James Gunn's highly anticipated Superman movie has made a big splash, making an incredible $125 million in its first weekend. This great start makes it the third-biggest box office opening of 2025, which is a good sign for the newly rebooted DC Universe. The movie, which stars David Corenswet as Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, is not only a hit on its own, but it is also a key part of Warner Bros. Discovery's new DCU, which is being run by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
A Look at James Gunn's Career as a Director
James Gunn's route to directing the new Superman movie is full of different movies that show off his unique voice and changing style. He started his career far apart from the superhero blockbusters that made him famous. He has always been interested in character-driven stories and dark humor.
Early Works: From Scary to Cult Classics
Before he became famous, Gunn built a name for himself with a number of different initiatives. Slither, his first movie as a filmmaker, came out in 2006. It was a horror-comedy that mixed monster feature themes with cutting humor, showing that he could mix genre cliches with good timing. He then made Super in 2010, a dark comedy about a normal guy who becomes a violent, self-made superhero. This movie dealt with issues of vigilante justice and moral ambiguity, showing that he was interested in the complicated nature of heroism outside of standard comic book stories from a young age. Gunn also worked on Brightburn (2019), a horror movie that turned the Superman origin tale into something creepy. This shows that he is prepared to do new things with superhero tropes.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy from the Marvel Era
Gunn's work on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy cemented his reputation as a director who can make big superhero movies while still having a unique style. He gave these movies a unique style, a strong passion for the ensemble actors, and a music that people will remember. He made characters that weren't well-known into household names. His ability to write funny stories that also made people feel something became a trademark of his work for Marvel.
DC Starts: Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad
Gunn directed The Suicide Squad (2021) when he moved to DC. It was a soft reboot that let him show off his R-rated style and a cast of lesser-known characters. The movie did well with critics, which led to the Peacemaker series, which went into more depth on the main character, played by John Cena. These efforts showed that Gunn can make flawed, often morally dubious characters more interesting and relatable. This is something he still does in the DCU.
Choosing actors and working together
One thing that stands out about Gunn's style is that he always works with the same actors on all of his productions. A lot of actors from his earlier movies and the Guardians series have worked with him on DC projects, which gives the impression of a creative family. His writing is also collaborative; he often creates characters with certain performers in mind, which makes the performances feel very related to the material.
Gunn's Movies Have Thematic Elements
Gunn typically writes about discovered family, atonement, and the fight to do good in a complicated world in his movies. His characters, whether they are a talking raccoon or a man from Krypton, are often people who don't fit in and are looking for a place to belong and a reason to live. His work is different because he focuses on the inner lives of his characters, even when there are big events going on. His movies often use music to tell the tale, with soundtracks that are an important part of the emotional fabric of the story.
James Gunn's "Gods and Monsters" Explained: The DCU Blueprint
James Gunn and Peter Safran are constructing a new DC Universe that will be connected, starting with "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters." This is in addition to the instant popularity of Superman. This slate wants to create a single story that runs through both movies and TV shows, moving away from the DC Extended Universe's prior broken approach.
David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, is extremely sure about the new path. Zaslav said, "The DC vision is clear, the momentum is real, and I couldn't be more excited for what's to come."
A closer look at the DCU Phase 1 projects
"Gods and Monsters" has a lot of other projects that are meant to build on the DCU's foundation, but Superman is the main one. One of these is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which will tell the story of Kara Zor-El based on Tom King's comic run. The Authority is another show about a group of anti-heroes who use extreme techniques, and The Brave and the Bold will show a new Batman and his son Damian Wayne as Robin. Creature Commandos will be an animated show about a group of monster heroes, and Lanterns will follow Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they try to solve a mystery on Earth. These initiatives want to put a lot of different DC characters on screen, each with its own tone but still related to the others.
Introducing characters and talking about future storylines
Superman itself sets the stage for introducing other characters in the future. The opening language of the movie says that Metahumans have been on Earth for 300 years. This allows for characters like Hawkman and Hawkgirl, whose comic book origins often go back hundreds of years. The fact that Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl are in Superman suggests that there are more heroes out there. Peacemaker also makes a brief appearance in the movie, which suggests that his series is still continuing on and that Amanda Waller is still trying to control metahumans. The "Justice Gang" shows up and knows who Clark Kent is, which shows that the superhero world is more connected from the start. In earlier movies, hidden identities were more closely protected.
The movie's utilization of advanced technology, such Lex Luthor's portal system that looks like Boom Tubes, shows that there is a lot of high-level science in the DCU. This may lead to characters like the Green Lanterns, whose power rings are amazing pieces of technology, or even the New Gods, whose Boom Tube technology is a big part of their narrative.
Superman (2025): Box Office, Reviews, and Important Lessons
Warner Bros. Discovery is quite happy with how well Superman did at the box office, especially because other DC movies haven't done so well in the past. The movie made $125 million in the US and $95 million abroad, for a total of $220 million worldwide. This shows that people are once again interested in the Man of Steel. Critics and audiences have liked it, giving it an average score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and a "A-" CinemaScore, which means that people are talking about it a lot.
This reception is a very important step in getting fans to trust you again and fighting "superhero fatigue." Some recent superhero movies had big drops in box office sales after great starts. Superman, on the other hand, has gotten a lot of good publicity, which implies it could do well for a long time. The movie's brighter, more hopeful tone is different from the darker tones of other DC Extended Universe movies, notably Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Gunn's vision for Superman includes the character being relatable and weak. James Gunn said, "I wanted Superman to be weak," to describe his method. I notice the online things "Who would beat whom?" A lot of folks I've talked to say, "I like Batman better because he can actually be beat," and I see why. We have a Superman who can be beaten. The Hollywood Reporter points out that this focus on a more down-to-earth hero who can be challenged is shown in scenes like when Superman stops to save a squirrel during a monster attack on Metropolis.
The movie also has some interesting ideas, such Luthor making Ultraman a clone of Superman, which is a reference to old comic book stories like John Byrne's Man of Steel era, where Bizarro was an imperfect clone. Supergirl's introduction, which includes Krypto the Superdog, hints at her impending standalone movie and a stronger link between Kara and her dog, just like in the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic. Putting Metropolis in Delaware and Gotham in New Jersey, as suggested by a license plate, gives the DCU a more realistic setting. This is a little but important option for the geography of the universe.
What Competitors Missed About James Gunn's DCU: Content Gaps
A deeper look at James Gunn's overarching creative style and the bigger picture for the DCU gives a better insight than just looking at the immediate box office stats and simple story aspects.
How 'Superman' Changed the Superhero Genre as a Whole
Gunn's Superman goes against current trends by using a more serious, shamelessly comic book-like tone, not only getting over "superhero fatigue." This method, which values honesty and character over dark realism, could change how future superhero movies are made, giving them a new twist on old ideas. The movie's popularity shows that people are open to a different kind of superhero story, one that is both grandiose and emotional.
Getting fans involved and making a difference in the community
James Gunn's direct engagement with fans, especially on social media, is a big part of how people feel about the DCU. His openness and readiness to answer fan inquiries and hypotheses help build a healthy community. This direct line of communication helps set expectations, deal with worries, and develop excitement, which makes fans more interested even before the movies come out.
The Philosophy of Behind-the-Scenes and Production
Gunn's way of working with others is very important to his movies. He often works directly with his actors to help them develop their characters, which makes the performance feel more real and natural. He regularly mixes real-life effects with CGI to make the scenes feel real, even when they're not. This way of thinking gives his movies a unique appearance and feel that makes them stand out in a crowded category.
NPR said, "Selflessness and resolve are the two most important and defining traits of any Superman story." He must always: 1. Put other people's needs above his own, and 2. Never give up. Gunn's Superman seems to have these important attributes, which makes for a character that people will really connect with.
The Independent praised the movie, saying, "Superman is as unapologetically comic book-like as any movie in recent memory, and it promises much more to come." It signals a major change in the DC Comics cinematic universe... Superman is leading the way, and the DC Universe looks like it's on a promising new path, thanks to a director with a clear vision and a history of bringing cherished characters to life.