Marvel fans have it easy when it comes to picking their favorite live-action superheroes. The best Iron Man? Robert Downey Jr. How about Thor? Why, who else but Chris Hemsworth? On the other hand, DC fans have experienced loss more times than they can count. From missing out on iconic characters like the legendary Batfleck to saying goodbye to idols like Henry Cavill’s Superman way too soon, we DC followers have mastered the art of coping with loss.
That said, the fact that DC loves to change its live-action protagonists so frequently has also opened the door to a new world of possibilities for fans – one of them being that we can pick which actor we believe played the role the best. I mean, everyone has a favorite Batman (mine’s Keaton, by the way,) and I think everyone can agree that there’s no matching Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel. Unfortunately, Snyder fans tend to be slightly belligerent with their favorites – and for a good reason.
Many DC followers still believe the Snyderverse had some untapped potential left. With just a single solo Superman movie and no Batman film that wasn’t a team-up, I’m inclined to agree with the Snyder fans. It’s no secret that the Snyderverse suffered under the creative decisions of a studio that wanted nothing more than to compete against the leading superhero cinematic universe – cohesion and storytelling be damned.
When we learned that Cavill was out as Superman for good a bit after Black Adam, every DC fan suddenly turned their backs on Warner Bros. The announcement of David Corenswet as the next Man of Steel was met with mixed reactions – after all, how could anyone replace Henry Cavill? The thing is, we don’t need to think about it as a replacement at all.
Just as we can appreciate Michael Keaton’s dark knight alongside Christian Bale’s Batman, we can celebrate both Henry Cavill’s and David Corenswet’s takes on the Last Son of Krypton. Going by the recently released Superman teaser trailer, it’s clear James Gunn is going for a more classic take on the Man of Steel, compared to Zack Snyder’s more godlike perception of Superman.
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The beauty of comic book characters lies in their ability to be reinvented while maintaining their core essence. Superman has always been about hope, whether he’s portrayed as a brooding alien trying to fit in or as a bright-eyed reporter who just happens to save the world in his spare time. Both interpretations are valid, both are Superman, and both deserve our appreciation. Also, I’m pretty sure both are faster than a speeding bullet, so there’s that.
If James Gunn had tried to pick the story where Zack Snyder left off, I think we could see David Corenswet as someone willing to replace Henry Cavill’s place in DC’s history. However, the man who brought the Guardians of the Galaxy to mainstream success is considerably smarter than that, giving us a unique take on the Man of Steel that feels both fresh and distinctly “Superman” enough for fans to enjoy – and that’s just going by the teaser trailer, mind you.
The classic Superman theme from 1978 playing in the teaser’s background should be an indication of what Gunn’s trying to achieve with his Superman film: a movie that’s equally about respecting the Man of Steel’s legacy – and reinventing it for a new audience. As much as we all loved Cavill, it’s time to see a new face playing the mighty Kryptonian, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate Cavill’s contributions to Superman’s history, or that we should immediately dismiss Gunn’s take on the character.
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Considering what Gunn did for the Suicide Squad, I’m still hopeful for the future of the Man of Steel. After all, if someone could salvage that movie, they’d have no problem honoring the legacy of the most popular superhero of all time.
Tell us, do you agree? Can you love both Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and James Gunn’s Superman?
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