Superman First Look Divides Fans Of DC Fashion – But Who Is Right?
The wait is finally over! Superhero fans just received their first look at the newest version of the titular character in James Gunn's "Superman" and, well, let's just put it this way: The reaction was as inevitable as the ol' Boy Scout saving cats from trees, turning green at the sight of kryptonite, and suddenly becoming incognito after slipping on a pair of glasses. Believe it or not, fans wasted no time at all taking to social media to voice their strong opinions on actor David Corenswet's new look as Clark Kent/Superman. Deciding which faction is right is probably as much a fool's errand as bad guys putting Lois Lane in danger while Metropolis' Man of Steel is on the lookout.
For over a year since the project's initial announcement, those following this reboot closely have held their collective breath over all the aspects this fandom usually obsesses about: the casting, the logo, and the finer details of the super suit itself. Can a younger and relatively unknown actor exude the same type of movie-star charisma that Christopher Reeves channeled to such great effect in his "Superman" movies? Does the logo hint at which comic books Gunn is using for inspiration? Are modern audiences ready to accept another live-action Superman who dares to wear the red trunks again? And, most importantly of all, will Superman ever finish putting on his boots so he can deal with that purple eyeball wrecking the city in the background?
Get ready.#Superman
7.11.25 pic.twitter.com/zHn5ts2qeg— DC (@DCOfficial) May 6, 2024
Some of these questions have now been definitively answered, while others remain up in the air for future teases — or perhaps the release of the movie itself — to fully confirm. What's beyond dispute, however, is the fact that diehards and casual fans alike have thoughts on this big reveal. Let's break it all down.
The New 52 influence
It only makes sense to start with the most obvious detail jumping out to most fans. While Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" and the subsequent DC movies that followed in its wake swerved as hard as possible from the traditional Superman outfit, 2006's "Superman Returns" represented a much more faithful take on the classic Richard Donner design. What James Gunn and his creative team appear to have settled for in "Superman" can only be described as a healthy middle ground between both extremes — one that was established in another medium entirely, courtesy of 2011's New 52 overhaul.
This wouldn't be the first time that the live-action DC movies have taken their cues from the same comics, as seen recently with Wonder Woman's origins as established in "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" and onwards. So what makes this instance stand out so dramatically? Consider that the fandom has always remained split on the New 52 Superman look, mostly as a result of the belt, the noticeably high collar, the abundance of busy-looking seamlines, and the generally foreboding look and feel of the armor. Gunn's reveal carries over many of these design elements, down to the awfully similar logo, though the armored texture has been replaced with a less bulky, fabric material (which might evoke memories of the CW Superman suit).
Still, not everyone disapproves of the look. Writer Joshua Yehl, formerly of IGN, astutely pointed out the mix of visual and tonal influences on display in an earlier tweet: "I see Jim Lee's New 52 design mixed with the chill vibe of Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman." The latter has already been confirmed as a significant inspiration in the film, further adding a feeling of method to Gunn's approach as he reestablishes DC's flagship superhero.
Superman returns ... along with his trunks
Nope, you're eyes are not deceiving you. For the first time in 18 years, a live-action Superman will grace the big screen with his red trunks intact.
Increasingly perceived as a relic of a bygone era, to the extent that both the New 52 comic storyline and the live-action DC films ended up ditching them entirely and completely independently of one another, the red trunks might just stand as the most hotly-debated issue in all of Superman fandom. Director Zack Snyder previously put quite a bit of consideration into having Henry Cavill's Supes don the underwear on the outside, but ultimately pulled back in favor of a more grounded look "because I couldn't make it consistent with the world we were creating." That doesn't appear to be an obstacle for the DC Universe as rebooted by James Gunn, who has spoken on prior occasions about his intentions of having the titular character embody "kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned."
In other words, don't expect a brooding and self-serious Superman who struggles to live up to the impossible standards of the superhero ideal this time around. So what better way to put that on display than by showing off the red trunks — albeit curiously hidden in the shadows — for all to see? Given the trajectory of superhero movies in the years since 2013's "Man of Steel" along with the changes among demographics, it should come as no surprise that the majority of fans (as seen in the tweet replies here) seem to have come all the way around to embracing the trunks. That doesn't necessarily mean fans should brace themselves for a campy, outdated tone. Instead, the trunks imply this version of Superman will be a more earnest one.
An improvement or a step back from previous Superman movies?
So what's the verdict? Does this first look at the famous cape and tights in "Superman" indicate a refreshing change of pace from what's come before, or do fans have reason to be concerned that James Gunn is a little too beholden to nostalgia?
For /Film's part, the consensus among staff after rigorous amounts of scientific research and debate — in other words, after the question was hastily posed in the group chat, writers and editors weighed in off the top of their heads — is that this new look deserves an overall thumbs up ... with some minor reservations, that is. The pose itself may leave a bit to be desired (the earlier joke about Superman taking his sweet time to battle that purple eyeball was hardly original, as Vanity Fair critic Richard Lawson was among the first to poke fun), along with the oddly poor lighting for such a momentous reveal. And even if this image was captured entirely in-camera, as Gunn claimed on Instagram Threads, it does little to dispel the first impression among many that this first look appeared to be generated by AI.
Minor gripes aside, however, it seems to strike the correct tone for this "Superman" reboot. Gone are the days of first looks that mostly stand out because of washed-out color tones and Superman causing property damage (as "Man of Steel" famously resorted to back in 2011). Instead, fans can reasonably look forward to a more traditional, hopeful, and optimistic take on the world's most famous superhero. Whether the final product meets expectations, of course, remains a question that only individual fans can answer.
"Superman" flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.