American filmmaker James Gunn, the CEO of DC Studios and best known for directing The Suicide Squad, is all set to return with a brand new reboot of Superman, hoping to reintroduce the DC Universe with a fresh approach. Ahead of the film’s premiere, the director has opened up on his emotional, creative, and deeply personal journey to bringing the iconic superhero back to life. The reboot, slated to launch the ‘Gods and Monsters’ phase of the DC universe, marks a new chapter for not just the studio but also for Gunn’s filmmaking career.
James Gunn opens up about his dream-come-true moment with Superman (2025)
The 2025 version of Superman is all set to hit the theatres, and director James Gunn remains ‘cautiously optimistic’ about it. The film, starring David Corenswet as ‘Superman’, is the first instalment of DC’s new cinematic universe, Chapter One – Gods and Monsters. In a conversation with Filmfare, James Gunn addressed the popular question: Why Superman, after all these years?
Well, for the filmmaker, Superman was never just another superhero gig, but a legacy he feels he should honour and reintroduce to today’s audience. While he had initially turned down the opportunity in 2018 and started working on The Suicide Squad, the story never left his mind. So when the opportunity returned, he finally said ‘Yes’ to Warner Bros. Gunn told Filmfare:
“I love his (Superman’s) basic human goodness and kindness. He’s just this really good, wonderful guy… kind in a world that doesn’t always prop up kindness.”
How James Gunn and his team brought the ‘Man of Steel’ to life
For James Gunn, this Superman reboot is a dream finally taking flight, made possible by a stellar cast and dedicated crew. Casting the new ‘Superman’ was the toughest challenge, but Gunn recalled that American actor David Corenswet stood out early on. A friend who had seen Pearl (2022) recommended him, and from that point, Corenswet became ‘the one to beat.’
While discussing the casting of Rachel Brosnahan as the smart and sharp ‘Lois Lane’, James Gunn revealed that she came with the ‘best recommendation letter’ from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. As for the role of ‘Lex Luthor’, Gunn shared that English actor Nicholas Hoult had been his top choice for a long time.
For his dream project, the filmmaker stuck to his long-trusted men in the team, including production designer Beth Mickle and costume designer Judianna Makovsky. With their precision, Gunn succeeded in bringing his vision to life and creating a visual world inspired by old-school sci-fi with modern touches where needed. Speaking to Filmfare, Gunn shared how he wanted his characters to stay grounded in that very world and stated:
“Being able to still keep the character very grounded in that world… This is a world in which superheroes aren’t exactly commonplace, but they exist and have existed for 300 years.”
What’s different in the latest edition of Superman?
Contrary to the previous Superman movies, the reboot does not rehash Clark Kent’s origin story, but directly introduces audiences to a world where Superman already exists. Gunn has drawn inspiration for the film from his friend Grant Morrison’s comic, All-Star Superman, where he author has blended sci-fi elements like robot assistants and kaijus, with grounded storytelling.
How much does Superman (2025) need to collect to be a box office success?
If reports are to be believed, the film’s budget ranges between USD 225 to 363 million. In an interview with GQ, Games Gunn dismissed prior claims that it needs USD 700 million to break even and said:
“This is not the riskiest endeavour in the world. Is there something riding on it? Yeah, but it’s not as big as people make it out to be. They hear these numbers that the movie’s only going to be successful if it makes 700 million or something, and it’s just complete and utter nonsense. It doesn’t need to be as big of a situation as people are saying.”
Superman will be rolling out across 60,000 screens worldwide, and early tracking has already predicted a strong opening for the film. However, the exact success will depend on how well the film performs the week after its release.
Superman is slated for a release in Indian theatres on July 11, 2025. Are you excited to see how the ‘Man of Steel’ soars in this new DC Universe?
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