Off the Shelf Media

Superman is one of the most recognizable figures in modern media. When it was announced in April of 2023 by the co-CEO of the newly revamped DC Studios, James Gunn, that the character would be getting a fresh start, the pressure to succeed was on. Adding fuel to the flame, many industry insiders indicated that Superman (2025) could make or break the future of the DCU, and perhaps Warner Bros. as a whole. 

As production began, Gunn announced on Twitter that actor Henry Cavill would not be donning the cape again. This announcement was met with mixed reactions, which were only further exacerbated once actor David Corenswet was officially cast in the titular role of Superman, aka Clark Kent. 

Fans waited with bated breath as they wondered if the director, best known for the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, would bring new life to their beloved franchise or hit the final nail into its almost completed coffin.  

As early trailers and clips were released, Superman’s symbol of hope grew. 

Finally, on July 11, Superman (2025) soared into theaters, directed by Gunn. Joining Corenswet’s Superman were Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, among others. 

Immediately, the film received critical acclaim and buzz from fans, securing it the number one spot at the box office on opening weekend with $125 million, and making it the third biggest opening weekend of 2025, according to Variety. This places Superman (20205) only behind A Minecraft Movie (2025) in the top spot with $162 million and Lilo & Stitch (2025) with $146 million.

Despite strong reviews, I arrived on opening weekend with excitement but few expectations. I walked into the theater, not considering myself much of a Superman fan. I walked out two hours and nine minutes later, completely obsessed. 

A ‘super’ cast 

While I was never a fan of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel (2013), I felt bad for Cavill to lose a role he had seemed so passionate about. At the announcement that Corenswet would be taking the role, I thought he seemed, well, a bit fragile-looking to don the mantel of arguably the strongest hero known to man. 

Yet, Corenswet, known previously for his roles in Twisters (2024) and Netflix’s The Politician (2019-2020), stepped up to the plate in a big way. 

Besides putting on around 40 pounds of muscle to play Superman, Corenswet, in nearly every press interview I’ve seen him in, has only solidified further that he was the perfect cast to play Superman. 

Kind, charming, and a bit dorky, Corenswet appears to embody the Man of Steel off the screen and certainly captures him well on the screen. There are two particular scenes that sold me on Corenswet’s Superman: one scene is Superman’s interview with his love interest and reporter, Lois Lane, which we see snippets of in the trailers. This conversation perfectly depicts for the audience what each of these characters stands for. Clark, in his effort to do as much good as possible, is frustrated with Lois’s no-holds-barred level of questioning that any good, career-driven journalist would have. While Clark focuses on the morality of his actions, Lois is pushing him on the legality and politics of them, a perspective that well-intentioned Clark Kent hadn’t considered. Instead, his sole focus was on saving lives at risk. In a few minutes, the audience perfectly understands their dynamic, their values, and Clark Kent’s shining humanity, a central theme of the film. 

The second scene, which I am trying to avoid giving spoilers for, is almost so minor it may not even stick in your memory. Yet, if you know James Gunn, you know he’s a passionate animal lover. This scene takes Gunn’s passion for all of Earth’s creatures and Clark Kent’s desire to do good for all, and brings them together in a perfect marriage for a 30-second clip. Upon seeing that clip in the film, I knew I was all-in on the new Superman.

Of course, every good hero needs an even greater villain. Hoult, as Lex Luther, is one evil sonofab*tch. 

He’s rich, he’s powerful, egotistical, and the perfect amount of unhinged. In every scene with Hoult, he convinces us not only that he is Lex Luthor but that he will truly stop at nothing to defeat Superman. His obsessive nature and how he justifies his hatred are delivered in a way that the audience believes, and Gunn leaves no room for him to be redeemed. 

I’ve written previously in my review of Creature Commandos Season One how Gunn does a masterful job of developing characters that the audience will care for and resonate with. Perhaps his greatest strength in Superman is that he also builds up these characters in a way that feels like we’ve been witnessing these actors in these roles for years. It’s fast, but it’s natural. 

The film features a wide array of characters, including Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olson, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. We also see the return of Frank Grillo’s live-action Rick Flag Sr., which he voices in the animated Creature Commandos (2024- ). Not to mention, of course, Krypto the Superdog, who perfectly encapsulates what I would expect a superpowered dog to be. 

Despite great performances from the whole cast, Mr. Terrific, played by Edi Gathegi, absolutely steals the show.  He takes a character that should seem uncool purely based on naming and makes him the coolest character on the screen. More on that later. 

No time wasted 

My biggest critique of Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* (2025) was that the film spends too much time telling us rather than showing us. Gunn doesn’t have this problem.  

Instead, we jump right into the film headfirst and land two feet on the ground, prepared to run. Even with this, very few aspects of the film feel rushed. Each bit of dialogue or scene that needs its time gets it. And anything redundant or unnecessary, like overexplaining Clark’s hypnoglasses, only gets the screen time it needs to make its point. 

That being said, I would have loved to see more of Clark Kent interacting with his colleagues at The Daily Planet. A few characters, namely Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover) and Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett), get too little screen time to feel consequential to the story at this stage. 

As I’ve said in other reviews and articles, I’ve never been much of a Superman fan, so I can’t properly judge how important these characters actually are for Clark or Superman, especially in a new DC Universe where the rules might change. I imagine they will play larger roles in any subsequent sequels. However, given that they received their own character posters during the promotional stage, I did expect to learn more about them as a viewer. I didn’t learn much. 

Balanced, colorful, and action-packed

This film is a quintessential comic book movie. I mean that as both a compliment and a critique. 

In the best ways, this film appropriately captures the color and creativity that Superman comics feature, none of which was seen in Snyder’s versions. It simply feels like a Superman movie. 

Yet, there are a few scenes where the comic book fantasy bleeds a bit too much and pulls me out of the film. Without giving too much away, there is a scene towards the third act that features Metamorpho, played by Anthony Carrigan, and Superman in a setting that seemed perhaps underserved by the FX team, and doing an act that feels too silly to be taken seriously. For me, at least. 

Yet, despite a few silly scenes, the film as a whole is more than entertaining. Each “hokey” comic book scene is outweighed by a heartfelt dialogue or an incredible action sequence that makes up for it. Plus, overall, the FX work is pretty good. Krypto, in particular, looks amazing and real. Fittingly so as he’s directly based on Gunn’s own rescue dog, Ozu. 

One of my favorite scenes in the film, and arguably the best fight scene in the entire movie, is driven by Mr. Terrific. 

Reminiscent of the action sequence in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, where Yondu, played by Michael Rooker, assists Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) in escaping using his signature arrow. As a backdrop to the massacre of the Ravagers, the upbeat tune of “Come A Little Bit Closer” by Jay & The Americans broadcasts on the loudspeaker. This scene is much like that. And I can’t wait to watch it again. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a James Gunn film without iconic an soundtrack to boot. While Superman (2025) doesn’t sport a playlist quiet as extensive as the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, “5 Years Time” by Noah And the Whale and “Punkrocker (feat. Iggy Pop)” by Teddybears are sure to be hits for the remainder of the summer.

If those tunes aren’t enough for you and you need more, Gunn participated in a fun promotion with Spotify, bringing each character’s personal playlist to life.

Putting ‘fresh’ in ‘fresh start’ 

Ultimately, this film is refreshing not only for the DC Universe, which was in much obvious need, but for the genre of superhero films as a whole. It was colorful, action-packed, and heartfelt. I left the movie theater excited and would’ve immediately turned around to go watch it again if I could.

Recently, I named Superman (2025) as my most anticipated summer movie of the year. I think I chose correctly. Now, I can only hope Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is able to keep up.

Did you have a chance to see Superman (2025) on opening weekend? Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more reviews like this sent directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday!