David Corenswet’s First Post-Superman Movie Is Crushing Test Screenings With Perfect Scores

I suppose if you’re wondering what David Corenswet’s up to after squeezing into the Superman pants, here’s one for you: his first film post-Krypton, Mr. Irrelevant, is apparently smashing it in test screenings. And not just doing well – we’re talking scores that producers only dream about. If you thought all eyes were on his cape, well, they might want to check out his football kit next.

What’s the story with Mr. Irrelevant?

First off, it isn’t another superhero flick. The film digs into the real-life saga of John Tuggle, who gets lumbered with the nickname 'Mr. Irrelevant' for being the very last pick in the 1983 NFL draft. Not exactly the stuff sports legends are made of, you’d think, but Tuggle pretty much shoved that label back down everyone’s throat by winning the New York Giants’ Special Teams Player of the Year. For the film, Isabel May – you might know her from Scream 7 – steps in as Tuggle’s love interest.

Test screenings: Numbers you’d never believe

Here’s the bit that’s turned heads in the industry: according to The Hollywood Reporter, Mr. Irrelevant has been test screened and the scores are, frankly, absurd. We’re talking a 95 out of 100 from men over 35. Women over 35? A flat-out perfect 100, which basically never happens. Throw everyone’s reactions together and you get an overall score of 92. The sort of feedback that usually gets studio execs breathing into paper bags, in a good way.

Who’s behind it

• Director: Jonathan Levine (he’s the chap behind comedies like Long Shot, Snatched, and The Night Before)
• Screenwriter: Nick Santora (created Amazon’s Reacher and Netflix’s FUBAR)
• Cast: David Corenswet as John Tuggle, Isabel May as the romantic lead
• Production: Shot in Australia, running with a budget in the ballpark of $30 million
• Producers: Skydance Sports, Levine, Santora, Gillian Bohrer
• Factoid: This is actually the debut theatrical film from the Skydance Sports–NFL partnership

Release date and the franchise gauntlet

The film’s set to open on 25 December, 2026 – which, if you’re keeping score, is the same holiday period that’ll see it squaring off against some of the big boys: another Avengers outing and Dune, just for starters. Box office bloodbath, anyone?

The crucial context

If you’re wondering why this all matters: Superman marked Corenswet’s jump to centre stage, but there’s always an unspoken question of whether the bloke can actually anchor anything beyond DC fare. Before donning the cape, he’d popped up in bits and pieces – horror with Pearl, a disaster flick in Twisters, TV gigs like Hollywood and The Politician, but nothing on this scale. So it’s not lost on observers that this is his first proper test outside of a franchise machine.

'Screenings saw a score of 95 among men over 35, with an incredibly rare perfect 100 score among women over 35.'

Corenswet, by the way, is currently filming the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, which is pegged for a July 2027 release, if the schedule holds.