James Gunn’s Superman is set to bring a faithful new adaptation of the Man of Steel to the big screen in July 2025, and hopeful fans have a few particular hopes for the film. Previously known as Superman: Legacy, the film will be the first flagship movie of the brand-new DC Universe, though other projects currently exist in DCU canon. The first standalone Superman film since 2013’s Man of Steel, the film has a lot of pressure to live up to when it comes to introducing Superman to a new cinematic universe.
In the wake of the DCEU films that were established after Zack Snyder’s own Superman movie, many die-hard fans of the character have high hopes for Superman. As great as Henry Cavill was among the many live-action actors who’ve played Superman, the DCEU painted a strikingly different picture of the character that went on to falsely inform who Superman is in the minds of many casual audiences. Hopefully, James Gunn’s upcoming movie will be able to satisfy the many unchecked boxes Superman movies have left blank since the days of Christopher Reeve’s original quadrilogy.
10
Clark Kent Gets Just As Much Screen Time
Superman is exciting, but he isn’t much of a personality
Most who prefer Batman to Superman might cite the Blue Boy Scout’s lack of personality as a primary qualifier, preferring the undeniably broody character of Bruce Wayne. Just because Superman is optimistic doesn’t mean that he has no personality, even if modern Superman movies have had a tough time portraying it. James Gunn’s Superman can help dispel this notion by giving more time to Clark Kent than ever before.
The private life and times of Clark Kent can be just as interesting as Superman’s drama, if not more so. The human figure should represent who the character is at his core, giving audiences a relatable protagonist they could project themselves on to. Rather than being a goofy sniveling coward Superman really uses to hide his true identity, the DCU’s Superman has the potential to develop Clark Kent himself more than ever before.
9
Zero Presence Of Evil Supermen
From Invincible to the Boys, it’s safe to say the trope is played out
The concept of an evil Superman has always been fascinating, played around with in the past by off-shoot DC storylines like the Injustice series and even horror movies like Brightburn. However, it’s safe to say that the concept has been thoroughly run into the ground in the modern day. The success and popularity of Homelander and Omni-Man in Amazon’s The Boys and Invincible, respectively, have suffused pop culture to its breaking point.
It was always unlikely that Superman would introduce DC’s flagship character with an evil version of himself. That being said, even using an evil version of Superman for a villain or brief dream sequence would be eyeroll-worthy at this point in the development of comic book media consciousness. If James Gunn’s upcoming film makes it to the end credits without a single evil Kryptonian or Superman look-alike appearing, it would be a breath of fresh air.
8
Let Krypton Stay More Mysterious
Clark’s origins shouldn’t be so important
One of the coolest parts of 2013’s Man of Steel was the extended opening credits sequence detailing Superman’s origin on Krypton, giving audiences a brief glimpse of what life on the planet might’ve been like for the first time. As novel as this was at the time, the repeated use of Kryptonian technology in the DCEU that followed and resulting lack of mystery in Clark’s heritage killed some of the character’s honed mystique. James Gunn’s Superman might do well to keep less of a focus on Krypton entirely.
That’s not to say that the planet shouldn’t be mentioned or even important to Clark Kent. Indeed, Superman should have a heavy affinity for his celestial origin, so long as too much about it isn’t revealed to him right away. With 2025’s Superman seeming to present a hero that’s already been in the business for a while, with even Milly Alcock’s Supergirl slated to make an appearance, it may be unlikely that any mystery is left regarding Superman’s origins by the time audiences get to meet him.
7
Jimmy Olsen Being An Actual Character
Clark Kent’s best friend always deserved better
One of the most undersung characters in the Superman mythos, it’s easy to see why Jimmy Olsen hasn’t gotten his just deserts. The peppy photographer of the Daily Planet isn’t exactly worthy hero or even sidekick for impressionable audiences to imprint on, coming across as a nebbish foil to the all-powerful Superman in most versions of his story. The DCEU tried too hard to course-correct, making Jimmy Olsen into a grizzled veteran and CIA operative only to unceremoniously kill him off after all of five minutes of screen time.
Luckily, Jimmy Olsen has been confirmed for the cast of Superman, set to be played by Skyler Gisondo. Gisondo’s work in the tragically-canceled Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet has him playing a very similar personality to the classic Jimmy Olsen. Hopes are high for Clark Kent’s intrepid best friend to have an actually substantial role in the upcoming film.
6
Clark Kent’s “Clumsiness” Unintentionally Saves People
One clever conceit from the comics should make a comeback
Part of the reason Superman’s disguise as Clark Kent works so well is due to his demeanor. Clark isn’t just an ordinary guy — He’s especially clumsy, constantly breaking things, bumping into people, or otherwise making a nuisance of himself as a person who’s simply in the way. However, this quirky accident-prone nature is actually a clever way for Superman to help people without breaking character.
In the comics, there are many times in which Clark Kent’s supposed clumsiness is actually Superman making a conscious decision to save someone without drawing suspicion. For instance, he may just so happen to bump into someone just as they’re about to be struck by a speeding car, saving their life by inches with an innocuous excuse. The Christopher Reeve movies briefly touched on this habit, but it would be amazing to see the idea brought to life in a modern big-budget superhero movie.
5
A Genuine Superman That Doesn’t See Himself As God
Clark Kent is a Kansas-raised farmboy first, alien messiah second
In nearly every iteration of Superman in film ever since the original in 1978, the character has been described with some degree of Christ-like qualities, acting as more of a holier-than-thou messiah figure rather than a down-to-earth hero. The DCEU hammered on this particular nail especially badly, painting Kal-El as an almost detached alien who views humanity as a sort of ant farm in which he is particularly invested in. This has done tremendous damage to the public perception of Superman, with many assuming that this way of portraying the character is accurate to the comics.
In reality, Clark Kent is a grounded guy who, above all else, was raised as a humble human farmer in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. As a proven comic aficionado, James Gunn should know this, and a Superman that acts like a genuine, caring person rather than a divine martyr for humanity’s sins could finally be ready to meet movie audiences for the first time. It’s up to Superman to provide a Clark Kent that proves Bill’s ill-informed Superman speech in Kill Bill wrong in the eyes of the public.
4
The Film’s Tone Should Be Bright And Hopeful
Audiences are thoroughly sick of a dour and depressed Superman
One of the biggest appeals of Superman as a character is his relentless optimism and faith in human nature. Always one to champion the genuine good residing in each person, Superman manages to consistently encourage those around him even without his powers, being able to talk troubled people down from literal ledges even if he could use his powers to force them to safety. The DCEU movies made no effort to preserve this aspect of the average Superman story, leaving audiences with a grim, gritty universe in which Superman could be just as discouraged as the worst of humanity.
It would be in James Gunn’s best interests to provide audiences with a Superman movie with a notably brighter and more hopeful tone, championing humanity through the apex of DC heroism. Allegedly, Superman will be based off the famous comic run All-Star Superman, which does a particularly phenomenal job maintaining an upbeat, positive outlook even in the wake of Superman’s imminent death. After so many years of a dour, morose Superman, a comic-accurate, inspiring tone is just what the doctor ordered.
3
Lois Lane Has Something To Do
Lane has always been more than Superman’s damsel in distress
For being such an integral character to most Superman stories, many Superman films simply haven’t known what to do with Lois Lane. Lois Lane’s best moments in film and TV are stuck hidden within an avalanche of scenes in which she’s a simple screaming victim of the latest villain needing to be rescued by Superman. The DCEU movies gave Lois Lane mysteries to solve, but always put her one step behind the audience, making her efforts ultimately pointless in the grand scheme of the story.
There are many ways James Gunn could incorporate Lois more strongly into the story of Superman. Focusing on the human drama between her and Clark Kent is one avenue which would eschew the need for Lois to contend with the world of superheroics. Another option could be making Lois’ reporter abilities instrumental in legally taking down Lex Luthor, fighting him on the front of corporate espionage and public manipulation while Superman goes up against his physically-threatening plots and schemes.
2
Superman Doesn’t Kill Anyone
Batman got his first no-kill movie, and Superman deserves one, too
The “no-killing” rule has often been a sore subject for many versions of both Superman and Batman. It wasn’t until recently that Batman was actually able to go an entire film without killing anyone with Matt Reeves’ The Batman in 2022, and Superman deserves the same courtesy. This is especially true in the wake of Superman’s Darwinistic decisions to kill General Zod and let his own father die in Man of Steel, lessening the value of sentient life in Superman’s belief system by extension.
It would be incredibly refreshing to see Superman go the entire runtime of the film without killing anyone, even if they’re a non-human alien. After all, Superman himself is not of this world, and extending his “no-killing” courtesy beyond mere humans would be a great way to tip the odds in a villain’s favor. Even if no extraterrestrial villains are on the horizon for 2025’s Superman, seeing the character be more dedicated to his trademark ethics wouldn’t go unappreciated.
1
Let Superman Stay The Focus Of His Own Movie
For being DC’s flagship character, Superman is often undermined
It’s puzzling to remember that Superman only ever got one solo movie in the entire DCEU, whereas characters like Aquaman and Harley Quinn managed to be the stars of multiple. Quickly overshadowed by Ben Affleck’s Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Kal-El went on to only exist in the context of team-up movies from then onward, evidently never being interesting enough to be worth revisiting on his own. This is a missed opportunity that Gunn’s Superman is in danger of repeating.
Already, a host of C-List heroes have already been confirmed to star in Superman alongside the titular character, including Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, and Metamorpho. It’s unclear how big of a role these supporting heroes are expected to play, but hopefully, Superman will still be allowed to be the star of his own show. Having Superman‘s first solo outing in the DCU devolve into a team-up movie before he’s even had a chance to shine by himself would be a crying shame.
Key Release Dates
The Batman Part II
Release Date:2026-10-02
