I’m Glad Superman’s New Trailer Doubles Down On The Most Controversial Part Of The First One

Having watched the new Superman movie trailer, I’m glad it leans into a divisive aspect of the original trailer, and further explains why it’s a core part of both previews and seemingly the DCU film itself. In terms of the superhero world, Superman’s significance can’t really be overstated. As one of the most recognizable, consistently popular, and genre-defining superheroes of all time, Superman is the character people often first think of when they think of the word superhero – which can seemingly be a blessing and a curse for the character as well.

As a bastion of heroism and good – and a seriously powerful character who is more often than not going up against DC’s most ᴅᴇᴀᴅly antagonists – Superman often has to balance being regarded as boring when he’s not shown as struggling in his endeavors, and being regarded as nerfed or underpowered when he’s shown being more actively challenged by obstacles he faces. This second category is something that’s been discussed regarding DCU’s Superman following the first Superman trailer – a matter made all the more interesting by the second Superman trailer and its approach to the Kryptonian hero.

The First Superman Trailer’s Opening Proved Controversial

Superman’s Trailer Showed The DCU’s Man Of Steel Isn’t Unbeatable

The first Superman trailer was always set to be one of the most heavily scructinized parts of the run-up to the DC Universe film’s actual release, given it was the first really tangible look at what many of these characters would be like on-screen, and what the story would be like itself – and without the context that later teasers and trailer would have after this point. With that said, the Superman trailer also chose to open on an unconventional story moment, starting things off with a sH๏τ of a bloody Superman lying in the snow looking injured.

With Superman being one of the most powerful heroes in the main DC roster – and so focused on as superhuman in on-screen and comic stories alike – the trailer’s opening naturally proved something of a surprise to audiences. It also proved a decision that saw some divided reactions, as some felt showing Superman in this more vulnerable state undermined the character, or depicted him as a version of the Man of Steel who was far weaker than previous iterations.

As much as this initial Superman trailer moment appears to have been chosen for the dramatic way it starts off the trailer and our real knowledge of the DCU iteration of the character, it also serves to make the stakes feel high for the character. Knowing that at some point Superman faces an enemy or situation that leaves him having to call upon Krypto to bring him to safety immediately raises some major questions about what happens in the story and when – and helps encourage a sense of empathy for Superman that’s often harder to pull off for more powerful characters.

The New Superman Trailer Doubles Down On Showing How Superman Isn’t All-Powerful

The New Superman Trailer Repeats This Message & Explains Its Story Purpose More

The new Superman trailer leans into the concept of showing the DC hero as a not invulnerable character, showing Superman being pushed through the air by someone in a heavy-duty metal suit, and then being helped up from a crater in the ground he made after being hit into it in seemingly the same fight. The original trailer opening questions about whether the DCU’s Superman was being made to look weak meant these aspects of the second trailer have naturally also furthered these same conversations, exacerbating some existing concerns.

However, the second Superman trailer also focuses more on why these moments and scenes make sense – though it’s worth noting both trailers certainly tease his considerable power level by showing him fighting a giant monster. Superman being helped out of his crater by a kind civilian underlines the idea that anyone is capable of heroism – even if they aren’t necessarily capable of taking on the enemies the Kryptonian does – and the knowledge Superman is taking a true beating in some of the movie’s conflicts makes his frustration at Lois’ questioning of his decisions all the more understandable.

With James Gunn explaining at the Superman trailer press event that ScreenRant attended that the DCU’s Superman is in some ways reflective of the “goodness of human beings“, seeing him and his beliefs take a literal battering makes what the character stands for mean all the more. It also means that the fights that are impending get to feel all the more tense, since we’ve already gotten some glimpses at how these fights don’t unfold in ways that are always in Superman’s favor, reinforcing the idea we’re seeing a hero who isn’t all that far into his superhero career.

Why The Superman Trailer Decisions Are Important For The DCU Movie

The DCU Superman’s Trailers Are An Important Look At What The Future Holds

While it’s understandable that the trailers focusing on these moments have raised questions about how powerful he will actually be – given we don’t seem to have seen the full extent of his abilities – it does make sense to take this approach with the DCU Superman movie. Superman’s powers and power level is something even people who aren’t interested in superhero media at all are aware of, and thus there is more of an imperative to show audiences why they should care about a character who is often thought of as uninteresting because he’s so powerful he can win most fights.

James Gunn’s comments about Superman underline this idea. The Superman writer and director discussed the movie in an interview with Variety where he explained he aims to avoid it being a “power fantasy“, and looks at the Man of Steel as someone who still faces great physical challenges alongside the moral and emotional ones we see him presented with in the trailer – but who still always tries to choose kindness and compᴀssion first and foremost, which is arguably more powerful as a concept if we also see him struggle at points in the fights he takes on.

Superman is a character who means a lot of things to a lot of different people – both because of what he represents, and because of how many different ways the hero has been imagined and interpreted over the course of the decades he’s been on-screen and on the pages of DC’s comics. As such, it’ll be interesting to see what elements of the character the DCU Superman movie focuses on most in its own story, and how it communicates the hero’s strengths and weaknesses to audiences.