First Reactions to James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Drop: “David Corenswet Was Born To Play Superman”

We’re only a few days away from the release of DCU’s first live-action movie, ‘Superman.’ The movie was written and directed by James Gunn. David Corenswet stars as Clark Kent / Superman, and the cast also includes Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced.

The story is about Superman trying to balance his alien roots with the life he’s built with his human family.

This movie started as a different project. Back in 2014, there were plans for a sequel to Man of Steel with Henry Cavill returning as Superman. But after problems with Justice League in 2017, those plans were dropped by 2020, and as you know, DCEU is no more.

The film takes ideas from the comic All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, along with other sources, and now that the first reactions to the movie have dropped, we have a better picture of what to expect.

Fans are loving Superman and sharing very positive reactions online. Many are saying it’s one of the best superhero movies ever made, with some even calling it the best Superman movie of all time.

People are especially impressed by David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Fans say they were perfectly cast. Nicholas Hoult’s version of Lex Luthor also stood out, with one person saying he’s the best Luthor ever seen on screen.

A lot of fans felt the movie was full of heart, hope, and fun. They said it brought back the joy and excitement of reading comic books. Some even said it reminded them of animated shows like Justice League Unlimited or classic comic stories.

Many also praised the action scenes, the colorful visuals, and the emotional moments. Some said the music gave them chills and made them cry. Others said the movie made them believe in heroes again and reminded them why they love the superhero genre in the first place.

Overall, fans came out of the theater happy, smiling, and excited to see more from James Gunn’s new DC Universe.

Superman premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre on July 7, 2025. It will be released in theaters around the world on July 9, and in the U.S. and China on July 11. The movie will be shown in formats like IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, ScreenX, and 4DX. This is the first film in the new DC Universe, under Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

In January 2025, the family of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). They claimed the rights to release the film in some countries—like the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Canada, had gone back to them due to local copyright laws.

WBD asked the court to dismiss the case in March, and it was thrown out in April because the court said it didn’t have the authority to decide on international matters. The Shuster estate filed the case again in New York in May, asking to block the release, but the request was denied in early June.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!