When it begins the new DC Universe in 2025, Superman promises to show an iteration of the character that embodies joyfulness and hope, with set photos already showing the actor can nail one underestimated part of the character. With David Corenswet leading the enormous 2025 Superman cast, the film promises to create a new, lived-in universe that is populated by several pre-existing superheroes. What is most important, however, is how director and writer James Gunn described the lead character’s outlook: “kindness in a world that thinks kindness is old-fashioned.”

Different live-action iterations of Superman have existed throughout the years, with each having varying focuses. While the cheery My Adventures With Superman brings a light rendition to the table, a darker era of the hero starring Henry Cavill still remains recent. It can be difficult to tell stories of a hero who is as good and powerful as Superman, leading to some more cynical subversions of his story in films like Man of Steel and comic books like Superman: Red Son. However, the new DC Universe appears to be faithful to the earlier stories, especially in one consistently characteristic way.

Superman’s Smile Has Been At The Forefront Of DC Debates About The Character

Superman’s Smile Is A Consistent Sign Of The Hero’s Hopeful Nature

While Superman’s smile is for many an aspect of his happier nature that is otherwise not thought about, it is an emblem of his cheery persona that has thus become the subject of much debate over the years. Having an omnipotent hero who is perfectly good is something that has been critiqued in media throughout history, especially with an increased focus on superhero media, as many regard it as unrealistic. Like with Captain America in the MCU, it can be hard for audiences to relate to a paragon of joy, goodness, and virtue, leading to toned down versions of Superman.

This has made it more notable that recent Superman set photos have provided an excellent look at the bright and sunny look of the character, as well as the iconic smile that his actor boasts. Following in the path of performers like Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh, and even more recent cartoons like My Adventures With Superman, this Kal-El seems to present as a bright beacon for hope. With the idea of someone like Superman existing coming under more question with the likes of Invincible‘s Omni-Man and The Boys‘ Homelander, this especially classic look – smile included – becomes paradoxically perfectly timely.

The DCEU Brought Superman’s Smile Debates To The Forefront Once More

The DCEU Also Involved Discussion About Superman’s Nature

The DCEU timeline was built around Man of Steel, a film which was itself intended to take a darker, grittier, and more grounded look at the Superman mythos. Produced by Christopher Nolan, the film was intended as the logical next step for DC heroes after the success of The Dark Knight trilogy. While the films never crossed over, Henry Cavill’s Superman was cut from that same cloth and was intended to be a more realistic and dour version of the bright DC Comics character.

As such, Superman did not smile much throughout the DCEU. From killing Zod to dying against Doomsday to rising from the dead to fight his Justice League compatriots, much of the character’s story was instead an exploration of the dangers of a Superman figure. Like Lex Luthor says in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: “If god is all powerful, he cannot be all good.” This led to a darker iteration of the hero, and to conversations about whether Cavill’s Superman was too serious, priming audiences to continue this discussion going into the DCU.

DCU’s Superman Smile Praise Paints A Hopeful Picture For The Future

The DCU’s Superman Is In A Hopeful Position For The Future

When Superman is released in 2025, it promises to reveal an entirely new DC Universe full of all sorts of new and exciting characters and to differentiate itself from the Henry Cavill iteration in major ways. It appears that many of the universe’s new characters will inhabit some of the darker corners of that world, with even heroes like Supergirl being pulled from the more cynical Tom King book Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

That said, returning to a more classical Superman in this sense suggests the character can remain a beacon of light for the franchise. The Man Of Steel has long been one of the harder figures in the entire superhero genre to depict, so focusing in on that core kindness and morality – as all the Superman movie preview material suggests is the plan – seems an approach that will surely pay dividends in the end. Wherever the DCU decides to follow it with future films and series, Superman’s smile and heart will remain the steadfast heart of the universe.

Even in an elevated and fantastical setting like James Gunn’s Superman is suggested to inhabit, it is essential that the DCU stories allow a human grounding to their characters and environment. However, against this backdrop, it is perhaps even more important that a hopeful Superman be given the opportunity to convey a grounded but dedicated sense of morality and fortitude that comes straight out of the comics. The setup for Superman suggest this is one of the cornerstones of the DCU, but it will be important to see how the new universe explores this in upcoming films.