Summary
- Test screenings of James Gunn's Superman received positive reviews and the film was compared to Wonder Woman and Guardians of the Galaxy.
- The film showcases superior CGI and excellent performances from the cast, hinting at surprise villains.
- Gunn's commitment to reshoots and edits promises a high-quality film with a mix of comedy and emotional moments.
Superman is coming out in four months and its test screening reports are promising. The anticipated DC tentpole has been compared to one of the most successful movies from the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
James Gunn's first movie for the DC Universe is David Corenswet's Superman. Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios, decided to end DCEU to have a full reboot of DC's cinematic universe. The film has high expectations because Gunn is the creative force behind it, both as director and writer. The filmmaker has a successful track record with superhero franchises, including Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and DC's The Suicide Squad. Based on the reports, Gunn's Superman is in line with his superpowered flicks of the past.
New Superman Footage Features Lex Luthor With Another DCU Villain
A new footage for Superman was released featuring Lex Luthor with another supervillain from the DC comics.
The recent test screenings of Gunn's Superman have received positive reviews. Portuguese fan site, DC da Depressão, described the early reaction in a post on X: "The tone is closer to the first Wonder Woman film and the first Guardians of the Galaxy." This feedback is promising since both films were major critical and commercial successes. Wonder Woman (2017), directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, received 93% ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Gadot's performance received praise, with many saying she was perfect for the role because she effectively portrayed Wonder Woman as an epitome of female empowerment. The movie made $103 million on its opening weekend and $822 million worldwide. It was the first female-led superhero movie in the modern era to dominate the box office. Due to its success, Gadot's Wonder Woman scored a sequel and was deemed one of the best DCEU films. The Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) was also directed by Gunn, and it was just as successful. It has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, made $94.3 million on its opening weekend, and earned a total of $773 million worldwide. The film influenced MCU films to add more humor, vibrant visuals, and retro music at the time as well.
The post also revealed that the film has "superior CGI" to what fans saw in the trailer. This is hardly surprising since post-production is still ongoing and SFX will be worked on up until the official release date. Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Brosnan reportedly portrayed their characters—Lex Luthor and Lois Lane—excellently. Meanwhile, Corenswet's take on the Man of Steel is reportedly comparable to Brandon Routh's Superman. That's not all; there are "some surprise villains," suggesting that Lex Luthor is not alone in making things difficult for Superman. In a previous interview, Gunn confirmed both test screenings and reshoots, suggesting that he was determined to deliver the best film possible. He said:
We've done screenings. We've done real screenings. Definitely learning stuff all the time, definitely editing and making little changes. You know, we might shoot a couple little, tiny things. All my additional photography is so hard, because it's like, I used to be kind of against it. Because, you know, you don't want to have to shoot again. It's a pain in the ass. But as time has gone on, and I've made more movies, I really like being able to say, 'You know what? I wish I had a shot that fist hitting that…' And so I do tend to go back and pick that kind of stuff up.
Reports from previous test screenings were not as impressive. However, with the reshoots and ongoing edits, it appears that the changes improved the overall quality of the film, because the latest feedback is nothing short of promising. It has surprising elements, the right mix of comedy and poignant scenes, and more. Milly Alcock's Supergirl will debut in Superman, and there are rumors that Ultraman will be in the movie, too. Here's hoping for an uplifting classic!
Superman will hit theaters on July 11, 2025.
Source: DC da Depressão/X