After Watching the ‘Superman’ Sneak Peek, I’m Convinced James Gunn Is Already Nailing an Underrated Aspect of the DC Hero
James Gunn‘s Superman will mark the release of a brand-new vision of the DC Universe on film, and a new take on the Man of Steel thanks to David Corenswet. Recently, fans got to see a snippet of Superman thanks to a special sneak peek attached to screenings of A Minecraft Movie, with said sneak peek dropping onto the internet as well. Superman is shown crashing to Earth, wounded by a mysterious figure. He calls on Krypto the Superdog to take him to the Fortress of Solitude, where the robots who maintain the Fortress expose him to a concentrated dose of sunlight to speed up the healing process. While this reveals that Gunn is aiming to tackle the science fiction underpinnings of the Superman mythos — and underlines his claims that Krypto is a loose cannon of a pet — it also highlights a key aspect of Superman that I think bodes well for the film.
The ‘Superman’ Sneak Peek Shows Superman Treating Everyone He Meets With Kindness
Throughout the Superman sneak peek, one thing becomes clear: Superman is willing to treat almost everyone he encounters with kindness. Despite one of the Superman robots flat out stating that they don’t have a consciousness, Superman still thanks them for helping him into the Fortress of Solitude. He even says “hi” to one of the newly-minted Superman robots, who is extremely flattered (throwing the other robot’s claim about their lack of consciousness into question, which I’m sure will be a major plot point in Superman, especially since Superman is shown cradling the body of a wrecked robot.)
Even Krypto is met with a patient hand, despite hopping up and down on Superman’s body with enough force to bend steel. This is a key aspect of Superman’s personality that often shows up in the best adaptations of the character (especially Superman & Lois, My Adventures with Superman, and Superman: The Animated Series) and it’s why I’m such a big fan of the hero. Clark Kent would rather try talking out problems with someone rather than turn to violence as a first resort, and he’ll always try to help whoever he can.
James Gunn Understands What Makes Superman a Great Character
As if seeing Superman be a genuinely kind individual wasn’t enough, interviews with James Gunn and David Corenswet show that they have a genuine understanding of the Man of Steel. “This movie, at the end of the day, is not about power,” Gunn told Vanity Fair when the first Superman trailer was released. He added:
“This movie is about, in the loose sense of the word, a human being struggling with his day-to-day life. And we see a different aspect of him at the beginning. I thought it was a cool place to start the trailer—and the movie, frankly.”
Indeed, seeing a superhero who shrugs off bullets, nuclear bombs, and anything else that would kill a normal human falling to earth already broken and bloodied shows that Superman is like us mere mortals: he can bleed, he can feel pain, but most importantly, he has emotions just like anyone else. If I’m being honest, it’s also a little scary because it raises the question: what could do that to Superman?
But Gunn also brings up what he considers to be Superman‘s thesis statement, and it’s a perfect fit for the character. “It’s about the basic kindness of human beings…That can be seen as uncool, and it can be seen as under siege when some of the darker voices are also some of the louder voices.” Tackling the idea that we should be kind to another isn’t just the perfect theme for a Superman movie, but it’s also a fitting statement in a world that often sees kindness and sincerity as a weakness.
In truth, it’s the greatest strength one could have, and it’s what makes Superman such a compelling character. It’s not about bending steel in your bare hands or outrunning a locomotive — it’s about extending a hand to others, especially when they need it. One of the most iconic moments in Superman’s comic book history speaks to this; during All-Star Superman #10 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly, Superman confronts a scared girl named Regan who’s about to jump off a building. If Gunn, Corenswet, and the rest of Superman‘s cast and crew can embody even a fraction of that in the final product, then this will truly be a superhero movie for the ages.
Superman soars into theaters on July 11, 2025.
