James Gunn discusses the Superman's full cast to hints at the plot. Superman's first trailer opens with David Corenswet's Superman crash-landing on the ground, wounded and bleeding, before he calls for Krypto the Superdog's help.

In a Q&A session at the Superman trailer press event where ScreenRant was present, director James Gunn explains why David Corenswet's hero is badly wounded at the beginning of the Superman trailer. According to Gunn, Superman represents the inherent kindness in American people, which "can be seen as uncool and under siege [by] some of the darker voices.". Read Gunn's full comments below:

“We do have a battered Superman in the beginning. That is our country. I believe in the goodness of human beings, and I believe that most people in this country, despite their ideological beliefs, their politics, are doing their best to get by and be good people — despite what it may seem like to the other side, no matter what that other side might be. This movie is about that. It’s about the basic kindness of human beings, and that it can be seen as uncool and under siege [by] some of the darker voices are some of the louder voices.”

James Gunn also discussed the Superman trailer exclusively with Variety after the Q&A session. In Gunn's talk with Variety, the director expresses his satisfaction with exploring Superman's down-to-earth kindness rather than focusing on his physical power, which could have become "a fascistic power fantasy". Read Gunn's further comments below:

"I'm excited for people to get to see the essence of what we’re doing, because it really has been like this private secret that we’ve all been hoarding. We felt really good about it, like from a moral place, even from the beginning. We all felt like we were doing something good, both in of quality and in of actually something that’s not a fascistic power fantasy. I’m not saying that about other hero movies in general. But it felt good to be doing something that was about a person’s kindness."

What James Gunn's Comments About Why Superman Bleeds In The Trailer Mean

David Corenswet's Superman Is A Vulnerable Version Of The Character In The DCU

The first trailer for James Gunn's Superman portrays the titular hero both as a nearly invincible superhero and as a vulnerable individual. The trailer summarizes Superman's duality as a regular Metropolis citizen and the hero who saves the whole city and takes his time to protect every individual person. It also provides a glimpse at the negative reactions Superman can get from the very people he saves, and yet Superman continues to fulfill his duty honorably and without resentment.

James Gunn's Superman seems to tackle the difference between Superman's sense of duty and that of other superheroes like Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and The Authority's The Engineer. Superman's proximity to the people who ire him makes him a symbol of hope — as evidenced by the child who raises the flag with his emblem — whereas other superheroes might be seen as public figures who simply do their job when they have to. Whereas Guy Gardner intimidates an angry crowd with his Green Lantern ring, Superman walks through the crowd without responding to their insults.

Why Superman's First Shot Is Promising For The DCU Movie

The Opening Trailer Scene Holds A Lot Of Promise For Superman's Story & Tone

While the specifics regarding how Superman comes to be lying in the snow calling Krypto for help in the Superman movie aren't yet obvious, the scene does set up several interesting things for the 2025 release. It's clear the story will show that Superman isn't an invulnerable being despite his immense powers at some point in the narrative, as it's evident that the road that leads to Krypto dragging the Man of Steel home isn't an easy one for the DC hero. Teasing this early also leaves audiences eager to learn who or what could have taken Superman down, especially since he seems to be alone in the tundra.

Opening with a sequence showing Superman beaten and bloody also encourages audiences to root for and sympathize with the hero, since his superhero career appears to be putting him through the wringer, and up against some seemingly colossal threats and challenges. These ideas are reinforced by the in-universe public appearing to turn on Superman at a point of the story, shown by someone throwing a can at his head later on in the trailer.

Though beginning the first trailer for Superman with his seeming defeat is a move that's sure to have felt jarring to some viewers, it's one that appears to have been selected for the express purpose of providing an unexpected first look at things, in line with the goal to keep things fresh for audiences. With that said, Superman committing everything to doing the right thing and fighting even when the odds are stacked against him is a classic storyline for the character, ensuring this sequence also suggests David Corenswet's hero will keep the core elements of the DC icon that make him so beloved to this day.

Our Take On James Gunn's Comments About Why Superman Bleeds In The Trailer

Superman's Kindness And Vulnerability Are The Man Of Steel's Essence

Superman is a particularly difficult comic book character to adapt to the big screen given his pure heart and immense power. Fortunately, James Gunn's Superman promises to delve deeper into the negative side effects of these qualities than previous movies. Superman's public perception and controversial place in the superhero community seem to be central elements of the DCU movie, and David Corenswet's Superman seems on track to learn valuable lessons that will cement him as the DCU's quintessential superhero.

Source: Variety

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