Tyler Hoechlin to Play Superman

The good and the confusing….

It didn’t take long for Supergirl to cast its Superman. Tyler Hoechlin from Seventh Heaven and Teen Wolf fame will be donning the iconic cape for the series. At first glance, the 28-year-old Hoechlin seems like a surprising choice. Apparently though according to multiple sources the Supergirl / Arrow / Flash team has been looking to work with Hoechlin for a while now. Plus, it appears the Hoechlin was on the radar of the Batman v Superman producers as a possibility to play Bruce Wayne. So while Hoechlin may have not been who the fans were thinking (i.e. Tom Welling) there’s a reason why fans don’t do casting. They’d cast more with their hearts than with their minds.  While Welling may have been the sentimental choice it’s nice to see the producers looking for a “fresh face”.

The good

The show certainly needed to add a Superman. The texting, the blurring and the showing of boots wasn’t cutting it. Being six feet tall and athletic, Hoechlin looks the part. It’s imparative for Superman to be likeable and Hoechlin plays likeable well.  While superman is an iconic character, this is still a supporting role. His mission is to mentor and backup Supergirl not take the lead. It will be fun seeing how he interacts with Melissa Benoist who is wonderful as Supergirl.

The confusing

Which leads to the question: how much effect will Superman have on the show? Yes, you need Superman in this world, but he shouldn’t be used as a “get out of a jam free card”. Ideally he’s a presence and another confidant but not a constant presence. Maybe he will make up a bit for Cat Grant’s seemingly decreased role next season?

Also, Superman is supposed to be Kara’s older, more mature and experienced cousin. He’s a mentor who’s been on Earth and a superhero much longer than Kara. Trick is Hoechlin doesn’t look much older at all. (In real life he is one year older.) Not to mention that this is probably the first time in TV / Movie history where Jimmy Olsen (Mehcad Brooks who is in his mids 30s) looks older than Superman. Mehcad doesn’t look much older but he certainly doesn’t look like “Superman’s little buddy.” Of course some of this can be fixed with makeup and some can be explained away by noting that Kyrptonian’s age much slower and better than regular humans.

The exciting question is: will Superman be limited to Supergirl or will he also be making stops in Star City and Central City? Right now they are in a different universe but we’ve already been told by the “CW powers that be” that Supergirl is going to cross over into these worlds. Does that hold true for Superman too?  Could a Justice League be far away?

The conclusion

An interesting choice for sure.  Excited to see where it leads.