After James Gunn revealed the first look at his upcoming Superman movie, DC fans are poring over the details of the new suit.
The first look in question sees David Corenswet as Clark Kent, putting his boots back on (and presumably getting ready to go back into battle) as Solaris the Tyrant Sun destroys the city in the background. The suit is very different from Zack Snyder‘s Superman, which saw Henry Cavill don a skin-tight, latex-y, version of the suit that showcased his six-pack in detail.
DC fans have taken to the r/Superman subreddit to analyze the costume, and what it might mean for the upcoming film.
Most of the comments seem to take issue with the texture and collar.
“I’m just glad it’s textured cloth instead of some weird rubber suit,” someone commented, referring to Snyder’s Man of Steel suit.
“Disappointed, too bulky, too dark, too new 52. I was expecting something more classical,” one fan wrote. The New 52 was the 2011 revamp of DC comics, which in turn rebooted most of the DC Universe. Superman was also rebooted and was given a new suit with a collar, no red trunks, and some texture that looks similar to the new Gunn costume.
However, it isn’t all New 52-inspired. The symbol, which one person said “looks a lot better on the suit than I imagined,” is adapted from the alt-future story Kingdom Come.
Other fans, even those who seemed disappointed by the suit as a whole, were excited for the return of the trunks.
“Trunks??? We won, fellas,” one fan commented.
“At least he’s got the trunks,” said another. “I’ll reserve full judgment till they have a full-body standing pic.”
The classic red trunks go all the way back to the earliest version of the costume in 1938, when Superman made his very first appearance in Action Comics #1. It’s worth noting that we haven’t seen the red trunks on screen since the 2006 movie Superman Returns, which starred Brandon Routh as the titular hero.
Other fans have pointed out that the suit signifies the direction that film is going in, with one fan writing that it looks like Gunn is “really leaning into a fantasy comic book thing rather than ‘what if Supes existed in real world.'”
“I wonder if this movie will contemplate that side of the ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ philosophy,'” another said. “And how Superman being the most powerful of Earth’s heroes also makes him the most pressured of Earth’s heroes and how he’s backed into a corner about pursuing his own life and helping others.”
Superman is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025. For more, check out our list of all the upcoming DC movies and shows you need to know about.
