A new era ofSupermanbegins this week with the long-awaited premiere ofJames Gunn’s take on the DC icon. From everything we’ve seen, it looks to bea much brighter iteration on the Kryptonian hero, embracing his colorful comic book stories and the overarching themes of hope and optimism that define the character.Not all fans are on board, though, especially given the treatment ofHenry Cavillduring his time donning the cape and suit.Zack Snyder’s take on the universe didn’t resonate with everybody, but it had a distinct vision of a darker, more grounded Superman that, in the eyes of supporters, was never given a proper chance withMan of Steelas Cavill’s only solo film. Even as the tone is shifting, though,David Corenswetdoesn’t want to downplay the effectiveness of that vision.
In a recent profile for GQ,the newSupermanstar addressed some of his past comments from a 2019Entertainment Weeklyinterview about Cavill’s very different, unfortunately shortened run, and came to the defense of the former DC hero. At the time, he spoke about the “dream” of playing the Man of Tomorrow and envisioned an eventual shift back tothe brighter tone the character is traditionally known for. “I would love to see somebody do an upbeat, throwback [take on Superman],” he said. “I love the Henry Cavill dark and gritty take, but I would love to see the next one be very bright and optimistic.” That was never meant as a slight toward Snyder’s films or their Superman, but he believes now that his perspective hasn’t entirely aged well.
“I think that’s the least interesting thing I could have said,” he told GQ. “Simply because with a great character like Superman, you want great artists and writers and actors to explore all of the possibilities of them.” He believes thattakes like Snyder’s and Cavill’sare necessary because they push the bounds of what a character can be on-screen. In that sense, he compares films likeMan of SteelandBatman v. Superman: Dawn of Justiceto the grounded Batman films ofChristopher NolanandMatt Reeves, at least when it comes to exploring their characters in a new way. Moreover, he believes it’s only natural for those contrasting visions to keep shifting as tastes change and audiences desire something different:
“The one way they become boring is if you just keep doing the same thing over and over again. And so, just like Chris Nolan took Batman and did something darker and more grounded with the character, Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill explored a side of Superman that hadn’t been explored on the big screen. So,all I was saying was they’re doing it so well. Whenever they’re finished, I’d love to see the next one go the other way, and let’s see the other side. In the same way, after Chris Nolan’s Batman films and after Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson, there are a lot of people who are like, ‘Where’s our funny, campy, fantastical Batman?'”
Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Already Has Plenty of Supporters
Gunn’s decision to return to a more traditional take onSupermanalready has plenty of fans eager to see the full film.Kevin Smith, for one,was charmed by the more “comic book-y” approachto the movie and shared his belief that the tendency towards hope is what theatergoers will want to see at a time of turmoil in the world. It goes even deeper than just being a feel-good superhero romp, though. This version of Clark Kent will try to reconcile his human and Kryptonian sides against the backdrop of a divided public that,thanks to his #1 hater, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), either fears or adores him, and a romance with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan)that will challenge him. As Gunn previously said,it’s an overtly political storyof an immigrant coming from somewhere else and trying to have a life, yet it hits on the importance of basic human kindness and the limits of morality. Corenswet’s Kal-El was made to explore the many layers that can make even the most optimistic and righteous hero so fascinating.
Supermanpremieres in theaters this Friday, July 11. Stay tuned here at Collider for more from Superman week as the film draws ever closer.
