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James Gunn is directing Superman (2025), the inaugural film in the new DC Universe, set to debut on July 11, 2025. The movie stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Additional cast members confirmed are Nicholas Hoult in the role of Lex Luthor and Skyler Gisondo portraying Jimmy Olsen.
Written and directed by Gunn, the film marks the beginning of the DCU's new era under his artistic guidance. The story will supposedly delve into Superman's challenge of reconciling his Kryptonian roots with his human upbringing amidst a world filled with existing superheroes.
In a candid interview published by Rolling Stone on June 16, 2025, James Gunn discussed the continuous responses to his rendition of Superman, especially from admirers of Zack Snyder's DC movies. Commenting on the criticism, Gunn stated:
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"I don’t mind it. I think it’s good. I think you don’t wanna have everybody root for you."
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His remark came as part of a broader conversation regarding criticism, audience responses, and the difficulties of starting a new Superman franchise within the current film industry.
James Gunn talks about Superman and the DC Universe
In the Rolling Stone interview, James Gunn addressed fan reactions to the new Superman film and the legacy of Zack Snyder’s version. He said:
“I don’t mind it. I think it’s good. I think you don’t wanna have everybody root for you.”
He continued:
“first of all, you realize that the trailer came out and [reaction] was 97, 98 percent positive. These people help us, because you don’t want everything to seem 100 percent positive..”
Gunn explained that one actor in the film reads every online thread and video, to which he responded:
“You don’t have to watch their videos where they’re talking about how you’re awful. You can’t be reading it all the time. It’ll f**king murder you. It’s a terrible thing to do to your soul.”
Responding to fan debates, Gunn also addressed concerns about Superman's power levels:
“I didn’t want a Superman who could punch planets,” he said. “So he’s a little less powerful.”
This adjustment, according to him, fits better with the universe being built. He added his perspective on Lex Luthor, saying:
“I feel like I relate to Lex way more than I wish I did. But for me, Lex looks at Superman like artists look at AI.”
Gunn went on to explain why this Superman film could not have been made by him in earlier stages of his career. He explained:
“I don’t think the 2020 James could. Everybody knows I was offered Superman in 2018.”
He said that his personal journey and professional setbacks helped shape his current creative approach, stating:
“There’s no doubt that without that experience, I don’t think that I would’ve written the Superman that I wrote.”
According to Gunn, personal experiences over the past several years helped reshape his creative outlook. He acknowledged a gradual softening in his tone as a writer, moving from provocation to sentimentality. Gunn said the tone of the film was heavily influenced by graphic novels rather than other superhero movies.
He shared that one of the first scenes he wrote involved Krypto dragging Superman through the snow, which led naturally to other imaginative elements like robots, the Fortress of Solitude, and a sun-powered magnifying device. He said that was when he understood the movie’s tone.
James Gunn concluded that his current work stems from a place of less fear, admitting that what he used to see as pure creativity was often just a channel for anger.
Everything we know about Superman (2025)
Superman (2025) is directed and written by James Gunn. The film stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor, with a large ensemble cast including Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, María Gabriela de Faría, Frank Grillo, and Skyler Gisondo.
The cast also includes supporting characters from the Daily Planet, such as Perry White, Steve Lombard, and Cat Grant. The film introduces several heroes under the banner of the Justice Gang. The final trailer shows Superman balancing his Kryptonian identity with human values while encountering challenges from Luthor and fellow metahumans.
The story highlights themes of hope, identity, and community, with emphasis on Superman's relationship with Lois and others. Filming began in February 2024 in Svalbard, Norway, and continued across Georgia and Ohio. The budget is reported at $225–255 million, factoring in incentives.
The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 9 minutes and will be released in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, and other formats. Superman was initially titled Superman: Legacy, but the subtitle was dropped after a premortem. James Gunn explained:
“Even though I was the one that gave it that title, I just wasn’t sure.”
The plot draws inspiration from All-Star Superman and features elements like Krypto, the Fortress of Solitude, retro-futuristic robots, and a giant magnifying lens that powers Superman. One of the first scenes James Gunn wrote involves an injured Superman being pulled through the snow by Krypto.
Superman (2025) marks a major shift for DC Studios under James Gunn’s leadership. As anticipation builds, Gunn remains focused on telling grounded, character-driven stories.
For more updates on Superman and the DC Universe and the latest from the DC Universe, stay tuned to Sportskeeda.
