The DCU’s Superman is the perfect hero we need right now, and James Gunn’s recent comments perfectly epitomize exactly why. Although I am a fan of many DCEU movies, with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel being one of my favorites, I have been excited about James Gunn’s Superman movie since the day it was announced. Of course, Gunn’s track record as an excellent comic book movie director aided this and garnered excitement for other upcoming DC movies too, but I am someone who missed out on Christopher Reeve’s Superman movies, with the character taking another direction as I grew up.

Superman Returns was a movie that attempted to harken back to the golden era of the character, but even then, I was too young to appreciate that completely. Then came the timeline of the DCEU and the exploration of Superman in a darker world than what is commonly ᴀssociated with the hero. As alluded to, I mostly liked this take, but some aspects never truly sat right with me. As I grew up, I realized those aspects linked to how our world outside of movies was changing around us, and how I saw that on-screen.

I was not only being affected by these changes, but the DCEU’s Superman was too. In many ways, I retroactively look more fondly on the DCEU’s Superman with this in mind, as he stayed good despite being endlessly told that “no one stays good in this world.” Nonetheless, I am at the point now, as an adult, where I crave a return to Superman’s roots; Gunn’s Superman provides that, with the filmmaker summing this up perfectly in a way that convinces me that the Man of Steel I have wished for is here – and may be who we all need right now.

James Gunn’s Comments About Superman’s Old-Fashioned Nature Being Rebellious Are Perfect

Gunn Views Superman’s Goodness In A Unique Way

The comments that Gunn made came in an editorial for the film by Entertainment Weekly. Gunn – alongside Superman‘s cast members, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Isabela Merced, and Nathan Fillion, to name only a few – hyped up the ways Superman is going to build the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. What stuck with me though, was not the teases about Superman vs. Lex, the updates about the DCU’s Batman and Wonder Woman, or hints at the franchise’s future, but Gunn’s departing words about who Superman is.

Gunn has always made it clear that his version of Superman would embody truth, justice, and a better tomorrow by showcasing kindness in a world that does not believe in it. This sold me on the DCU’s version of the Man of Steel from the very beginning, and I have never wavered. In this article, Gunn not only described Superman in a way that typifies that depiction, but recontextualized it in a unique way that links to my issues with the grittier version of the character and how it reflected our own world: “I think that old-fashioned is something that’s really beautiful and, in its own way, the most rebellious thing about that character.“

Describing Superman’s old-fashioned kindness as rebellious is absolutely perfect as, to me, it sums up why things feel different this time around. Over a decade on from Man of Steel, our world has only gotten more negative; kindness continues to be deemed old-fashioned and ridiculed, open discourse and the ensuing vitriol has never been more accessible and, in an increasingly online world, negativity gets clicks and exposure. From Gunn’s comments, I think the Superman of the DCU may live in a similar world, yet he is content to rebel against that.

2025 Is The Perfect Time For James Gunn’s Superman In Superhero Cinema

The Genre Has Reflected A Sour State – Superman Will Change That

Just as Man of Steel and the wider DCU did over a decade ago, superhero cinema has leaned even further into this cynicism. Although oftentimes it makes for great stories, with TV shows like The Boys and Invincible showcasing what would happen if all-powerful beings are not always benevolent, it still reflects the more negative state of our world. When was the last time we received a superhero movie with as much overtly lovable camp, cheese, and hope as the original Superman from 1978? I can’t really think of one.

This is not to say that superhero cinema does not include goodness or hope anymore. Matt Reeves’ The Batman, for example, is exceedingly dark in tone and atmosphere and another gritty take on The Dark Knight, but it ends with Batman realizing his purpose is to spread hope, not fear. This works for a character like Batman, but Superman, I think, should be different. I love the idea of a Superman who, despite being confronted by awful people in a negative world, stays good no matter what as his own way of rebelling against the new norms, rather than being corrupted before finding the light.

The aforementioned shows like The Boys, Invincible, other spoofs like HBO’s The Franchise, and darker stories like Dredd and Watchmen have coincided with dwindling excitement in major superhero franchises. The MCU has been argued to be on a downward spiral since 2019 and DC has been in a state of transition, allowing superhero projects to shift the focus to grittier, edgier takes on the genre. Via Superman, we are receiving an unabashed, barefaced story of the goodness that paragons like Kal-El embody, and it feels more resonant than ever.

Zack Snyder’s Superman Was Great For The 2010s, But James Gunn’s Is What We Need Right Now

I Have Newfound Respect For The DCEU’s Superman, But The DCU Is What We Need

What I have found interesting in formulating this idea and writing this article is how it has shifted my perception of the DCEU’s Superman. I have always loved Henry Cavill in the role and Man of Steel is still one of the best DCEU movies for me. I still had my issues, however, with Superman – and Batman – killing people and the overall lack of happiness in those stories. As I have said, I now realize that these issues stemmed from how I wanted my superheroes to embody hope and happiness despite darkness, rather than succumb to it.

In a way, I am now realizing that Snyder trying to write a version of Superman that succumbs to this darkness, as it is so prevalent in the world, was somewhat ahead of its time. Having Superman be affected by the negativity yet still fight for good in the end was interesting. Regardless, it still included too much of the former in a way that did not provide classic superhero movie escapism, as it felt too akin to the world outside my theater screening.

Gunn’s Superman feels like this is going to be rectified. The world may be more negative and there may be a lot of darkness, to the point where it is difficult to see through it, yet there will always be people like Superman to rebel against that in the name of kindness and goodness. Superman resonates much harder with me as a result, as I simply need to see a story of a man who will fight only to do good, even when people tell him he shouldn’t.

James Gunn’s Superman Comments Can Fix A Common Character Complaint

Superman Being Boring Is A Thing Of The Past

Even beyond my personal feelings about this entire situation, Gunn’s comments about Superman seem to fix a complaint aimed at the character for a while. Growing up, I found that whenever Superman would be mentioned, the word “boring” would not be far behind. People have attributed this to the character because of his innate goodness, somewhat linking back to my point that, in today’s world, goodness is viewed as boring. That said, thanks to the way Gunn has seemingly crafted this story, this may not be directed at 2025’s Superman.

If Gunn has crafted a world that is always against Superman, with heroes who think his kindness is old-fashioned, villains who hate him, civilians who majoritively think of him negatively, and countries that view him as a threat, Superman’s goodness will be exactly as the filmmaker put it: rebellious. Rebellion is never boring; positioning Superman being rebellious as a way to do more inherent good is a genius move on Gunn’s part. This way, Superman can provide the message people need right now by masking it with a story of a good man rebelling against a negative world.