This Throwaway Henry Cavill Line in Batman v Superman Shows How Different Zack Snyder is From James Gunn

[[{“value”:”

James Gunn’s Superman movie is set to start the new DC Universe on the big screen, doing so with a more classic interpretation of the Man of Steel. This comes after the somewhat divisive version of the hero played by Henry Cavill in the DC Extended Universe, with David Corenswet’s Superman being in a much more traditional mold. One scene in the movie’s recent trailer paints a polar opposite picture from the second DCEU movie.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and James Gunn’s Superman seem like strange movies to compare, but their plot beats might be somewhat similar. Ironically, the outlaw characterization of Superman is much like how Batman was seen in the former movie. Not only does this reverse the DCEU while evoking a certain era in Superman’s history, but it also recalls another scene from Dawn of Justice.

Superman Saw Batman as a Violent Vigilante In the DCEU

Superman’s Heroism Was Much Different Than That of Ben Affleck’s Batman

Superman’s entire characterization in the DC Extended Universe was a lot different from the norm, with the Man of Tomorrow being somewhat more hesitant in going public. There was generally a strong, somber sense of melancholy to Henry Cavill’s version of Superman, and he many times only came off as truly comfortable when he was around his mother or Lois Lane.

Despite his immense power, he was largely seen as a force for good, but others, namely Bruce Wayne/Batman, initially only saw his destructive potential. Ironically, Superman wasn’t Batman’s biggest fan, either, especially given how the Dark Knight violently dealt with criminality.

Clark had by that point seen the handiwork of Batman as the Caped Crusader dealt with the crime in Gotham City, with things having intensified by that point. As stated by a homeless man in the Ultimate Edition of the movie, there was a “new kind of mean” in Ben Affleck’s version of Batman, with this increasing fury and many times lethal actions being the fallout from the (unseen to the audience) death of Robin.

Clark spoke about this to Bruce Wayne, noting that Batman thinks that he’s above the law. This statement is almost perplexing given that Superman is himself a vigilante, but Batman’s more gruesome actions serve as the biggest difference between the two. Superman stepped in to take down Batman himself because of those reasons, though it was ultimately revealed that Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor engineered much of their feud.

David Corenswet’s Superman Doesn’t Need Permission to Do the Right Thing

The newest trailer for James Gunn’s Superman reboot was recently released, with the new Superman film announced in late 2022 when Gunn announced his plans to end the moribund DC Extended Universe. His goal is for many of the DC heroes to be portrayed in a way closer to how fans and audiences are used to seeing them, as opposed to the more divergent paths taken with the DCEU.

This includes David Corenswet’s version of Superman wearing the classic trunks, as well as many visual and narrative aspects being taken from the Richard Donner Superman movies, the Silver Age Superman comics, and their modern update in the form of the classic series All-Star Superman. To this end, Corenswet and Cavill’s versions of Superman are far different, and this can be seen in the more overt actions of the former. Ironically, this puts him in a similar situation to the DCEU Batman in terms of his characterization.

He frames this as always doing the right thing, regardless of what others say. Of course, these actions seem to get him in quite a bit of trouble, especially with the international community. In many ways, this could be compared to Batman seeing himself as above the law in the DC Extended Universe. The main difference, of course, is that Superman doesn’t brutally beat anyone who gets in his way. Instead, he has a much more optimistic aura, especially towards those whom he helps.

On the other hand, even when Affleck’s Batman rescued trafficking victims from their captors, they still referred to him as a “devil” and saw him in a dark light. Batman saw the pummelings that he gave criminals as being a part of justice, and because of this, his actions were more than justified. While Superman isn’t going to the same level in the DCU, he uses the same self-righteousness to justify his own disregard of the law.

The idea of Superman intervening with foreign criminals or oppression was also seen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and there, he took on an African terrorist who had actually killed Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen (who was actually a CIA agent). Thus, the fact that Gunn’s Superman is using this same plot point feels almost like an intentional reversal of the DCEU. The obvious route is to paint Batman as some sort of cool, bad boy rogue, sticking to the proverbial man. This time around, however, it’s Superman who’s anti-authoritarian, which was and wasn’t seen in the DCEU. There, he wasn’t entirely antagonistic toward the military, but he also drew a strong line in the sand about them snooping around to find out about him.

Causing an international incident to protect the lives of innocents won’t endear Superman to too many fans in the DCU’s world governments. It does reinforce Gunn’s vision of Superman doing the right thing no matter what, and this more apparent heroism is a sharp contrast to how reticent DCEU director Zack Snyder made his version of Superman. Most importantly, it encompasses a feature of the character from back when he debuted in the 1930s.

James Gunn’s Superman Actually Homages the Golden Age

David Corenswet’s Superman Isn’t Merely a Silver Age or Donnerverse Retread

Many have noted how much of James Gunn’s Superman is derived from the hero’s Silver Age comic books, as well as elements of the 1970s/1980s Superman movies starring Christopher Reeve. There are also aspects from other versions and eras of the character, with his costume somewhat inspired by the controversial New 52 comic book reboot that came out in 2011.

Both of his adoptive parents are still alive, and these elements, along with the characterization of Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, evoke the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Superman mythology. Still, the Silver Age is the biggest influence, namely on the general aesthetic and color palette. Nevertheless, perhaps the most formative yet forgotten part of the Man of Steel’s history is also being seen, and it plays into how the movie reverses aspects of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Superman was a much more rough-and-tumble “man of the people” who dealt with labor disputes, crooked landlords and similar domestic issues. The years of mad scientists, giant robots, kryptonite-powered cyborgs, electric metahumans and alien despots were yet to be seen, and the Last Son of Krypton was more focused on issues relating to the Great Depression. In fact, he even intervened in various armed conflicts, going so far as to almost force two generals to fight to the death to get them to end their national wars with each other. Recently, elements of this version of the hero have reappeared in the current Absolute Superman comic books, which are set in the alternate “Absolute Universe” continuity that began in 2024.

Making this connection even stronger is where one scene in the new movie takes place. The fictional country seen in the Superman trailer is Boravia, which debuted in the second issue of the Superman monthly comic book ever published. Thus, the ties to the Golden Age are very strong, making it clear that Superman helps the “little people” as much as he deals with any supposedly bigger problem. The way that it’s framed deals with topical issues, all while still feeling like a part of Superman’s mythological language.

This makes it work a lot more than the scene in Africa in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was in many ways an example of the cynicism on display in the DCEU. Even the piecemeal-by-way-of-the-Silver-Age version of Superman in the DCU feels more authentic than Snyder’s version played by Henry Cavill, which used esoteric elements from the hero’s history to justify some of the changes. Gunn is clearly going for a more recognizable take on the Man of Steel, albeit one who’s not afraid to ruffle feathers if it means protecting innocent people.

Superman flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.

“}]] Superman’s newest trailer shows that even the Man of Steel isn’t above breaking the law if it saves lives, making him similar to the DCEU Batman.  Read More