By Jackson TOYON

The DC Extended Universe, as it was previously called, was slowly becoming a sinking ship. “Man of Steel” started off things strongly, was well-liked and did well at the box office – but as the DCEU wound down, Warner Bros. just couldn’t seem to turn out another winner. Fans of DC loved the characters but most of the films in the waning years of the DCEU could not escape box office flop territory. Even tentpoles like “Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom,” while not outright flopping, struggled to make more than the combined production and marketing budget. In 2022, Warner Bros. cut its losses and officially canceled the DCEU, electing to restructure and restart its cinematic universe under the leadership of James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Suicide Squad”) and Peter Safran. 

Now, in 2025, the first major introduction to this new “DC Universe” (DCU for short) has hit theaters in the form of “Superman.” Much has been riding on this movie, both for the financial hopes of Warner Bros. and for the expectations of DC fans. So … how is it?
Thirty years after arriving on Earth as the last son of Krypton, Clark Kent (David Corenswet) has been protecting humanity for a few years now – this time around the film doesn’t start with him growing up in Kansas. He balances his role as Superman with maintaining a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet, where we meet iconic character and familiar love interest Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). After intervening in a politically sensitive foreign conflict, Superman’s actions have sparked international controversy. Some powerful figures, like the villainous and envious Lex Luthor (Nicolas Hoult), have taken notice and started to question if Superman is truly a hero or is a potential threat. With public opinion beginning to turn against him, Clark Kent must rely on his allies and fight back against a plot that threatens to tear Metropolis apart.

Right off the bat, this film has a vastly different tone from many of the previous DCEU films. Less gritty and much less dark, it embraces brighter colors. With director James Gunn at the helm, it’s laced with humor and it doesn’t shy away from being corny – more in line with Gunn’s previous work under the DC umbrella. 

Filmmaker Zack Snyder’s 2013 “Man of Steel” inspired awe and had plenty of “cool” factors, but James Gunn’s “Superman” elicits feelings of hope and positivity, which I feel is fundamentally closer to what Superman is meant to be. The film does feel a tad overstuffed at times, having many named characters to keep track of and several themes it tries to explore – but some of that can be justified, given that this is the first foray into the new DCU and the filmmakers want to make a film as enticing as it can be. And when you’re having as much fun as I did with all of these characters, it becomes easier to forgive such issues.

The casting of Corenswet, Brosnahan and Hoult as the central trio is excellent. Corenswet perfectly portrays what Superman stands for, Brosnahan stays realistic with her lack of powers while still rejecting being a damsel in distress and Hoult’s obsessive hatred and pettiness against Superman is a joy to watch. Among the other standouts, Nathan Fillion’s scene-stealing character Guy Gardner and Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific both leave a lasting impression – Gathegi in particular feels ready for a solo spotlight. Perhaps his own show in this new cinematic universe?

“Superman” isn’t perfect – a little overstuffed, a slightly clunky first 20-25 minutes – but it made me connect with Clark Kent more than any DCEU project ever did. The experience had me leaving the theater with a smidgen of hope in my heart … and a smile on my face. For the first time in years, I am feeling optimistic about the future of DC films. 

This is the fresh start that DC has been sorely needing, and at long last the box office seems to agree.