It's been three years since Henry Cavill's dark Superman was on screen in the Snyder Cut of Justice League, seven years since the first cut of Justice League was in theaters, and ten years since The Man of Steel debuted a new Superman in the first place. It's also been eighteen years since Brandon Routh debuted as Supe in 2006's Superman Returns. Meaning, it's been a very long time since a new Superman was in a cinematic debut, at all. But now, with the new teaser for James Gunn's Superman, that is all about to change.
Ahead of full trailer drop tomorrow, DC has just released a teaser for the new Superman film. And, it looks very, very classic. Not since the 2006 movie Superman Returns, has a new take on Superman looked this evocative of the beloved Christopher Reeve era of the most famous superhero of all time. And yes, the music does feature people humming a slowed-down version of the famous John Williams march from the 1978 film Superman: The Movie
In the teaser, we only see the new Superman (David Corenswet) for two brief instants. First, he seems to be flying over an icy terrain—is he headed to or from the famous Fortress of Solitude? Second, we see him blasting into the sky of what appears to be the city of Metropolis. Meanwhile, the rest of the trailer shows the citizens of Metropolis watching, including Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
Originally titled Superman: Legacy in early development, the new film represents a total reboot for the DC cinematic universe. Although the new animated series on HBO Max, Creature Commandos, is technically the new start of the DCU, the new Superman, will, for most people, be where the flag is planted. Famously, James Gunn directed Guardians of the Galaxy for Marvel back in 2014, but switched to DC two years ago, in 2022.
Recently, Gunn teased that he took a lot of inspiration from not just Supermans of the past, but also a very recent action blockbuster. "We took a lot from films like Top Gun: Maverick,” Gunn told the Hollywood Reporter. “We shoot a lot of our action with actual drones flying in and around Superman and the people that he’s flying with..."
For longtime fans of this classic character, hopes are high. There hasn't been this much hype for a new superhero movie since, perhaps, Avengers: Endgame. Or maybe even Batman Begins. But if this teaser is any indication, the next Superman will take us to very great heights, with a touch of old-fashioned magic.
