The debate over whether Superman should don his iconic red trunks has raged for years among fans and filmmakers alike. While some iterations of the Man of Steel have opted to leave the trunks in the past — most notably Zack Snyder's Man of Steel — James Gunn’s upcoming Superman marks a return to tradition. However, it wasn’t an easy decision.
In a candid moment shared during a set visit earlier this year attended by Collider's Ross Bonaime, Gunn revealed that leading man David Corenswet played a pivotal role in convincing the director to embrace the trunks once again. When asked about the “trunks versus no trunks” debate, Gunn admitted to initially being Team No Trunks:
“At the end of the day, it wasn't that heated; it was heated for a while. I was on the no trunks team for a long time. For a long time. And Zack [Snyder] said that when he was doing it, he tried a billion different trunk versions as we did. And I kept going back to no trunks, no trunks, no trunks. And I'm like, well, let's just grind it out. Let's just keep trying trunks and see what happens.”
The decision wasn’t made lightly, though. The team tested multiple variations, with and without the trunks, during the design phase. It was Corenswet, who portrays the titular hero in Superman, who finally made the compelling argument for keeping the red trunks as part of the costume. Gunn recalled:
“David [Corenswet] said something to me that really affected me. We were trying on all these different versions, and we screened tested with trunks and no trunks. And one of the things David said is that Superman wants kids to not be afraid of him."
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James Gunn's Superman Wants to Be a "Symbol of Hope"
Image via Warner Bros
Gunn added that Corenswet felt he had to look non-threatening, and maybe even a little bit silly, noting: "He's an alien. He's got these incredible powers. He shoots beams out of his eyes, can blow the truck over. He's this incredibly powerful, could be considered scary individual, and he wants people to like him. He wants to be a symbol of hope and positivity," Gunn continued. "So he dresses like a professional wrestler, he dresses in a way that makes people unafraid of him, that shows that.”
Corenswet’s take clicked for Gunn, who began to see the trunks not as an outdated relic but as a deliberate, meaningful choice for the character.
“I was like, that really clicked in for me. And I think trying to pretend that Superman's costume doesn't have some frivolity to it at its base, trying to make it look serious is silly because he is a superhero. He's the first one, brightly colored and that's who he is.”
In Gunn’s view, Superman’s suit doesn’t need to shy away from its inherent theatricality, because, after all, it's still a disguise. As the first and brightest superhero, Clark Kent’s look has always carried a certain charm and optimism that separates him from the darker tones of other modern heroes. Gunn concluded: “And so that's where we landed, and eventually we all came to a place where almost all of us agreed on the trunks.”
Fans can see Corenswet’s Superman—and his newly restored trunks—when James Gunn’s Superman flies into theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for more.
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Follows the titular superhero as he reconciles his heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way in a world that views kindness as old-fashioned.
Image by Zanda Rice
Image via Warner Bros
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