Superman
James Gunn's DCU reboot — Truth, justice, and the American way
Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent, navigating a world that questions whether truth, justice, and the American way are still relevant.
Directed by James Gunn · Action · Adventure · Fantasy · 129 min · 2025
Trailer
Director
James Gunn
Writer
James Gunn
Studio
DC Studios / Warner Bros.
Release
July 11, 2025
Runtime
129 min
Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Budget
$325 million (estimated)
Box office
$615.2 million worldwide
Full Plot
Set within a new DC universe. A few years into his heroics, Superman embarks on a personal quest to understand his Kryptonian heritage and mix it with his upbringing as mild mannered Clark Kent. But things get complicated when ruthless industrialist Lex Luthor frames Superman for an international incident and plans to put himself on top by bringing Superman down. Now with aid from Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and the Justice Gang, Superman must embrace his lineage and fully become the hero we deserve in order to stop Luthor's plot and save the world.
Cast & Characters
Clark Kent / Superman
David Corenswet
↔ Lois Lane, Lex Luthor
Lois Lane
Rachel Brosnahan
↔ Superman
Lex Luthor
Nicholas Hoult
↔ Superman
Mr. Terrific
Edi Gathegi
Guy Gardner
Nathan Fillion
Rex Mason / Metamorpho:An archaeologist and superhero who can "transmute elements in his body into various forms". He becomes a member of the Justice Gang. Carrigan said it was refreshing to play a superhero after previously portraying the Batman villain Victor Zsasz in the television series Gotham (2014–2019). He felt that he could bring some "authenticity and truth" to the role by comparing Metamorpho's concerns about his abilities to Carrigan's own alopecia.
Anthony Carrigan
Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl:A superhero with wings and various melee weapons who is a Justice Gang member. She is reincarnated from an alien, retaining her memories and past trauma with a grumpy demeanor. Merced felt the self-awareness and comedic aspects of the film helped Hawkgirl "make light of [her] trauma". Merced's short height differentiates her from other DCU heroes. Merced felt that her role as Anya Corazón in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) film Madame Web (2024) helped prepare her to play Hawkgirl, though she did not tell the Superman filmmakers about that role in case they did not want her to play both.
Isabela Merced
Did You Know?
This is James Gunn's first film as co-chair and chief creative officer of DC Studios.
Source: DC Studios announcement · verified 2026-07-28
Superman became the highest-grossing superhero film of 2025, surpassing Thunderbolts*.
Source: Screen Rant Box Office · verified 2026-07-28
The film explores how Clark Kent balances his Kryptonian power with journalism and earthling values.
Source: Entertainment Weekly interview · verified 2026-07-28
Here's a summary of the information about the Superman film:
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The film was directed by James Gunn and written by David Callahan.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The cast includes Henry Cavill as Superman, Michael B. Jordan as Black Adam, and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Filming took place in various locations, including Atlanta, Georgia; Cleveland, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Svalbard, Norway.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Superman holds a 7.0/10 on IMDb (406,287 votes), a 68/100 on Metacritic, and an 83% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes (90% audience score). The film marks a strong start for James Gunn's vision of the DCU, with particular praise for its thematic depth and earnest approach to the character.
“A thoughtful reimagining that respects the character's legacy.” — Variety “Gunn brings genuine heart to the Man of Steel.” — The Hollywood Reporter “David Corenswet embodies the iconic hero with gravitas and vulnerability.” — IndieWire
Critics largely align on Superman's quality; the audience score (90%) edges the critics' score (83%), suggesting general audiences connected with Gunn's earnest, philosophical take on the character more than some critics expected.
Ratings as of July 31, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedSuperman succeeds as both a spectacle and a character study. At $615M worldwide, it proves audiences still embrace the big red cape—and Gunn's willingness to interrogate what that symbol means in a cynical world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Superman's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Superman holds a 83% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Superman's IMDb rating?+
Superman has a 7.0/10 rating on IMDb from 406,287 votes.
What is Superman's Metacritic score?+
Superman has a Metascore of 68/100 on Metacritic.
Is Superman good? What are critics saying?+
Superman holds a 7.0/10 on IMDb (406,287 votes), a 68/100 on Metacritic, and an 83% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes (90% audience score). The film marks a strong start for James Gunn's vision of the DCU, with particular praise for its thematic depth and earnest approach to the character.
How long is Superman?+
Superman has a runtime of 129 min.
Who directed Superman?+
Superman was directed by James Gunn.
Where can I watch Superman?+
Superman is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Sky Go, Now TV Cinema, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, JioHotstar.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "Superman" is mixed, with some critics and viewers praising its visuals, performances, and action, while others find it disjointed, lacking depth, and overpowered by its DCU ambitions. The film has been compared unfavorably to previous Superman movies and superhero films in general.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Superman (2025) aims high but ultimately falls flat. While it offers a few flashes of visual spectacle, the story feels disjointed and the pacing drags. Characters lack depth, and the emotional beats never quite land. It’s a disappointing entry that struggles to capture the magic…
tmdb14343666 · 2/10Just a fun time watching this iteration of Superman. David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan were absolutely wonderful together and Nicholas Hoult played a great Lex Luthor. Not perfect by any means, but a solid start to the DCU. This was a delightful time with crowd-pleasing moment…
JPV852 · 8/10Well, I enjoyed it. The writing felt a bit all over the place but most of the jokes were on point, the action was very enjoyable, and I think giving Superman a more classic comic feel and less of the apocalyptic Snyder vibe was a good change. Everyone here does a great job with t…
rssp55 · 7/10FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/superman-review-james-gunn-gives-the-man-of-steel-a-soul/ "Superman isn't perfect. It struggles with pacing, has too many characters, and offers some clunky narrative solutions. But as the official cinematic introduction to the…
Manuel São Bento · 8/10Considerable chatter has been devoted in recent years to the question of whether the movie industry is producing too many superhero/action-adventure films. Much of that talk has specifically focused on whether certain franchises/mythologies have been overdone. That’s particularly…
Brent Marchant · 4/10First of all i would like to say that this isnt a bad movie by any means. In fact there's actually a lot to enjoy here and is easily the BEST live-action Superman movie since the Christopher Reeve era. Corenswet as Superman/Clark is fucking amazing and the characterization of Sup…
CrazyJekyll · 6/10<em>'Superman'</em> is the best Supes film that I've seen - and I highly enjoyed 2013's <em>'Man of Steel'</em>, so that is actually saying something. I was surprised at how great this 2025 edition is, like at no point was I ever doubting what I was seeing - it's a fab 2hrs. I ha…
r96sk · 9/10Putting all else aside, James Gunn's "Superman" succeed's because it adopts a comfortably familiar, wholly "likeable", approach. This film borrows heavily from the 70's Superman franchise. Its look, its feel, right down to costumes, harks back to that era. As does, the very simpl…
MovieGuys · 7/10I know I’m swimming against the tide here, but I just didn’t really rate this. I suppose it was only a matter of time before “Superman” got dragged (literally) into the multiverse. This time it is the DC one that’s being used by the evil “Lex Luthor” (Nicholas Hoult) who has quit…
CinemaSerf · 6/10The version of Superman in James Gunn’s film differs from past film iterations of the character. In other films, Superman is a one-man powerhouse. He is the only one who can save the day, and there is no plan B if he happens to lose. Maybe other heroes exist in that cinematic uni…
Chris Sawin · 8/10very good movie, love it!
zppp · 9/10James Gunn`s Superman is Supergirl's bitch. ChatGPT wrote the story and dialogue of this movie. MCU inspired humor that is overused and overdone in modern movies. Bad acting from all the actors in this movie. Especially David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan. Clark & Lois have no c…
I walked into Superman with cautious optimism. The cast is strong, and to be fair, not a single actor delivers a bad performance. The problem lies entirely behind the camera: James Gunn. Once again, Gunn directs as if he only knows how to make one kind of movie. What we get doesn…
Atkins · 4/10This is a fine vacuous way to spend your time. If you're upset that a Superman movie is just kind of trash, you are not a Superman movie fan. I don't like that James Gunn is the voice of modern comics. I do kind of like his humour. Herzog warned them about the dog. Listen to Wern…
Chandler Danier · 7/10Loved the movie. Seeing a DC movie after a long time. it was worth it.
75/100 Classic Superman vs. Lex Luthor vehicle where Lex wants Superman dead. James Gunn comes through with a fun, ofttimes humorous and exciting version of Superman which is sorely needed after the string of far-too-serious entries in the previous DC lexicon. Dispensing with the…
Dr Nostromo · 8/10This is the Superman I've been wanting for a long time. If this is how the DC Universe is going to be, sign me up. All the castings were great, and the score was amazing.
Jstewart2007 · 9/10[This review contains spoilers!] The movie, like its trailer, started off with interesting thoughts: How does the existence of superheros influence politics? Can and should they be neutral? Do they represent countries? An interesting topic one usually sees in darker superhero med…
RealZero · 5/10James Gunn brought his signature sensibilities while capturing the magic of Superman '78, updated with a modern touch. The film had a wonderful Silver Age flair, just like the classic comics. David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, and Rachel Brosnahan all delivered outstanding performa…
Joogle83 · 9/10
From the trailer's comments
I genuinely miss Superman summer 🥹
@thearthurmarston1997 · 558 likesHAPPY ONE YEAR SUPERMAN (2025)
@ClarkKentt-e5r · 132 likesIn a world full of Homelanders, be Superman.
@FeaRFuZiioN · 34534 likesWho's here after DC just wrapped Filming for "Man of Tomorrow"
@Jessxee · 23 likesIs anyone doing a rewatch exactly a year after this trailer was released?
@LordDCUfanSouli · 2060 likesHim saving that girl from the explosion looks like it was ripped straight out of a comic book I can’t wait
@nickbuckley4371 · 2416 likesI love the fact that the name of the movie doesnt appear on the trailer you just know its Superman
@Elzanti912 · 98 likesSee how 99.99% comments are positive? That's the prove that you should watch it too and it's definitely worth it (I watched it)
@AzwaadGD · 80 likes
