Critical and Commercial Acclaim
Since its premiere last week, James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ has made its mark on audiences around the nation while dominating the box domestically (if only other countries liked the US right now). Achieving the second highest opening day of the year with $56.1 million, ‘Superman’ has shown no signs of slowing down, grossing $122 million domestically opening weekend and held on for a strong second weekend. In comparison, Zack Snyder’s ‘Man of Steel’ grossed around $116 million domestically opening weekend, going on to make $670 million worldwide not long after.
Although the production budget was around $250 million, the success of ‘Superman’ doesn’t necessarily lie in the numbers. The ability to charm both general audiences and critics alike is a rare feat for superhero movies in the 2020s, so it’s exciting to see such positive reactions for one of the most anticipated and most important movies of the year.
Things to do:
- Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here.
- Limited Time Offer – FREE Subscription to The Hollywood Insider
- Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider fully focuses on substance and meaningful entertainment, against gossip and scandal, by combining entertainment, education, and philanthropy.
The word of mouth surrounding ‘Superman’ is doing magic, with premium format screenings continuing to nearly sell out (per the AMC app on my phone) going into the second weekend. It’s encouraging to see people get out and go to the theater for big movies like this one, similar to how they turned out for Marvel movies in the 2010s. Of course, we will never reach the heights that ‘Endgame’ achieved ($357 million opening weekend), but streaming wasn’t as big six years ago as it is today. Theaters will always be king, especially when studios decide to make movies that are meant for them, not televisions or laptops.
A Singular Vision
Comic book movies have gotten rather formulaic over the years. After achieving enormous success in their decade of domination, studios like Marvel and DC realized they could just put out movies that follow a similar playbook and make boatloads of money. However, that playbook quickly became similar to Bill Belichick’s without Tom Brady behind center.
James Gunn’s universe is switching gears. He seems focused on making movies that are dedicated to the comics, give directors artistic freedom, and placing movies in theaters that are actually ready to be seen.
Gunn clearly inserted some real-world issues, along with personal ones, into ‘Superman’. Whether it was the monkey bots farming outrage online (just like those on Twitter who called for him to be fired), or the portrayal of the Boravian government and military (that seems extremely reminiscent of Israel’s genocidal regime) as “allies” of the United States.
WATCH THE TRAILER of the Film and the Revolution: ‘Can I Go Home Now?’
The Children Around the World Continue to Ask the question
He would never have the creative freedom to make something like ‘Superman’ in the MCU. With control of DC’s future, it’ll be exciting to see directors make the movie they want to make, rather than the ones studios want to make.
‘Superman’ is the only comic book movie that has reminded me of Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy. Now, I don’t think it’s close to the first two in quality, but Gunn stylized his movie in a way that we haven’t seen since Raimi. Whether you like ‘Superman’ or not, it’s hard not admit how refreshing it is to see a major blockbuster take such big swings, even if they don’t connect 100% of the time.
Films Coming After ‘Superman’
James Gunn has been very open about the creative process that is now taking place at DC studios. They won’t start filming anything unless the script is completed and good. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is currently in production, but there are rumors that there isn’t even a third act written yet. How will this bode over for the film? We will see soon enough.
Related article: Why Queen Elizabeth II Is One Of The Greatest Monarchs | Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of United Queendom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland (Video Insight)
Related article: – Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
Related article: Box Office Breakouts: The 2025 Films Dominating Theaters – Hollywood Insider
The second feature film in the universe will be ‘Supergirl’ directed by Craig Gillespie (‘I, Tonya’, ‘Cruella’) and is set to release June 26, 2026. So far we’ve gotten a sneak peek at Milly Alcock as the titular character in the final scene of ‘Superman’, giving the audience a look at what her personality is like compared to her cousin’s. A poster was also released with Supergirl standing next to the famous “S” with the words “Look Out” spray-painted over it.
Gillespie is a talented filmmaker with a certain visual aesthetic, so it’ll be interesting to see what his take on this character and world will be. According to IMDB, the film will follow Kara Zor-El’s dark origin story before coming to Earth.
More news on ‘Clayface’, directed by James Watkins (‘Speak No Evil’) and written by Mike Flanagan, has come to light in the past few weeks. Tom Rhys Harries has been cast in the main role as Matt Hagen/Clayface, and James Gunn recently stated the film will be a full on horror movie.
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Ryan Gosling Role From 1995 to 2020, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Henry Cavill Role From 2001 to 2021, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
Related article: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | Hollywood Insider
Additionally, Flanagan has confirmed that ‘Clayface’ will be inspired by the two-part episode ‘Feat of Clay’ from ‘Batman: The Animated Series’. It follows a B-list actor (Hagen) trying to keep his face nice and pretty with an addictive face cream, ultimately leading to his disfigurement into Clayface. It’s a tragic story of an actor falling from grace because of his own addiction and choices (no one better to deal with tragedy than Flanagan), and the story is truly timeless.
The Flash and Aquaman won’t appear for another few years (possibly because of the lackluster response towards their last two films), and a new Wonder Woman film is getting fast-tracked at DC while they look for a new actress. ‘Wonder Woman’ wasn’t a bad movie, but Gal Gadot was not the right choice for the titular character, so it’s going to be interesting where they go from here.
The DCU will have longevity and fly to great heights if James Gunn sticks to his philosophy. Filmmakers should be able to experiment within this shared universe, no film should look or feel the same as others, and they should be dedicated to source material, whether it’s comic books or the old animated series. The future for DC superheroes can be exciting, and there is a greater chance it will be than it won’t be.
By Aidan Reidy
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
More Interesting Stories From The Hollywood Insider
– Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
– A Tribute to Martin Scorsese: A Complete Analysis of the Life and Career of the Man Who Lives and Breathes Cinema
– Do you know the hidden messages in ‘Call Me By Your Name’? Find out behind the scenes facts in the full commentary and In-depth analysis of the cinematic masterpiece
– A Tribute To The Academy Awards: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | From Rami Malek, Leonardo DiCaprio To Denzel Washington, Halle Berry & Beyond | From Olivia Colman, Meryl Streep To Bette Davis & Beyond
– In the 32nd Year Of His Career, Keanu Reeves’ Face Continues To Reign After Launching Movies Earning Over $4.3 Billion In Total – “John Wick”, “Toy Story 4”, “Matrix”, And Many More
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
