Steven Spielberg has been vocal about his opinions on superhero films, but equally, his positive praise of one MCU movie bodes well for the DCU‘s Superman. The superhero genre has received a lot of negativity from so-called “serious” filmmakers. Despite dominating the box office, creating incredible demand, and inspiring vast communities of like-minded fans, not everyone in Hollywood considers superhero movies to be cinema.
Obviously, superhero movies play out on the big screens in cinemas, but when discussing cinema and what the medium should be, often superhero films are disregarded because of their heavy use of CGI, their fantastical premises, and the escapism that makes them such an attractive offering. But one of the greatest directors alive has unabashedly praised one film from the MCU.
Steven Spielberg Expressed Considerable Approval For James Gunn’s First MCU Movie
Spielberg Highlights What Makes A Superhero Movie Great
Steven Spielberg, the director behind such pivotal masterpieces of cinema as Jurᴀssic Park, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Schindler’s List, and the Indiana Jones films, has weighed in on his thoughts about superhero movies. And while he generally appears to find the disconnect from reality, and the larger-than-life superheroes to be less engaging, he has offered praise for a handful of films in the genre, including James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
I really like Richard Donner’s Superman, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and the first Iron Man, but the superhero movie that impressed me the most is one that doesn’t take itself too seriously: Guardians of the Galaxy. When the screening ended, I left with the feeling that I had seen something new in the cinema, without any cynicism or fear of being dark when necessary.
In 2016, while attending the Cannes Film Festival, Spielberg mentioned the superhero movies that he believed were the strongest within the genre (via CBR). These included Richard Donner’s Superman, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. However, he distinctly highlighted James Gunn’s GotG as his favorite movie of the entire genre.
Spielberg’s Comments About Guardians Of The Galaxy Bode Well For The DCU’s Superman
Superman’s Story Is In Good Hands With James Gunn Writing & Directing
Praise from Spielberg is already a considerable honor, but to have Gunn placed at the very top of this group of iconic directors and films is an extraordinary feat. And it is one that speaks volumes to the potential for Gunn’s Superman to launch the DCU with an equivalent level of skill and storytelling, or potentially even more considering the years of experience that Gunn has had since GotG was released in 2014.
The thing is, despite the fantastical setting of the GotG, Gunn was able to bring the story down to a level where it resonated with audiences, and felt genuinely emotional and valuable. Yes, there is a talking tree and a raccoon with an atтιтude problem traveling on a ship with a human far from home and a green woman, but Gunn’s ability to get to the core of the story, and deliver that to the audience, appears to be an exceptionally rare talent, and one that will serve Superman well.
How Superman Can Mirror What Worked in Guardians Of The Galaxy (While Still Being Its Own Thing)
Guardians Of The Galaxy Gave Gunn Invaluable Experience In The Superhero Genre
Superman’s story does include significantly more fantasy, considering the hero is a literal superhero who possesses a variety of unbelievable powers, but when digging deeper, it’s a story about truth, hope, acceptance, and what it means to be a hero. The Guardians of the Galaxy films also explored some similar topics, but the story is told through the lens of several imperfect misfits. Superman, on the other hand, is a deeply moral person, who wants nothing more than to be good.
The stories immediately have vast differences, but to make a great superhero movie, the director and anyone in a pivotal role needs to uncover the most important parts of the characters, and then translate that into the finished product. Gunn’s eye for casting, his talent for writing scripts, and his vision as a director will all contribute to Superman being an incredible and unique story, and these skills were only refined thanks to his time in the MCU with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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Superman
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Release Date
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June 26, 2026
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The Batman Part II
- Release Date
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October 1, 2027
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