Hope Isn't Dead. It's Just Been Recast.
You can feel it in the first line: “He saves people because it's the right thing to do.” Not because it's cool. Not because it'll trend. Because it's right. In a behind-the-scenes video dropped by DC for Superman Day (yes, apparently we get two now), we get a raw, unfiltered look at James Gunn's Superman—and it's more than a sizzle reel. It's a mission statement.
This isn't your brooding, post-Snyder Supes. No red eyes, no existential crisis in a cornfield. This Superman—played by David Corenswet—isn't trying to prove anything. He just is. And that might be the boldest move of all.
James Gunn Is Betting Big on Old-School Goodness
Let's be real: hope has been out of fashion in superhero cinema. Post-Endgame, the genre's been stuck in a loop—multiverses, moral ambiguity, and heroes too tired to care. Gunn's approach? A hard reset. Not just of the DCU, but of tone.
Gunn, now co-chair of DC Studios, is no stranger to chaos (The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy), but here, he's flipping the script. Instead of anti-heroes, we get… a genuinely good man. And the behind-the-scenes footage proves everyone on set is buying in—from Rachel Brosnahan's grounded Lois Lane to Nicholas Hoult's eerily poised Luthor.
This BTS isn't just promo—it's proof of concept.
The Industry's Been Here Before—But This Time Feels Different
Think back to Man of Steel (2013). Zack Snyder gave us a visually stunning, morally complex Superman. But for many fans, it felt like a Superman who didn't want to be Superman. Then came the era of the shared universe sprawl—darkness, gods, and very little human warmth.
Gunn's version, at least from what we're seeing now, swings the pendulum back toward sincerity. Like Captain America: The First Avenger or Wonder Woman (2017), it's tapping into a nostalgia for clear moral lines. Only now, that clarity feels radical. Revolutionary, even.
As pop culture critic Matt Zoller Seitz once said, “In a world of cynics, idealism is punk rock.” That's exactly what this Superman is aiming to be.
The Set Pieces Are Massive—But the Heart Is Bigger
The BTS video doesn't skimp on spectacle—massive sets, practical effects, and Alan Tudyk voicing a robot (because of course). But what stands out isn't the action. It's the earnestness.
You see Corenswet laughing on set. You hear Gunn talking about values, not just visuals. This isn't corporate lip service—it looks and sounds like a team genuinely invested in the story they're telling.
And that's rare.
The Takeaway? Superman Might Be Cool Again—Because He's Not Trying to Be
Here's the uncomfortable truth: the last decade tried to make Superman relatable by making him sad. Gunn's approach is the opposite. He's making him aspirational again. A symbol. Not of nationalism—but of potential.
Would you still believe in someone who does good, just because?
Apparently, James Gunn does. And judging by the reaction online—maybe we're ready to believe again, too.
