James Gunn unleashes bold new Superman in DC universe reboot
's
Superman
made its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre, marking the official launch of DC Studios' revamped cinematic universe. Gunn, who serves as co-head of
DC Studios
, told reporters on the red carpet that his new vision for the Man of Steel brings a 'lighter' and more hopeful tone to the legendary superhero.
'In some ways, it's lighter. But there's a lot of heavy stuff in the movie as well,' Gunn said. 'But the character himself is lighter.' His comments come as a clear departure from the darker, brooding Superman portrayed by Henry Cavill in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel (2013), Batman v. Superman (2016), and Justice League (2017).
Gunn emphasized that his approach is rooted in Superman's origins. 'I loved the color and the joy of the comic books I loved growing up, and I wanted to imbue this film with that feeling,' he said. The film is the first in Gunn's 'Gods and Monsters' chapter of the
DC Universe
, which he has been developing since taking over the studio in 2022 with producer Peter Safran.
Superman, which hits theaters July 11, stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent. He is joined by Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, and Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, and others in supporting roles.
Gunn described Clark Kent as 'that rarity of rarities,' a superhero from a loving, non-dysfunctional family. 'He's growing up in a loving household with support and emotional presence from his parents, and he's the result of that,' Gunn explained. 'He's a pretty well-adjusted guy because of that. However, he has his flaws as well.'
Live Events
In previous interviews, Gunn has also framed Superman as an immigrant story, saying the character's journey mirrors that of many who come to America. 'It's a story about basic human kindness,' he told The Sunday Times.
Gunn's Superman aims to reset the tone for DC's future on-screen, anchoring it in emotional authenticity and optimism. With the character returning to the big screen under this brighter lens, fans and newcomers alike will see a Superman who leads not just with power, but with heart.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Superman theme reimagined with Indian classical instruments earns global praise: ‘Wasn't ready for this'
Set to hit theatres on July 11, Superman is already riding high on early buzz, with James Gunn's reboot taking the Man of Steel and his loyal dog on a world-saving mission. Ahead of the release starring David Corenswet, Warner Bros dropped a surprise: the iconic Superman theme, reimagined with Indian classical instruments. Within hours, the track went viral. While Indian fans were stunned by the unexpected crossover, global Superman lovers were left mesmerised, flooding the comment sections with praise for how hauntingly beautiful the rendition sounds. Also read: Superman first reactions: The James Gunn film is 'bold yet faithful' as DC studios embarks on a new journey The two-minute track features Indian artists on harmonium (Tushar Lall), sarangi (Sandeep Mishra), sitar (Prasad Rahane), flute (Hrishikesh Majumdar), and dhol (Pratik Kawale), and it sets the tone for the film on a strikingly emotional note. Superman's theme colours light up the background, and David Corenswet's character flashes across the screen mid-track. The rendition is arranged by Tushar Lall, and the band behind the project is The Indian Jam Project. Warner brought it to life with mix, master, and orchestration by Abin Thomas. In just 10 hours, the video has already pulled in nearly 50K views. The music plays softly in your ears and sets the mood for James Gunn's Superman in a way you haven't quite heard before. Reacting to the song, a fan from the Philippines wrote, 'The flute created a different kind of gathering.' Charlie Victor from the US praised the theme, 'Wow!! I have very few Indian friends here in the US!! But respect is the only thing I have for these people, rich in culture, traditions, and above all, humility! Super excited for the movie.' Another fan named James commented, 'Okay, I was really not ready for this. This is just so calming. Like Superman himself, India is ready for Superman.' Someone else shared, 'There's something so magical in the composition of this theme—it always gives you a message of hope and humanity.' Another fan added, 'Love Superman from India. This makes me emotional. Now India is giving him the tribute he always deserved. Seeing this version of the Superman theme done with Indian instruments, absolutely top-notch, pleasing, and energetic. Can't wait to see the symbol of HOPE on the big screen.' Also read: David Corenswet never wanted to be Superman: 'I thought they were calling me for Top Gun 3, agent told me not f*** it up' Superman 2025 marks the first big Warner Bros production after its new partnership with DC Studios under the leadership of writer-director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran. The trailer has already drawn positive reactions from fans. But this isn't another origin rehash. Gunn's not exploring where Superman came from or what he's been up to, instead, he's giving the whole thing a fresh spin. He knows the world's burnt out on the same old comic-book film formula, and with this new Superman, he's not just rebooting a studio's future, he's out to rewire the way we look at superhero movies altogether. The film will follow Clark Kent, played by David Corenswet, as he wrestles with his Kryptonian roots while trying to live a normal life in Smallville with his adoptive family. Rachel Brosnahan steps in as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult will take on the role of Lex Luthor.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Superman review roundup; James Gunn's film is rated 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, hailed as a 'living, breathing comic book'
James Gunn's Superman, which also serves as the launchpad for the acclaimed director's rebooted DC Universe, had a limited theatrical premiere on July 7, with a wide release scheduled for this weekend, on July 11. In the wake of the film's premiere, early reviews have started to come in, and many of them hail Gunn's effort as a strong start to the DC Universe project, with Rolling Stone's David Fear calling it 'a living, breathing comic book'. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86%, the film is rated higher than Zack Snyder's prior attempt to reboot Superman with Man of Steel, which sits at a 57% score, as well as 2006's Superman Returns, which has a 72% score. Superman is praised as an excellent start to the DC Universe REVIEW: James Gunn has given us a Superman movie that actually feels like a living, breathing comic Much of the praise directed towards Superman was also directed towards the direction of James Gunn, with IGN noting that it was no surprise that Gunn, who's already worked on the acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy films for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, would find a way to 'make Superman soar again'. The Jam Report's Doug Jamieson considered the movie 'a sensational return to comic book magic' and praised the film for humanizing the superhero and portraying him as a man trying to do the right thing even when the world doesn't make it easy. Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times appreciated the idealism of the character, and admitting to being fond of a scene where he tells Lois Lane that having a big heart is 'the real punk rock'. She did have mixed feelings about aspects of James Gunn's direction, as she believed that he struggled with sincerity, saying 'It's as though 'Superman' isn't sure how to be earnest without whacking us over the head with it.' She was nonetheless positive overall and was interested in how a sequel might pan out. Some critics weren't as enamored with James Gunn's style Among the more negative reviewers of the film was YouTuber Jeremy Jahns, who believed that James Gunn's style of comedy often muddied up the tone of the film, with one of his commentors agreeing and accusing the film of being irony-poisoned. The website LarsenOnFilm also considered James Gunn's Metropolis too bleak for Superman to thrive in, saying, 'By the movie's merciful end, you wonder what a nice guy like Superman is doing in a mean place like this.' While the box office reception to James Gunn's Superman remains an open question, the overall critical reception looks to be a promising start for the director's DC Universe.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Superman review roundup; James Gunn's film is rated 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, hailed as a 'living, breathing comic book'
James Gunn's Superman, which also serves as the launchpad for the acclaimed director's rebooted DC Universe, had a limited theatrical premiere on July 7, with a wide release scheduled for this weekend, on July 11. In the wake of the film's premiere, early reviews have started to come in, and many of them hail Gunn's effort as a strong start to the DC Universe project, with Rolling Stone's David Fear calling it 'a living, breathing comic book'. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 84%, the film is rated higher than Zack Snyder's prior attempt to reboot Superman with Man of Steel, which sits at a 57% score, as well as 2006's Superman Returns, which has a 72% score. Superman is praised as an excellent start to the DC Universe REVIEW: James Gunn has given us a Superman movie that actually feels like a living, breathing comic Much of the praise directed towards Superman was also directed towards the direction of James Gunn, with IGN noting that it was no surprise that Gunn, who's already worked on the acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy films for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, would find a way to 'make Superman soar again'. The Jam Report's Doug Jamieson considered the movie 'a sensational return to comic book magic' and praised the film for humanizing the superhero and portraying him as a man trying to do the right thing even when the world doesn't make it easy. Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times appreciated the idealism of the character, and admitting to being fond of a scene where he tells Lois Lane that having a big heart is 'the real punk rock'. She did have mixed feelings about aspects of James Gunn's direction, as she believed that he struggled with sincerity, saying 'It's as though 'Superman' isn't sure how to be earnest without whacking us over the head with it.' She was nonetheless positive overall and was interested in how a sequel might pan out. Some critics weren't as enamored with James Gunn's style Among the more negative reviewers of the film was YouTuber Jeremy Jahns, who believed that James Gunn's style of comedy often muddied up the tone of the film, with one of his commentors agreeing and accusing the film of being irony-poisoned. The website LarsenOnFilm also considered James Gunn's Metropolis too bleak for Superman to thrive in, saying, 'By the movie's merciful end, you wonder what a nice guy like Superman is doing in a mean place like this.' While the box office reception to James Gunn's Superman remains an open question, the overall critical reception looks to be a promising start for the director's DC Universe.
