Brat Summer is so 2024. Warner Bros. used its CinemaCon stage time on Tuesday to rebrand 2025’s warm weather season as the “Summer of Superman.”
On July 11, the Last Son of Krypton returns to the big screen in his first solo feature in more than a decade. And this time, he’s carrying the weight of an entire universe on his back. Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the launching pad for an all-new, different version of the DC Cinematic Universe—one that’s directly overseen by Gunn and his DC Studios partner, Peter Safran.
“We’re gearing up to launch a thrilling new era for this globally-iconic brand,” Gunn said during his CinemaCon remarks before bringing on the film’s stars, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult. “I cannot wait to share the film with you guys and with the rest of the world.”
Era appropriate
The DC cinematic universe has seen a number of eras come and ago over the years. Warner Bros. recently brought the curtain down on the ill-fated iteration that took flight with the last standalone Superman movie, 2013’s Man of Steel directed by Zack Snyder. Gunn and Safran were handpicked to rebuild the brand from the ground up, ensuring that it could stand as a central pillar for the studio’s cinematic slate for 2025 and beyond.
Speaking about what makes his version of Superman unique, Gunn emphasized that his movie “celebrates kindness and human love,” which he suggested seems to be in short supply right now on movie screens and in the real world.
“The internet makes fun of kindness,” Gunn remarked with no small trace of melancholy. But the director also promised plenty of super-spectacle, including kaiju battles, a blend of science and sorcery, and a very rambunctious flying dog.
Interestingly, though, Gunn declined to share any specific details about the movie’s story. He and Safran also opted not to screen an extensive amount of footage from the film, instead closing the panel with a slightly longer version of the trailer that’s been playing in theaters for several months. In contrast, the studio showed the first 10 minutes of the Brad Pitt-led Formula 1 racing movie F1 in their entirety. (F1 was funded by Apple and is being released theatrically by Warner Bros.)
