Despite being a symbol of hope and justice, Superman is a pretty controversial superhero. He’s hard for some to relate to because of his Boy Scout attitude, and it doesn’t help matters that he rarely has to break a sweat because he’s almost always more powerful than his opponent. The lack of interest in the hero forces DC to constantly push out alternate takes, such as Injustice: Gods Among Us, which sees the Man of Steel break bad and use his power to force his beliefs onto others. However, there’s an even more notable Superman project that pushes the hero to his limits and makes him abandon his morals: Man of Steel.
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Zack Snyder’s version of Superman, while different, is unbelievably polarizing, and the dark cloud around him is probably partly to blame for the DC Extended Universe never finding its footing. James Gunn can’t afford to follow that franchise up with anything but hopefulness, and the second trailer for Superman proves that’s exactly what’s on the menu.
The DCEU’s Superman Never Feels Confident
Unlike most Superman stories, Man of Steel features the character hiding from his heroic tendencies. He picks up odd jobs all over the world after losing his father, who struggled to support his son’s need to help people. Without a clear direction, Clark Kent seeks out the truth of his heritage, and after coming across a Kryptonian ship, he finds all the knowledge he needs. Unfortunately, his discovery invites the evil General Zod to Earth, and he plans to take it for himself. Clark won’t just stand by and let it happen, so he fights Zod and ends up taking his life. Zod leaves Clark no choice, but it doesn’t get Superman off on the right foot.
When Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice rolls around, Superman is much more active but rarely feels good about his actions. He returns to Metropolis to find news outlets and the government questioning his actions, and it really eats at him. Lex Luthor only pours more fuel on the fire by kidnapping his mother, Martha, and pitting him against another hero, Batman. Superman can’t take it anymore, and as he goes off to fight Batman, he doesn’t even believe his heroic alter-ego deserves to exist. Of course, Superman dies shortly after during his battle with Doomsday, and only then does the world realize his value. Things are different when the hero comes back to life in Justice League, but no matter how many appearances he makes, it’s hard to get the stink off the character.
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James Gunn Wants Superman to Fight Back Against His Critics
The latest trailer for Gunn’s Superman movie isn’t all that different from the one for BvS. Lois Lane begins to hit the hero with hard questions about whether meddling in world affairs is really his place. Instead of just standing there and taking it, though, Superman fires back by saying that he’s going to save people if he thinks they’re in danger. He believes his moral code is strong enough to push him in the right direction, no matter what other people say. And he puts his money where his mouth is throughout the new look at the movie, throwing himself into danger without a second thought and confidently speaking to villains who mean to do harm. The new Superman refuses to brood, and it’s going to help him in the long run.
Obviously, a lot is riding on Superman. It’s the beginning of a new franchise, one that hopes to be around for a long time. However, even if it isn’t the jumping-off point that Iron Man was for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as long as the titular hero stays true to himself, never wavering in the face of adversity, it will be a major win for Gunn and Co. They can ride the wave he leaves in his wake to new and exciting places.
Superman hits theaters July 11, 2025.
Do you believe that Superman will make people forget all the mistakes Man of Steel made? What do you hope to see from this version of the Man of Steel? Let us know in the comments below!
