How do you bring a character to life that’s already been adapted dozens of times over the last century? What new qualities can one bring to light for the world’s most famous superhero? These are the questions that come to mind for anyone making a new Superman movie, and across films both live action and animated, we’ve seen different aspects of the Man of Steel in the spotlight.

So, what could be different this time? In a world where generations have grown up on Christopher Reeve, as well as Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series and Man of Steel, how does James Gunn’s Superman set itself apart from those interpretations, while still feeling fresh and inviting for audiences both new and old?

The answer? He brings us directly into Superman’s world.

What distinguishes this new Superman right away is his enthusiasm towards saving people and being a hero. Only a few years into his career, David Corenswet gives a “gleeful warrior” quality to Clark Kent, who relishes his role as a protector of humanity. Sent from Krypton with the instruction to use his powers for good (or so he believes), and raised by two loving Kansas farmers, this Superman eagerly fights his battle for truth and justice with a warm smile on his face.

In recent years, the common trend for superhero storytelling is to deconstruct the characters’ psyches, finding out what primal drives bring them to do what they do. Are they heroes out of guilt? Loneliness? The idea of being a hero just for the sake of it has long been seen as out of touch and difficult to parse in a more culturally sophisticated world. But this remains Superman’s primary reason for being. The internal struggles this version of Clark Kent faces begin and end with being as effective as he can be when it comes to saving people. Any anxiety that he faces throughout the film may affect his view of how successful he is at this, but it never causes him to question whether it’s an ideal that’s worth striving for. It’s this commitment to truth and justice that keeps Corenswet’s Superman entirely faithful to the comics, while at the same time making Superman’s character in the film surprisingly subversive.

And it’s that subversiveness which also characterizes the main players in his orbit, giving the film excellent versions of his equally iconic supporting cast.

Since their first shared appearance in Action Comics #1, Lois Lane has always contrasted with Superman in being his equal and opposite match. Plucky and courageous, this is a woman whose yearning to seek the truth lives alongside her love of Superman. While being superhero comics’ first lady of love interests, Lois is defined by her own steadfast agency, often at the risk of her own life.

In Superman, we see Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois at a personal crossroads. Not with her career, since she’s every bit the gutsy reporter that we’ve come to love and expect. Rather, it’s her relationship with Clark that she’s questioning. Early in the film, she gets into a contentious argument with Clark over the ethics of Superman’s public heroism, particularly on so wide a global scale. The back and forth is later broken down to a fundamental difference of character, which Lois recognizes and it causes her to hold back her feelings towards Clark. Later, as dark plots are unraveled through Lois and Jimmy’s investigation into Lex Luthor, Lois comes to terms with how she feels about not only Clark, but also their differences.

Too often, what makes the Lois and Clark coupling fun to root for is the “opposites attract” romance trope. In this film, the characters are intelligent enough to reconcile those differences, which makes the intensity of their love and affection for each other all the more inspiring.

On the complete opposite side of the coin, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is far and away the most frighteningly evil, envious and diabolical version of the character we’ve ever seen on the big screen. Everyone knows Luthor as Superman’s nemesis, and whether he’s a supervillain by trade or an evil businessman who does his dirty dealings on the down-low, Luthor’s wickedness has historically been a juicy role for the very best performers to sink their teeth into.

It should come to no one’s surprise that Nicholas Hoult knocks it out of the park, but make no mistake, this is no silly, mustache-twirling performance. Rather, Luthor’s moments of satisfaction come at the darkest of times, such as committing murder with his bare hands, or watching Superman getting choked to death. Even more memorable are his moments of pure frustration, driven out of explosive hatred for the man whom he acknowledges he’s envious of.

Luthor’s evil comes from a sense of calling, and in that, he’s the direct opposite to Superman. While Superman enjoys a self-directed purpose to save lives, Luthor sees his calling as saving the world from the arrogance of a misbegotten alien that makes humanity look worse by comparison. More than the simple xenophobe or rich bad guy out to make himself richer, Hoult’s Luthor is open-hearted with pure hate, borne out of an inflated sense of self and self-purpose. It’s an astonishing vision of one of pop culture’s greatest bad guys, and it reinvigorates the hero/villain dynamic for a new generation. When one sees themself as lesser than other people, that will only turn them darker. Superman recognizes that in Luthor and pities him, but for us in the audience, it makes for a phenomenal, fascinating villain.

That’s the secret to this new Superman film—how all of the major players achieve their own personal journey through their interaction with the Man of Steel. The Justice Gang—Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl—evolve from corporate-owned heroes to fighters for justice after they’re influenced by Superman’s actions. Metamorpho, who sees his existence as a curse meant to be used by others, is inspired by Superman’s heroism and becomes a hero in his own right. And the Daily Planet staff do their part in bringing political corruption to light and help turn public opinion back in favor of the Man of Steel in the process.

Everything circles around Superman’s characterization as a positive hero who fights to do the right thing. For that to be the core of the film works to both highlight and underline why Superman is as relevant and enjoyable now as he’s been all throughout the eighty-seven years of his existence. We’re all better in a world where Superman, even as a fictional character on the page or screen, exists.
 

Superman, directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult, is now in theaters! Click here to get tickets.

Donovan Morgan Grant writes about comics, graphic novels and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @donomark and X at @donoDMG1.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Donovan Morgan Grant and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.