Summary
- The Superman trailer is releasing soon, kicking off the DCU movie campaign.
- Gunn feels pressure for Superman to be a box office hit.
- The success of Superman will impact the plans of the DCU.
The Superman trailer is less than a day from premiering, setting the tone for the DCU movie’s promotional campaign for the next 7 months. James Gunn admitted a lot of pressure is on him and explained why Superman must succeed for the DCU’s future.
Superman is the second DC Universe project, but Gunn has described the film as the “true beginning of the DCU.” After multiple box office flops, Warner Bros. undoubtedly wants Gunn’s first DCU movie to be a blockbuster hit and fans have high expectations of Superman themselves. Gunn is seemingly aware of these expectations and feels the pressure, admitting that the DCU plans are counting on Superman to be a success.
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When Superman was filming in June, several press outlets were invited to the set and spoke with Gunn about the DCU’s much-anticipated debut feature film (via Gizmodo). During this visit, Gunn admitted he was “miserable” working on Superman but hoped it was for “the greater good.” When Gunn announced his initial DC slate, he included projects such as Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Paradise Lost, and Swamp Thing. However, he seemingly implied that there’s no guarantee fans will see those projects, as his plans could change if Superman fails:
“A lot [is riding on
Superman
]. I mean, we’re not going to just keep making movies.”
DC fans are unlikely to be surprised to hear there’s pressure on Gunn to make Superman succeed. The DC Extended Universe launched with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, which received praise from some and mixed-at-best reviews from others. This was followed by a long and complicated tale of behind-the-scenes turmoil as Warner Bros. scrapped Snyder’s multi-film storyline and revised plans for the DC franchise. Those plans didn’t work out for the studio either, as subsequent DC movies ranged from box office hits to bombs with little cohesion between each project. When WarnerMedia and Discovery merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery, company president and CEO David Zaslav’s plans to restructure DC Entertainment eventually resulted in Gunn and Peter Safran being appointed co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios. Now Gunn is tasked with creating a rebooted DC Universe with a united continuity between film, television, and video games.
Warner Bros. is putting faith in Gunn’s vision and likely expects to be rewarded at the box office. However, winning over DC fans may not be an easy task. Some fans passionately support the “SnyderVerse” to this day, while others were eager to move on with a new vision long ago. Some Snyder loyalists plan to boycott Gunn’s DCU without giving it a chance, many of whom already bashed the filmmaker for using John Williams’ Superman theme in the film’s motion poster. Others expect signs that Gunn is moving Superman in a brighter and more hopeful direction.
In other words, fans have high expectations, but not necessarily the same kind. If moviegoers don’t show up for Superman when it is released, Gunn’s leadership at DC Studios could be questioned and Warner Bros. must return to the drawing board. How the first Superman trailer is received could determine whether audiences will eagerly await the film or if Warner Bros. has a long road ahead to win them over.
Superman is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.’ rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill departed from the role, honoring the character’s roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way.”
- Release Date
- July 11, 2025
- Cast
- David Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , María Gabriela De Faría , Edi Gathegi , Nicholas Hoult , Frank Grillo , Nathan Fillion , Milly Alcock , Sara Sampaio , Pruitt Taylor Vince , Skyler Gisondo , Anthony Carrigan , Wendell Pierce , Beck Bennett , Sean Gunn
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
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Source: Gizmodo