It ’s a bird , it ’s a woodworking plane , it ’s a report from the set of James Gunn’sSuperman . This past June , io9 was among several wall socket take in to Cleveland , Ohio to visit the set of one of themost extremely anticipated superherofilms ever . The relaunch of the DC Universe , starring the existence ’s first and most famous superhero , all from theman who madeGuardians of the Galaxy . And on that beautiful summer solar day , we learneda great many thing about the motion picture . And while we ca n’t share everything we learned just yet , we can share some very , verycool stuff .
In feeler of the first trailer for the film this Thursday , we ’re allow to unleash into our on - set interview with Gunn , which took place inside the Daily Planet construction . He sing about how the film starts , shooting the action scenes , what medicine you ’ll hear , the costumes , stand superheroes , the family relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane , the title change , how the picture will tie into the bombastic DC Universe , and a whole sight more .
Does that go like something you ’d be interested in ? Then let ’s get to it . Here are 15 things we read from James Gunn on the set ofSuperman . Thanks to Warner Bros. for allow travel and lodgment .
We spoke to James Gunn while he was filming Superman. Here’s what he had to say.Image: Warner Bros.
This film starts in a unique way
We ’ve long cognize that Gunn’sSupermanisn’t going to be an ancestry story but , on solidifying , he explained that the film will set off in the middle of an action scene and how long the story will take .
“ We just commence in the middle of the legal action , ” Gunn say . “ Superman already exists . Lois and Clark already get laid each other . Lex detest Superman ’s guts from the origin , although they do n’t cognise each other in person . So we start right in the middle of the legal action . ”
The story takes place over a short period
After dropping Superman into the action mechanism , the independent story of the movie will take place over “ a inadequate amount of time ” Gunn said .
Supermanis about legacy but needed a title change
When Gunn’sSupermanwas first annunciate , it was calledSuperman Legacy . However , earlier in 2024 that changed and now it ’s just calledSuperman . Gunn explained why that fall out on coif and how bequest stay .
“ I reckon mayhap the deed had a look back feel about it , ” he say . “ And this is n’t about looking back . This is about looking forward . So although when you see the movie you ’ll understand where ‘ Legacy ’ comes from , because it is about Clark and his relationship to his Kryptonian parents and his family relationship to his human parent and whose bequest is he really ? And so it ’s about that . But I guess as a deed of conveyance it felt too ‘ looking back . ' ”
Action scenes were filmed midair
SinceSupermancan fly , Gunn want there to be incredible legal action not just on the solid ground , but in the air too . To do so , they film intake from some very coolheaded picture show and pushed other technologies onward .
“ Being able to shoot poppycock in the sky … is really operose . So we took a mint from films likeTop Gun : Maverick , ” Gunn enunciate . “ We shoot a lot of our military action with actual drone flying in and around Superman and the mass that he ’s fly with , The Engineer and whoever else that he ’s fighting up in the air . And we did that on profound stages . We got these really small , demented drones now . We ’ve get some of the good bill in the world here who are form with it . ”
It’ll be more serious thanGuardians of the Galaxy
While Gunn ’s previous superhero flick have be given more heavy into funniness , that was n’t the spirit he was croak for withSuperman .
“ I start with a situation that ’s very bright , fun … but implausibly run aground [ and ] fantastically serious all at the same prison term , ” he said . “ It ’s humorous , but it certainly is not as [ comedic ] as eitherSuicide SquadorGuardians . There ’s plenty of wittiness in it . People like Rachel [ Brosnahan , who meet Lois Lane ] are so funny and David [ Corenswet , who plays Superman ] is very [ funny as well ] , so there ’s humor in it , but it ’s attempt to make something that is grounded , but also it ’s an incredibly notional world . It ’s fantasy , it ’s taking from other things likeGame of Throneswhere it ’s this universe where superheroes in reality survive . What are they like ? There ’s a thaumaturgy there that ’s undeniable . ”
The movie is score-driven, not song-driven (plus John Williams)
Gunn ’s regular composer , John Murphy , is doing the score forSupermanand Gunn confirmed that the picture show will be much more orchestral - drive than hisGuardians of the Galaxy movies . But when you think ofSupermanand music , you only retrieve of one mortal and yes , he ’s in there .
“ There ’s nods to [ John ] Williams and then also John Murphy ’s created this incredibly beautiful mark , ” Gunn said . “ But the one matter is it is a score , it ’s not a soundtrack . So it ’s not about the call . There ’s a few songs in it . And of path , I choose those vocal beforehand , but it is n’t like any of my previous moving-picture show really in terms of the account is what drive it . It ’s a much , much more of a grudge picture show . ”
Superman wears trunks for a good reason
When Superman ’s suit was discover , many discussions were had over the decision to give him trunks . That was not a choice Zack Snyder made and while Gunn and his team plump back and forth , he had a very good reason for the determination . And it amount from Superman himself .
“ We were trying on all these dissimilar versions , and we screened tested with body and no trunks , ” Gunn explained . “ And one of the thing David enjoin is that Superman wants small fry to not be afraid of him . He ’s an outlander . He ’s pose these incredible powers . He buck beam of light out of his eyes … He ’s this fabulously herculean , could be considered scary , single and he wants people to like him . He wants to be a symbolisation of Leslie Townes Hope and positivity . So he dress like a professional wrestler . He dresses in a way that makes people unafraid of him , that shows that trust that shows that positivity . And that really clicked in for me . And I opine hear to pretend that Superman ’s costume does n’t have some bagatelle to it at its pedestal , try out to make it look serious , is silly because he is a superhero . He ’s the first one , bright tinge and that ’s who he is . ”
Mister Terrific is crucial
One of the many things that makes Gunn’sSupermandifferent is that it ’ll have other superheroes in it such as Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ) and Green Lantern ( Nathan Fillion ) . Among those , Gunn says Mister Terrific ( For All Mankind‘s Edi Gathegi ) is the leader .
“ I get laid Mister Terrific , ” Gunn articulate . “ These characters all get their moment in the sun . They all have their moments . They ’re not just cameo , these are the characters . They ’re support cast , but Mister Terrific is the main character of those quality . He actually has a big part of the plot . And so that was fun . ”
Lex Luthor is almost a sorcerer
Not literally . But in Gunn ’s judgement , his interpretation of Lex Luthor is so smart , it makes him feel that manner .
“ All - Star Superman … tempt me more than anything , ” Gunn said . “ Being able-bodied to take that sort of Silver Age feel , that sort of skill fiction approaching to it with gadget , Lex is really a sort of thaumaturgist in a way . He ’s a scientist , but he ’s so good at scientific discipline and I think of him as like a necromancer .
We’ve never seen a Clark and Lois relationship like this
Gunn pause to say it , but he sound out it . When tattle about the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane in the film , he said “ I do n’t think it ’s something we ’ve ever seen in any superhero picture show ever . ” He then elaborated .
“ It ’s a complicated relationship and we really get into it , ” Gunn said . “ There ’s long scenes that are about their relationship and the way they relate and what it would be like for a person who ’s this incredibly intelligent , substantial - headed , stubborn , skeptical journalist , to have a kinship with someone who can lift a skyscraper . ”
Lois probably doesn’t know
jump off the question of Lois and Clark ’s kinship , Gunn was asked if Lois know Clark was Superman . “ Well , we ’ll see , ” he said , “ She knows who Superman is . ”
Supermanis largely a standalone
SinceSupermanis the first film in the new DC Universe , it will be a largely standalone affair . And , Gunn thinks , that will be how most of the DC photographic film are for the foreseeable future .
“ Everything needs to fend by itself , ” he said . “ I do n’t want somebody to have to go see this movie and be relying on anything else . Now mind , once we get down the line , that may vary a little turn . ”
He continue , “ Are seed being planted ? Yes , there ’s seeds being planted , but that is never croak to be the overriding thing in any scene for me . It ’s always about getting to the next scene . What ’s in the moment ? How are we make this moving-picture show the expert we can be ? And it ’s going to appease like that as much as I can possibly make it like that . ”
Image: Warner Bros.
One upcoming DC property does get set up
Gunn confirmed that the events ofSupermanwill impactPeacemakerseason two and that , mayhap , there will be one or two things at the end of this photographic film teasing toward the future , but admitted they might get cut .
Not many people know the real Superman
While talking about casting , Gunn said that he needed an doer who could fiddle both Clark Kent well and Superman well because that dichotomy is the substance of the character .
“ It ’s not just Clark . It ’s not just Superman . It ’s Clark / Superman , ” Gunn articulate . “ And the only hoi polloi that experience Clark / Superman are his mom and his dad and a few others who acknowledge who he is , and those are very different thing . the great unwashed say all sorts of unlike things . They say , ‘ Clark ’s the veridical one . ’ They say , ‘ Superman ’s the veridical one and Clark ’s the secret identity . ’ But I don’t — and it says it in my book on the second page — I do n’t believe either of those things . I do n’t guess anybody live Superman unless they know both of him . And when they screw both of him , they know the real hombre .
It’s all riding on this
When we spoke with Gunn on the coiffe ofSuperman , a year from vent , he was jolly overwhelmed for a great deal of reasons . “ I ’m miserable , ” he said . “ Really I ’m measly . But hopefully it ’s for the big goodness . ”
One of the reasons for that seemed to be the pressure he ’s couch on himself to make trusted his version ofSupermanis great because if it ’s not , there ’s no guaranty we ’ll see more DC movies after that . There ’s a plan , one that involvesCreature Commandos , Peacemaker , Supergirl , and others , but ifSupermandoesn’t work , well , affair could convert very speedily . “ A lot [ is riding onSuperman ] ” he say . “ I mean , We ’re not go to just keep draw movies . ” That is , unlessSupermanis great .
See the first trailer forSupermanThursday and check back in 2025 for the remainder of our reputation from the Cleveland set of the film .
Photo: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage
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Superman and his dog, Krypto. Image: Warner Bros.
