Draft:Superman (DC Universe)

Background

In October 2018, filmmaker James Gunn was hired to write and direct The Suicide Squad (2021),^[1][2] a standalone sequel to Suicide Squad (2016), an earlier film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).^[3] Gunn worked with producer Peter Safran, who also produced the DCEU films Aquaman (2018) and Shazam! (2019).^[4] Warner Bros. had originally asked Gunn to write and direct a Superman film, but he was uncertain if he wanted to take on the character.^[5][6] He did not have a clear vision for such a film, especially since Superman was a well-known character unlike the Guardians of the Galaxy who he had adapted for Marvel Studios in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).^[7] Besides Gunn's and Safran's work, DC Films president Walter Hamada was planning around 25 other live-action and animated DC-based series.^[8]

In April 2022, Discovery, Inc. and DC Films's owner WarnerMedia merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEO David Zaslav. The new company was expected to restructure DC Entertainment so the film, television, and video game divisions of the company could be aligned. Before the merger was complete, Zaslav began meeting with candidates to take over DC—including film executive Emma Watts—with the hope of finding an equivalent to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Despite some recent successes with DC films and series, Zaslav and WBD felt DC lacked a "coherent creative and brand strategy" and was underusing key characters such as Superman.^[9] Besides Watts, producer Dan Lin and filmmaker Todd Phillips were prominent candidates in the running to take over DC, though both declined.^[10][11]

Gunn was hired around late August to work on a Superman film that was not a sequel to Man of Steel and would be standalone from the DCEU.^[12][13] Ultimately, Gunn and Safran were announced as the co-chairmen and co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios at the end of October 2022 and were set to take over from Hamada on November 1. Gunn was expected to focus on the creative side of the company while Safran focused on the business and production side.^[14] A week after starting their new roles, the pair began working with a group of writers to develop an eight-to-ten-year plan for the new DCU, and Gunn presented Zaslav this plan, and mentioned his love of Superman.^[15] The duo announced a slate of DCU projects, which featured DC's well-known "diamond characters" including Superman, with a new Superman film included.^[16][17]

Casting

The casting process for the Superman film began in April 2023.^[19][7] Gunn was looking for an actor to play Superman who possessed the character's humanity, kindness, and compassion, and was "somebody who you want to give a hug".^[20] Audition tapes for the main roles, including Superman, were submitted by early May 2023. Gunn began watching them later that month,^[21] while he was storyboarding the film.^[22] David Corenswet was a top contender for Superman and was set to do a screen test at the end of the month or in early June. Other actors in consideration included Jacob Elordi, Tom Brittney, and Andrew Richardson.^[23][21] Elordi declined the role, feeling it was "too much" and "too dark" for him.^[24] Nicholas Hoult, the runner-up to play Batman in The Batman (2022),^[23] was eyed for Lex Luthor but chose to pursue the role of Superman.^[25] Despite this, Hoult ended up taking the role of Luthor.^[26] Patrick Schwarzenegger, Supergirl (2015–2021) guest star Pierson Fodé, and Jack Quaid—the voice of Superman in the animated series My Adventures with Superman (2023–present)—all submitted self-tapes for Superman.^[27][28][29]

At the same time as casting for Clark, actresses tried out for the role of Clark's partner Lois Lane, with Emma Mackey, Rachel Brosnahan, Samara Weaving, and Phoebe Dynevor in the mix;^[23][21] Dynevor was one of the final contenders for that role.^[30] In-person screen tests took place at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, with Gunn and Safran in mid-June 2023. The actors tested in makeup and costume as Clark and Lois in the following pairs: Hoult and Brosnahan, Brittney and Dynevor, and Corenswet and Mackey.^[31][25] The Clark contenders then tested in costume as Superman against Mackey.^[25] During these tests, Brittney "messed up" an original costume Henry Cavill wore in his iteration that according to Gunn "wasn't in the best shape to begin with", and this combined with Corenswet's height while he wore it left it "torn to shreds".^[32] Gunn edited the tests together to be played for a deciding committee that included Zaslav,^[25] and the casting of Corenswet as Superman and Brosnahan as Lane was announced on June 27.^[33] Corenswet had previously said in a 2019 interview that Superman was a "pie-in-the-sky ambition" of his, and that he was aware of his resemblance to previous portrayer Cavill. He was a fan of Cavill's dark and gritty portrayal, but said that he wanted a brighter take on the character.^[18][34]

In-universe information and characterization

Clark Kent / Superman is a survivor from the destroyed planet Krypton who lives on Earth as a superhero. He hides his identity at his day job, working as a journalist for the Daily Planet in Metropolis.^[36][33] Clark's Kryptonian parents are Jor-El (Bradley Cooper) and Lara Lor-Van (Angela Sarafyan),^[37] his Kryptonian uncle and aunt are Zor-El (David Krumholtz)^[38][39] and Alura In-Ze (Emily Beecham),^[38][40] and his Kryptonian cousin is Kara Zor-El / Supergirl (Milly Alcock).^[41] Clark's adoptive human parents are Jonathan (Pruitt Taylor Vince) and Martha Kent (Neva Howell).^[42][43]

A key element of Clark Kent / Superman's character is his dual identity. Concerning this take, Gunn said unlike other interpretations, which are more partial to one identity, his take did not observe one or the other as the "true" identity, and that to understand the character was to know both sides of him.^[35] Gunn said that while Clark was a powerful alien, he was also "deeply, deeply" human, a character who tries to make the best decisions he can, but one also prone to failure.^[44] Gunn said the character, and his debut film being about human values, kindness and love, made the story accessible for most everyone.^[45]

In Superman (2025), Safran described the film's take on the character for the DCU as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way" and "kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned".^[16] Gunn said Clark is around 25 years old, making him more established than Tom Welling's version from the CW series Smallville (2001–2011) but younger than Henry Cavill's version in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).^[46] Gunn said Clark is becoming successful as both a journalist and a superhero in the film, but new elements in his life leave him unbalanced. These include being "madly in love" with his colleague Lois Lane, and making friends with other superheroes who think he is naive. The film shows how these elements impact Clark's values and choices,^[47] which are flawed and put him on a personal journey. Corenswet differentiated the role between Clark's interactions with his parents, his job at the Daily Planet, and as Superman. He described Superman as a "public facing character" who wants to present himself as calm but with authority.^[48] Corenswet observed that Gunn felt the relationship between Clark and Lois Lane was integral to the narrative of Superman.^[49]

Character design and physicality

Superman's suit features design inspired by comic book iterations of the character; the trunks are a feature of classic Superman design; the s-symbol is similar to the crest of Mark Waid and Alex Ross's iteration of the character in their 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come; the mock neck and textural design are invocative of the 2011 the New 52 reboot's design.^[50] Gunn originally was conflicted about including the character's trunks present in the comics, feeling that including them was respectful of the source material—Gunn even consulted with Man of Steel director Zack Snyder over the issue, who informed him that his own extensive testing led to their exclusion in the DCEU adaptation.^[51] He finally agreed with the inclusion of trunks once Corenswet explained to him that Superman did not want children to fear him and he wanted to be a symbol of hope and positivity, considering he is "this incredibly powerful, could be considered scary individual", so he dresses like a professional wrestler in light of this.^[52] While the suit Corenswet wore in Superman had no zipper for direct bathroom access, Corenswet's dresser worked with him to ensure he took breaks, developing a proficiency at getting Corenswet out of the costume quickly.^[49] Corenswet's hair is styled with a curl similar to the character's appearance in the comics.^[53] Corenswet drew inspiration from the posture of Christopher Reeve's portrayal from the 1978–87 Superman film series. Corenswet was also inspired for Clark's voice and demeanor by his brother-in-law, whom he described as the "quietest, most wonderful man" despite his tall 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 metres) height and weighing 270 pounds, and described Clark as a "big presence" who is "desperately trying to be as small as possible and as quiet as possible".^[48]

To physically prepare for Superman, Corenswet trained for 5 to 6 days a week with trainer Paolo Mascitti beginning in July 2023, with a goal to build muscle mass and size rather than become "shredded".^[54] Corenswet's workout routine was structured around a "push-pull-legs split", which Business Insider described as "meaning they focused on 'push' exercises, such as bench presses" on the first day, "then 'pull' exercises, such as pull-ups" on the second day, and finally "they'd do leg exercises like squats" on the third day. This was strategized with progressive overload, gradually increasing the intensity of the routines, and the repetition range was normally 6 to 12, increasing to 15 to 20 to fatigue his muscles at the end of each workout.^[54] They had dedicated time to core workouts to prime Corenswet's body for stunts and being in a harness.^[54] Corenswet ate high-carb meals before workouts to gain energy.^[54] After working out, Corenswet had bulked up from 195^[49] to 238 pounds.^[55] He lost a small amount of weight before principal photography on Superman began in March 2024, ending up at 228–230 pounds.^[55][54] Mascitta said it was challenging to adhere to their regimen during filming.^[54] Corenswet said he "wanted this to be my excuse to see what it felt like to gain essentially as much weight as I could", and said the spontaneous change was not an easy adjustment for his body initially.^[55] Corenswet's diet included building up to an intake of 4,500 calories per day—building muscle without putting on excessive fat—dropping to 3,500 during filming to shed body fat. Mascitti described his high protein diet as "50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat", with carbs including rice, oats, sweet potatoes, and vegetables; his calculation of "0.75 grams to one gram of protein per pound of body weight daily" fulfilled by eggs, dairy, chicken, red meat, fish, and whey protein eaten spread out over a day; and fats including olive oil, avocado, and seeds.^[54]

Origin and emergence as Superman

In the DC Universe, Kal-El, the last son of the destroyed planet Krypton, was jettisoned to Earth as an infant in the 1990s by his biological guardians Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, who left a message for the child that was scrambled in the transit towards his destination. He would be found and raised as Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas by his human adoptive parents Jonathan and Martha Kent, subsequently developing immense powers due to his exposure to the yellow sun's radiation. Inspired by the partially complete message left behind by his Kryptonian family, Clark would debut as the hero "Superman" in 2022 while assuming a civilian identity as a reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis, Delaware, forming a friendship with photographer Jimmy Olsen and beginning a relationship with journalist Lois Lane, who subsequently discovers his dual-identity. Superman also unearths a base of operations called the Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic, where he constructs advanced machinery that helps him recuperate from injuries and also gain access to fragments of his Kryptonian heritage. At some point, Clark is made aware of and meets both his cousin Kara Zor-El and her pet dog Krypto, acquainting him with more of his surviving species. Kara in turn often asks Clark to tend to Krypto whenever she is absent. Kent also subsequently acquaints himself with the Justice Gang, a local team of metahumans operating in Metropolis sponsored by LordTech, comprising Guy Gardner / Green Lantern, Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl and Michael Holt / Mister Terrific.

Battle at Coverdale Ranch

Shortly after his public debut as Superman, Clark, Kara and the Justice Gang are contacted by A.R.G.U.S. director Amanda Waller to rendezvous at Coverdale Ranch in Evergreen, Washington, where her agents John Economos and Emilia Harcourt, her daughter Leota Adebayo and affiliates Peacemaker and Vigilante were fighting the invading aliens known as Butterflies in an attempt to intercept their Cows, their source of sustenance that drove their continued assimilation of humanity. Superman and his colleagues would arrive shortly after the latter faction had already, successfully destroyed the Butterflies and their food supply, leading an aggravated Peacemaker to reprimand the group for their perceived complacency.

Intervening in Jarhanpur and opposing Lex Luthor

In 2025, Clark intervenes in an ongoing war between the neighboring nations of Jarhanpur and Boravia, the latter being allied with the United States and with whom billionaire inventor-industrialist Lex Luthor has a controlling interest. In response, Luthor engineers "Ultraman," a genetic, unintelligent clone of Superman masquerading as the "Hammer of Boravia" to engage and successfully defeat the hero, being programmed to mimic his combat patterns over his three years of activity. Clark is knocked into Antarctica and calls on Krypto to escort him to the Fortress of Solitude, where his helper Superman Robots assist in healing him using a high concentration of solar energy while replaying the message left behind by his biological parents. The following night, Clark offers Lois the opportunity to interview him as his Superman persona, but resolves to end early after being pressured into discussing the ethics of his intervention with overseas conflicts, further complicating their relationship.

Superman is diverted towards the presence of a giant kaiju monster mutated and released by Lex Luthor in central Metropolis, and is eventually aided by the Justice Gang. Despite Superman's insistence on incapacitating the creature so it could be safely escorted away from Earth, the Justice Gang kill the monster to his dismay. Luthor, having infiltrated the Fortress the prior day with the help of Ultraman and metahuman Angela Spica / Engineer, broadcasts the complete message intended for Clark by Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, in which they encourage him to suboordinate humanity and conquer Earth—the other half Clark was not able to hear. After apologizing to Lois about the failed interview and amidst the escalation of public scrutiny against Superman, Kent voluntarily turns himself into government custody, and is taken to a LuthorCorp camp outside Metropolis. He is escorted to a pocket universe created by Lex to hold his various enemies and critics captive, being imprisoned with Rex Mason / Metamorpho, a metahuman with the ability to transmute any chemical element using his body, and whose son Joey is similarly being held prisoner. Lex forces Mason to transmute Kryptonite to substantially weaken Superman, and kills a civilian supporter of his heroics in front of him as a form of intimidation. Moved by his sadness towards such violence, Mason allies himself with Superman, creating concentrated solar energy to restore his vitality and allowing him to free Luthor's other prisoners. Superman fights a legion of Lex's Raptors while protecting Joey, and is eventually saved by Mister Terrific and Lois Lane alongside Metamorpho.

Lane takes the significantly injured Kent back to his childhood home in Smallville, where he recuperates overnight. Clark has a talk with his adoptive father the next morning, feeling guilty over the true nature of the message from his Kryptonian family. Jonathan Kent reassures him that he is only defined by his choices and actions, encouraging him to return to Metropolis when news breaks of an attempted second Boravian invasion on Jarhanpur, and as Mister Terrific informs Kent that Luthor's pocket universe was tearing an artificial black hole that threatened to consume the planet. Superman teams up with Mister Terrific to fight both Ultraman and the Engineer while the Justice Gang, including Metamorpho, intervene with the Boravian military. Superman defeats Ultraman by calling on Krypto to destroy Lex's drones and sever his control over him, and enabling him to throw the clone into the black hole. Superman and Mister Terrific travel to LuthorCorp Tower and shut down the reactor, closing the rift entirely as Lane and Olsen reveal Luthor's orchestration of the Boravian conflict in Jarhanpur as a ploy to neutralize Superman to the public, successfully exonerating the hero and restoring public opinion.

As Luthor and his accomplices are arrested and his former captives are liberated, Superman meets with Lois Lane inside the Daily Planet building and the two share a kiss. Superman subsequently returns to the Fortress of Solitude and is visited by Kara, who has arrived to pick up Krypto and thanks Clark for looking after him. Superman heals while watching home videos of his childhood with Jonathan and Martha Kent. Later, Superman and Mister Terrific participate in restoring Metropolis after the black hole split the city apart, with the former commenting on Holt's imperfect attempt to realign a building to his chagrin.

Pokolistan conquest

In an alternate dark future, the royal family of Pokolistan made a pact with Gorilla Grodd to mobilize their forces in preparation for a world conquest. Princess Ilana Rostovic rallied her Amethyst Knights and successfully took over the United States and killed the world's superheroes, metahumans, and vigilantes, including Superman.

S.T.A.R. Labs Evacuation

In a non-canon tie-in comic, Superman spent time in space playing fetch with Krypto the Superdog before returning to Metropolis to play in a dog park. However, an alarm goes off at S.T.A.R. Labs, so Superman rescues the scientists while Krypto protects the dogs.

Initial reactions

Corenswet is the first actor of Jewish heritage to portray Superman.^[56][57] Corenswet's casting as a person of Jewish ancestry was the subject of media attention upon announcement, with several publications penning articles on the significance of the character's Jewish roots, such as Inverse and with Rolling Stone writing a 1,400-word piece.^[58] Inverse's Lyvie Scott said "Superman: Legacy represents a promising step forward—even if it's just behind the scenes";^[56] Rolling Stone's Jay Michaelson said "it's nice to have a Jewish actor play a role that owes so much to the American Jewish experience", and anticipated that Gunn and Corenswet's iteration could bring back the "courageous, progressive decency" of the early interpretations;^[59] MovieWeb's Jack O'Neill said "finally having an actor from a Jewish background playing a character who was inspired so heavily by Jewish folklore is a proud moment for the entire community". O'Neill said that since the character's inception was based around Siegel's and Shuster's experience with antisemitism, the casting was honoring and this made the film among the most important and progressive adaptations.^[60]

Gunn released a first-look image of Corenswet in costume in early May, which depicts Superman suiting up while an alien-looking threat attacks in the background. Commentary on the image focused on the return of red briefs which were not included in the Man of Steel design. Elements of the costume were also compared to the design used in the New 52 comics by Jim Lee, while the character's pose and the attack in the background led to speculation about Superman's characterization in the film and what threats he may face.^[61][50][53] Further public reaction to Corenswet's look in the costume came from unauthorized photography during filming in June 2024, with IGN noting there was some fan disappointment over his look. Journalist Scott Collura characterized this as normalcy and ritualistic, and said that these raw images were not like to be how the character would appear in the final film, noting costumes in films such as these were designed "specifically to be photographed under professional lighting by Hollywood’s top craftspeople", and that "super suits can and most certainly will undergo an entire overhaul" by visual effects and editing during post-production.^[62] Forbes observed a negative response from "hardcore fans" of Henry Cavill's portrayal, and criticized this angle as "like fans getting mad that Peter Parker is no longer being played by Tobey Maguire, or who still agonize over Michael Keaton no longer playing Batman".^[63] Further public response from a TV spot advertisement aired later in January 2025 was derisive, with a close-up shot of Corenswet's face taken by wide angle lens being criticized for perceived oddity.^[64] Numerous "loyalists"—as The Hollywood Reporter described them—to Henry Cavill's version were among the critical public.^[64] Gunn refuted the criticisms, insisting that "people's faces can look different" when shot in that particular fashion.^[64] Gunn later described the shot as "funky", composited from a drone shot and Corenswet's face, and said the shot was not included in the final cut of the film—a lapse in his attention to what makes it into the commercials.^[65]

Critical response

Corenswet's portrayal of Superman received positive reviews from critics, who contrasted his performance from Cavill's rendition as more empathetic and possessing a lighter gravitas.^[66][67] Many reviewers highlighted the earnest and welcoming nature of Corenswet's portrayal, with The Hollywood Reporter describing him as bringing "warmth to the role that he anchors the film every time it threatens to veer off into overly busy fantasy."^[68][69] Corenswet was frequently described as having good chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan's depiction of Lois Lane, with the lengthy scene where the two both express affection for each other and verbally spar over ideals being highlighted.^[70][71] Some reviewers who found the film generic or predictable nevertheless praised Corenswet's portrayal; with IndieWire's mixed review of the film describing the lead performances as the "best Lois and Clark we've ever had."^[72]

More critical reviews, in contrast, contended that the script of the film left Superman with little personality. The Guardian criticized Corenswet as "square-faced," and "soullessness" in a review highly critical of the film's plotline.^[73] The Los Angeles Times, in a review criticizing Gunn's direction as unfocused and overwhelming, lambasted Corenswet as appearing to be "dazed."^[74]