Superman (2025)

By: Mike Ward on Friday, July 11

PG-13 Running Time: 129 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

James Gunn is officially in charge of the new DC Universe and Superman arrives with a whole lot of anticipation and expectation
David Corenswet is a fantastic choice to play Superman, a throwback to Christopher Reeve’s time in the role and offering something different than what Henry Cavill offered in his recent stint.
Technically accomplished and quite entertaining, this new Superman is an absolute crowd-pleaser.

NO

The second half of this movie feels like an entire movie crammed into a short amount of time. As a result, Superman can feel overstuffed and convoluted.
Those who liked having a darker, more grim alternative to the Marvel approach of superhero storytelling may be disappointed with this film’s look and feel. DC fans - this is definitely a pivot in a different direction.
Does this do enough to springboard us into a new DCU? Superman may become a hit summer blockbuster but does it do a good enough job in setting the table for upcoming DCU projects?

OUR REVIEW

The Marvel vs. DC debate that dominated movie theaters and consumed moviegoers in the years before COVID-19 left Marvel the clear winner by almost every metric - box office receipts, brand recognition, merchandise sales, sponsorships and endorsements, and critical and audience acclaim all tilted in Marvel’s favor. For a while, they seemingly could not miss - Marvel movies were full of groundbreaking visual effects and action, memorable characters, and often struck a much lighter tone than DC’s darker-themed stories. When DC did try and lighten the mood, the Wonder Woman and Aquaman films got mixed responses, while movies like Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy films reaped massive rewards.

While Marvel created a complex and interconnected cinematic universe, known as the MCU, including numerous television series on Disney+, DC Studios took a different approach. After disappointing returns and lackluster critic and audience reaction, they shut down some of their franchise properties, created some one-off superhero movies, and saw distributor Warner Bros. go through major upheaval.

Enter James Gunn.

Gunn directed three massively successful Guardians movies for Marvel, and found success with an R-rated reboot of The Suicide Squad for DC in 2021. In 2022, he created and directed several episodes of “The Peacemaker” starring John Cena for HBO Max. Now signed to Warner Bros. and DC Studios exclusively, Gunn oversees the new DC Universe (naturally abbreviated as the DCU).

Bringing Gunn on board for Superman creates a clear distinction from the super-serious “Man of Steel,” portrayed by Henry Cavill. Zack Snyder’s ambitious, often pretentious take on the Justice League has also been replaced. Gunn’s Superman represents a significant pivot, with David Corenswet now donning the red and blue suit and flowing cape. Recently seen in “Lady of the Lake” and Twisters, he is a fresh-faced, humorous, tousle-haired charmer who resembles more of what Christopher Reeve brought to the role in the late 1970s than recent iterations.

Though humor was present in DC movies, Superman embraces it and offers, well, what feels at times like a Marvelization of the character. Gunn’s script is full of pithy one-liners, sight gags, and fan-ready jokes. Rather than take the typical “origin story” route with this reboot, Gunn decides to drop us directly into Superman’s existing life, as well as that of journalist Clark Kent and his “secret” relationship with fellow reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).

To reiterate: Corenswet is no Cavill. And Gunn’s film is not interested in dwelling on the mental struggle and emotional burden of being a superhero. While purpose and identity serve as one crucial part of the story, Gunn is much more inclined to allow us to laugh at the antics of Krypto, a loyal, if not somewhat dim-witted dog companion who loves his Superman very much and tries to protect him.

In terms of how Superman launches the DCU, there are some dramatic elements to the story. More so with Superman than Clark Kent, there is an overarching sense of purpose and meaning that our caped superhero is grappling with. Gunn’s screenplay hints at something of an existential crisis plaguing Superman: What am I here to do? Why does this all fall on me? What is the meaning I am pursuing with my life?

Rather than dwelling on those thoughts and inner struggles, they serve as something of a backdrop to a larger story that adds more and more elements the longer it goes and becomes rather crowded and convoluted.

Superman’s eternal nemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), redressed here as something of an Elon Musk-type figure, attempts to turn public sentiment against the superhero when a video from his deceased parents is taken out of context. Luthor is also busy creating a “Pocket Universe” to house a defeated Superman once and for all, as well as any other people he doesn’t want to deal with.

Along the way, Superman reconnects with the Justice Gang - the Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi). He has to contend with the villainous Hammer of Boravia. He comes into contact with shapeshifter Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan).

Gunn seems as if he is feeling his way through the story as it develops. A summer blockbuster, Superman has a “big movie feel” about it, but the second half of the film ramps up so much exposition and story, the movie feels a bit exhausting in the very moments it should be causing us to lean forward and cheer (or scream) in our seats.

That said, Gunn knows how to deliver just enough to keep audiences engaged. From the grim, resolute Superman that Snyder thought audiences wanted, we instead get a chiseled-jaw throwback for the Gunn generation. And amid all of the visual effects, the nods and winks to John Williams’ iconic score, the impressive sound design and energetic pacing, Corenswet looks and feels like the right choice. He develops strong chemistry with Brosnahan, who adds a steely, no-nonsense edge to Lois’ character that has frankly been missing for quite some time.

In the end, Superman is a bonafide crowd pleaser, designed to send viewers’ home happy. Far from perfect, I would imagine most DC fans are nonetheless enthusiastic about the future prospects of Gunn overseeing the DCU.

Still though, I have to share the thought that ran through my mind, exiting the theater, thinking about where the Marvel vs. DC debate has taken us in the summer of 2025:

If you can’t beat them … join them.

CAST & CREW

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, Wendell Pierce, Beck Bennett, Mikaela Hoover, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, Maria Gabriela de Faria, Zlatko Buric, Frank Grillo, Bradley Cooper, Angela Sarafayan, Milly Alcock, Alan Tudyk, Pom Klementieff, Michael Rooker, Grace Tan, Will Reeve

Director: James Gunn
Written by: James Gunn
Based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Warner Bros.

James Gunn is officially in charge of the new DC Universe and Superman arrives with a whole lot of anticipation and expectation

David Corenswet is a fantastic choice to play Superman, a throwback to Christopher Reeve’s time in the role and offering something different than what Henry Cavill offered in his recent stint.

Technically accomplished and quite entertaining, this new Superman is an absolute crowd-pleaser.

The second half of this movie feels like an entire movie crammed into a short amount of time. As a result, Superman can feel overstuffed and convoluted.

Those who liked having a darker, more grim alternative to the Marvel approach of superhero storytelling may be disappointed with this film’s look and feel. DC fans - this is definitely a pivot in a different direction.

Does this do enough to springboard us into a new DCU? Superman may become a hit summer blockbuster but does it do a good enough job in setting the table for upcoming DCU projects?