In the post-Avengers: Endgame superhero movie landscape, the term “superhero fatigue” has been bouncing around all corners of the internet. Many superhero movies have come out since then, mostly MCU movies, and only a handful of them have been received well. With the exceptions of Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Suicide Squad (which is DC), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Thunderbolts*, most of the superhero movies released since Endgame have struggled to capture the same magic that made previous comic-book movies so effective. While the four aforementioned movies all follow completely different storylines, they all deal with themes of family and accepting who you are. These themes resonate with audiences, which is one of the reasons James Gunn’s Superman is captivating audiences worldwide.
Serving as the first official release in Gunn’s newly revamped DCU, Superman follows the titular character, played brilliantly by David Corenswet, as he reckons with his Kryptonian heritage and what it means to be human amidst war and controversy caused by his nemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Gunn proves yet again, after three GOTG movies and TSS, that he understands what makes these stories worth telling and what audiences will connect with. His Superman/Clark Kent is a kind, empathetic, almost naively optimistic hero who just wants to do good for the people of Earth.
Superman gives viewers the sense of hope and optimism that we should feel after seeing a superhero movie. It’s a stark contrast to previous DC movies that tried to be dark and gritty while awkwardly attempting to have the same humor as the MCU. When we watch a superhero movie, we want to leave the theater feeling like anything is possible, even in our real world, which doesn’t have any super-powered beings. We want to see good-natured people doing good for the betterment of humanity, not themselves. That’s exactly what Gunn has given us with one of the best adaptations of the character ever put to screen. Superman reminds us why we love superhero movies to begin with.
Superman
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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James Gunn
- Producers
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Peter Safran
Bringing Light to the Dark
Superman has never been a brooding character. Instead, he is a rare beam of hope in a seemingly hopeless world. Even when life and the world beat him down, he gets right back up to face challenges head-on. He tackles problems with kindness and resilience. He has a deep, profound respect for all life on Earth that everyone should strive to have. Superman inherently believes in the good of people rather than looking for the bad. While it may seem unrealistic in the complicated world we live in, his continued decision to be positive rather than negative brings much-needed light to a dark world.
You should walk out of the theater after seeing a superhero movie with a renewed sense of hope, and that is exactly what Superman has given us. It is the embodiment of hope. We watch superhero movies not just for the thrilling fight scenes and fantastical worlds, but also to feel inspired to do anything we set our minds to. That’s the reason that many kids grow up admiring the heroes they see in movies or read in comic books. We all want to feel like we can stand up for what we believe is right and become the version of ourselves that we want to be.
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A Hopeful Escape From Real-World Problems
The real world is one of constant turmoil. Politics, social injustice, and human rights violations are constantly at the forefront of global news. The never-ending slew of devastating news is enough to make most of us seek an escape from our own world’s problems to instead focus on the problems of a fictional world. Superman gives us that escape, but actually manages to weave in very real-world threats into the story without compromising the symbol of hope that Superman stands for.
Between the inhumane treatment of immigrants in this country and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, a lot is happening in the real world. The two biggest plot points of the movie revolve around Lex Luthor’s raging hatred of Superman and the approaching war between the fictional countries of Boravia and Jaharanpur. While Gunn hasn’t stated specifically what inspired the fictional war, Gunn did state that Superman has always been an immigrant story.
Superman was raised as Clark Kent by Marsha and Jonathan Kent on a rural farm in Kansas after they found him all alone when his home planet, Krypton, was destroyed. He sympathizes with those who feel like outsiders and stands against Lex’s deep hatred of him just for being different. Lex makes it a point to frequently refer to Superman as an “alien.” Superman proves that, despite being from somewhere far away, he is just as human as anyone else, which is his greatest strength. It’s why he cares deeply for the people of both Boravia and Jaharanpur, and why he still chooses kindness over rage despite Lex deliberately trying to ruin his reputation. The movie does an excellent job of portraying these issues while still incorporating a genuine sense of hope that permeates through the screen.
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Superman Embodies What It Means to Be a Hero
Superman is perhaps the number one symbol of hope in pop culture. He is someone who never lets anger get the best of him, is always willing to help, and believes empathy is a strength rather than a weakness. Superman is immensely powerful to the point where any slip-up in his control could be catastrophic to the planet. He actively restrains the extent of his powers to ensure the safety of everyone on Earth because he knows the damage that could happen if he doesn’t. Even if it means letting himself get hurt in the process. Nothing is more important to him than helping those who cannot help themselves.
At his core, Superman is a nerdy, goofy, shy, eternal optimist who also believes his purpose is to be a protector of Earth. It doesn’t matter to him where you come from, what you look like, or what you do for a living. Superman will help you if you need it. That is what makes him the embodiment of what it means to be a hero. His unwavering belief in the good of humanity and his uncompromised goodness make him a superhero. A hero is supposed to be someone who puts others before themselves and finds the positives in a negative situation. Someone who figures out not only the best, but the safest way out of a bad situation. Someone who puts their own interests aside for the betterment of society. That is what a hero is, and that is what James Gunn’s take on Superman embodies.
