James Gunn, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult and Peter Safran attended the premiere in Leicester Square
Superman was the first superhero, created 87 years ago. He’s appeared in numerous books and films over the years and now he’s been rebooted again as James Gunn introduces the first film in the relaunched DC universe.
The film has been hotly anticipated and a lot is riding on it – superhero films in recent years have been met with mixed reviews from critics and fans.
Playing the Man of Steel is 31-year-old American actor David Corenswet.
Corenswet, who has previously appeared in TV series The Politician, Hollywood and We Own This City, is the fourth person to play the role in a major Superman movie, and the first for a decade.
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Corenswet is the fourth person to play Superman
His version of the hero is far cheerier and more optimistic that other iterations, particularly compared to Henry Cavill’s portrayal of him which was grittier and darker.
The film will kick-start a new era for DC Studios, which writer-director Gunn and producer Peter Safran took over in 2022.
Cavill, who appeared in 2013’s Man of Steel and its spin-offs, announced in 2022 that he would return to the role – but Gunn and Safran decided to replace him after they took over DC.
As a hero whose message is of hope and justice, I ask Corenswet what Superman would make of the world today.
“He’d probably like to see more kindness,” he says. “He’s a figure who is willing to take on responsibility and has joy in doing that and I think he would like to inspire others in the world today to take on more responsibility.”
Rachel Brosnahan, who is best known for playing Midge Maisel in The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, plays Lois Lane and tells me that Superman would want to “step in and help whenever and wherever he could.”
“He sees people and things in need and steps in when you need him without questions,” she says.
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Fans can expect to see the development of the relationship between Lois Lane and Superman in this film
Nicholas Hoult, who plays infamous villain Lex Luthor, adds that the superhero would want to “see more goodness in the world”.
The 31-year-old actor who recently starred in Nosferatu and Juror #2 feels confident that this version of Superman will buck the trend of failed reboots.
“Gunn’s version is a lot of fun and celebrates what it is to be human,” he says
He explains that he doesn’t think superhero fatigue has set in but it’s important to “have good storytelling and create characters that people are inspired by”.
DC has struggled to find major hits in recent years, with films like Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman 1984 and Joker: Folie à Deux – part of the wider DC stable – each earning less than $60m (£48m) at the North American box office.
Elsewhere in Hollywood, Sony’s latest phase of superhero films ended with a flop when Kraven the Hunter opened with takings of just $11m (£9m) last weekend.
Hoult originally auditioned for the role of Superman but said after reading the script he thought Lex was a better fit.
“When Gunn called me to offer me the role of Lex I chuckled because his instincts were right.”
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Hoult says he originally auditioned to play Superman not Lex Luther
Speaking to fans at the premiere, many were excited to see more screen time being given to the relationship between Superman and his love interest, Lois Lane.
Brosnahan says she’s excited for fans to see their relationship develop and the film “really humanises both of them”.
“What’s great about this film is that it’s not an origin story so we get to go deeper into the relationships and I think Lois and Superman realise they have met their match in each other.”
Other characters in the film include Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Rex Mason/Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Michael Holt/Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi).
As the first film in the new DC Universe, there’s a lot riding on it.
It will likely set the tone for how other films such as Supergirl and Clayface that are set to be released in 2026 will be received.
The box office prediction is high for Gunn’s film and on 11 July, when the film is released, we’ll find out if those predictions are correct.
Prince William shocked over Meghan Markle ‘insensitive’ move
Prince William is infuriated as Meghan Markle launches her latest ‘As Ever’ product.
The Prince of Wales is upset as his sister-in-law in California drops her alcohol brand and sells out within an hour.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield told The Sun: “It’s not lost on Prince William that Meghan has launched an alcohol brand on his mother’s birthday, the very mum he lost in a drink driving tragedy.”
Ms Schofield said: “Timing an alcohol launch to Diana’s birthday wasn’t just a misstep, it was borderline cruel.”
She added: “To claim ignorance here doesn’t hold up—it wasn’t just insensitive. It felt like a betrayal of the very narrative she’s working so hard to craft.”
Prince Harry left the Royal Family back in 2020 alongside wife Meghan Markle and son, Prince Archie. The couple later accused the Royal Family of showcasing racism towards their son and publicly shared their grievances on television. Harry and Meghan now live in California, where they also welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet.
COLCHESTER, England — Princess Kate is sharing new details about her recovery from cancer, describing the experience as a “roller coaster.”
“You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism, through treatment. Treatment’s done, and it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal again,’ but actually that phase afterwards is a really difficult time,” Kate said Wednesday during a visit to Colchester Hospital in Colchester, England, according to the Press Association.
“You’re not able to function normally at home as you were perhaps once used to,” added Kate, who shares three young children with her husband Prince William.
Kate, 43, announced in January that she is in remission from cancer.
She first announced her cancer diagnosis publicly in March 2024. Kate has not shared the type of cancer with which she was diagnosed or any details of her treatment beyond sharing that she underwent chemotherapy.
Kate’s visit to the hospital Wednesday is part of her gradual return to work that began late last year.
In speaking with cancer patients, Kate reflected on the recovery process, saying it’s not as straightforward as people expect.
“It’s a roller coaster. It’s not one smooth plain, which you expect it to be, but the reality is it’s not. You go through hard times, and to have a place like this, to have the support network, whether its through creativity and singing or gardening, whatever it might be, is so valuable, and it’s great that this community has it,” she said. “It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.”
While at the hospital, Kate visited the RHS Wellbeing Garden, where she took time to plant some roses.
In addition to meeting with cancer patients at the hospital, Kate also met with staff and volunteers, to whom she spoke more about the “life-changing” experience of a cancer diagnosis.
“It’s life-changing for anyone, through first diagnosis or post-treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the individual patient but also for the families as well,” she said. “And actually, it sometimes goes unrecognized, you don’t necessarily, particularly when it’s the first time, you don’t appreciate how much impact it is going to have. You have to find your new normal, and that takes time.”
The video in the player above is from an earlier report.
Fans slam Kris Jenner’s leg leaves fans shocked and confused
Kris Jenner has come under fire for an alleged ‘Photoshop fail’ that appeared to distort one of her legs in a recently shared sultry photo.
The 69-year-old momager, who recently showcased the results of her $100k facelift, channelled daughter Kim Kardashian’s style by wearing the same Dolce & Gabbana dress and a diamond pendant necklace at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding in Venice over the weekend.
While Kris looked glamorous in the purple outfit, fans quickly took to social media to call out what they described as a glaring editing error in the images.
One viewer zoomed in on her leg and suggested it resembled a Photoshopped replica of Kim’s, while another jokingly compared the limb to that of a ‘skeleton Barbie.’
‘I am sorry- what? This may be the worst Photoshop I’ve ever witnessed,’ someone wrote on Reddit. ‘The front leg looks like Kim’s with airbrush turned up to 100 and the back one looks like a skeleton Barbie leg.
‘Saw photos of her natural legs the other days-while they show her age, that’s NORMAL and wasn’t remotely as horrified as I was when I saw this,’ they added.
The controversy comes on the heels of another viral moment involving the reality TV star.
Kris was spotted having a seemingly tense exchange with longtime boyfriend Corey Gamble during the lavish wedding celebrations in Venice.
According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who spoke to DailyMail, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star appeared to insist on travelling alone in a water taxi, refusing to share the ride with other guests.
After the jury returned a mixed verdict in the federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, supporters of the 55-year-old music mogul gathered outside the courthouse on Wednesday in celebration.
Combs was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and not guilty of two counts of sex trafficking and a count of racketeering conspiracy.
The verdict, delivered by a jury of eight men and four women, is seen by many legal experts as the best outcome Combs could have hoped for outside of a full acquittal.
Outside the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, dozens of Combs’s supporters gathered after the verdict was delivered. Many chanted his name and cheered as several members of his family exited the building following the announcement.
“Let Puffy go!” some supporters chanted, putting heir fists in the air. “Not guilty!” others shouted.
Music filled the air as supporters played Diddy Free, a track released during closing arguments on Friday by one of Combs’s sons, King Combs, and Ye, formerly Kanye West, who briefly came to support Combs in court during the trial.
The crowd outside the courthouse danced and celebrated, with some handing out bottles of baby oil and lathering themselves in it. Baby oil played a prominent role in this trial; many witnesses testified that Combs used copious amounts of baby oil during his drug-fueled sex marathons referred to as “freak-offs”. Additionally, large amounts of baby oil were found at Combs’s home during federal raids.
By early afternoon, as the crowd outside the courthouse began to grow, the New York police department increased their presence outside the courthouse.
One supporter was seen holding a Sean John T-shirt, a company created by Combs, while others wore T-shirts that read “Freako is not a Rico”.
But while Combs’s supporters celebrated, organizations that support victims of sexual abuse and domestic said they were disappointed in the verdict.
UltraViolet, a women’s rights organization that held a demonstration last week outside of the trial in support of sexual assault survivors, said in a statement that the verdict on Wednesday was “a decisive moment for our justice system, one which threatens to undo the sacrifice of courageous survivors who stepped forward to share their stories in this trial, as well as to all those abused by Diddy who weren’t able to”.
“Today’s verdict is not just a stain on a criminal justice system that for decades has failed to hold accountable abusers like Diddy, it’s also an indictment of a culture in which not believing women and victims of sexual assault remains endemic,” they added.
More than 50 members of the media were also gathered outside the courthouse to cover the verdict and its aftermath.
The attorney for Combs’s former girlfriend and the star government witness in the case – Casandra “Cassie” Ventura – told reporters outside the courthouse that his team is pleased that Combs has “finally been held accountable” but added that “of course, we would have liked to have seen a conviction on the sex crimes and Rico, but we understand that ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ is a high standard”.
“We’re just pleased he still faces substantial jail time,” he added.
Combs had pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
The jury found him guilty of the transportation to engage in prostitution counts, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Since his arrest last September, Combs has remained incarcerated without bail in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn. He has a bail hearing that is scheduled for 5pm ET on Wednesday to determine if he will remain in custody or whether he will be released.
“I hope he gets released today!” one supporter yelled.
My father, Charles Chadwick, who has died aged 92, was a British Council officer involved in a career that took him to Africa, South and North America, and finally to Poland. There, as the council’s director, he administered its Know-How Fund to help pay for libraries in Kraków, Gdańsk and Poznań following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
After retiring from the British Council, in 2005 he had a surprise success as an author when a novel he had written more than 30 years previously, It’s All Right Now, was published by Faber and Faber when he was 73.
It’s All Right Now, by Charles Chadwick, published in 2005
The manuscript had been rejected on various occasions in the past, but had been taken up again by the literary agent Caroline Dawnay, who managed to get Faber & Faber interested. The story of its final emergence made the national news and gave hope to many aspiring authors.
Charles was born in Swanage, Dorset, to Trevor and Marjory (nee Freeman), who were both schoolteachers; his father volunteered in Prague during the late 1930s to help run Nicholas Winton’s Czech Kindertransport. After attending Charterhouse school in Surrey, where he captained the cricket team and twice dismissed the future England captain Peter May, a fellow pupil, he did his national service with the Royal Leicesters in Korea.
There he trod on a landmine shortly after arriving, and ended up losing his lower leg. After recovering at various military hospitals he followed his younger brother William to Canada, where he studied English and French at the University of Toronto.
After graduation Charles spent nine years working for the Colonial Service in what is now Zambia, first as a district officer reviewing local civil cases, then lecturing at a staff training college in Luanshya and finally teaching administration in Lusaka.
In 1972 he left to work for the British Council, beginning in Nigeria and then spent a year in Brazil (1975-76). After a five-year spell at its London office (1976-81), he worked for the council in Canada (1981-88) and then in Poland until his retirement in 1992, when he was appointed CBE.
Following the surprise publication of It’s All Right Now, Charles had another previously rejected novel, A Chance Acquaintance, released in 2011. Three more,Letter to Sally, My Sister Julie and Josefa, could not attract an English publisher but were accepted by a German company, which translated them for the German market.
In retirement in London, Charles became a school governor and in 1994 was appointed for a short spell as regional coordinator of a European Union election observer team in South Africa.
In 1965, he married Evelyn Ingeborg, a violinist; they later divorced. In 1998 he married Mary Teale.
Mary died in 2018. He is survived by two sons, me, from his first marriage, and Samuel from his second, and two grandsons, Huw and Mackenzie.
Academics in politics, sociology and history at Northeastern University in London look at the significance and origins of the U.K. honors system.
Ex-footballer David Beckham was given a knighthood in King Charles’ Birthday Honours. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool, File)
LONDON — “Arise Sir David,” will come the call from King Charles when he formally makes ex-footballer David Beckham a knight of the British realm.
The former free-kick maestro and co-owner of Inter Miami football club will have a sword ceremonially “dubbed” on each shoulder by the British sovereign as he joins a modern brigade of sport stars, musicians, TV personalities and everyday citizens to be given a U.K. honor.
Due to join him in the rank of knight at a royal investiture ceremony will be Roger Daltry, lead singer of the rock band The Who, and actor Gary Oldman, who starred in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.
All three were announced as part of the King’s Birthday Honours in which more than 1,200 people from across the U.K., ranging from age 11 to 106, were recognized, with knighthoods and damehoods being two of the highest ranking awards handed out.
Josephine Harmon, an assistant professor in political science at Northeastern University in London, says the knighting is partly about modern Britain’s projection of itself on the world stage.
“The knighthood system is sending out signals about Britain’s cultural exports,” says Harmon, “whether it is soccer and David Beckham, The Beatles or whether it is Gary Oldman being known for playing all these different acting parts.
“It says something about the country and the fact that we think of ourselves as punching above our weight in cultural terms. After the economic and relative decline after the age of empire, Britain pivoted its image of itself and what it does as a country within the world.
“Part of that was famously about financial services and other services. But another major part is our cultural sector and the way that we export our music, our films, our playwrights and whatever else. The honors system is related to that image of modern Britain.”
People can be nominated, and the monarch announces a new set of recipients twice a year in the birthday and New Year’s lists. The choices are vetted and approved by a committee beforehand. Other times, honors are given when Parliament has completed a full term, known as dissolution honors, or when a prime minister resigns.
“Gongs,” as they are colloquially known, are typically given to well-known personalities, government employees and ordinary people who have served their community with distinction.
Beckham, who previously played for Manchester United and Real Madrid and is estimated to be the eighth highest-paid athlete of all time, is a rare breed in that he is known to have publicly courted a knighthood. Leaked emails from 2013, published four years later, used colorful language to express his displeasure at being snubbed for a knighthood, allegedly calling the British knighting system an expletive.
A “red flag” had reportedly been raised by the U.K. tax office concerning Beckham’s financial investments, an issue that held up any chance of a knighthood until it was cleared in 2021. But after having been a regular attendee at royal events and weddings — along with Spice Girl wife Victoria — carrying out charitable works and having already been bestowed with the lesser honor of Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, he has been given the top accolade of a knighthood.
Beckham’s elevation, says Gergana Dimova, associate professor in politics and sociology, gives the monarchy a chance to align itself with one of Britain’s most-recognized and high-profile cultural stars and offers the opportunity to modernize itself in the process.
“The modern monarchy is constantly reinventing itself,” says the London-based Northeastern academic, “and one of the most viable ways for it to stay relevant in the age of social media is to reach out to celebrities.
“David Beckham is the ultimate celebrity as he has managed to galvanize his sports success into a palpable public presence. A testimony to the power of his image is that he has 88.2 million followers on Instagram and earns around $40 million from brand endorsements. He is the epitome of the good looking, successful, modern man.”
Dimova says a knighthood and damehood can also allow the recipient to reform or reinforce their own image. In Beckham’s case, it offers the chance for the newly minted “Sir David,” who comes from a working-class background, to align himself with the establishment.
“Knighthood is mutually beneficial,” continues Dimova. “By accepting the knighthood, Beckham moves from the realm of new money to the polished world of tradition.”
Beckham, 50, seemed to recognize that journey himself when he said after the announcement: “Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honor.”
Similarly, others, such as pop star David Bowie and film director Danny Boyle, turned down knighthoods so as not to be seen as tied to the establishment or the institution of the monarchy.
While becoming a knight or dame does not come with any formal elevated position, Harmon argues that there is still an undefined authority that arises from being afforded the distinction. In fact, people who fall below the standard expected of those holding the rank can be stripped of their honor, as was seen when Queen Elizabeth II’s courtier Anthony Blunt was ousted as a spy for Russia.
“I think there are certain forms of power which are not tangible,” Harmon says. “An honor doesn’t involve legal powers over people. But there is this cultural, social authority that you get just from this title and from this recognition that people are impressed by it.”
The U.K. is not alone in having such a system for recognizing citizens’ achievements, Harmon points out. In the U.S., the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal are given to citizens for their merits. But it is the history of the British honors system that helps to set it apart.
Chloe McKenzie, assistant professor in medieval history, explains that the concept of bestowing knighthoods can be traced to the eighth century in Western Europe, and that it became ingrained in British life after the Norman conquest in 1066.
“In medieval society, there was a three-tiered society, which comprised of those who fight, those who pray and those who work,” says McKenzie. “And those who fought were the knights, and they were the natural leaders of society.
“The Norman conquest solidified that social structure. William I used his knights by rewarding them with lands and they in turn subjugated the local population in the decades after the conquest. But things really start to shift, I would say, in the 13th and 14th centuries when the honors system, as we would recognize it, comes into being.”
McKenzie says that, prior to the 1300s, it was mainly military men from a certain class or background who were knighted. But around 1348, King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter, which remains to this day the pinnacle of the U.K. honors system, with the likes of Tony Blair, the former prime minister, inducted in 2022.
The Order of the Garter started off as a way of rewarding Edward’s military leaders after his victory over the French at the Battle of Crecy in 1346, with the knights belonging to the order “supposed to be beyond reproach,” explains McKenzie, who is currently researching the order’s early history.
As time went on, the order’s function changed to being first about promoting King Edward’s family and helping create family unity before turning political.
“As the 14th century wears on and goes into the 15th century, the Order of the Garter takes on more of an overtly political function, and that evolves over time,” says McKenzie.
“You stop having people who are military commanders, and you might have somebody who is politically useful to reward.”
Other honors rankings would go on to be formed, such as the Order of the Bath in the 18th century and the Order of Merit in 1902, but, according to McKenzie, they can all trace their origins to those medieval rulers wanting to celebrate their most impressive subjects.
“They are part of that same system of rewarding people for different purposes,” McKenzie adds.
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