129 min | PG-13 | July 11, 2025 | Warner Bros. Pictures
James Gunn reboots Superman with sincerity and optimism. David Corenswet embodies the character without irony or apology. This is what superhero films should be.
Superhero films have been drowning in cynicism and self-awareness for a decade. Every hero questions their purpose. Every villain has a sympathetic backstory. Every film winks at the camera. Superman refuses all of that. James Gunn makes a film about a genuinely good person trying to help people in a world that does not always want help. Clark Kent is a journalist. Superman is a symbol. The film understands both identities matter and gives them equal weight.
David Corenswet plays Superman with earnest conviction. He is not playing against type or subverting expectations. He is playing Superman. The character believes in truth and justice and helping people because it is right. Corenswet sells this completely without making the character naive or stupid. Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane with intelligence and drive. Their chemistry is genuine. Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor as a narcissistic tech billionaire who sees Superman as an existential threat to human achievement. The supporting cast, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, all understand the tone.
Gunn directs with the same balance of heart and spectacle he brought to Guardians of the Galaxy. The action sequences are clear and exciting. The emotional beats land without manipulation. The production design creates a Metropolis that feels lived-in and hopeful. The score by John Murphy does classic superhero work without copying John Williams. The film shoots practical effects and real locations whenever possible.
This is a superhero origin story that believes in heroism. That is rare. The film wears its optimism without embarrassment or irony. Gunn makes the case that Superman still matters and does it with craft and conviction.