James Gunn’s Superman movie presents a different kind of Man of Steel, with many complaining about how he looks weak, but now that the director has explained his vision, I agree that it could be what the hero needs in the new DC Universe. Superman is exactly what a superhero at the top of the game is, both in terms of just how powerful he is, but also due to his kindness, which is second to none.

Every live-action Superman actor has existed somewhere in the spectrum of the all-powerful hero we have come to know in the comics. And while David Corenswet’s Superman movie does have some impressive displays of power, such as a recent trailer showing the Man of Steel’s destructive heat vision, it is fair to say that the hero has been left bleeding and injured way more than expected. However, Gunn has the perfect explanation for why the DCU’s first movie does that.

I Find It Interesting How Superman Gets Hurt A Lot In The DCU Movie’s Trailers

The Man Of Steel Will Face Many Threats In His DCU Debut

Growing up, my biggest exposure to Superman was in Smallville. While Tom Welling’s version of Clark Kent only became Superman in Smallville‘s series finale, he discovered and mastered a lot of his powers throughout the DC series’ 10-season run. By the end of the show, Clark was fighting Darkseid and Apokolips, having defeated many villains along the way, including the likes of Brainiac, General Zod, Doomsday, and more. Recently, Henry Cavill’s Superman showed how powerful the hero could be on the big screen.

Going from that iteration of the Man of Steel to David Corenswet’s Superman is quite the jump, as both characters have some great tonal changes and differences in their portrayals. While James Gunn’s Superman movie will only be released in July, several trailers and TV spots have shown the Man of Steel in action, fighting a kaiju, robots, Lex Luthor’s soldiers, and more. I’m surprised by just how much of the footage features Superman injured and bleeding. The DCU’s Man of Steel is not as strong as Cavill’s, but maybe that is a good thing.

James Gunn Has The Perfect Explanation For Why David Corenswet’s Superman Is Beatable

The Director Looked At One Of DC’s Other Biggest Heroes

Based on how Superman is normally presented as an all-powerful being who can take on any threat head-on, many fans have taken to social media to criticize the fact that David Corenswet’s Superman gets hurt so much in the trailers for the upcoming DC movie. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, DC Studios’ co-CEO and writer/director of Superman, James Gunn, explained why he decided to make Superman “weaker” than past portrayals of the hero.

According to Gunn, he is well aware of online debates about who would win a fight between Superman and The Boys‘ Homelander and other such characters. However, the director is simply not interested in a conversation that is strictly about power-scaling characters in the superhero realm. Gunn mentioned Batman when explaining why David Corenswet’s Superman is seen getting hurt frequently, saying, “Honestly, in talking to people, a lot of people are like, ‘I like Batman better because he can actually be beat,’ and I get that. So we have a Superman that can be beat.” Check out the full quote below:

“I wanted Superman to be vulnerable. I see the online things ‘Who would beat whom?’ — Homelander or Superman or ҒUCҜing whatever, Adam Warlock or Brightburn, and I’m like, ‘This is the ҒUCҜing stupidest ҒUCҜing conversation.’ Like, so then whoever would win this fight means that they’re the best? Because I’ll just go out and write God Man, who can destroy you with a wink. And I win. I win all the fights forever… Honestly, in talking to people, a lot of people are like, ‘I like Batman better because he can actually be beat,’ and I get that. So we have a Superman that can be beat.

After James Gunn’s Explanation, I’m Convinced The DCU Superman Will Make His Best Trait Shine

Superman As A Character Is Not All About His Impressive Powers

While Superman getting injured a lot like the DCU version of the character does is a new look, Gunn’s comparison to Batman helps me understand what he wants to do with the character better. Batman is a formidable hero because he is the one without powers amid several gods and such. Still, with his determination and intelligence, he manages to become the biggest threat in the Justice League more often than not. Superman does not have to be all-powerful to be exciting. In fact, Gunn’s decision could help potentialize another key aspect of the character.

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While Kal-El hails from Krypton, Superman’s humanity is his best trait. There is an innate kindness to the character and a level of understanding of Earth that came from his upbringing with the Kents. Clark Kent is just as important as Superman, and if we see the hero struggle in the DCU movie, he can get the strength he needs to get back up from that humanity. Superman can be a hero who overcomes any adversity to protect the world he loves, and that is more interesting than ending any fight in seconds.