Recently, a new fan poster for James Gunn’sSupermanpaid tribute to a page in the character’s long comic history. Starring David Corenswet as Superman, the film has opted for an optimistic tone in its marketing, using a new version of the classic John WIlliams score fromSuperman: The Movie,a brighter color palette, and the tagline “look up.” This concept poster, shared to X by user @jobhutz, draws on this tone by including the same tagline alongside an image of Superman flying in the sunlight.
The art is based on a variant cover ofAction Comics#51 by Karl Kerschl, which shows Superman flying against a blue background. Per the DC website, the issue’s synopsis reads: “Superman is shocked to learn where Supergirl has been after disappearing for months as part three of ‘The Final Days of Superman’ begins! And, the faux Man of Steel arrives at the Daily Planet thinking he’s Clark Kent, and that’s bad news for everyone there.” This fan creation was posted prior tothe reveal of footage showing Corenswet’s Superman flying.
What The Superman Concept Poster Says About The Upcoming DC Universe Movie
Gunn’s approach to Superman is decidedly more lighthearted than Zack Snyder’sexploration of the character. As such, this bright, comic-inspired art aligns with the former’s vision for the DC Universe. Last month,Gunn unpacked why he thinks this is the right direction forSuperman: “I think this is a movie about the values of being human, about kindness and love, and although those are some things some people… don’t like, most all of us really like do that stuff,no matter what our other ideological beliefs are.”
I’m Convinced DC Has Already Revealed To Us How Superman Ends Up Bloody & Lying In The Snow In The Start Of The First Superman Movie Trailer
I’m feeling pretty confident that DC Studios has already shown how David Corenswet’s Superman will end up beaten and bloody in the upcoming DCU movie.
While a brighter Superman doesn’t automatically translate to one that is more thematically optimistic, that is clearly Gunn’s intention.Interestingly, this doesn’t necessarily translate to a less grounded take on Clark Kent, however. This is evidenced by the now-controversial choice to use drone technology for flight scenes instead of primarily relying on CGI.
Our Take On The Superman Movie Concept Poster
Image via Warner Bros.
Compared with that of theSupermantelevision spot, the flying shown in the poster concept is a more typical depiction of Superman’s flight. His arms are held straight in front of him, and the angle is less close to Superman’s face. Even so, the bright aesthetic doesn’t differ too much from that of the flying footage from the film.
Flying aside, the comic-inspired poster evokes some of the classic Christopher Reeve posters with its stylized depiction of Corenswet, and its use of the sun shining onto the hero’s stoic face conveys both optimism and power. While it’s not an official poster forSuperman, this fan art exemplifies the message that Gunn is trying to convey with the film.
