If done right, James Gunn’s Superman could tap into the cultural zeitgeist like the original 1978 film did.
Amid the ever-growing plethora of superhero content nowadays, DC Studios released the teaser trailer for Superman yesterday. It has since gained 23 million views and counting on DC’s YouTube channel and generated major buzz on social media, as expectant fans are cautiously optimistic about the iconic character’s next solo film. If it was any other superhero movie, the trailer would have been quickly forgotten like so many released by Marvel in recent months.
But something seems different about this movie.
While the teaser may not be the home run I was expecting, its hopeful tone is in stark contrast to the doom and gloom seen in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Superman may be bloodied and bruised at the beginning of the trailer, but in spite of those challenges, he exudes optimism. A new rendition of John Williams’s classic Superman score helps drive this message home, suggesting this will not just be another generic superhero movie. If done right, James Gunn’s Superman could tap into the cultural zeitgeist like the original 1978 film did.
Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie spoke to the times in which it was created. In 1978, America was reeling from the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. The nation was mired in unemployment and inflation, and Jimmy Carter’s presidential administration didn’t exactly help boost morale, either. Films during the 1970s, such as Dirty Harry and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, reflected this cultural malaise. Then came a revolutionary movie that captured the public’s imagination.
Christopher Reeve’s beloved portrayal of Clark Kent and his alter ego deeply resonated with audiences. It still does to this day. Reeve played an altruistic hero who offered hope amid a particularly difficult time in American history. Next year’s Superman has the opportunity to do the same.
Because Superman is so synonymous with American pop culture, each iteration of the character reflects the state of the country at that given time. It’s safe to say regardless of who won the presidential election, political division would still persist. Based on the trailer, it seems David Corenswet’s Superman will operate in a divided world that views heroism as old-fashioned and receive some pushback for it. Yet he will still believe in the innate goodness of humanity. The writer-director’s following comments touch on this theme.
“We do have a battered Superman in the beginning,” Gunn told Variety. “That is our country. I believe in the goodness of human beings, and I believe that most people in this country, despite their ideological beliefs, their politics, are doing their best to get by and be good people — despite what it may seem like to the other side, no matter what that other side might be. This movie is about that. It’s about the basic kindness of human beings, and that it can be seen as uncool and under siege [by] some of the darker voices” and “some of the louder voices.”
While some people online call this statement “woke,” Gunn is right. Politics has divided the nation to the point that we can’t dialogue in good faith without demonizing the other side. Gunn recognizes this, and I sincerely believe he intends to unify audiences by providing pure escapism . . . as long as he doesn’t let his liberal views get in the way of storytelling.
Like the 1978 film, Gunn’s take on the character may provide fans with a return to optimism that is sorely lacking in today’s media. Don’t get me wrong, I love dark and gritty comic-book stories. (The Penguin is a prime example.) But a superhero movie that inspires hope will be a welcome breath of fresh air from today’s cynicism. It remains to be seen whether Superman sticks the landing. I guess we’ll find out come July 11.