Superman broke new ground for the franchise and DC as a whole, while also reviving an old tradition tied to the character. The DCU has officially arrived, between the TV debut of Creature Commandos season 1 in 2024, and the theatrical release of Superman, a new era begins now.

However, despite seeking to take these stories forward into a new age, the movie has carefully positioned itself in a comparative position to the classic Superman movies starring Christopher Reeve. By all accounts, Reeve is often regarded as the definitive iteration of the character, but the DCU wants to raise David Corenswet to that same level.

Superman’s Opening Blends A Traditional & Fresh Approach To The Hero

Superman Has A Unique Opening For A Superhero Movie

And in order to do that, this movie has set up several ways that it connects and contrasts with those early movies that began debuting back in 1978. In addition to the similarities in the graphics, the costume, the tone, and the music, Superman includes a subtle detail that connects it to the classic movies.

In the beginning of the film, the logo and the coloring provide a callback to the Richard Donner film from 1978, and follows on by setting the stage with text that reveals important details about this version of the character. It reveals how metahumans have been around for three centuries, and how Superman has been operating as a hero for three years.

But the way that this is laid out helps to set the stage for the story that follows, while also linking it back to the movies that transformed the superhero genre and elevated this character to greater heights of popularity than ever before.

Superman’s Opening Mirrors A Decades-Old Movie Trend For The Hero

Superman Has A Legacy Of Including Text At The Start If The Movie

Now, the original Superman quadrilogy starring Christopher Reeve includes text in each opening, but it is primarily to present the credits, as that was often done at the start of a film rather than at the end. But, when Superman Returns came out in 2006, and attempted to revive the story from Reeve’s era, it opened with this same style of text introduction.

Clearly, this is not a novel idea for the Superman movies, but it is a nice nod to connect the film to the movies that came before. And considering these stories stretch back half a century and more, it’s important to acknowledge and recognize where it came from and how it got here.

How The DCU’s Superman Opening Changes The Movie Trend Still

Superman Sets The Stage For A New DC Era With The DCU

As mentioned above, the way Superman used this concept was different. Rather than featuring credits at the start, the text highlights what is happening in the story. This is not an origin story, and it was important to inform the audience of what came before.

But, the fact that this movie shares this detail in common feels like a wonderful piece of connective tissue that goes further to tying the narratives together. Of course, Reeve and Corenswet will have their distinct ways of playing Superman, but the hope and the joy they bring to the role are shared. And Superman is bringing that emotion back to the part in a big way.