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James Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie will feature one very iconic piece of costume, the hero’s traditional red trunks. But the DC boss said he was originally against the idea of bringing back the underwear-like accessory, that is until star David Corenswet convinced him otherwise.
"We were trying on all these different versions, and we screen tested with trunks and no trunks, and one of the things David said is that Superman wants kids to not be afraid of him," said Gunn in an interview with Gizmodo during a set visit.
"He's this incredibly powerful, could be considered scary, individual and he wants people to like him. He wants to be a symbol of hope and positivity. So he dresses like a professional wrestler. He dresses in a way that makes people unafraid of him, that shows that hope that shows that positivity. And that really clicked in for me."
Gunn admits that he was "on the no trunks team" at first, but came around to Corenswet's comments. "I think trying to pretend that Superman’s costume doesn’t have some frivolity to it at its base, trying to make it look serious, is silly because he is a superhero," said Gunn. "He’s the first one, brightly colored, and that’s who he is."
We first got a look at Corenswet in the iconic red trunks in leaked set photos, and then again in the first poster for Superman. This is the first time we have seen the hero in the trunks since the 2006 movie Superman Returns, as after that, Man of Steel helmer Zack Snyder famously got rid of them.
Kicking off the film portion of Gunn’s DCU Chapter One, Superman stars Corenswet as The Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent AKA hero Superman as he struggles to balance his Kryptonian and human heritage. The movie also stars Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. That's pretty much all we know so far, but more will certainly be revealed when the first trailer is released this Thursday.
Superman swoops into theaters on July 11, 2025. For more, see our guide on how to watch DC movies in order, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and TV shows.
