| Superman | |
|---|---|
| DC Extended Universe character | |
 Henry Cavill as Kal-El / Clark Kent inMan of Steel (2013) | |
| First appearance | Man of Steel (2013) |
| Last appearance | The Flash (2023) |
| Based on | |
| Adapted by | David S. Goyer Christopher Nolan Zack Snyder |
| Portrayed by |
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| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Kal-El (birth) Clark Joseph Kent (adoptive) |
| Species | Kryptonian |
| Occupation |
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| Affiliation |
|
| Family |
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| Significantother | Lois Lane (fiancée) |
| Origin | Smallville,Kansas,United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Abilities |
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Clark Joseph Kent, best known by his superhero personaSuperman, is asuperhero in theDC Extended Universe (DCEU) series of films, based on theDC Comicscharacter of the same name created byJerry Siegel andJoe Shuster. In the films, he is a survivor from the destroyed planetKrypton who lands onEarth and develops superhuman abilities due to environmental differences between the planets and their respective star systems.
A destructive conflict with a faction of militant surviving Kryptonians led byGeneral Zod results in extensive damage toMetropolis, creates a moral divide amongst humanity, and draws the attention ofBruce Wayne / Batman, who would confront Kent for his actions. The two would eventually reconcile their differences to preventDoomsday, with the latter giving his life to kill the creature with the assistance of Wayne. Kent eventually gets resurrected and allies himself with theJustice League to prevent the Unity of the threeMother Boxes and prevent the conquest of Earth underDarkseid.
First appearing as theprotagonist of the filmMan of Steel (2013), the character is portrayed byHenry Cavill, who is the first non-American actor to portray Superman in film. Cavill ultimately remained tied to this role for the next years following his first portrayal, until his final cameo appearance inThe Flash (in 2023).[1][a] This version of Superman was one of the central characters of the DC Extended Universe, appearing inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016),Justice League (2017) (and its2021 director's cut), and an uncreditedcameo appearance inBlack Adam (2022).Body doubles for the actor made appearances in the filmShazam! (2019) and Brad Abramenko was in the first season of the television seriesPeacemaker (2022–present). Cavill was slated to reprise the character in future projects as of November 2022, including a planned sequel toMan of Steel and a larger role inThe Flash, prior toJames Gunn andPeter Safran becoming the new heads ofDC Studios and beginning development on theDC Universe (DCU) media franchise.[2] Cavill would be succeeded in the role byDavid Corenswet, who debuted asClark Kent / Superman in the eponymous filmSuperman (2025).
DirectorZack Snyder's films in the DCEU have aimed to portray Superman in a more flawed and human light as compared to theprevious film series byWarner Bros., which has received polarized reviews from critics.
On February 29, 1980, Kal-El is the firstKryptonian born by natural means in many generations. His parents,Jor-El andLara fight to save their planetKrypton from impending destruction due to the Kryptonians' reckless usage of the planet's resources. Jor-El becomes the first Kryptonian aware of the planet's impending destruction but his concerns are dismissed by the oblivious and irrational ruling council.Jor-El and Lara must also defend against a plot byGeneral Zod to seize control of the planetary government. With no means to avoid the destruction of the planet, Jor-El and Lara infuse the DNA of their son with a codex containing the genetic information for future Kryptonian births, before sending him toEarth on a pre-programmed starship. They deduce that their son will develop great powers on Earth and will "become a god" to Earth-native humans.Kal is discovered byJonathan and Martha Kent inSmallville,Kansas upon crash-landing on Earth and subsequently raised as their adoptive son, Clark Kent.As a child, Clark becomes isolated as a result of developing superhuman powers which he tries to hide from others, but one incident sees him single-handedly lift a school bus carrying his classmates from sinking into a river. He learns his true origins from Jonathan, who urges him to keep his powers hidden. In 1997, Jonathan dies in a tornado while refusing to let Clark rescue him, as that might reveal Clark to the world before he's ready. Burdened with guilt and looking for a new purpose in his life, Clark leaves to travel the world for several years under various aliases.
In 2013, Kent ventures toCanada, first getting a job as a bartender but later finding work with a drilling company that has discovered an object that turns out to be a Kryptonian scout ship. Kent enters the ship and activates its central computer using a key left by Jor-El, which allows him to communicate with anartificial intelligence modeled after his father.[b] While following Kent, reporterLois Lane from theDaily Planet inadvertently triggers the ship's security system. Kent uses his powers to rescue Lane, who is covering the event, before wearing the uniform and testing his flying abilities. Unable to convince supervisorPerry White to publish an article on the incident, Lane tracks down Kent back to his family home in Kansas, intent on finding the truth. She tries to persuade Kent to let her reveal his story, but decides to drop it after hearing of Jonathan's sacrifice, and keeps Kent's identity safe.
When Zod and his followers arrive on Earth and demand Kal-El be turned over, Kent seeks counsel from a localpastor on whether to trust humanity, having confessed that he is the one Zod is looking for and deduced that Zod will wage war regardless, with the pastor telling him to take a "leap of faith". Without revealing his identity and wearing the Kryptonian uniform, Kent meets with theUnited States Air Force and agrees to comply, with Lane joining him as a hostage. Using the Jor-El AI to take over the ship, Kent and Lane flee and warn the U.S. military of Zod's plan, resulting in an explosive confrontation between Kent and Zod's troops around Smallville, just as Zod orders an invasion. Zod deploys the World Engine from the Kryptonian ship, which touches down in theIndian Ocean and begins firing a beam through the planet towards the ship, severely damaging the city ofMetropolis on the opposite side of the world, and initiating the terraforming strategy.
Kent destroys the World Engine while the military launches a suicide attack on the ship, sending Zod's troops back to the Phantom Zone. With the ship destroyed and Krypton's only hope of revival gone, Zod vows to destroy the Earth and its inhabitants out of revenge. The two Kryptonians engage in a lengthy battle across Metropolis, which concludes when Kent is forced to kill Zod as he attacks a cornered family in a train station. In the aftermath, Kent adopts a separate public identity with the military codenameSuperman and persuades GeneralCalvin Swanwick to let him act independently, so long as he does not turn against humanity. To allow access to dangerous situations without attracting attention, he covertly maintains his civilian identity and takes a job as a freelance reporter for theDaily Planet.
In 2015, Superman is now a controversial figure, being hailed as a hero by some, but denounced as a "false god" and dangerous by others, includingWayne Enterprises CEOBruce Wayne. Kent is now in a relationship with Lane and has received a promotion at theDaily Planet, while as Superman, he has engaged in numerous acts such as engaging wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, rescuing passengers on a train, halting a missile attack on the United States, and apprehending criminals.
Kent is assigned a sports story inGotham City by White, but instead starts investigating onBatman. Kent is invited to a gala byLex Luthor who requests that Kent be the reporter to cover the event. There, he meets Wayne, asking him about his opinion on Batman much to Wayne's annoyance, leading to an argument about the deeds of Superman compared with Batman's, before Luthor injects himself into the conversation to introduce himself. Wayne is at the gala to try and steal information from Luthor, and is also seeking kryptonite in an attempt to take on Superman. While watching television, Kent sees numerous personalities, including cosmologistNeil DeGrasse Tyson and U.S. Senator June Finch argue about Superman's effect on the world, with Tyson supporting Superman and Finch expressing skepticism. Following White's rebuff of Kent's attempts to investigate Batman and reports of misconduct by Batman from theGotham Free Press, he decides to confront the caped crusader more directly as Superman, halting Batman's attempt to seize kryptonite from Luthor's men and leaving him a warning.
During a publicized congressional hearing at theU.S. Capitol on Superman's actions, Finch questions Superman for some of his alleged controversies, but a bomb planted there by Luthor explodes, killing everyone inside except for Superman. Superman blames himself for not detecting it in time and self-imposes exile.[c] Luthor lures Superman out of exile by kidnapping Lane and Martha Kent. He pushes Lane off the LexCorp building. Superman saves her and confronts Luthor, who reveals he manipulated him and Batman by fueling their distrust. Luthor demands he kill Batman in exchange for Martha's life. Superman tries to explain this to Batman, who instead attacks him and eventually subdues him using a kryptonite gas following a lengthy duel. As Batman prepares to move in for the kill using the spear, Superman pleads with him to "save Martha," causing Batman to pause in confusion.
Coming to his senses about how far he has fallen from grace after Lois arrives and explains Superman's words, Batman promises to rescue Martha. Superman regains his strength and confronts Luthor on the scout ship. Luthor executes his backup plan, unleashingDoomsday, a genetically engineered monster from Zod's DNA and his own.Diana Prince, an antiques dealer whom Bruce encountered at the gala earlier and was also revealed as a metahuman known asWonder Woman, arrives with her metahuman powers on display, and joins forces with Batman and Superman against the creature. Though outmatched, Superman realizes its vulnerability to kryptonite and retrieves the spear. After bidding goodbye to Lois, he impales the creature with the spear, but in its dying moments, the creature kills Superman, who was weakened by kryptonite exposure. Superman is mourned by the world, and Clark is given a private funeral in Smallville attended by Lois, Martha, Bruce, Diana, and other close acquaintances.
In 2017, in wake of an invasion by the demonicNew GodSteppenwolf, Prince teams up with Wayne to create their own metahuman group, recruitingBarry Allen,Arthur Curry / Aquaman, andVictor Stone. However, the group still proves no match for Steppenwolf and his minions, and Wayne comes to the conclusion that they need to resurrect Superman if they truly wish to save the Earth. Kent's body is exhumed by Allen and Stone and placed in the amniotic fluid of the Kryptonian scout ship's genesis chamber, alongside a Mother Box that they had retrieved, as the device was used to save Stone's life after a horrific accident.
Allen uses his powers to charge it up and successfully resurrects Superman. However, Superman's memories have not returned, and he attacks the group after Cyborg accidentally launches a projectile at him. On the verge of being killed by Superman, Batman sends Lane to calm down Superman.
Without Superman to aid them, the five heroes travel to a village in Russia where Steppenwolf aims to unite the Mother Boxes once again to remake Earth for his nephew and superiorDarkseid who is the ruler of the planetApokolips. Superman arrives, remembering his promise to help Batman after Lane reminds him, and assists Allen in evacuating the city, as well as Stone, in separating the Mother Boxes. The team defeats Steppenwolf with Superman and Wonder Woman destroying his axe. Overcome with fear, Steppenwolf is attacked by his own Parademons before they all teleport back to Apokolips.
In the aftermath of the battle, Wayne re-acquires the Kent farm for Martha before it can be foreclosed and decides to rebuild Wayne Manor as a base of operations for the team and he and Prince agree that more heroes could join. Superman resumes his life as Kent and as protector of Earth, thanking Wayne and Prince for not losing hope in humanity, as Batman offers Superman the mantle of leadership for the newly-mintedJustice League. Later, Superman later has a friendly race with Flash to see who is faster.
Superman's scream during his death awakens all three of theMother Boxes, with the one under watch by theAmazons calling out to alien conqueror Steppenwolf. After Victor explains the nature of the Mother Boxes to the team, indicating that they are unbiased "change machines" and that the boxes did not call out to Steppenwolf until after Superman's death, the team unanimously votes to use the box to resurrect the Man of Steel.
Allen uses his powers to charge up the Box to resurrect Superman successfully. However, Superman's memories have not returned, and he attacks the group after Cyborg's defense system forces him to launch a projectile. After disabling the group one by one, he corners Batman. On the verge of killing him, Superman only stops upon seeing Lois Lane, who arrived on her own after seeing his resurrection.
When Kent leaves with Lane to Smallville to regain his memories, they confirm their engagement after Kent sees her still wearing the ring given to her, and they also reunite with Martha. He voluntarily leaves to fight Steppenwolf, saying the team "brought him back for a reason". Superman picks out a black-colored version of his skinsuit from the scout ship and gets the Justice League's whereabouts from Bruce's butlerAlfred Pennyworth, then intercepts a killing blow from Steppenwolf meant for Stone, proceeding to freeze the New God's axe and brutally overpower him, burning off his right horn with his heat vision.
Despite Superman's arrival, Stone cannot pull apart the Mother Boxes in time, leading to an explosion that begins destroying the Earth until Allen enters thespeed force, reversing time. Superman then assists Stone in separating the boxes. Aquaman impales a distracted Steppenwolf from behind and Superman punches him into theboom tube, while Wonder Woman decapitates the airborne Steppenwolf before his body arrives atDarkseid's feet on Apokolips through the portal.
In the aftermath of the battle, Wayne re-acquires the Kent farm for Martha before it can be foreclosed. Superman resumes his life as Kent and as protector of Earth.
In 2018, Superman makes a visit toFreddy Freeman andShazam at their school cafeteria, as a favor to Billy for Freddy.[3] In 2021, Superman is shot with a kryptonite bullet by mercenaryRobert DuBois / Bloodsport and placed in theICU. However, he manages to survive, and DuBois is incarcerated before being recruited byAmanda Waller forTask Force X in exchange for a reduced prison sentence.[4] In 2022, he and theJustice League, with the exception ofBatman andCyborg, are called by Waller to assistChristopher Smith / Peacemaker in facing the Butterfly army but arrive too late, missing the fight. Later that same year, Superman is once again called by Waller to confront the new leader ofKahndaq,Black Adam. Superman approaches Black Adam and says that the two of them need to talk. At some point in 2023, Superman is contacted by Alfred to assist Batman in stoppingAlberto Falcone from causing havoc in Gotham. Superman, however, is unable to assist because he was busy combating a volcanic eruption in Guatemala. He also later appeared alongside the other members of the Justice League during the time travel Chronobowl sequence.[5]
Zack Snyder's Justice League depicts a moment when the Mother Boxes converge and the Justice League are too late to stop Steppenwolf from calling Darkseid and his army. Superman, alongside the rest of the Justice League, is killed atground zero of the event. This version of events is erased whenBarry Allen enters theSpeed Force and reverses time.
Victor Stone and Bruce Wayne see premonitions of a "Knightmare" reality. Victor sees Darkseid's campaign of death upon returning to Earth, ultimately killing Lois Lane. This leaves a devastated Superman susceptible to theAnti-Life Equation, becoming Darkseid's second-in-command. One of Wayne's premonitions saw Superman leading a Regime allied withParademons who capture Batman & members of his insurgency, leaving them to be tortured and killed by Superman himself. Wayne's other premonition shows Superman tracking down Batman,The Joker,Deathstroke,Mera,Victor Stone, andBarry Allen.
In the realityBarry Allen creates after stopping his mother's murder, Superman's cousinKara Zor-El landed on Earth in his place. Kidnapped and experimented on by Russian scientists, Kara was eventually rescued by The Flash, a younger 2013 version of Allen, and this Earth's version ofBatman. Upon fighting General Zod, it is revealed that Kal-El's pod was intercepted by Zod and that he was killed whilst they attempted to extract the Codex. This is presumably undone when Allen restores the timeline, allowing Kal-El to exist and become Superman.
As one of the most prominent superheroes forDC Comics, Superman had previously beenportrayed in film several times in film serials and most prominently in the 1978–1987Superman film series, withChristopher Reeve taking on therole of Superman. While Reeve's performance was widely regarded as one of the greatest in film history, the series was placed in jeopardy following the critical and commercial failure ofSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace. FollowingSuperman Returns, a 2006 homage sequel to the film series' first two films which sawBrandon Routh replace Reeve, talks commenced regarding using that film to create a shared universe for other DC characters, but they stalled out. With Routh's contract to portray Superman expiring in 2009,Warner Bros. decided to reboot the franchise, beginning to take pitches on ideas to restart the film series.[6] One of the most prominent ideas that emerged was that of a Golden-Age inspired Superman "when he was a bit more of a regular person."[7]
He basically told me, 'I have this thought about how you would approach Superman', I immediately got it, loved it and thought: That is a way of approaching the story I've never seen before that makes it incredibly exciting. I wanted to get Emma Thomas and I involved in shepherding the project right away and getting it to the studio and getting it going in an exciting way.
During the production of theDark Knight trilogy ofBatman films, which later saw tremendous success, producerDavid S. Goyer told directorChristopher Nolan his idea regarding how to present Superman in a modern context.[8] Impressed with Goyer's concept, Nolan pitched the idea to the studio,[8] who hired Nolan to produce and Goyer to write based on the financial and critical success ofThe Dark Knight.[10][11]
Nolan admiredBryan Singer's work onSuperman Returns for its connection toRichard Donner's version, stating that "A lot of people have approached Superman in a lot of different ways. I only know the way that has worked for us that's what I know how to do," emphasizing the idea that Batman exists in a world where he is the only superhero and a similar approach to theMan of Steel would assure the integrity needed for the film. "Each serves to the internal logic of the story. They have nothing to do with each other." Nolan, however, clarified that the new film would not have any relationship with the previous film series.[12] Filming ofMan of Steel began in 2011 with a lawsuit stipulating that Warner Bros. would be able to be sued by the family of Superman creatorJerry Siegel for lost revenue on an unproduced film after that year, thanks to the Siegel estate recapturing 50% of the rights to Superman's origins and Siegel's share of the copyright inAction Comics #1,[13] despite the studio not owing the Siegel estate money for previous films.[14]
British actorHenry Cavill was cast as Clark Kent/Superman forMan of Steel. Cavill is the first non-American actor to play the character.[15][16] He was previously cast inSuperman: Flyby, which was ultimately shelved,[17] and was considered for the role inSuperman Returns, but lost to Routh.[18][19] Cavill stated, "There's a very real story behind the Superman character." He explained that everyone's goal has been to explore the difficulties his character faces as a result of having multiple identities—including his birth name, Kal-El, and his alter ego, Clark Kent. Cavill also stated that, "He's alone and there's no one like him," referring to Superman's vulnerabilities. "That must be incredibly scary and lonely, not to know who you are or what you are, and trying to find out what makes sense. Where's yourbaseline? What do you draw from? Where do you draw a limit with the power you have? In itself, that's an incredible weakness."[20] In an interview withTotal Film magazine, Cavill stated he had been consuming nearly 5,000 calories a day, training for over two hours daily and plowingprotein to pack on themuscle mass.[21] Cooper Timberline was cast as the 9-year-old Clark Kent, andDylan Sprayberry was cast as the 13-year-old Clark Kent.[22]
During thereshoots ofJustice League, Cavill had grown a mustache during lapses in the film's production due to his role inMission: Impossible – Fallout, and was required byParamount Pictures to keep the mustache. This conflicted with the reshoots ofJustice League, so Cavill's mustache was digitally removed in that film.[23]
While Superman has acameo appearance inShazam!, he is portrayed byZachary Levi's stunt double Ryan Hadley due to Cavill being unavailable for filming at the time.[3] At the time, it was unconfirmed whether Cavill would reprise the role again, though he stated in 2021 that he was still open to portraying the character, specifically that "There is still a lot of storytelling for me to do as a Superman, and I would absolutely love the opportunity."[24] Superman was also seen controlling a crowd of fans who wanted to have their pictures taken with Aquaman and arm-wrestling with Shazam in the film's animated end credits sequence.
Superman made another cameo appearance in the season finale of the television seriesPeacemaker, portrayed by actor Brad Abramenko. Abramenko used the same suit Cavill used in the previous films.[25] Later that year, Cavill returned to play the character, making an uncreditedcameo appearance during themid-credits scene of the filmBlack Adam. Speaking on the appearance of Cavill in the film, which was the first time he shot new material for the character in five years, lead starDwayne Johnson commented that he, production companySeven Bucks Productions, and producers Dany & Hiram Garcia were instrumental in the re-negotiations between Warner Bros. and Cavill.[26] Cavill later confirmed following the film's release that he was back as the character long-term, and that his appearance inBlack Adam was "a very small taste of things to come".[27] As part of those plans, the same month as filming his cameo for Black Adam in September 2022, Cavill also filmed a cameo forThe Flash.[28][29] Despite being given the go ahead to announce his return by the studio, Cavill had only actually negotiated a "one-off deal" with Warner Brothers Discovery. by September 2022.[30] His contract only having covered his two previous cameos,[31] he never actually signed a long term deal to return for the character and had only a verbal agreement with those temporarily in charge of DC films.[32]
Potential for further appearances from the actor was diminished in November 2022 upon the newly-christened DC Studios' change in leadership under new headsJames Gunn andPeter Safran. By December, the former was in the process of writing a reboot film,Superman (2025), focusing on a younger version of the character that will be portrayed byDavid Corenswet, succeeding Cavill.[33] The film is intended to launch the newDC Universe (DCU) media franchise and shared universe.[34]The Flash was still released as the final slate of completed films set to come out in 2023,[35] but Cavill's scenes were cut in post production with Gunn and Safran reworking the film in order to avoid promising anything that would conflict with their upcoming plans.[29][36] However, Cavill still retained an uncredited cameo appearance in the film through acomputer-generated imagery (CGI) model bearing his likeness. This marked his final appearance as Superman in DC media.[35]
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Superman's bodysuit inMan of Steel, in addition to that of other Kryptonians such asJor-El andGeneral Zod, was designed with a texturedchain mail motif, which costume designerMichael Wilkinson intended to evoke the "Man of Steel" mantra and other-worldly theme and make Superman stand out from the people of Earth, a departure from previous fabric-based interpretations of the suit.[37] Also notably missing are the red trunks, which Zack Snyder mentioned did not fit in with the world he was building in the film, though the cape was retained to keep Superman recognizable. This also mirrors Superman's redesign inThe New 52.[38]
ForBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wilkinson and the costume team continued to streamline Superman's suit, adding new features. Specifically, the crest and biceps of the updated suit incorporate a quote fromJoseph Campbell written in the Kryptonian language developed for the films:"Where we had thought to stand alone, we will be with all the world". Wilkinson notes that Snyder is an ardent admirer of Campbell's work, saying that Snyder "found a quote that seemed to really connect with Superman and his place in the world. It was a quote that has to do with the idea of alienation or coming together and feel[ing] a part of society. That's something that Superman is sort of battling all the time — feelings of alienation and connection. The quote deals with those issues."[39]
For the theatrical release ofJustice League, Snyder had originally planned for Superman to wear his black suit, as depicted in the comics storylineThe Death of Superman, prior to stepping down, but was overruled by Warner Bros. executives. In the2021 director's cut of the film, which features Snyder's original footage prior to reshoots in addition to extra footage shot in 2020, Superman's suit has been digitally recolored in scenes that depict him in the black suit.[40]
Like Christopher Reeve's portrayal of the character, the DCEU version of Superman has seen several allusions toJesus. Many reviewers interpretedMan of Steel as a religiousallegory, especially since Warner Bros. set up a websitewww.manofsteelresources.com that contains "a nine-page pamphlet entitledJesus – The Original Superhero".[41][42] Justin Craig ofFox News points out several allegories inMan of Steel to Christ, which include Clark's age of 33 in the film, which was the age of Jesus during his crucifixion, being shackled prior to interrogation similar to Jesus' arrest, and Clark's Earthly father Jonathan being a tradesman similar to Jesus' Earthly fatherJoseph. Craig also compares Kal-El's struggle to thepassion of Christ, stating that "Kal-El is more than willing to sacrifice himself to save the people of Earth. Originally reluctant to reveal his identity and powers to the world, Clark decides to turn himself over to Zod to save humanity from annihilation." Craig further states there is an allegory to theTrinity withinMan of Steel: "Jor-El returns to Kal-El on Earth as a ghost, guiding his budding superhero son on his path to salvation. Before Jor-El sends his son off to Earth babyMoses-style, he tells his wife that, like Jesus, 'He'll be a god to them.'"[43]Time magazine'sRichard Corliss also provided other allegories, such as comparing Clark's rescue of his classmates at age 12 to Jesus being in the temple at the same age as flashes of their potential, being sent to Earth by a "heavenly father", Jor-El, and Clark visiting a church while contemplating surrendering himself to General Zod to protect mankind, with a mural of Jesusduring his final days in the background.[44]
However, Clark struggles with his identity in the DCEU despite being treated as a god by Earth's citizens. Corliss compares Clark inMan of Steel to Jesus as portrayed inThe Last Temptation of Christ in that both figures doubt their divinity in their respective films.[44] In addition, film criticMatt Zoller Seitz notes that Cavill and Sprayberry portray a Clark Kent/Superman riddled with conflict on how to display his powers without being labeled a "freak" and dealing with the aftermath of traumatic events from his life, but is forced out of his comfort zone with the arrival ofGeneral Zod on Earth. Zoller Seitz also comments that Cavill does not showcase Superman's signature confidence as Christopher Reeve did due to the character's internal conflict in the film.[45] By the time ofBatman v. Superman, Clark has settled into his role as a superhero, with Cavill adding "He's more used to this gig, doing his best to save as many lives as he can", further explaining, "He is no longer frantic. He's no longer a wet-behind-the-ears kind of superhero." On the contrary, Superman is forced to deal with heavy criticism of some of his prior actions. He also disagrees withBatman's form of justice in the film, leading to conflict between the two vigilantes.[46]
Despite Superman being described as "joyless" in the first two films of the DCEU, directorZack Snyder mentioned that in his original vision for the character's arc, that Clark would become the "true Superman" by the end ofJustice League. Snyder enjoyed working with the idea of Superman grappling with his morality,relationship withLois Lane, and his place on Earth, in that it would make the character more relatable to mankind, and that Superman would have to "earn" his spot at the "pinnacle of the DC superhero world."[47] However, numerous scenes that would have fleshed out the character's arc in the film's theatrical release were cut out onceJoss Whedon took over for Snyder.[48] These deleted scenes were restored inZack Snyder's Justice League, adirector's cut of the film.[47]
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Cavill's performance as Superman has received polarized reviews from critics. While Cavill's portrayal of Clark Kent's inner turmoil and chemistry with co-starAmy Adams was praised,[45] other critics commented on perceived stiffness and a lack of charisma inMan of Steel.[50] These critical assessments proved to carry over to the film's sequelBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In a positive review of the film,Richard Corliss wrote, "The movie finds its true, lofty footing not when it displays Kal-El's extraordinary powers, but when it dramatizes Clark Kent's roiling humanity. The super part ofMan of Steel is just okay, but the man part is super."[44]
Particularly criticized was Superman's decision to kill General Zod during the climax ofMan of Steel.[51][52][53] ArtistNeal Adams suggested that other alternatives were open to Superman when Zod threatened innocent people with his heat vision, such as covering his eyes. He also criticized Superman for not moving the battle away fromMetropolis as Christopher Reeve's version of the character did at the end ofSuperman II, causing extensivecollateral damage to the city.[54] However, Adam Holmes ofCinemaBlend counters that Clark is still inexperienced as a superhero inMan of Steel, learning from his mistakes byBatman v Superman, in which he successfully drives Doomsday to space.[55]
In the theatrical release ofJustice League, viewers noted that Superman became more hopeful and optimistic and more in line with Reeve's portrayal of the character, but that his change of character was abrupt and unexplained, among many inconsistencies in the film caused by the sudden handover of directorial duties from Zack Snyder to Joss Whedon.[56][57] In addition, his digitally removed mustache, which was poorly executed, was the subject of ridicule.[23][58]
Contrarily, critics praised Superman's character arc in the "Snyder Cut" as being more natural, with some claiming that the best scenes in the movie involved Henry Cavill. Tom Jergensen fromIGN wrote "His reunion with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Martha Kent (Diane Lane) is much more emotional thanks to Snyder's increased focus on how devastated the two were by his death. However, one way in which Snyder's cut doesn't vary much from the theatrical cut in conception is that Superman's role is limited by design; but here at least, he's far more prevalent as a symbol for our heroes."[59]
Leading up to the release of the 2021Marvel Cinematic Universe filmEternals, directorChloé Zhao stated that her interpretation of the characterIkaris in the film was heavily inspired by Superman as portrayed in Snyder's DCEU films, especially for Snyder's "authentic and very real" approach inMan of Steel, which "left a strong impression" on Zhao.[60]
Despite the mixed reception of the DCEU as a whole, Henry Cavill's performances as Superman in the franchise became popular with audiences and helped propel him to international fame. Leading up to and following the release ofZack Snyder's Justice League, fans campaigned to Warner Bros. to bring Cavill back as Superman for a direct sequel toMan of Steel,[61][62] and similarly expressed sorrow and outrage when James Gunn dropped Cavill from the role for theDC Universe franchise.[63] In 2024, Cavill made a cameo in theMarvel Cinematic Universe filmDeadpool & Wolverine as aWolverine variant. While trying to recruit him,Deadpool says, "We will treat you so much better than those shitfucks down the street!", referencing DC canceling his future Superman projects.[64]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Hollywood studio Warner Bros is targeting Christian audiences in the US with a campaign for its superhero blockbuster Man of Steel that explicitly compares Superman to Jesus. The studio has teamed up with a specialist marketing firm with the aim of encouraging pastors to utilise Zack Snyder's comic book reboot in sermons. It has set up a special website touting a nine-page pamphlet entitled Jesus – the Original Superhero.
Warner Bros. Studios is aggressively marketing "Man of Steel" to Christian pastors, inviting them to early screenings, creating Father's Day discussion guides and producing special film trailers that focus on the faith-friendly angles of the movie. The movie studio even asked a theologian to provide sermon notes for pastors who want to preach about Superman on Sunday. Titled "Jesus: The Original Superhero," the notes run nine pages.
The plot description and characterization were adapted fromSuperman,Man of Steel andBatman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice at the DC Extended Universe Wiki, which are available under aCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA 3.0) license.
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