“The Man of Steel image still hits”: James Gunn May Have Cooked With Superman Poster but Henry Cavill Loyalists Aren’t Budging
- James Gunn's 'Superman' poster contrasts Henry Cavill's darker 'Man of Steel' aesthetic.
- Cavill fans praise the dark tone of his poster as netizens express their opinions on all Superman movie posters.
- Gunn’s 'Superman' features brighter visuals, a brighter suit, and a John Williams-inspired score, reminding of Christopher Reeve's 'Superman.'
James Gunn has been teasing the world with his new Superman project for about a year, and it looks like the wait is almost over. The David Corenswet-starring movie will be released next year, and the hype has just increased more with its motion poster release.
Superman has been the face of the world of superheroes, both in comics and on-screen, and several actors have played the character so far. Each actor has his own fanbase, and as Henry Cavill has been a popular favorite, it was expected that Corenswet’s portrayal would be compared to that of Cavill’s.
Fans remember Henry Cavill’s poster after James Gunn’s Superman poster release
James Gunn is well known for being transparent with the audience as he keeps on teasing fans with bits and looks of his projects. He did the same with Superman, and finally, he dropped the first motion poster of the movie on December 16 on his social media.
The poster just took the already built-up hype to another level. David Corenswet‘s Superman is seen looking up, flying in Superman’s iconic pose, and the poster is filled with an aurora effect in the character’s trademark colors, red, blue, and yellow.
However, although the poster is getting all the love from fans, it looks like the die-hard Henry Cavill fans still feel their idol’s poster is superior. Fans online have expressed their opinions and compared the looks of Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, and David Corenswet’s Superman posters.
The man of steel image still hits!
— Kenjin Tanoshii (@KenjinTanoshii) December 16, 2024
Men of steel is the best pic.twitter.com/4UKqZy1P6k
— 𝐻𝒶𝓂𝓏𝒶 (@hustlemind2) December 16, 2024
Man of steel is the best one
— Sepzeno⚡️ (@SepzenoOfficial) December 16, 2024
Man of Steel is the best look
— Muñoz (@CNMunoz) December 17, 2024
This one 🖤 pic.twitter.com/cfFoYpllfX
— 𝐑𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐱 (@Rionex_) December 16, 2024
It can’t be denied that Cavill’s physique, style, look, and performance brought a new take on Superman, which made him one of the most favored among all the actors who portrayed the superhero on screen.
However, one major difference between Cavill and Corenswet’s portrayals is their director’s vision. Zack Snyder wanted a dark take on Superman, as his plans with DCEU were to lead him to fight Batman and eventually create his version of an Injustice Superman later.
Man of Steel‘s poster tries to portray that feeling. The aesthetics are dark, and there is Cavill’s close-up and no surrounding sky or action of flight, which suggests that it is not about his powers but him as a character.
Moreover, Cavill’s face is dark, and he is looking down, which kind of symbolizes that he is questioning his place and purpose on Earth and that he is not very open about his identity. But Corenswet’s poster is bright and gives a feeling of hope, especially with that nostalgic John Williams-inspired theme music.
David Corenswet’s Superman seems to be inspired by Christopher Reeve’s version
The new Superman movie has been hinting at being a lighter take on the superhero’s story as compared to Snyder’s version, thanks to the brighter color of the suit and the overall tone of the looks that have been dropped so far.
In an interview with Jonatan Blomberg from MovieZine, Gunn described Superman as “relatively serious” but “pretty family-friendly.” So far, all these depictions and descriptions feel similar to how Christopher Reeve‘s Superman was portrayed.
Apart from a lighter tone in the story, Corenswet’s suit looks much more similar to Reeve’s. Both are less muscle-defining and have a lighter shade of blue, red, and yellow. The posters also feel similar in many ways. Both Supermen are looking up, with a backdrop of the sky, and the new poster seems like a modernized version of the classic poster.
Apart from these, John Murphy, who is the composer of Gunn’s Superman, seems to have taken inspiration from the classic theme used in Reeve’s movies, which was composed by John Williams. So far, the poster has managed to evoke a sense of nostalgia along with hope in a classic Superman fashion.
Superman will be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Christopher Reeve’s Superman trilogy is available to stream on Prime Video.
