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Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Superman (2025) Review
Superman is back! The Man of Steel is making his way back into theatres this week! As comic book films all too often go through nowadays, the film will likely be divisive, mostly between the lovers of the previous iteration of the franchise and those who are excited about the franchise's new direction, and it is a new direction, almost a 180-degree turn. But, after five previous supermen in the last 40 years filled with Film and TV projects, this refresh of the Superman franchise was, frankly, refreshing. The story in Superman hits the ground running. We are told that Metahumans have existed on Earth for 300 years, and we find Superman (David Corenswet, The Politician, Twisters) at the back end of a battle that he has lost. Conflict between two fictional nations resulted in Kal El's intervention, and this doesn't sit well with a number of interested parties. Among them is Supe's longtime rival, Lex Luthor, who seeks to remove Superman from the equation and replace him with his own brand of Metahumans. On Superman's side, as always, is his girlfriend and stalwart reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Amateur), backed by the crack team of journalists at The Daily Planet, including Editor Perry White (Wendell Pierce, The Wire, Treme), Jimmy Olson (Skyler Gisondo, Vacation, Santa Clarita Diet), Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad) and Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett, SNL, Sing). Also on Superman's side, but really more adjacent to our hero, is the superhero team known (at least by one member of the team) as The Justice Gang, consisting of The Green Lantern, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion, Firefly, Castle), Hawk Girl (Isabella Merced, The Last of Us, Madame Web) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi, StartUp, For All Mankind) who, while not directly aligned with Superman, definitely have a history with him and appear to have some common ground. 'But, after five previous supermen in the last 40 years filled with Film and TV projects, this refresh of the Superman franchise was, frankly, refreshing.' And yes, I may have buried the lede a bit for those who have seen the early trailers, Superman has other allies as well. Krypto, the Super Dog, makes his presence felt throughout the movie as an animal who feels very much like my own pain in the butt dog, only with superpowers and a team of robots who tend to the Fortress of solitude and aid Kal El when needed, a nod to Superman's relationship with robots in the comics. I won't spoil it for you, but watch the credits for who voices these robots. Standing against our heroes is the notorious Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Menu) with his mysterious thug, Ultraman and his hand-picked ally, The Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria, The Exorcism of God). You'll also find a number of other familiar names to DC fans that are sure to get people excited. The way that Superman presumes that its audience doesn't need the whole origin story and allows you to join these characters in the progress of their journey was a pleasant change to most Directors, who want the ability to put their stamp on those iconic story points. It's not to say that aspects of Kal El's beginnings aren't referenced, they are. In fact, there are some changes in there that tell a different story about the last Kryptonian and his purpose on Earth, which might rub Superman purists the wrong way, but I enjoyed it as an original story point. 'The way that Superman presumes that its audience doesn't need the whole origin story and allows you to join these characters in the progress of their journey was a pleasant change…' David Corenswet's Superman felt like the largest fundamental change to what we have seen from Superman on the big screen. There was a more fleshed-out humanity in this version that had never been fully realized in any of the previous film versions. There was humour and vulnerability found in Corenswet's version of the character that had just been missing previously, and, with a character who is usually written to be invulnerable and infallible, was presented as slightly flawed and charming in the most refreshing way. The staff of the Daily Planet had what felt like a much different role in the film than in previous versions. Usually, you are dealing largely with Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Perry White, with some interjections from the young and naive Jimmy Olson. The chemistry between Kent, Lane, and White is there and wonderful, but this Jimmy Olson has some traits that I won't spoil, which is a fun departure from the Jimmys of old. Add to that the levity from Beck Bennett and Mikaela Hoover, and you have a fun Daily Planet on your hands. Superman's interactions with both the Justice Gang and Lex Luthor also lead you to a story that has been underway long before we joined it. Superman and Luthor know each other well, and the Justice Gang has clear opinions on what it is like collaborating with the Man of Steel when it happens to come up. The actors are playing off of each other well (and tell me that David Corenswet doesn't occasionally look like Nathan Fillion in the film), and it makes for a dynamic that will be the driver of the newly established DCU. With composers David Fleming and John Murphy, the Superman score is modernized while still paying homage to John Williams' original score. You hear his influences throughout the movie, but the music still very much exists in the sensibility of these composers, pushing the action, the love and the chaos perfectly when needed. The themes in a Superman film are generally easy to pare down but are so well blended together that, like most great films, the music is very much the story. One place where Superman doesn't shine is in its inconsistent effects. While some things look flawless, others I found to be quite clunky and the success of the good effects really tell on the stuff that isn't so great. You'll find it more in the areas where more effects shots were needed or more CG characters are present at once. It's by no means the worst effects I've seen in recent blockbusters, but the disparity between how well done certain things are compared to other things warrants some attention. 'With composers David Fleming and John Murphy, the Superman score is modernized while still paying homage to John Williams' original score.' The biggest thing that Superman gets right, though, is what the feeling of a Superman film should be. The first time I saw him take to the skies, I got goosebumps. It may be my favourite Superman flying effect in all of his existence. His relationship with his Earth parents, Ma and Pa Kent, brought me to tears, particularly his conversation with his Dad at his lowest moment. His relationship with his Kryptonian parents also remains incredibly important, as does how that relationship evolves throughout the film.\ Superman hits theatres on July 11, and I expect it to have a massive impact, being to the DCU what Iron Man was to the MCU. While it is certainly a unique Superman film when compared to the Donner or Snyder versions in the past, no part of it feels like anything but an authentic Superman movie, and that's thanks to James Gunn telling this story with a lot of heart and remaining true to who the hero is at its core. Gunn has created a fun film that doesn't take itself too seriously and hits all the right notes for this moviegoer. On a side note, stick around for mid-credit and post-credit scenes. I feel duty-bound to make sure you don't miss out. Solve the daily Crossword
Geek Tyrant
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
SUPERMAN Clip Reveals How Lex Luthor Uses Hammer of Boravia to Fight the Man of Steel — GeekTyrant
DC Studios has shared a new clip from James Gunn's Superman , and it's got fans talking. It gives us a full look at one of the film's early showdowns as Superman is battling the Hammer of Boravia. It's not just brute force the Man of Steel is up against, he's fighting precision, strategy, and a villain who quite literally knows his every move. In the scene, we see Superman return from a healing session in the Fortress of Solitude, ready for round two. But the Hammer doesn't just hold his own, he dominates the fight. Every punch Kal throws is dodged, every move countered like the villain's reading from a cheat sheet. And that's because… he is. The big reveal here is that Lex Luthor is pulling the strings. His team of tech specialists is feeding real-time commands to the Hammer during the fight. Luthor's obsessive study of Superman, his flight patterns, attack rhythms, and even micro-behaviors has allowed them to essentially out-code him. I think this is a pretty cool scene! Check out the clip below. Superman hits theaters on July 10th!
CBC
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Superman has a problem — and it's not that he's an immigrant
Superman is in trouble. I mean, that is if we are to take the introductory title cards to the new Superman instalment seriously. Because to trust them, he's facing a raft of problems. First of all, it's been three decades since an alien baby named Kal-El fell to planet Earth, three years since Superman (David Corenswet) revealed himself to the world, and a whole bunch of other descending three metrics that are hard to keep in your head. In short, what you need to know is a bad guy named the Hammer of Boravia — representing, it would seem, a fictional, warmongering and vaguely Eastern-European sounding country — just attacked dear old Metropolis. But worst of all, he just handed Supes his first ever L, knocking him all the way to his Arctic fortress of solitude with a bad case of broken ribs. That all stacks up to a bad morning for our hero. But there are other things putting our caped crusader in jeopardy, and they don't all take place on the screen. As numerous reboots over the past couple decades prove, getting this guy right is a contentious question. And because of that, any framing of one of the most well-known and divisive characters in the modern pop culture pantheon is bound to elicit wildly different opinions on what really makes Superman super. For example, there's a spotty (at best) trajectory in recent years for perhaps the most popular superhero character of all time, which alternates between small-screen Smallville series, cursed and cancelled Nicolas Cage franchises, Brightburn reimaginings of Superman as a villain — and even unfortunately gritty Man of Steel s that turned the sunny superhuman into a sociopath with nukes in his eyes. Poll an audience, and any one of these might be labelled character assassination or much needed character rejuvenation. (OK, maybe not the Nicolas Cage one.) But it's clear that director James Gunn had these contrasting arguments in his mind when deciding what version of Superman to bring to screen: either the tortured, eminently human and fallible man of DC's recent efforts, or the Jesus-like, campy saviour portrayed by Christopher Reeve in the 1978 classic. Trying to balance cartoon and realism His solution is simple: do both. Make Superman both the huggable, uncomplicated paragon of truth, justice and the American way. But also: complicate the relationship between him and his adopted home with a political hot potato — one that is now predictably making the rounds in outrage media. If we're just judging by the cape, Gunn obviously trends toward the former characterization: his Superman is rife with cartoonish (though admittedly wildly expensive looking) costumes that wouldn't look out of place at X Æ A-XII Musk's birthday party. Beyond the now reintroduced — and highly controversial — red trunks on Superman himself, there is the hilariously ugly bowl cut on Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern, the comic-y screeches of Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl, and the somehow-still-cool-looking black "T" emblazoned on Mr. Terrific's (Edi Gathegi) scowling face. But look elsewhere, and Gunn is playing a different game — one that's putting the franchise itself in hot water, if we are to believe Fox News. In an interview with the Times of London, Gunn called Superman a definitively political story, one meant to showcase "the story of America": in his understanding, it is the story of an immigrant (Superman) accepted by a country that both saves, and is saved by, him. That those fighting words have proven as provocative as they have is somewhat confusing when looking at the character: he was created by Jewish children of immigrants, initially depicted as a champion against antisemitism in wartime America, and — long before Gunn — constantly and consistently interpreted as an immigrant and refugee by everyone from fans to news outlets to the Library of Congress to DC Comics itself. In the prequel series Smallville, a sort of very-special-episode has Kent angrily tell his adoptive mom that he was an illegal immigrant she'd been harbouring for 17 years. Less than 10 years ago, the comics company used him as a promotional image for World Refugee Day. In a tweet, they implored readers to "#StandWithRefugees" on the same day in 2018 that U.S. President Donald Trump caved to enormous political pressure and signed an executive order ending family separation at the border. And then there's the official DC Nation bio of Superman's most recent comics iteration. Their description is similarly deadpan, and seemingly untroubled by Kent's citizen-status at birth. "This is the story of Kal-El," it reads, "an immigrant, coming of age in the world of today." But for all the furor outside of the theatre, you'd be hard-pressed to find reasons to be offended in an actual screening. At least, that is, for the reasons already expressed: while this Superman does rest its plot largely on a scheme by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to discredit the hero as an undocumented alien, it's muddied by all the other masters Gunn tries to serve. Subplots and throwaway gags More prominent is Superman grappling with his humanity, or lack thereof: can he really be one of us, when his near unlimited cosmic power positions him as something more like a god? There's also the perennial question confronted by several newer superhero movies: what right do ungoverned individuals have to act as vigilantes, or even world police? Gunn tackles the latter question via a drawn out and complicated war between Boravia and the vaguely Middle Eastern, African or South Asian residents of Jarhanpur. The onerously saccharine image of brown faces holding pitchforks and ratty flags bearing superman's logo also threatens to sink the entire movie into the realm of self-parody; as superheroes swoop in to the valiantly save the day, Superman starts to read more like the vainglorious movie-within-the-show of superhero satire The Boys: an-in universe film expressly intended to mock how insipid and offensively shallow superhero franchises tend to be. And that's even before getting to the various subplots and throwaway gags meant to satisfy every possible whim of every possible demographic. There's the uber-modern pocket universe disaster that reeks of the MCU, and an honestly disgustingly stale joke based around how manchild Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) is both bored and disgusted by a beautiful woman he calls "mutant toes." His womanizing — like Superman's mildly silly red trunks or his mildly infuriating super-powered dog Krypto — is more-or-less comics accurate. And they all largely function as olive branches to fans disenchanted with the realism-addicted route Superman has taken in a post Dark Knight world. But seeing them play out in modern-day live-action shows how woefully misguided it is to view that as the all-encompassing guidepost for success. Things that work in comics do not always land in other mediums. Slavishly throwing them in might satisfy an internet argument, but often leads to tone-deaf results. Far more than any immigrant subplot, this is where Superman suffers: a frenetic and busy story that tries to preemptively answer so many fan complaints yet satisfies none. And despite generally entertaining action and impressive acting performances all around, it leads to a tone less for 14- or 40-year-olds, but instead, splits the difference. It's a perfect shooting strategy — if you want to hit nothing.
Geek Tyrant
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
James Gunn Teases Krypton Scenes Coming in DCU's SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW — GeekTyrant
With Superman just weeks away from hitting theaters, James Gunn is finally cracking open the doors to the new DC Universe. But if you're expecting sweeping shots of Krypton and the planet's last moments in Superman , you might want to cool your jets. According to Gunn, the deeper emotional and visual dive into Krypton's fall is likely being saved for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow . In a recent interview with ComicBook, Gunn hinted that while Superman won't focus on the destruction of Kal-El's home world, Kara Zor-El's solo outing is another story. Gunn said of seeing flashbacks of Krypton in Supergirl: 'That's always a possibility. But I think those things are really integral to the two characters and the differences between them, and that Clark really does have sort of this really happy childhood. 'I mean, he had parents who loved him in an easy going upbringing, and it makes him the least dysfunctional of superheroes in so many ways. And Supergirl, especially the DCU Supergirl, she's kind of a mess. 'I mean, she's, she's had a real issues growing up. And it is based on the comic where she watched person after person after person dying in front of her as her piece of the planet disintegrated.' That tonal shift between Clark and Kara is what sets these characters apart. Kal-El was a baby when he left Krypton, he doesn't carry any memories of his people or culture. Kara, on the other hand, lived through it. She remembers the destruction, the trauma, and the slow unraveling of her world, and if Gunn and the DCU are sticking close to Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow , it sounds like they're going to bring all of that grief to the movie. Supergirl's connection to Krypton defines how she moves through the world. Clark might be the optimistic heart of the DCU, but Kara? She's got scars. Emotional, planetary-level scars. Gunn's Superman movie, which stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, opens on July 11. It's the official launchpad for the DCU, but it's clear that the wider world-building will stretch far beyond just this film. Supergirl: Woman of Torrmow , directed by Craig Gillespie ( Cruella, I, Tonya ) and starring House of the Dragon's Milly Alcock, is set to open June 26, 2026. So if you're itching to see a new take on Krypton, its cities, its collapse, its emotional weight, you're probably going to find that story in Supergirl .
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Superman' Has a Secret Plot, a Massive Cast, and a Fast-Approaching Release Date
The Man of Steel is back! After nearly a decade of a darker, more brooding cinematic Superman in the form of Henry Cavill's Kal-El, a new, brighter Superman — as played by David Corenswet — is headed for the big screen faster than a speeding bullet. One of the most buzzed-about movies of 2025, the film marks a new beginning for DC Studios, as the old school comic book brand aims to remind the world of the entire reason why everyone became obsessed with superheroes to begin with: Superman. Directed by James Gunn, who gave us Guardians of the Galaxy, the new Supe seems to promise a return to fun, but also a new kind of high-flying adventure. But, despite a mix of nostalgia and comic book flashiness, what is this movie actually about? Why does it look the way it does? Will it retell the origin of Superman for the billionth time? When does it hit theaters? Why is the cast so massive? How long is the movie? And, what do you need to know about the complex Superman mythos before you see the movie? Here are all your questions about the 2025 Superman, answered. No spoilers is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. This is one week before Jurassic World Rebirth and a few weeks before The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25. That said, if you are an Amazon Prime member, there is a way to access early Superman screenings in the U.S. In some cities, for some Amazon members, you'll be able to buy tickets for a screening as early as Monday, July 8, 2025. The best way to do this is to link your Fandango and Amazon accounts. Reportedly, the runtime for Superman is 2 hours and 9 minutes. This makes it shorter than 2013's Man of Steel, and about the same length as 1983's Superman II. Yes. There are, in fact, several trailers for the new Superman film. Starting last year, a teaser trailer showed off the broad strokes of the movie. More recently, a longer trailer featured Superman getting interviewed by Lois Lane and defending his actions. All trailers feature Superman's super-powered dog, Krypto, who is being depicted in a live-action movie for the first time. In terms of the continuity from the DCEU that began in 2013 with the film Man of Steel, yes, Superman (2025) is a reboot. This is not meant to be the same version of Superman that Henry Cavill played, nor is this movie intended to take place in that shared cinematic universe that also included Jason Momoa's Aquaman, Ezra Miller's Flash, or Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. In fact, Momoa is already playing a different character in the new DCU, the antihero Lobo, starting with the 2026 film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. David Corenswet's version of Superman is expected to have a role in that movie, too. That said, despite being a reboot, Superman (2025) isn't expected to be a straightforward origin story. Instead, taking inspiration from the 2006-2007 comic book series All-Star Superman, the new film will take various aspects of Superman lore in a kind of potpourri situation. As the trailers have revealed, the music will recall the melody from John Williams' 1978 Superman movie, but that doesn't mean this movie will be connected to the canon of those films. Back in 2006, the Brandon Routh-led movie, Superman Returns, attempted to be seen as a sequel to the Christopher Reeve films. The new Superman isn't doing that. It's paying homage to all eras of Superman, but forging a new path, too. The cast of the new Superman film is massive. Here's who's who and why it matters. David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4 Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord Beck Bennett as reporter Steve Lombard Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent Neva Howell as Martha Kent Of note, Superman will be joined by several other superheroes in this movie, including Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific. In this film, these other heroes will be part of a group called "The Justice Gang." It's possible this could lead to the formation of a new Justice League within the film. The movie also establishes several members of The Daily Planet newspaper staff as important characters, including editor Perry White, Cat Grant, Jimmy Olsen, and Steve Lombard. This approach echoes the famous John Byrne-written comics, which began in 1986. That comic book series, which attempted to make Superman a more grounded hero, also paid special attention to the regular human characters of the series. So, the inclusion of these folks in the movie is likely significant, insofar as, despite the goofy action, this Superman will try to be relatable, a ton of promotion and several glimpses, the plot of Superman is, at this time, largely unknown. We know that the film will feature Superman battling a giant Kaiju monster. We know that he will be confronted by the aforementioned members of the Justice Gang. We also know that, as usual, Lex Luthor will try to defeat him. How all these plot threads fit together, however, isn't entirely clear. Some rumors suggest that the film might have an anthology feeling to it, as though we're watching a few different phases of Superman's life and adventures. However, with a brisk runtime of 2 hours and 9 minutes, it feels likely that this movie will tell a unified story, packed with a bunch of incredible and colorful, super-stuff.'Superman' Has a Secret Plot, a Massive Cast, and a Fast-Approaching Release Date first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2025
