I’m Convinced James Gunn Has Already Proved His Superman Will Avoid Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel Mistake

James Gunn is facing a monumental task of reintroducing one of the most familiar heroes in film in the DCU, but I believe his Superman is already shaping up to be a better fit than the DCEU’s. When the announcement came that the DCEU was dead, it was met with a lot of mixed feelings for everyone, including myself. There were elements of the DCEU I loved, and things I felt the darker superhero world accomplished really well.

However, there were also major issues in the DCEU that spelled disaster for the universe from early on. In fact, some of those cracks began to show right at the beginning, when Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel introduced Henry Cavill’s Superman. And while it remains one of the most well-liked versions of the hero in live-action, there were gaping mistakes that I think James Gunn is already addressing with David Corenswet’s version of the character.

Man Of Steel Saw Superman Break His Own Rules Before Becoming Earth’s Greatest Hero

Henry Cavill’s Superman Had A Very Different Origin Story

Man of Steel set out to be a very different Superman movie. And, in fairness, it achieved that goal. With Snyder directing, and writing by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan, they made an epic, dramatic, and dark version of the story that has become so familiar in several different iterations. However, I can’t help but feel like the creative liberties went a little too far in reimagining the character and stripping him of some of the most essential parts of his being.

Namely, Clark Kent lived in fear of the world. Yes, the world presented a threat, and his discovery as an alien could have led to disaster, but the pervading sense of fear led to some interesting narrative choices. Like Clark not making any effort to save his father Jonathan when he was caught in a tornado, or like Superman’s first real battle with a powerful rival ending with Superman snapping Zod’s neck. Superman is meant to be a symbol of hope, who always finds a way, and never kills. But due to fear and desperation, Superman is backed into a corner, and he kills Zod as a last resort.

Superman Needs To Set The Tone For The DCU Correctly, Or Risk Everything

Superman Has The Chance To Redefine Superman

Superman is again going to set the tone for the DCU, just as Man of Steel set it for the DCEU. And while it makes sense to set itself apart from other superhero franchises, it shouldn’t go so far that it forgets who these characters actually are. For that reason, James Gunn needs to ensure that Superman delivers a faithful version of the character, who delivers the core values, such as Truth, Justice, and the American way, while still avoiding going to extremes, like murdering people.

No matter how threatening or monstrous the attacker may be, Superman is supposed to be an icon who lifts people’s expectations, and helps others to see that there is always a way to maintain core values, and save the day. While Man of Steel broke this rule from the start, Superman will need to be extra vigilant to ensure their hero doesn’t fall into the same trap. After all, Superman is an alien from beyond the stars who ends up being a shining beacon for hope, and humanity, and compassion, not a killer.

James Gunn’s Depiction Of Superman Is Already Proving To Be More Faithful To The Comics

Superman Is Encouraging Fans To “Look Up”

Fortunately, it appears as though Gunn is already making those vital parts of the character foundational in the DCU. With the marketing for Superman in particular, the tagline for the movie is “Look Up,” which plays on the trope of spectators often looking to the sky to see Superman, and also denotes that he is a symbol to look for a higher standard. The trailers also see Superman getting into a heated discussion with Lois Lane about his efforts to protect people, but in all of this, it appears that he is a hero who cares, and wants to be better.

Superman has the chance to reignite the spark of excitement and joy that Superman brought to fans of all ages, and while Gunn’s body of work, including Creature Commandos and Peacemaker certainly proves there will be plenty of bloodshed and older content in the DCU, it appears that Superman will be providing that higher standard of heroism. Just as the title of this chapter of the DCU suggests, he can be a god among the monsters. Hopefully Superman sticks the landing and delivers the faithful version of the hero that has been missing from the big screen for so long.

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