The primary full-length trailer for James Gunn‘s Superman was lastly launched, after loads of build-up and hype by means of numerous teaser trailers. Now, followers have an excellent grasp on what to anticipate from the story, because the two-minute trailer options Superman fighting pushback on a wide range of fronts resulting from his intervention in a international battle. What follows the intriguing setup at the start of the trailer are all the massive, crowd-pleasing moments anticipated from our first full-length take a look at the movie. Nonetheless, an attention-grabbing narrative throughline explores Superman’s old style mindset clashing with a nihilistic modern-day world. In a approach, this extra optimistic rendition of the character is harking back to Zack Snyder‘s imaginative and prescient.
A lot of Zack Snyder’s second movie within the now-defunct DC Prolonged Universe (DCEU), Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice, handled very comparable subjects involving Superman’s interventionist strategies, particularly in a gap scene the place he saves Lois Lane from a bunch of terrorists. Whereas Batman v Superman obtained damaging evaluations and underperformed on the field workplace, it nonetheless posed intriguing questions on Superman’s place on the earth and the extent of his attain and affect. James Gunn appears to be selecting up that narrative thread along with his Superman movie, whereas additionally clearly studying from Snyder’s errors along with his iteration.

Superman
- Launch Date
-
July 11, 2025
- Director
-
James Gunn
- Producers
-
Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran
‘Superman’ Makes use of Themes From ‘Batman v Superman’ in a Totally different Context
Whereas James Gunn is taking this component from Snyder’s model of the character, he’s seemingly doing it in a wholly totally different approach. That is particularly evident at the start of the trailer, the place, as an alternative of a congressional listening to like in Snyder’s movie, Clark is pressured to reckon along with his selections by means of an interview along with his girlfriend, Lois Lane. What begins as a romantic encounter and a gesture of goodwill from Clark quickly turns into a tense dialogue about Superman’s heroics. As an alternative of the character being confronted by a congressional consultant he barely is aware of in Batman v Superman, Gunn’s Superman is challenged by somebody he loves, creating a brand new context that hits more durable than it did in earlier movies.

Associated
A few of Superman’s Greatest Tales Can Be Present in These Forgotten Forties Cartoons
As Superman returns to the massive display screen, we should not neglect in regards to the Forties cartoons that includes a few of his finest battles.
Furthermore, moderately than making a darkish and dreary tone seemingly with out goal and making the titular character depressed and conflicted about his actions, Gunn does the other. Clark defends his actions in an nearly defiant tone, saying that he wasn’t attempting to signify america; he was merely representing himself and wanting to avoid wasting lives above all else. When Gunn was first introduced as the brand new Co-Chairman of DC Studios and beginning a brand new DC Universe, the director would state that the character has a “form of innate goodness about [him]; it is his defining attribute.” It is an thrilling take that acknowledges the potential Snyder’s character had whereas remaining true to what makes Superman, as a comic book e book character, work so effectively.
There may also be many superheroes and villains who take care of Superman and supply their distinctive viewpoints on the state of affairs. Except for morally upright characters like Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Superman will characteristic heroes like Man Gardner (Inexperienced Lantern), Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and extra morally ambiguous characters, resembling The Engineer, a member of the Authority. Whereas Snyder’s Superman solely actually had Ben Affleck’s Batman to counteract him when it comes to beliefs and method to heroics, Gunn’s Superman is in a way more lived-in DC Universe that may shed new mild on the questions posed in each character iterations.
Superman’s Goodness Is Challenged on a A lot Extra Private Stage
Lois Lane challenges Clark’s virtuosity within the trailer, which may very well be thought of an attention-grabbing spin on the ideas explored in Batman v Superman. Henry Cavill’s portrayal of the Man of Metal in each movies had him reckoning along with his overwhelming energy, one thing that Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) taught him to maintain a secret. Nonetheless, Gunn showcases David Corenswet’s Clark having a really totally different relationship with this model of Pa Kent, being instructed to do the best factor it doesn’t matter what. So, whereas Gunn could also be taking the perfect components from Snyder’s imaginative and prescient for the final son of Krypton, he is altering the context fully in what’s going to hopefully end in a a lot better movie.
The truth that Superman has such an enormous quantity of energy does not appear to be the first focus of James Gunn’s upcoming movie. Somewhat, the film needs to discover what it means to have old style values in a world so morally difficult that it will possibly’t permit good for the sake of excellent to occur. One of the best a part of Snyder’s exploration of Superman is how the character needed to be held accountable for the destruction the hero’s struggle with Zod triggered, and his place on the earth after it. It is smart that Gunn would need to proceed that storytelling pattern, solely by means of the lens of one thing rather more optimistic and true to the character’s roots.

Associated
Why Christopher Reeve Was Virtually Recast in ‘Superman III’ (And Who Almost Changed Him)
Christopher Reeve performed Superman in 4 motion pictures, however he nearly exited sooner. That is the story of ‘Superman III.’
Whereas a lot of the brand new DCU’s future is determined by how effectively Superman performs on the field workplace, it is arduous to disregard the potential character improvement that might are available in sequels or future appearances in different DCU movies and tv exhibits. Whereas Snyder solely had two movies to additional expound on the character’s place on the earth and his accountability to humanity, Gunn has a (doubtlessly) a lot larger canvas to work with.
As Superman goes by means of this pivotal journey within the first characteristic movie within the DCU, it is arduous to consider that this would be the solely time that Gunn makes use of Clark’s inherent goodness and place on the earth as a storytelling gadget, particularly when you’ve got different big-name gamers like Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor to problem the hero in new and impressed methods.
James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Essentially Understands the Character
Gunn has been vocal about how all kinds of Superman media, together with Snyder’s movies, have helped affect the Superman script that he would finally write and direct. Superman’s relationship with on a regular basis individuals and their belief in him are integral to his success within the narrative. Gunn understands this if this primary full-length trailer is something to go by. Extra than simply displaying the character preventing different highly effective people, loads of scenes present him saving as many individuals as doable.
Whereas Zack Snyder’s temporary exploration of Superman’s reckoning along with his actions in Batman v Superman was one of the attention-grabbing components in his trilogy of movies, it is not used wherever close to its full potential. Fortunately, the artistic workforce behind this new Superman movie appears to know the way a lot unused potential exists to discover that side even additional. In simply three minutes, James Gunn was capable of present a quick tease into not solely how trustworthy the movie can be to the comedian books it was impressed by, however that this summer season’s Superman can be a thematically resonant blockbuster that has an excellent grasp on who the character is at his core: an excellent particular person. Superman releases in theaters on July 11, 2025.