So what’s the verdict? Does this first look at the famous cape and tights in “Superman” indicate a refreshing change of pace from what’s come before, or do fans have reason to be concerned that James Gunn is a little too beholden to nostalgia?
For /Film’s part, the consensus among staff after rigorous amounts of scientific research and debate — in other words, after the question was hastily posed in the group chat, writers and editors weighed in off the top of their heads — is that this new look deserves an overall thumbs up … with some minor reservations, that is. The pose itself may leave a bit to be desired (the earlier joke about Superman taking his sweet time to battle that purple eyeball was hardly original, as Vanity Fair critic Richard Lawson was among the first to poke fun), along with the oddly poor lighting for such a momentous reveal. And even if this image was captured entirely in-camera, as Gunn claimed on Instagram Threads, it does little to dispel the first impression among many that this first look appeared to be generated by AI.
Minor gripes aside, however, it seems to strike the correct tone for this “Superman” reboot. Gone are the days of first looks that mostly stand out because of washed-out color tones and Superman causing property damage (as “Man of Steel” famously resorted to back in 2011). Instead, fans can reasonably look forward to a more traditional, hopeful, and optimistic take on the world’s most famous superhero. Whether the final product meets expectations, of course, remains a question that only individual fans can answer.
“Superman” flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.
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