next Superman
2. Fall Out Boy made a new "We Didn't Start the Fire" referencing Trump, QAnon, and more
3. Kelly Clarkson has "a bad vibe" with "Since U Been Gone"
4. Tom Cruise endorses a double feature of "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie"
5. Academy's new members include Taylor Swift

published 28 June 2023

1. David Corenswet tapped as DC's next Superman

White smoke has been spotted over the Warner Bros. lot, confirming we officially have a new Superman. David Corenswet has been cast as Clark Kent in James Gunn's reboot "Superman: Legacy," while "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" star Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane. The decision came after Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney reportedly tried out for Superman, while Phoebe Dynevor and Emma Mackey were said to be in the mix for Lois. Corenswet, 29, is relatively unknown, though you may have seen him on Ryan Murphy's Netflix shows "The Politician" and "Hollywood." He also played the projectionist opposite Mia Goth in "Pearl." Fans had regularly suggested Corenswet for Superman, pointing out how much he looks like a younger Henry Cavill. The actor acknowledged the similarity in a 2019 Entertainment Weekly interview, admitting his "pie-in-the-sky ambition is definitely to play Superman" — though "pie-in-the-sky" may have been understating his chances considering the guy looks like he came out of a "new Superman actor" factory.

They're adding fuel to the fire. Fall Out Boy decided a new version of "We Didn't Start the Fire" is a thing the world needed, so the band has gone ahead and created one. In an updated version of Billy Joel's alleged classic, the lyrics have been rewritten to include more recent pop culture from 1989 on. Finally, a song filled with every phrase you were forced to mute on Twitter. Some of the "highlights" from the new lyrics include, "Unabomber, Bobbitt, John, bombing Boston Marathon, balloon boy, war on terror, QAnon. Trump gets impeached twice, polar bears got no ice, Fyre Fest, Black Parade, Michael Phelps, Y2K." The track also mentions everything from "Harry Potter" and "Twilight" to Columbine and ISIS, and it's surely the first song in recorded history that references Sandy Hook and the "Metroid" games in practically the same breath. Also making the cut on the updated lyrics: James Cameron's "Avatar." How's that for cultural impact?

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She can breathe, and spill the tea, for the first time. On "Watch What Happens Live," Kelly Clarkson explained why she has "a bad vibe" with her hit song "Since U Been Gone," alleging, "I was lied to." As Clarkson recounted it, she was instructed to write to a song that had "dummy" lyrics. But Clarkson alleged that when she was flown to Sweden to work on it, she learned that producers Max Martin and Dr. Luke "were not told that I was writing to it" and "already had it written." So Clarkson felt she "looked like a fool" because her label told her "something completely different," and she wondered, "Why lie to me like that?" Despite the drama, Clarkson recognizes the song is a banger. "It's fun as hell to sing," she said, noting she can still "sing the hell out of it on tour" and "put that aside" because she's "such a great compartmentalizer." Out of sight, out of mind.

The Savior of Movies himself approves of your Barbenheimer shenanigans. Tom Cruise has taken to Twitter to celebrate the fact that "this summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters," including this weekend's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." But he also gave a shout-out to "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie," which every true movie fan is planning to see back to back next month, as they open on the same day. "I love a double feature, and it doesn't get more explosive (or more pink) than one with 'Oppenheimer' and 'Barbie,'" Cruise tweeted. He also shared photos of himself and his "Mission: Impossible" director, Christopher McQuarrie, holding movie tickets while standing in front of posters for "Indiana Jones," "Oppenheimer," and "Barbie." It was a notable endorsement following a report that Cruise is furious about "Oppenheimer" taking IMAX screens away from "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One." But clearly, this is a man who wants to be on the right side of cinema history.

If this was a movie, Taylor Swift could vote for it to win Best Picture by now. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is adding nearly 400 new members, including Austin Butler, Stephanie Hsu, Keke Palmer, Ke Huy Quan, and more. Swift was also invited to join alongside other musicians like David Byrne and The Weeknd. "They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines, and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said. Swift has never been nominated for an Oscar for any of her original songs, and in 2022, the Academy brushed off her effort to push her "All Too Well" music video as a short film contender. But Swift could have a shot at an Oscar with her planned feature directorial debut, at least assuming Academy voters don't hold their inability to secure Eras Tour tickets against her.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.