Superman is widely considered the first comic book superhero. He is synonymous with America and is easily one of, if not the most recognizable, superhero in comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster on April 18, 1938, Superman paved the way for the golden age of comic books.
Over the years, he has had several adaptations, including radio series, movies and shows ranging from the 1940s to the present day.
With James Gunn and Peter Safran as the new co-CEOs of DC Studios, Gunn immediately knew what his first big project would be: Superman.
The movie will take inspiration from various graphic novels: “All-Star Superman,” by Grant Morrison, “Superman For All Seasons,” by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, “Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?” By Alan Moore and “Kingdom Come” by Mark Waid.
Other sources of inspiration are the classic “Superman” cartoons by Max and Dave Fleischer and the DC Animated Universe, including “Batman: The Animated Series,” “Superman: The Animated Series,” “Justice League,” “Batman Beyond,” “Justice League Unlimited” and several other interconnected animated series.
Gunn, who wrote and directed the movie, is not afraid of delivering a version of Superman that remains faithful to the comics. His interpretation of the character will be a symbol of hope- not the dark Superman that fans have been shown in past years.
The iconic hero will be played by David Corenswet, with Rachel Brosnahan playing Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult playing Lex Luthor. Other cast members include Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, aka the Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, among others. DC has already shown many glimpses of these characters in the trailers, TV spots and teasers for the film.
This movie will not be a typical superhero origin story like the ones fans are used to seeing from Marvel and DC. The film will feature a young and already established Superman and will showcase many other heroes and villains.
Gunn wants to show the DC universe from the start, and he wants Superman to interact with the other superheroes in the movie. This will likely be the case as in the footage released, we see the heroes teaming up with Superman to take down Lex Luthor and his team of villains.
Unlike the previous Superman movies, this new version of the Man of Steel is rumored to have two to three years of experience. Clark Kent will not be shown as a new hire or an intern; instead, he is already an integral part of The Daily Planet, the fictional news publication where he works as a staff writer.
This movie is not only an introduction to this new, well-experienced Superman, but it’s a movie that will introduce a whole new world of superheroes. In this new DC Universe, metahumans, or people with superpowers, have existed for 300 years. This movie will explore how Superman finds a way to stand out in a world where superpowered people are not a new concept.
It’s safe to say that a lot is at stake for DC Studios with this movie. It will either be the rebirth of a great DC Cinematic Universe or another item in Warner Bros.’ long list of failed and canceled projects.
This will be DC’s chance to show their universe to a whole new audience with the hero who put them on the map, Superman.