How the Superman Trailer Units Up James Gunn’s New DC Universe

2025’s ‘Superman’ Trailer Released Todayand it is one heck of a vacation present. Not solely does it construct much more anticipation for the already extremely anticipated movie by presenting Kal-El’s adventures in a method that’s each nostalgic and distinctive, nevertheless it additionally occurs to be considered one of best-edited trailers of the previous. 12 months. One of many extra shocking decisions within the trailer is leaving out the movie’s title on the finish, a call that acknowledges Superman’s energy inside popular culture and creates extra hype for the movie.

That is to not say the trailer does not finish with some type of title card. Simply earlier than a card saying that the movie is “Filmed for IMAX” and shall be launched in July of subsequent 12 months, the trailer ends with the DC Studios brand, a reminder that “Superman” is the primary movie of Warner Bros. The brand new shared journey within the DC Comics cinematic universe (the animated series “Creature Commandos” marks the beginning of the universe on television). The placement of the emblem card, nonetheless, seems to serve a twin goal: delaying it from the start (the place brand playing cards sometimes seem) and inserting it on the finish, the place a title card would sometimes be positioned in a trailer, it seems like this teaser for “Superman” additionally serves as a trailer for the DC Studios universe itself. It is one other daring alternative from author/director James Gunn, who oversees the DCSU (perhaps that acronym will stick?) with Peter Safran, and presents “Superman” as a brand new watershed second for DC Comics characters in the meanwhile. ‘display.

To be trustworthy, there is a little bit of a “placing the cart earlier than the horse” feeling to the trailer, if you happen to take the most recent DC Studios map as a sign of the clip as an announcement for the DCSU. In fact, WB and DC have been round earlier than, because the DC Prolonged Universe (DCEU), which ran from 2013 to 2023, has struggled to succeed in the heights (shared universe and in any other case) of the cinematic universe of Marvel Studios. As anybody from skilled geek to skilled critic will inform you, one of many DCEU’s largest issues was making an attempt to do an excessive amount of too quickly, making a serious team-up film with “Batman v Superman : Daybreak of Justice” earlier than Gal. Gadot’s Surprise Girl and Ben Affleck’s Batman have been absolutely established on display. The movie, and lots of of people who adopted within the DCEU, had their very own issues exterior of constructing a cinematic universe, however the truth that the studio appeared a bit too desperate to have its cake earlier than it both fully cooked did not assist.

That goes double for Common’s proposed “Darkish Universe,” which, not like the DCEU, ended after the discharge of only one movie, “The Mummy” in 2017. Though the movie itself does not include a lot -thing by way of teasing future movies (solely introducing Russell Crowe’s Dr. Henry Jekyll because the Darkish Universe’s reply to Nick Fury), there was an notorious photoshoot with the proposed stars of the longer term Darkish. Films from the universe which is the one different media within the shared universe, as no different film has ever been made. Much more than “Batman v Superman,” the proposed and deserted Darkish Universe plans characterize Hollywood’s largest cautionary story on the subject of reviving a shared universe.

But “Superman” and its standing as DC Studios’ level of origin seems to keep away from this drawback in a reasonably easy method: Whereas different shared universe tasks have been mentioned publicly, Gunn and Safran will not be saying large launch over a number of years. plan for future Marvel or DCEU movies. On this method, “Superman” may very well be a little bit of the perfect of each worlds, promising future characters to come back with out insisting on any set plans.

In contrast to the Darkish Universe which accurately did not get off the bottom, the DCEU plodded alongside for a decade, aided by a few films that serve as bright spots within its cinematic universe. Regardless of these highs, the DCEU by no means actually coalesced in the same technique to the MCU, and a part of that’s as a result of WB and the folks behind the DCEU by no means actually appeared to have a transparent imaginative and prescient of the place it was going. ought to tackle the DCEU. Retroactively beginning with Zach Snyder’s “Man of Metal” instantly put the universe on equal footing, as Snyder’s 2013 movie was meant as a deconstructionist model of Superman, just like the out-of-continuity “Darkish Knight” trilogy. by Christopher Nolan. So “Batman v Superman” and “Justice League,” the speedy sequels to “Man of Metal,” discovered themselves making an attempt to honor that severe imaginative and prescient, warts and all, whereas making an attempt to determine a basis extra conventional for the DC. heroes who transfer ahead. This resulted in an uncomfortable combine and left many different spin-off movies both too shut to those “flagship” movies or awkwardly indifferent from them.

Issues solely obtained worse because the DCEU tried to comply with the MCU right into a “multiverse” period. Zach Snyder’s Justice League, though it took place because of fan demand and behind-the-scenes points surrounding the theatrical model of Justice League, has solely additional muddled the proceedings. of continuity, seemingly splitting the DCEU into two branches. of canon that would have tried to coexist. Final 12 months’s “The Flash” tried to tie every part collectively in a neat arc, akin to that of a Disaster or breaking level, by bringing Barry Allen into the multiverse. However as soon as once more the movie appeared far too desperate to get to the cameos and moments of joy rather than letting things develop naturally. It is most likely due to all this confusion over tone, path and continuity that Gunn and Safran are desperate to hit the reset button with “Superman,” and I hope the movie would be the contemporary begin that the trailer appears to vow.

In fact, it is not potential to foretell what the entire impact of a movie shall be simply from a trailer. Nonetheless, Gunn says numerous actually good issues about his movie in addition to his philosophy on the subject of DC Studios, and that, mixed with the trailer, makes his feedback appear well-founded. At a “Superman” trailer launch occasion I attended on Monday, Gunn was requested in regards to the DC Studios brand on the finish of the trailer and admitted that it was of a call as a lot instinctive as calculated:

“Nevertheless it’s additionally like you must comply with your instincts and what feels proper. And I had folks round me, together with Peter Safran, who has braveness that I can belief, and mine, who appears to be the, I’ve the tightest of guts, which suggests I am the one who likes issues the least when put collectively, so it appears prefer it labored.

Much more encouraging is Gunn’s perspective towards different DCSU movies after “Superman.” Throughout a go to to the set of Superman, Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier asked Gunn about his plans beyond this first film, and the filmmaker was refreshingly honest:

“Quite a bit [is riding on ‘Superman’]. I imply, we’re not going to maintain making motion pictures.”

Already, this primary trailer guarantees a extra gregarious strategy to the shared universe than “BvS”, with characters like Inexperienced Lantern, Hawkgirl and Mr. Terrific having their moments whereas the clip makes it clear that the movie’s protagonists are Superman . , Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, and never a bunch of different heroes vying for the highlight early on. Hopefully the ultimate movie proves this to be true. One factor is for certain: for the movie itself as for DC Studios, the trailer for “Superman” offers us numerous hope.