Superman | July 11, 2025 | James Gunn writing and directing | David Corenswet is Clark, Rachel Brosnahan is Lois

[WorkingonaName]

Thinking somewhere between the numbers for The Batman and Guardians 3, Sequel should blow up from that though.

[excel1]

Not to beat a broken drum but it can't be said enough. Theres a huge range for this film. The media and industry veterans assume that Superman being such massively famous name means this is instant blockbuster but that isn't the case in reality.

 

Quality will take care of box office legs either way, but maximizing its opening weekend potential - and the amount of $$$ that quality legs translate to - means they have to make. They have to make it 'cool' for younger crowd or they're not going to care similar to Superman Returns in 2006 and to a lesser extent Man Of Steel in 2013. 

 

I don't give a fuck if fanboys say "Go the traditional route" blah blah blah. Put to your producers hat for a second. There are specific things that must be done to ensure a certain level of commercial appeal and potential.  This is not the time to cast an unknown and make a generic looking superhero film.  

 

It is what it is. No gloomy, retro, fight-free Superman film like Superman Returns. No pale, never-smiling, ultra-serious emo Superman like in Man of Steel. Superman and Lois need to presented as modern, attractive versions of the character and the actors will ideally have some real pull on social media. There should be visible sunlight in the movie along with actual color. Etc etc.

 

Make the 2025 version of what WB tried and failed to do in 2004 with the 'Independence Day meets Superman' story from JJ Abrams that they wanted to star trendy it actors Josh Hartnett and Scarlett Johansson as Superman and Lois, with icon Anthony Hopkins as Jor-el and would-be comeback king Robert Downey Jr. as Lex Luthor. 

 

An incredible example of going from a highly commercial concept above - which would have been a massive box office hit circa Christmas 2004 - to the hideous underperformer they actually put out in summer of 2006 with RETURNS. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by excel1

[ZattMurdock]

6 minutes ago, excel1 said:

This is not the time to cast an unknown and make a generic looking superhero film.  

Good thing that if there is one quality that pass through all James Gunn films is that they are anything but generic.

[Dominic Draper]

My box office prediction is it will make somewhere between Superman Returns and Man of Steel final WW.

 

[dudalb]

21 hours ago, 21C said:

All-Star is a mega traditional take on Superman.

That was the whole idea. Go back to the basics with Supes.

And it worked ,brilliantly.

Now All Star Batman is a different story.IMHO that is where Frank Miller jumped the shark. "I ma the goddamn Batman "indeed. It was like somebody was doing a  parody of the Batman of 'The Dark Knight Returns".

Edited June 15, 2023 by dudalb

[dudalb]

4 hours ago, Dominic Draper said:

My box office prediction is it will make somewhere between Superman Returns and Man of Steel final WW.

 

Which would probably end the DCU. THey are betting the farm on this being a big hit.

[dudalb]

It's way to down the line for OW predictions.

A lot could happen between now and then,hell the US could be in a Civil War the way things are going....

[dudalb]

Just for the hell of it went back to page one of this thread and, man, it has been a long and winding road of failled attempts to get a Supes movie off the ground until GUnn came on board.

[21C]

Guarantee we'll get Superman casting this Monday or Tuesday. 

[WittyUsername]

1 minute ago, 21C said:

Guarantee we'll get Superman casting this Monday or Tuesday. 

I would think they’d just wait until Comic Con at this point. 

[21C]

2 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

I would think they’d just wait until Comic Con at this point. 

I think The Flash numbers will force their hand. Not to mention trades are gonna get the scoop anyway.

[JWR]

5 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

I would think they’d just wait until Comic Con at this point. 

 

Gotta do something to mitigate the PR about Flash's numbers.

[excel1]

The value of Elordi's social media following to the DCU went up dramatically today. 

[Warmaster506]

I'm in agreement about casting this week.  

[ZattMurdock]

41 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

I would think they’d just wait until Comic Con at this point. 

Yeah this is going to SDCC. Likely Fantastic Four as well. 

[JWR]

12 minutes ago, ZattMurdock said:

Yeah this is going to SDCC. Likely Fantastic Four as well. 

 

I see a compromise where they announce one big casting and reveal everyone else at SDCC.

[excel1]

As the extent to which the DC brand has ben damaged becomes more clear...after 20 years of this of stuff, I am close to checking out here if they don't take the commercial side of this seriously. 2 decades, 1 random gamble (hiring unproven Nolan) & 1 further leap of faith (letting him realize his vision for TDK despite BB not being a commercial home run) paying off insanely aside, this has been a mess. To me, The Batman is a mixed bag but I will say WB took the right approach. 

 

If they cast a bunch of no names and unknowns for this film, this is just stupidity. We all know that the damn things need to make money at the end of the day to justify their existence. Beyond exhausted as a DC fan of constantly being on the  defensive "why didn't this work out?!" approach. Put your Jerry Bruckheimer hat and figure out wtf is going to sell tickets. 

 

If these guys cannot line up their ducks for this project, which is one of the most important ones they have had in some time, they really should just sell the properties to a studio who gives a damn.
 

Que the "David Corenswet as Superman, so and so as Lois Lane, and Nicolas Hoult as Lex Luthor!" announcement as if we are supposed to be excited. 

Edited June 16, 2023 by excel1

[21C]

23 minutes ago, ZattMurdock said:

Yeah this is going to SDCC. Likely Fantastic Four as well. 

Nah. They don't want to have an entire month of bad PR. Gunn will probably announce other stuff at Comic Con.

[21C]

3 minutes ago, excel1 said:

 

Que the "David Corenswet as Superman, so and so as Lois Lane, and Nicolas Hoult as Lex Luthor!" announcement as if we are supposed to be excited. 

I mean I'd be excited because David is an actual good choice for Superman. Star power means nothing for superhero films anyway.

[excel1]

4 minutes ago, 21C said:

Star power means nothing for superhero films anyway.

 

That isn't true whatsoever and you aren't the casual moviegoer that they need to excite. 

Edited June 16, 2023 by excel1