The DCU officially kicked off this time last year with the release of James Gunn’s Superman, which now has its one-year anniversary this week. The film brought the DCU to the big screen, rebooting the iconic superhero for a new generation of audiences. Superman also sets up the DCU for the future with the inclusion of a number of other heroes, including Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and even a Supergirl cameo.
Superman received a positive reaction from both fans and critics. The film sits at 83% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and also holds a 90% audience score. It represents a fantastic start for the DCU, although the reception to this year’s Supergirl has dampened things slightly.
One of the most liked aspects of Superman, though, is the depiction of the title character. Before this, Superman had been shown to be a darker, God-like hero in Zack Snyder’s films. However, James Gunn went back to basics with the reboot, making Superman a friendly, lighthearted, and likable superhero.
Some of the best moments of Superman come when David Corenswet’s character is showing his kindness. Scenes like Superman saving a squirrel live long in the memory even one year later, and this represents just one of the movie’s best moments overall.
Superman Saves A Squirrel
Superman’s kindness is his most important trait in James Gunn’s film. It shows up in almost every aspect of his character, but one moment in particular sums it up more than anything else. In the second act, Superman battles against the kaiju monster in the crowded streets of Metropolis. His goal throughout this fight is not to kill the creature, but instead to ensure the safety of everyone there.
Superman goes to great lengths to make sure everyone is okay. At one point, Superman even goes out of his way to save a squirrel from being crushed, which shows just how much the hero cares about the citizens of Metropolis, even those who aren’t human. It’s a small moment, and one that James Gunn himself said was questioned in test screenings, but it goes to show how different this version of Superman is from the last iteration.
Lois Lane Interviews Superman
Image via Warner Bros.
Clark Kent and Lois Lane are shown to be only a few months into their relationship in the film. Lane herself has serious doubts over whether she should continue the relationship, saying that she and Clark are simply too different from one another. Clark, however, is still trying, which leads to him to plan a breakfast for dinner at Lois Lane’s apartment.
The night quickly diverts into something very different than what he had planned. Lois proposes that she interview him as Superman, and he agrees. The scene that follows is one of the film’s most memorable, and for many reasons. For one, it’s arguably the scene that shows the most why David Corenswet is the perfect actor to play the character.
The aforementioned kindness is shown, as is his humanity. Clark gets angry in this scene, as he’s frustrated by Lois’ questions. She poses some tough questions, such as asking why Superman opted to intervene in the Jarhanpur/Boravia conflict. Clark says that he didn’t want people to die, but Lois pushes back on this, and he gets angry.
Another amazing aspect of this scene is the chemistry between the two actors. Their connection is on full display here, with Rachel Brosnahan also shining as Lois Lane. Corenswet gets a lot of praise for his performance, and rightfully so, but Brosnahan also deserves immense credit for her turn as the new version of the iconic Daily Planet reporter.
Clark Talks To Pa Kent
Image via Warner Bros.
After being seriously injured, Clark eventually returns to his family home in Kansas. While there, he speaks with his father about his birth parents. At this point in the film, Clark is still reeling from the revelation that Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van sent him to Earth with the hopes that he would dominate the planet and continue the Kryptonian bloodline.
However, his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent, gives him some much-needed advice regarding parentage. Pa Kent explains that Clark is his own man, and that his parents are there to support him through life, not to tell him what to do. His approach marks a huge difference from Clark’s Kryptonian parents, and it goes to show why Clark himself has so much kindness and compassion in him.
“Parents aren’t for telling their children who they’re supposed to be. We are here to give y’all tools. To help you make fools of yourselves all on your own. Your choices, Clark, your actions. That’s what makes you who you are. I’ll tell you something, son. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
Lex Luthor’s Monologue
During the final battle, the film’s villlain, Lex Luthor, comes under more and more pressure. Superman is beginning to fight back against his plan to take over Jarhanpur and ruin the public image of the hero, which leads Lex to give an impassioned speech on what his true motivations are. The scene is one of the film’s best, as it allows the audience to truly understand why Lex Luthor is doing what he’s doing. Read the full speech below.
“I’m not dim. I know envy consumes my every waking moment. 13-L. I know when they mention Galileo or Einstein or one of these other twits in the same breath as me, I feel a tide of vomit burn the back of my throat. But at least Galileo did something. He wasn’t some dopey Venusian catapulted onto this planet just to have the world fawn over him because his strength illuminates how weak we all really are. So my envy is a calling. It is the sole hope for humanity because it is what has driven me to annihilating you.”
Superman’s Ending Speech
Eventually, Superman confronts Lex Luthor face to face in his control room. While there, he explains what Lex gets wrong about him. Throughout the film, Lex is trying to portray Superman as a violent alien, when, in actuality, he’s actually as human as everyone in Metropolis. Superman reminds Lex of this in a brave and moving speech.
“I’m as human as anyone. I love, I get scared. I wake up every morning and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other and I try to make the best choices I can. I screw up all the time, but that is being human. And that’s my greatest strength. And someday, I hope, for the sake of the world, you understand that it’s yours too.”
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2025
- Runtime
-
130 minutes
- Producers
-
Peter Safran