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Economist
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economist
Why Superman is the least relevant superhero
Hollering for help, Lois Lane dangles overhead from a helicopter that has crashed atop a skyscraper. On the sidewalk below Clark Kent, briefcase in hand, squeezes through a panicked crowd, searching for a place to transform into the hero of 'Superman: The Movie', which came out in 1978. He pauses to size up a public payphone, but the booths that served him well in the comic books of the 1940s have themselves transformed, into transparent boxes on pedestals. In a gesture of gentle Kentian consternation, he purses his lips, then moves on. It's a sly visual joke, in keeping with the buoyant spirit of the film: the world was changing, but he could not—at least, not easily. In retrospect, it prophesied Superman's predicament in the 21st century, in the existential battle every comic-book hero must wage, the one for cultural relevance.
New York Post
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Will Reeve reveals first impression of Superman David Corenswet
Up, up, and away! Will Reeve, who is the son of the late Christopher Reeve, recently sat down with The Post for an exclusive interview ahead of the new 'Superman' movie, now in theaters. While Will, 33, discussed everything from his cameo in the new superhero flick to how the cast and crew of the film paid tribute to his legendary father, he also revealed which of the many iconic Superman costumes is his favorite. 21 Will Reeve at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Superman' on July 7. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP 21 David Corenswet at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Superman' on July 7. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP 'I think the classic, with the cape and the trunks on the outside and the big red boots and the vibrant colors,' he said. 'That works for me.' Even though Will's famous father donned one of the most iconic Superman outfits in 'Superman: The Movie' and its three sequels, the outfit has a lengthy history. Before Christopher Reeve wore the blue, red and yellow ensemble for the first time in 1978, the costume was worn by Kirk Alyn in 1948 and 1950 before George Reeves in 1951. Both Alyn and Reeves' costumes were made of knit wool with muted colors to film in black and white. Reeve's suit was the first to depart from knit wool, and it was made of custom-woven and stretchy nylon material, plastic, and small metal elements for the snaps and zippers. 21 Kirk Alyn climbs through an open window as the Man of Steel in an episode of the Columbia serial 'Superman' in 1948. Corbis via Getty Images 21 George Reeves as the Man of Steel in the 1950s series 'Adventures of Superman.' Mptv/Kobal/Shutterstock 21 Christopher Reeve as the Man of Tomorrow in 'Superman: The Movie' in 1978. THA/Shutterstock After Will's father donned the red cape one last time for 'Superman IV: The Quest for Peace' in 1987, it was put on ice until actor Brandon Routh picked up the Man of Steel mantle for 'Superman Returns' in 2006. Routh's costume marked the first time a live-action Superman suit was given texture. During an interview with CBS News in 2006, costume designer Louise Mingenbach described the outfit as 'high-tech and ultra-thin' and made of a spandex blend she called Milliskin. More recently, the Krypton crest was worn by Henry Cavill until, finally, David Corenswet was cast as the latest Man of Tomorrow for James Gunn's new blockbuster. Where Cavill's thick suit was woven with multiple layers of thin mesh, chainmail, and foam latex, per costume designer Michael Wilkinson, Corenswet's was created with custom 3D-printed fabric. Judianna Makovsky, who designed the newest Superman suit, described Corenswet's costume as 'a little more clothing, less spandex' in a recent interview about her creation. 21 Brandon Routh as Superman in the 2006 movie 'Superman Returns.' REUTERS 21 Henry Cavill as Superman in 2013's 'Man of Steel.' AP 21 David Corenswet as Superman in the newest 'Superman' movie. Warner Bros. Pictures Although Will doesn't own any of his father's ensembles, he noted that one of the original costumes is where it belongs: on display at the Smithsonian Museum. 'I don't personally have anything from 'Superman,' but I think something that's a great honor for our family is that the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, has one of the original costumes that my dad wore,' he shared. 'I think that any Superman memorabilia, or items from the set, are better served in public display for the millions of people who love the character, and who loved my father more than it might have on my mantle,' he added. Reeve met Corenswet, 32, and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor) for the first time last year on the set of 'Superman.' 21 Will Reeve during an episode of 'GMA3' on May 27, 2025. ABC via Getty Images 21 David Corenswet as Superman in James Gunn's new 'Superman' blockbuster. Warner Bros. Pictures 21 David Corenswet (Superman) and Nicoulas Hoult (Lex Luthor) at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Superman' on July 7. Warner Bros. via Getty Images 'In May of 2024, I visited the set in Atlanta, where they filmed much of the movie, and I got to meet David and Nick on that day and watch them work for a little while,' the ABC News correspondent recalled. 'And it was a treat,' Will continued. 'I felt so welcomed and included. And I did say to David in that moment where we met, I wanted him to know that I, my brother, and sister, and our whole family are just excited for them.' Before having Will with wife Dava Reeve in 1992, Christopher welcomed son Matthew, now 45, and daughter Alexandra, now 41, with his former partner, Gae Exton. 21 Christopher Reeve in New York City in 1970. Getty Images 21 Christopher Reeve in 1977. Getty Images One thing the younger Reeve made clear when he met Corenswet for the first time was that he and his siblings are 'not the gatekeepers of Superman' despite their father's seemingly inseparable connection to the character. 'I keep saying we're not the gatekeepers of Superman, just because our dad is so inextricably linked with that role,' Will told The Post. 'So I didn't want anyone involved in this new project to think that we were anything but supportive and excited as fans and friends.' Will first crossed paths with Corenswet when the actor was with his wife Julia Best Warner and their then-newborn daughter. 21 Will Reeve at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Superman' on July 7. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP 21 David Corenswet at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Superman' on July 7. WireImage 'David was in his full Superman costume, pushing his daughter in her stroller while she was napping, you know, like sort of rocking back,' he recalled, laughing. 'It looked like something that Norman Rockwell would have conceived.' 21 James Gunn, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult and Peter Safran attend the 'Superman' photocall at the Corinthia Hotel London on July 3, 2025, in London, England. Getty Images 21 Peter Safran, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, David Corenswet and James Gunn attend the premiere of 'Superman' at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on July 7, 2025. REUTERS As for the new movie, Will said it is 'everything that a great superhero blockbuster movie can and should be.' 'It's just so fun,' he shared. 'I think that Superman, the character, is a bit quirky and slightly corny, earnest. Pure of heart, so on and so forth. And that shines through.' 'I think that's what made my dad's version so resonant with audiences back when it came out and through to the present day, because he played the character as it was ideally conceived, and really, he embodied it,' Will added. 21 Will Reeve at Disney Upfront 2025 on May 13 in New York City. Disney via Getty Images 21 David Corenswet participates in the ceremonial lighting of the Empire State Building on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in New York. CJ Rivera/Invision/AP He also praised Corenswet's Superman performance and his ability to portray both the Man of Steel and his alter ego, Clark Kent, in particular. We're Tracking Prime Day Live! Unlock exclusive NYP codes and real-time deals on everyday must-haves. See Your Deals 'I don't know what it's like to play Superman, but from what I can tell, there's a trick you have to pull off, and I commend David for doing that, and for picking up the torch,' Will acknowledged. 'I think that that was my dad's greatest work in Superman was convincing audiences to believe not only that a man could fly, but also that the same being was also Clark Kent, who was a bit bumbling and awkward.' The James Gunn-directed action sci-fi also stars Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern) and Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen). 21 Peter Safran, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Superman' on July 07, 2025, in Hollywood, California. Warner Bros. via Getty Images 21 Will Reeve at the premiere of 'Superman' in Los Angeles on July 7. REUTERS Will previously reunited with Corenswet for a 'Good Morning America' interview that aired Thursday. 'That was a special thing for me,' he said regarding interviewing the new 'Superman' star. 'And I was honored to get to speak with David.' 'As he ventures off on this great journey, he doesn't need my or my family's permission to be Superman or to be great as Superman,' Will concluded. 'But we're certainly cheering him and the whole Superman team on.'
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Superman Review: The Most Comic-Accurate Movie Yet
I went into expecting to laugh and cry. I've had both reactions watching earlier movies. Despite the many spoilers in the advance press for this film, there was much that was a pleasant surprise. The film opens three years after the Man of Steel first revealed himself to the world. However, his position as the World's Finest hero is in peril. His efforts to stop a war between Boravia and Jarhanpur have inspired controversy, as the United States is allied with Boravia. Those efforts have earned Superman the ire of Lex Luthor, who made a fortune selling weapons to Boravia. Luthor is also trying to convince the US Department of Defense to put him in charge of policing metahumans. This leads Luthor to try and turn the public against Superman, painting him as an enemy of humanity. I don't believe any other comic book movie has reflected its source material so accurately as Superman. Gunn's script is full of nods to the lore of DC Comics. Yet everything is made accessible to those who don't know that Green Lantern is a space cop, or that Hawkgirl's wings aren't part of her body. The action sequences are top-notch, with the best flying effects of any superhero movie ever made. However, it is the performances of the ensemble that sell the movie. The Justice Gang and Daily Planet staff all have great moments, but there are two stand-outs. Edi Gathegi steals many scenes as Mr. Terrific, who tries to be purely logical, yet is the first to start shouting at the stupidity around him. And Skyler Gisondo offers up a take on Jimmy Olsen in shockingly true to the comics, making the character more than someone else for Superman to save. The core cast is also amazing. David Corenswet is a worthy successor to the Man of Steel's legacy, and manages the same subtle shifts in physicality that defined Christopher Reeve's performances. Rachel Brosnahan perfectly captures the bold honesty that defines Lois Lane. And Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor as the pettiest of bullies, who will let the world burn so he can rule over the ashes. However, for all it gets right, Superman is not perfect. There is one running gag that I think wears out its welcome long before the final payoff. I'm also perplexed, given all the other material taken from the comics, as to why The Engineer is a creation of Lex Luthor. In the original The Authority comics, she was a self-made vigilante. It would have made more sense to use Mercy Graves if they wanted a cyborg on Luthor's payroll. Then again, Mercy and Miss Teschmacher might have been too much. I am not ready to say that James Gunn's Superman is a better film than 1978's Superman: The Movie. However, the fact that I am prepared to consider that question speaks volumes. In either case, the new DCU is off to a super start. Grade: 9/10
The Star
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Superman' review: Soaring high into a new era for DC
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, María Gabriela de Faría, Isabela Merced. A new cinematic era for DC superheroes is officially up, up, and away, as James Gunn's reimagined Man Of Steel soars to a high that DC movies have not reached in a long, long time. If you like your DC superheroes gloomy, brooding and dark, look away now. For the rest of you, look up – the new Superman is more fun than he has been for years, and the new movie is arguably the best one since 1978's original Superman: The Movie , starring the late Christopher Reeve. Speaking of the late Reeve, he finally has a worthy successor in David Corenswet, who embodies the strength, purity, and humanity of the character like never before. Sure, Brandon Routh ( Superman Returns ) and Henry Cavill ( Man Of Steel , Justice League ) may have looked the part, but their takes as the Big Blue Boy were hamstrung by story and characterisation flaws in their respective movies. It's the glasses that make me less super, man. Well, there was no such problem with Superman , especially with James Gunn helming it. With the Guardians Of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad already under his belt, Gunn certainly knows how to make a comic book movie. Emphasis on the 'comic book' part, because the director leans heavily into the character's roots in this one, never once pretends that this is anything other than a fun, summer blockbuster based on a guy who comes from another planet, can fly, and wears his red underwear on the outside. Reasoning that people don't need to see baby Kal-El crashing on Earth again, Gunn eschews the usual origin story and starts his movie with a fully formed Superman crashing onto Earth instead, the aftermath of losing his first ever fight. Don't make Lex angry. You don't want to see him in Beast mode. It's a, er, groundbreaking introduction to not just our hero, but also his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor, whose arrogant confidence in his own brains is ably portrayed by a suitably dastardly Nicholas Hoult. A great Superman deserves a great villain, and this Lex Luthor more than lives up to that. Hoult plays up the villain's arrogance and cold-heartedness with sociopathic relish – you can feel his resentment towards Superman keenly, and the cool way he executes his plans make him more than a match for the hero. The entire movie is basically driven forward by this 'brain versus brawn' rivalry, as Luthor tries his darndest to destroy Superman with the help of the shape-shifting Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) and the mysterious 'Ultraman' (no, not THAT one). Never fear, the Justice Gang is here! Superman himself is a little oblivious to Luthor's plans though – he's too busy making sure Krypto the superdog doesn't destroy his Fortress Of Solitude. At the same time, he is trying his utmost best to make the world a better place with everything he does, from little things like saving people from alien giant monsters, to stopping a war in a foreign country, an act that puts him in the bad books of the American government, who think he and other metahumans are supposed to be working for THEM. Among the 'other metahumans' are the self-styled 'Justice Gang' – led by the abrasive Green Lantern Guy Gardner (a wonderfully jerk-ish Nathan Fillion) alongside the ultra-smart Mr Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and the warrior-like Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). Trust me, this portal is a... terrific way to get around. Geddit? With all the metahuman action going around, something had to give. As a result, the only gripe I have is that we don't really see the Clark Kent side of the character that much. Beyond a five minute look at his bumbling reporter side and a touching detour to his parents' home in Smallville, Corenswet is in Superman mode for almost the entire movie. This extends to his relationship with Broshanan's Lois Lane as well – the couple are already an item here, with Lois already aware of his secret identity. On one hand, we are spared the awkwardness of another 'Lois guesses Superman's secret identity' scene, while on the other, it also deprives us of another way of allowing Corenswet's Clark to shine. Sorry about the debris, I didn't have time to clean up the city before our date. His chemistry with Broshanan is off the charts though, and a far cry from the limp Starro of a relationship between Cavill and Amy Adams previously. One particular back and forth between the two, in which he agrees to being 'interviewed' as Superman, is especially electrifying, with Broshanan showing more of her journalistic side in that five minute exchange than in the entire movie. This movie is meant to herald a new age of DC movies, and happily, Gunn has got it off to a great start. This is the closest a movie Superman has come to capturing the spirit and fun of the comic books stories since the first one. It's fun, exciting, and full of colourful characters. Plus it's got Krypto the supercute superdog. What more do you need?
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
The New Superman is less God, more human — and lots of fun
Thirteen years from now, Superman will be 100 years old. Widely considered to be the first-ever comic book superhero, Superman spun out of the imagination of two Jewish immigrant boys: The writer-artist duo of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The story of an alien baby from the planet Krypton who crash lands onto earth, is raised by two humble farmer parents and goes onto become the protector of Earth while also masquerading as a mild mannered journalist resonated with millions in the form of comic strips, radio plays and television shows from 1938 till today. Superman has also made the leap from comic book panels to the silver screen multiple times, often embodying the fantasies and anxieties of the given time periods. Adding to this curious list of films is the newest attempt by director James Gunn and actor David Corenswet, simply titled 'Superman'. Since there was no blueprint of a superhero when Superman was created, his personality and superpowers were more akin to those of gods and prophets from the pages of mythology and religious texts. Initially created as a stand-in for Moses, over the years in popular consciousness and even at the movies, his image morphed into that of a Christ-like figure. A purveyor of morality who would always put himself on the line to protect you. In 1978, when Christopher Reeve donned the blue suit, red trunks, and cape to play the Kryptonian, the United States was reeling from the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, and the masses were looking for a symbol to restore their faith in America. Despite being framed as lighthearted adventures, Superman: The Movie (1978) and Superman II (1980) had underlying themes of nuclear threats, cold war, and an added emphasis on American idealism and patriotism in tune with the country's push towards Reaganism at the time. 47 years later, Reeve remains the gold standard to play the big blue boy scout. His performance balanced heroism with humanity, and myth with vulnerability. James Gunn's Superman preserves the Reeves model but gives it a refreshing spin. He's still kind and gentle but has a bit of an edge to him. 'Being kind is punk rock,' he says at one point in the movie. I guess that's the 2025 version of 'Truth, Justice and the American way'. But perhaps the version of Superman that Gunn's film is in direct conversation with is the Zack Snyder version of the character played by Henry Cavill, whom we first met in 2013's Man of Steel. If Reeves embodied the Christ-like humanity of the character, Cavill personified his torture and pathos. The 'Snyder-verse' portrayed a rather bleak and serious world filled with superheroes who were as worn out by battling their inner demons as they were battling extraterrestrials. The colour scheme of Superman's costume went from bright to dour. The emphasis was on perfect musculature of the physique, and Supes barely cracked a smile. In the recent past, the pop culture landscape has been rife with portrayals of a 'darker' take on Superman. For example, the character of Homelander from The Boys. In Snyder's vision of a post 9/11 world, if people believed in a Superman, they were believing in a false god. Unburdening Superman and, by extension, his audience of this god-like baggage is probably the biggest achievement of the new film. It introduces the idea that 'metahumans' or superpowered beings have been around for centuries. So Superman isn't the most unique being with powers, but rather the best one of them all. He also has a posse of concerned robots that nurse him back to health, and a ferocious but cute pet dog by his side. The film is also a bit overstuffed and tonally shaky, trying to be a lot of things at once. Some real-life parallels are attempted: A tech billionaire who is courting a world leader with flaxen hair, a subplot involving a militarily superior nation invading its neighbouring country, and a scathing joke about online trolls. Despite this, it nails the one aspect that had been missing from the big-screen Superman portrayals of the past few years — it's fun. Gunn may have finally given us a Superman that isn't a cover version of Reeve, like Brandon Routh from Superman Returns (2006), nor a complete reinvention. This Superman takes the best bits from the previous incarnations, adding a dash of his own. But more importantly, we have a Superman who is less of a God, and more of a man. The writer is a podcast producer and stand-up comedian
