While Superman is one of the most well-known superheroes of all time, there are some common complaints about Superman movies the new DC Universe may end up addressing with the upcoming reboot in 2025. Starring David Corenswet in the titular role as the Man of Steel, 2025's Superman is being directed by new DC Studios head James Gunn. As such, this new fresh take does have an opportunity to address some long-lasting issues viewers have had when it comes to Superman films.
Regardless of whether they are right or wrong, some classic Superman movie complaints are heard over and over again with each new version. While some issues are just part of the character and how he operates in the DC Universe, others are arguably worth correcting in the upcoming Superman film. To that end, here are 10 of the biggest complaints about Superman movies that the DCU can potentially address.
11 Superman Isn't As Interesting As Other DC Heroes
It's Been Said He's Boring...
One of the biggest complaints about Superman is that he's boring compared to other DC heroes like Batman, and even superheroes in general (regardless of the universe). To a degree, one could make the argument that someone like Batman who has no powers, or Spider-Man who struggles with the responsibility of his abilities is inherently more engaging. In comparison, Superman is often depicted as if he's always known that he was meant to use his power for good and to protect the world.
Likewise, Superman in his most basic form in the comics is fairly incorruptible with unbreakable morals. Likewise, this has often been translated into films, most notably with Christopher Reeve's Superman. While this is admirable and shows how Superman is truly a beacon of hope in his universe, on-screen depictions have admittedly struggled to make this equally compelling, so much so that some filmmakers have seen fit to intentionally muddy the waters of Kal-El's morality in the name of making a more interesting Superman. As such, it will be interesting to see how Gunn intends to make this new Superman more engaging than past iterations.
10 Superman Is Too Powerful
How Can There Be Stakes When Superman Is Practically Invincible?
Connected to the above complaint, it's been argued that Superman's incredible powers can also generate a lack of interest. After all, Superman is one of the most powerful heroes of all time, possessing a range of impressive abilities due to Earth's yellow sun. In the absence of very few weaknesses, Kal-El is practically invincible, possessing superhuman durability, strength, speed, flight, heat vision, ice breath, and more. As such, Superman's great power can make it hard to create meaningful stakes on screen. As such, the hope is that Gunn's Superman will present some engaging threats that pose a logical and significant challenge to the Man of Steel despite his wide range of powers.
9 Superman Isn't Interesting When He's A Hero
"Evil Superman" Is Seemingly More Compelling...
It's also been argued that Superman is "too good" to be interesting on-screen. As such, this sentiment is a big reason why many iterations of Superman both on screen and on the page often end up becoming corrupted and/or turn evil, temporarily and otherwise depending on the circumstances and continuity. However, the "Evil Superman" trope, while popular, may have been overdone just enough in recent years that a more wholesome and back-to-form Superman might be seen as refreshing with the upcoming DCU movie coming next year.
8 Superman's Abilities Can Be Too Convenient
Like Time-Travel and Super-Kissing...
Beyond his typical repertoire of more common powers like flight and super-strength, Superman has been known to wield more rare and ridiculous abilities on-screen out of sheer plot convenience. This was most common during the Christopher Reeve era of Superman films, such as when Kal-El turns back time in Superman: The Movie by director Richard Donner. In the movie, Superman flies around the world faster than time itself and "reverses the planet's rotation" so that Lois Lane never dies.
Superman is assuredly a powerful character in the comics, but many movies have also been sure to display some of his most incredible feats and powers.
Likewise, Reeve's Superman also had other more outlandish powers, such as "super-kissing" in Superman II, such as when Kal-El gave Lois selective amnesia after learning Clark Kent and Superman were the same person. To that end, one would hope that the DCU Superman will have more of his established powers, rather than contrived and ludicrous abilities that are barely explained (even by comic book movie standards).
7 Superman's Secret Identity As Clark Kent
All It Takes Is Glasses? (It's More Than That)
A major Superman complaint both in the movies and in the comics is that Kal-El's alter ego as Clark Kent isn't much of a disguise. At first glance, it does seem as though all the Man of Steel does is throw on a pair of glasses and an entire room of journalists can't connect the dots. While this is very true of Henry Cavill's Clark Kent in the DCEU, Christopher Reeve's Superman does deserve due credit with his altered hair, glasses, slouch, and a far less confident personality and voice when he's Clark Kent.
To that end, it does seem as though something similar will happen in the DCU with Corenswet's Clark Kent having glasses and a different hairstyle in set photos compared to his Superman. It does seem as though the DCU will take the steps needed to make a strong enough distinction between Kent and Superman, while still adhering to what's ultimately a key element of the character (even if it isn't the world's greatest disguise).
6 Superman's Collateral Damage
A Complaint Caused By 2013's Man of Steel
While it was incorporated into the DCEU's ongoing narrative in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2013's Man of Steel very much opened up the criticism regarding the immense collateral damage and destruction Superman can wreak with his powers. As was seen during his brawl with General Zod, the two Kryptonians damaged a massive amount of Metropolis which cost countless lives. These were the very same lives Superman was trying to save by stopping Zod, though it was hard to ignore the tragic cost even after Zod was defeated (having forced Superman to controversially kill him).
One would hope that the DCU Superman will have some more restraint with his powers as he works to protect the world. To that end, that's arguably one way in which Superman's powers can actually be compelling with the Man of Steel constantly having to regulate said abilities. After all, there has to be an inherent difficulty living in a world that wasn't built for someone with Kal-El's immense strength and power.
5 The Inconsistency Of Using Kryptonite
A Primary Weakness For Superman
Not only is kryptonite overused in the films as a key weakness for Superman (there are others), but its overall effect can be fairly inconsistent as well. One of the most egregious examples can be found in Bryan Singer's Superman Returns when Kal-El lifts an entire island made of kryptonite...after being stabbed with a piece of kryptonite. While he did spend time in a hospital afterward, Superman was seemingly able to walk it off.
While the same is arguably true for the DCEU's Superman in 2017's Justice League, resurrecting Superman from the dead after a mortal kryptonite-infused wound from Doomsday at least required intentional effort on the part of the other heroes. To that end, one would hope that other weaknesses could be used against Superman beyond kryptonite, at least in James Gunn's first Superman movie. Additionally, it would be nice if the damage it can cause remains logically consistent.
4 Comparing Superman To Jesus
It Makes It Hard For Superman To Feel Human
Superman movies also like to turn Kal-El into a Christ-like figure, and it's not hard to understand why. A father giving up his son for the sake of the world very much feels like Jesus, and the resulting biblical parallels are easy to identify. This is especially true in the DCEU with Cavill's Superman who like Jesus, was 33 when he made his public debut in Man of Steel. Cavill's Superman then generates an ongoing discourse, particularly in Batman v Superman, and the Christ comparisons don't stop, especially considering his resurrection in Justice League.
James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe begins with six movies and six shows that open the DCU's first chapter, "Gods and Monsters".
While it's arguably a compelling idea to look at a being with such power as some sort of Messianic figure, too much of it absolutely takes away from Superman's potential reliability on screen. After all, Superman still has his humanity and culpability, having been raised human by the Kents in Kansas despite his great power and alien physiology. To that end, James Gunn has already teased that much of 2025's Superman will feature Kal-El reconciling both his human and Kryptonian lineages (which does sound promising).
3 Not Enough Villain Variety
It's Often Been Lex Luthor or General Zod On-Screen
Most Superman movies have either featured Superman fighting Lex Luthor, General Zod, Luthor and Zod, or even Luthor using Zod's corpse to create a horrific Kryptonian mutant monster (Doomsday). To that end, the time has certainly come for Superman to fight someone entirely new, at least for his first DCU outing. With an arch-nemesis like Lex Luthor should never be fully discounted (and won't in 2025's Superman), the teases that Superman will be facing foes like Ultraman, The Engineer, and potentially even Brainiac are very promising.
2 Beyond Lois Lane, Superman's Friends and Family Are Underused
Jimmy Olsen Shouldn't Be Sidelined
Also known as Superman's Best Pal, it would very exciting to see The Daily Planet's Jimmy Olsen getting more of a role in 2025's Superman where he'll be played by Skyler Gisondo. Past on-screen versions have hardly featured Jimmy Olsen, to the point where they could only really be considered glorified cameos. Likewise, the same goes for the likes of Perry White and more of Clark Kent's co-workers and friends at the Daily Planet beyond Superman's love interest, Lois Lane. As such, it would be very refreshing to see Superman's friends receive greater roles in the new movie (Jimmy Olsen at the very least).
James Gunn's Superman is to be released in theaters July 11th, 2025.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.' rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill's departure from the role, honoring the character's roots as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way."
Release Date July 11, 2025
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
CastDavid Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , María Gabriela De Faría , Edi Gathegi , Nicholas Hoult , Frank Grillo , Nathan Fillion , Milly Alcock , Sara Sampaio , Pruitt Taylor Vince , Skyler Gisondo , Anthony Carrigan , Wendell Pierce , Beck Bennett , Sean Gunn
Custom Image by Kevin Erdmann
English (US) ·