Superman Director Promises Unseen Comics Element Will Finally Be Brought to Life

Superman Director Promises Unseen Comics Element Will Finally Be Brought to Life

As a lifelong comic book enthusiast who has spent countless hours poring over Silver Age issues of Superman, I can hardly contain my excitement for James Gunn’s upcoming take on the Man of Steel. The tease about incorporating the grand science fiction elements that have never graced our screens is music to my ears.

James Gunn and Peter Saffran are set to launch DC’s upcoming era of films and TV productions. The first film of this new phase will be the long-awaited Superman movie, slated for release in 2025. Originally titled “Superman Legacy,” this film will feature David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. Although Gunn is orchestrating DC’s larger strategy, he has also taken on the director role for Superman. While Gunn has kept many details about his vision for Superman under wraps, he recently hinted at one exciting revelation during an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Specifically, Gunn suggested that some essential elements from the Silver Age of Superman will finally be brought to life on the big screen.

In simpler terms, James Gunn stated that the movie doesn’t resemble the grand science fiction elements from Silver Age Superman as much as we might expect. He also mentioned that there are aspects of Superman’s life portrayed in our film that haven’t been shown before, which will be revealed when the movie is released.

Additionally, Gunn hinted at some details regarding Nicholas Hoult’s portrayal of Lex Luthor, and similar to Superman, there are aspects of this characterization that haven’t been showcased on the big screen in prior versions of the adaptation.

In simpler terms, James Gunn stated that the version of Lex we’re seeing in this context is unlike any Lex Luthor we’ve encountered before. He described Lex as impressive and intimidating, using language that suggests a formidable adversary. In comic books, Lex is often portrayed as exceptionally intelligent and skilled, making Superman seem vulnerable. However, in movies, Lex usually appears less threatening. Gunn mentioned that the current representation of Lex is someone you wouldn’t want to face off against.

In the Silver Age, Superman experienced an era where his powers had few, if any, constraints. During this period in the 1960s, Superman’s abilities were almost divine, making him nearly invincible against anything except for kryptonite and magic. However, magic functioned more as an inconvenience rather than a genuine threat to Superman.

During this period, not only was he physically superior, but his intellect was exceptionally high as well, giving Luthor an edge in certain aspects. It’s possible that Gunn is alluding to this extraordinary intelligence, and if so, it would mark the first opportunity for moviegoers to witness this aspect of Superman, unbridled and on full display.

In this new setup, Corenswet plays Superman/Clark Kent, with Rachel Brosnahan taking on the role of Lois Lane. Joining them are Hoult as Lex Luthor, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, Neva Howell as Martha Kent, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

Superman will soar into theaters on July 11th, 2025.

Do you look forward to the Silver Age influences in Superman? Feel free to discuss anything related to DC comics and movies with me, I’m active on Threads, Twitter (@mattaguilarcb), and Bluesky (@knightofoa)!

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2024-12-06 00:11