James Gunns Superman The trailer sent the internet into a frenzy and, as with all major comic book films, opinions on this first teaser were far from unanimous. One of the biggest criticisms of Gunn’s interpretation of Superman and his world was that this world was overcrowded with other characters from the DC Universe franchise. The Superman trailer gave us glimpses of Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, The Authority’s Engineer and Metamorpho – each connected to other corners of the DCU that will be explored in future projects.

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Fans’ initial concern is that DC Studios is making a Marvel Studios-style mistake by trying to build a shared universe at the expense of a focused character story. However, James Gunny has both said – and now proven – that he takes a different approach. And when you look at what Bunn is doing, you can clearly see that he has potential Superman to be different from all previous film versions of the character – precisely because he exists in a world full of other superheroes.

What is a hero?

Moviegoers are familiar with the idea of ​​a Superman movie that explores the idea of ​​a god-like being living among humans and/or a divine being trying to fit in among ordinary people – core themes of the character that exist in all types of people find appeal. One thing that no live-action Superman film has explored, however, is how Superman serves as a role model for other superheroes.

Ideally, Superman is the archetype that other superheroes want to be. However, we already know that DCU characters like Batman will have different opinions on what crime fighting should be; other heroes like Guy Gardner will do hero work under contract; and Gunn bringing a team like The Authority into the DCU suggests that there will likely be a new age of heroes who see Superman as naive and outdated (a la DC’s famous “Kingdom Come” story). This is a complicated new layer of story that Gunn adds to his Superman film – but done right, it could be a powerful piece of the larger thematic puzzle.

The best in the world

Avengers: Endgame delivered one of the most iconic moments in comic book history as Captain America thought he was the last man standing against Thanos, only to bring his own army of Marvel heroes back from the dead in time to join him on the battlefield. A lot of the seriousness of this scene comes from seeing Cap, battered and bloodied, still willing to face insurmountable odds in an act of pure (if not naive) heroism. The cathartic reward for Captain America’s bravery and purity of heart, rewarded by other heroes at his side, was epic for Marvel – and it’s the kind of thing James Gunn’s DCU needs to establish for his version of Superman.

This first Superman The film doesn’t have to end with Superman being adored by his fellow superheroes: it just needs to take the opportunity to open the debate so that Superman’s scenes with other DCU heroes are just as meaningful as his interactions with everyday people.

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The hierarchy of power (and friendship) in the DCU

The DCU is a particularly tricky shared universe – strictly speaking Because A character like Superman exists in it. As a force of god-like power, it’s easy for Supes to dwarf virtually every other hero, which leads to all sorts of logistical problems. Gunn and co. I don’t want fans watching other DCU projects to ask, “Wouldn’t Superman show up?” or “Wouldn’t they call on Superman to deal with this threat?” and it’s a theme with which he can deal with decisively and succinctly here Superman Film.

Gunn will obviously spend his story time exploring the boundaries between Superman’s self-motivated actions as a hero and the implications of those actions on geopolitics. However, there are also clues to the history of Superman will delve into how his image and goals as a hero may conflict with other heroes operating around the globe. Early leaks from the Superman The set suggested that characters shown in the trailer like Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) could be working for evil tycoon Maxwell Lord – possibly as a DCU version of the Justice League International group. This is already a meta-rich thematic arc that pits Superman’s “pure” heroism against characters pursuing a corporate-sponsored agenda: It’s also a great way to illustrate why Superman (despite his divine power) can’t stand on his proverbial feet of other heroes without potentially causing major problems.

Less cynical: Superman could also end his story by giving Clark Kent his own mini version of Steve Rogers’ defining moment: namely, the realization that he has friends there to help him carry the burden of saving the world. If Superman goes from being a lone fighter to earning his place as the core figure of a large, organized team of heroes, he would solidify his importance throughout the modern DCU while also creating a good reason for the Man of Steel not to always step in and end all threats faced by other heroes are: He trusts that they will cope with their role.

If nothing else, Gunn attempts to tell a definitive Superman movie story on a scale that no one else (except maybe) can achieve Lois & Clark) tried it. To simply dismiss it as another example of franchise-building jinx is to ignore the potential for it Superman to utilize the shared universe format more relevantly – and resonantly – than ever before.

Superman will be in theaters on July 11, 2025.