Summary
2025’sSupermanis poised to reintroduce the Man of Steel to the big screen in live action as it kicks off theDCU, but it can thankfully avoid the hardest part of his origin story. Following themistakes made by the DCEU, the DCU is ostensibly tasked with reviving DC’s cinematic efforts, promising to bring fresh takes on well-established characters. This is already apparent inthe DCU’s release slate, which features a slew of lesser-known characters, while established ones are delving into storylines that have yet to be explored on the big screen.
Superman’s DCU debut will star David Corenswetin the titular role as he picks up from the celebrated performance of Henry Cavill in the DCEU. Cavill’s removal from the role was met with significant backlash at the time, given how well he resonated with Superman fans, but was justified by the fact that DC Studios wanted to depict a younger version of the character. Nevertheless,Supermanwill break with tradition by not retelling the Man of Steel’s origin story, instead jumping into a world in which superheroes already run rampant, and Superman has been operating for some time.
Every Superman Movie Ranked From Worst To Best
Superman films have shown both the best and the worst the superhero genre has to offer. Let’s rank all the Man of Steel’s theatrical releases.
DCU’s Superman Movie Can Avoid The Hero’s Awkward Origin Story Name Tradition
Superman’s origin story has been depicted several times in cinema and TV in both live-action and animation. It is safe to assume that even the most casual viewers can wrap their heads around where he came from, as his genesis is practically as ingrained in real-world history as it is in DC media. Part of that story, of course, includes how he comes to earn the name “Superman,” which Clark Kent is far too humble to invent himself. This typically means that he is bestowed the moniker by another character.
In the wake of such a huge cultural impact,it is impossible to imagine a character inventing the name without it coming across as cliché or forced. EvenMan of Steelnearly had Lois Lane come up with the name for the first time before she was interrupted, almost as if to save audiences from a hammy moment. Thankfully, the manner in which 2025’sSupermanwill commence will presumably involve the moniker being a well-established part of his identity.
How To Watch Superman Movies in Order (Chronologically & By Release Date)
With so many movies in his back-catalog, here is how to watch every Superman movie in chronological order and in order of their release dates.
DCU’s Superman Setup Ensures It Can Feel Like A Totally Fresh Story
The fact thatSupermanis starring plenty ofDC characters making their live-action debutshas generated a lot of buzz. This is a somewhat necessary step for DC, withSupermantaking place close to Cavill’s last outing in the cape. Instead of feeling like yet another retelling of Superman’s origins and his first adventures under that name, it promises an almost entirely new story in a world where superheroes are nothing new. This is also an apt reflection of where audiences stand in relation to the superhero genre as a whole.
Beck Bennett
Steve Lombard
Kicking off a cinematic franchise with a movie that does not detail an origin story is a welcome breath of fresh air in a climate where superhero movies are apparently growing stale with moviegoers. The DCEU fizzled out with several sub-par box office performances while the MCU most recently experienced its biggest box office flop in history. With that in mind, James Gunn’s DCU needs to pull out all the stops to makeSupermana superhero movie that will reinvigorate enthusiasm for the genre, so hitting the ground running with Superman’s story is a positive sign.
