James Gunn Compares Superman’s Powers To Past Man of Steel Versions

Superman director James Gunn explained in a recent interview why his adaptation of the iconic character bleeds. Superman is slated to be the first cinematic entry in the new DCU. It stars David Corenswet as the titular character.

James Gunn on why Superman bleeds in DCU movie

Some of the trailers and other promotional materials released for Superman show the character bleeding, indicating that the movie will explore his vulnerability to some extent. When asked during an interview with ScreenRant whether he intended to depict an emotionally and physically vulnerable Superman in his movie, Gunn responded, “Yes. It is, both to some degree.”

The filmmaker explained that the movie invites the audience into the “personal life” of the Man of Steel. According to Gunn, even though the story has “pyrotechnics and flying dogs and robots,” it’s about a person, at its core, “who thinks of himself in a certain way, finds out that isn’t true, and has to recontextualize who he is in the face of that.”

Gunn noted that his movie is not a “normal Superman story,” nor is it “any hero’s story, for the most part.” He added, “So I think that’s a difference. He’s more vulnerable in that way.”

Reflecting on Superman’s physical vulnerability in the movie, Gunn pointed out that the character is facing “an equal and opposite force.” He then compared the circumstances of his Superman to the character in 1980’s Superman II, in which Christopher Reeve’s titular hero takes on fellow Kryptonians.

However, the Guardians of the Galaxy director mentioned that, unlike that movie, his Superman will bleed and “can’t make the world go backwards in time through spinning around it.” He elaborated, “So I kind of took a Superman that was a mix of different Supermans throughout the comics in terms of his power set.”

The new film’s cast also includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Superman comes out in theaters on July 11, 2025.

Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net