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SUPERMAN

​I Warner Bros. Pictures Canada I July 11, 2025 I 129 mins. I

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82%

* As of 7/10/25

CAST:

David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio,

Maria Gabriela de Faria, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell

DIRECTOR(S): 

James Gunn

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“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theatres worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humour and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

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The film stars David Corenswet (“Twisters,” “Hollywood”) in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the “X-Men” movies, “Juror #2”) as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind”), Anthony Carrigan (“Barry,” “Gotham”), Nathan Fillion (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “The Suicide Squad”), Isabela Merced (“Alien Romulus”), Skyler Gisondo (“Licorice Pizza,” “Booksmart”), Sara Sampaio (“At Midnight”), María Gabriela de Faría (“The Moodys”), Wendell Pierce (“Selma,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”), Alan Tudyk (“Andor”), Pruitt Taylor Vince (“Bird Box”) and Neva Howell (“Greedy People”).

REVIEW BY: Darren Zakus - 7/10/25

RATING 3.5 out of 5

Superman gives flight to the new DC Universe with a phenomenal leading trio of David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult who embody every element of the beloved characters, that packed with an exciting and hopeful screenplay that albeit has conflicting tones and too many ideas at play, promises a bright future for DC on the big screen.

 

For decades, Superman has remained a cornerstone of DC Comics, both in print form and film since Christopher Reeve’s debut as the character in Richard Donner’s 1978 film. Since then, the character has become a regular on both the big and small screen, most recently portrayed by Henry Cavill in the DC Extended Universe on the big screen and Tyler Hoechlin on television's Superman & Lois, both of which were both a part of extended universes of DC Comic characters. Taking a second run at creating a shared universe for DC Comics on the big screen, the keys to the kingdom have been handed to director James Gunn, best known for the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad, offering a more traditional approach to the heroic idol of the DC Comics brand in hopes on getting the fans back on board after Zack Snyder’s divisive grounded take on the characters. With Gunn at the helm, Superman becomes a colourful and funny summer blockbuster, that even though his humour gets in his own way at times, that instills a hope and courage in the beloved character that when paired with the casting of David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult, gives audiences a hero to believe in again.

 

To forge a new future for DC Comics on the big screen, Gunn looks to its origins on screen. The legacy of Reeve’s iconic portrayal significantly influences the creative choices of Gunn in reigniting the DC brand, from the motifs of John Williams’ iconic score constantly popping up in John Murphy and David Fleming’s musical score (which the score for this film itself is very good), the design of Superman’s suit which looks like a modernization of Reeve’s suit, but most importantly, the hope that permeates every element of the screenplay and helps to reinforce the notion that a man can fly, which was the marketing tag of the Reeve films. It is a safe move to bring these beloved characters back to the bring screen in a manner that won’t divide fans, unlike Snyder’s divisive (and almost biblical) take on these characters in Man of Steel, but it prevents the film from having its own distinct take on these characters. By no means is this bad, as it calls back to one of the most beloved iterations of Superman of all time, in a rousing and crowd pleasing spectacle, but it will leave the more casual non-comic book obsessed viewer wondering what makes this time any different than the last time we saw a hopeful Superman on the big screen.

 

With an undeniable eye to the past of Superman, the film is full of Gunn’s signature humour and storytelling, which is both a strength and a weakness. The screenplay feels like a weekly comic run, with lots of subplots working to give each supporting character a purpose from Jimmy Olsen, Eve Teschmacher, Mister Terrific to Ultraman, evoking that fun childhood feeling many got from reading DC comic books or watching a superhero cartoon series. In terms of substance, there is nothing vastly new to what viewers have seen in other iterations of the character: we see questions around the jurisdiction and position of Superman in human affairs that was explored in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the highlighting of alien themes (with a modern political undertone) as Kal-El is reminded of his own humanity and place in our world as seen in the original Richard Donner films and re-explored in Superman Returns, and even an element that is reminiscent of one of the better moments of Superman III. Narratively, every element that Gunn is playing with comes together and works as pieces of the larger struggle between Superman and Lex Luthor to set up the grand final act showdown, though it’s hard to imagine what a more focused film on Superman, Lois and Lex would have felt like with the powerhouse casting of Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult (but more on that later). While feeling hyperactive in its focus, as Gunn bounces all over the place as he juggles too many characters in a pre-established world that the audience is seeing for the first time, with a levity in its tone, an undeniable heart, and Gunn’s proclivity for needle drops,  it's hard not to be whisked away with Gunn’s endearing approach to Superman.

 

Being a Gunn film, directed and written by him, his wacky sense of humour is woven into many of the film's moments, though it does not always work. A good portion of these moments generate some great laughs, largely being relegated to the supporting players and keeping the core trio of Clark, Lois and Lex true to their comic book identities. Though, at the same time, many of these moments get in the way of the hope that Gunn is so desperately trying to recapture in this film, and sadly more often than not it's Krypto who is overused in abundance that dampens the spark of his standout moments in the film. Distracting at times as not all the jokes land as intended, causing a clash between the hope and Gunn’s sense of humour, it never fully squanders the film’s potential as it is a big, colourful summer blockbuster full of exciting fight sequences and great visual effects work, resulting in a film that captures what fans love about comic books. But when paired with a lack of differentiating identity compared to previous iterations of Superman, Gunn more often than not gets in his own way and prevents the heart of his screenplay and characters from defining the film, as there are some truly beautiful moments between Clark and Lois and that third act scene between Clark and Jonathan that embody everything that fans love about Superman.

 

The strength of the film, and hopefully for the future of the DC Universe, unequivocally lies in its casting of Corenswet, Brosnahan and Hoult. Beyond looking similar to Christopher Reeve, Corenswet has that endearing quality that transforms him into an inspiring hero that audiences can’t help but look up to and be in awe of. Holding himself perfectly on screen to become the hero audiences know and love, Corenswet also brings a humanity and vulnerability to Clark as he struggles with the challenges he is facing in the film as he grapples with his human and Kryptonian heritage. It’s an impressive performance that captures everything about the character that audiences have loved for decades, making him an excellent leader for the new DC Universe. Hoult has never been more sinister or brilliant as Lex Luthor. Perfectly capturing the diabolical and calculating nature of Lex as he plots to take down and make Superman obsolete, Hoult revels in the wickedness of the character, especially in his final act confrontation with Superman which proves that he is exact actor you want being the Man of Steel’s greatest nemesis.

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Brosnahan is a force to be reckoned with as Lois Lane, bringing the intrepid reporter to life with a charm, fierceness and compassion that rivals Margot Kidder’s beloved performance of the character. Every second she is on screen, Brosnahan is magnetic as Lois, whether it be her brilliant interview of Superman as she puts aside her feelings for Clark and unleashes her killer journalist instincts in search of the truth with an unwavering determination, the tender moments she shares with Corenswet that lights the passion of the romance between Clark and Lois, or her fearless plunge into the world of gods and monsters creating a hero as incredible as Superman. Without question, Brosnahan is the shining beacon of light of the entire film, it's not-so-secret weapon because there was no doubt that Brosnahan was not going to nail it, giving us a Lois Lane for the history books that is arguably the best iteration we have ever seen of the character. And when Corenswet, Brosnahan and Hoult share the screen, it's a tour de force of performances that pushes any issues of the film to the background and has the audience believing in the strength and legacy of these characters as they hang on to every word exchanged between these actors.

 

As Gunn has done with all of his previous films, he has a great supporting cast and gives them each a moment to shine. It is hard to imagine given the number of supporting characters in Superman, ranging from Clark and Lois’s fellow workers at the Daily Planet, the heroes of the Justice Gang (name pending) and the villain roster under Lex, but every actor gets their moment in the spotlight. Edi Gathegi is terrific as Mr. Terrific, making an incredibly strong big screen debut for his character that should have audiences eager to see his next appearance in the DCU; Sara Sampaio never misses a beat as Eve Teschmacher, even as annoying as all of her selfies and text messages are, ensuring that she brings Gunn’s vision for the character to life; while Nathan Fillion unleashes his wise cracking talents loose as Guy Gardener and lets that bowl cut do the rest. Benefiting from the largest on screen role for Jimmy Olsen in any Superman film to date, Skyler Gisondo has some great moments as Jimmy goes off on his side quest, utilizing his great awkward comedic routine that blends perfectly to Gunn’s humorous tone and shares some hilarious moments with that one co-star he ends up sharing the majority of his scenes with.


Embodying truth, justice and the human way, audiences are going to take flight with Superman. Harkening back to the golden age of the beloved character with a heartfelt yet safe refresh for the DC Comics brand, James Gunn delivers entertainment and excitement in spades with Superman. While narratively the film has some shortcomings and there is a lack of a distinct tone of his approach to these characters which feels like a reiteration of the Christopher Reeve era with James Gunn’s humour interwoven throughout, with the trio of David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult leading the film with sensational performances, it’s hard not to believe that a man can once again fly. Bursting at the seams with hope, humour and colour, James Gunn brings Superman to the big screen with an infectious crowd pleasing energy that despite being rough around the edges at times, thanks to the outstanding lead trio of David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult leading the film, Superman becomes a truly heroic film.

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