At a recent trailer reveal event, director James Gunn shared the inspirations for his take on Superman in the DC Universe, including past versions by Richard Donner and Zack Snyder in the list.
“I think that all previous DC media influenced me,” the director explained to ComicBook during a set visit for the film. “I think that obviously, the original Donner movie influenced me, but there’s also a lot of things that—this isn’t like I’m just making a Donner-type movie. It’s very different from that.”
He admitted Snyder’s effect, noting that “Zack did some excellent stuff,” and added that DC’s animated universe also shaped his approach. Still, his main focus laid in the comic books.
“There’s a lot of stuff from the comic books above and beyond anything else, ‘All-Star Superman,’ that influenced me more than anything,” Gunn revealed, explaining his desire “to take that sort of Silver Age feel, that sort of science fiction approach to it with gadgets.”
James Gunn’s version of Superman has not been without its critics, especially after Henry Cavill was let go following his brief appearance in a ‘Black Adam’ post-credits scene. Despite the initial pushback, Gunn shared that Snyder supported his upcoming Superman project though his film did not follow the previous director’s darker style.
Gunn explained to MovieZine (via CBM) that “we have something that’s relatively serious like Superman and then something that’s relatively comedic like Peacemaker all in the same universe. Something very adult like Peacemaker [and] something pretty family-friendly like Superman.”
‘Superman,’ starring David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, will hit theaters on July 11, 2025. The first trailer arrived today, December 19.
