New images from the movie “Superman” cause strong reactions among fans

Images from the new superhero film set by director and writer James Gunn Superman It leaked online and sparked strong fan reactions, both good and bad, as the film continues production ahead of its July 11, 2025 release date.

The photos in question—which I won’t post or describe in detail here, as per my long-standing policy against such things—depict David Corenswet’s Superman in full costume. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the greatest Superman costume ever, the worst Superman costume ever, or an acceptable costume that missed its chance to be perfect.

So, a little bit of everything. But most reactions have been extreme, and in those environments no one is keen to tolerate the opposition’s position – and everyone insists that their hostility is a reaction to their opponents’ hostility, ad nauseam.

We’ve already gotten a look at the outfit in the first official image from the collection, which you can see above. It was captured “fully in-camera” by Jess Miglio. According to JohnThe photo also raised questions and provoked strong reactions, and I explained my own impression of the costume and the play in an article that you can read. here.

In short, when I look at the costume, I see it as Superman. And that’s the point – when you see it, you think, “That’s Superman.” It doesn’t mean he’s your favorite Superman, it just means that you recognize that he has all the necessary qualities that make you certain that you see Superman in the costume.

ForbesDC Studios’ “Lanterns” series and Stephen King’s “It” series are heading to HBO [Updated]by Mark Hughes

Every Superman movie that has ever graced the big screen in Hollywood has had that quality, and Gunn’s upcoming DCU film—under his and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran’s leadership—is no different. From George Reeves to Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh to Henry Cavill, and now David Corenswet, Superman’s cinematic costumes have always been a good or great representation of the Man of Steel.

George Reeves deserved to wear thin, cheap clothes in 1951 Superman and the Mole Menbut it still looked pretty good by the standards of its time. The costume itself was based on the shape of the person wearing it; so for someone with the build of a typical superhero performer today, it might have looked more convincing.

Christopher Reeve had a more expensive and better-fitting version of the same design worn by George Reeves in 1978. Superman: The Movie and its three sequels. This film series established the template for superhero movie storytelling, using a mix of serious drama and humor in a big, bright, entertaining, and ambitious way that shaped Marvel Studio’s approach.

Brandon Routh got a superior, more expensive version of the same design in 2006. Superman returnsWhatever criticism fans may have about the sizing of the pants and the “S”, this is a great example of how modern superhero movies use tight fabric to design in a way that looks high-quality and believable.

It was Henry Cavill who made the first significant rethink of the costume in his first appearance as Superman. man of steel (Continuing in Batman v Superman, Zack Snyder in Justice LeagueAnd Black Adam), a more outlandish aesthetic for a design that’s not an intentional superhero costume but a sort of warrior ambassador outfit (presumably worn under the outer armor, as seen on Krypton). It’s a cool concept, and it looked great on screen, too.

ForbesBatman at 85: A look back at the amazing cinematic success of The Caped Crusaderby Mark Hughes

Corrensuit clothing for the 2025 reboot Superman The film returns to the traditional design from previous films, including red pants and generally brighter, more saturated colors, but without the tight material and instead favoring the armor/uniform approach of Cavill’s era. It adjusts the traditional design by taking inspiration from the comics and specific eras when it comes to certain details like the “S” logo and the design of the pants. It seems to be intended in the story to be likea Super A suit, something Superman wears specifically to create the sensation that makes cynics say, “This is cheesy.”

Complaints that the Cornsuit is “baggy” because it has folds when he bends or leans, and the related claim that the Cornsuit is not strong enough to fill out the suit, come primarily from Cavill fans who are upset that he will not continue in the role.

Their complaints clearly ignore the fact that Cavill’s suit also has wrinkles and has fake muscles built into it and painted on the outside, as well as the fact that Cornswept is actually taller and heavier than Cavill – he simply looks smaller because of his massive muscles spread over a few extra inches of height.

Of course, although the Corinsuit costume actually looks great in the leaked photos, it is also true that these are bootleg photos taken on set or from a distance, so the quality of the photos is poor and does not at all reflect how the costumes will look in the movie. However, every time a new superhero movie is made and photos of early costumes leak, fans engage in these same clichés about “fidelity”, quality and design, and worry about even the most subtle criticisms.

It is the nature of fan communities to overthink and overreact, but it is sad to see this happen no matter how much we know it is inevitable. It is especially disappointing to see it driven not by serious discussions or serious complaints about something substantive, but by ulterior motives driven mostly by unhealthy obsessions for one thing and against another.

ForbesSuperman’s new costume revealed in the first image from the DCU Superhero Reboot movieby Mark Hughes

This is not about liking or not liking the outfit. It’s about the inability of some fans to learn from the past, avoid overreaction, and stop acting as if only people who share their narrow personal preferences are “true fans” and that only things that align with their preferences are worth existing.

This is made worse by the fact that myopic and stereotypical fan reactions are expressed through massive vitriol and offensive lies about James Gunn personally, often manifested in spamming and harassing Gunn and others.

However, none of this will matter by 2025. The mainstream audiences will decide Superman Fate, not the fans who wage war on it.

My guess is that if DC Studios and WBD play their cards right – an often questionable proposition when it comes to WBD’s leadership – Superman It will feature the same set of elements that made audiences embrace Marvel’s MCU films, especially those directed by Gunn himself.

Guardians of the Galaxy All of its sequels have grossed around $800 million, and I think that’s where DC and WBD are hoping to take their new movie. Superman It can go up. Gunn’s sensibilities are irreverent in the best of ways and earnest enough to win the hearts and minds of audiences, a description that describes much of what has made the MCU as a whole so popular.

Applying this approach to DC characters like: Superman, in ways relevant to DC’s perspective (perfectly summed up in the “gods and monsters” naming of this chapter of the new DCU), seems like a winning approach, especially if enough time has passed for audiences to forget the DCEU. But will 2025 be long enough for that?

I’ve said before that I think it might have been smarter to leave. Batman Take over DC’s cinematic space in 2025, with a Catwoman movie or spinoff possibly in production for a 2025 release as well, giving Superman An extra year of breathing room from the DCEU.

And while I believe this to be true, I also believe that the general decline in superhero presence in movies and streaming through 2025 will benefit the genre, if the current year’s “drought” results in audiences eagerly returning to both Marvel and DC when the right films finally come out. Until now, Superman He definitely seems like one of the right people for me.