The cape has been passed, but the clash continues.
Despite Zack Snyder graciously stepping back and Henry Cavill handing over the cape to rising star David Corenswet, the battle over who truly understands Superman is heating up online. The fanbase is split into two passionate camps: those who revere Snyder’s mythic, brooding god-like Superman, and those who are embracing James Gunn’s sunnier, more human take in the upcoming Superman (2025).
Both filmmakers offer wildly different visions of the iconic hero.
Snyder’s Superman, embodied by Henry Cavill, was a solemn figure — weighed down by godhood, tragedy, and global consequence. His films, like Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, leaned heavily into religious allegory, anime-inspired action, and 9/11-style devastation. His Superman spoke less, brooded more, and looked every bit the IMAX-sized messiah.
Gunn, on the other hand, is offering a softer reboot. Inspired by Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman, the new Clark Kent is more relatable, more optimistic — and surrounded by friends, family, and even a superpowered dog, Krypto. David Corenswet’s Superman is poised to be a symbol of hope and joy, not just power and sacrifice.
“There’s no right version of Superman,” one fan wrote on X. “Just different reflections for different times.”
Yet the fandom war rages on, often bitterly. Critics of Snyder accuse him of turning Superman into a joyless deity. Gunn’s detractors fear his Superman risks being “just another cape” in a crowded DCU.
As Superman’s cinematic future is reshaped under Gunn’s vision, Warner Bros. finds itself walking a tightrope — trying to win back a fractured fanbase while rebooting an entire cinematic universe.
For now, the verdict remains split.
In the court of public opinion, it’s a tie.
