In a Salt in the Wound Moment, James Gunn’s Superman Breaks a Nearly Impossible Record Set by Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel

SUMMARY

• James Gunn's Superman teaser has crossed 51 million views on YouTube.
• This makes it the most-watched individual trailer for Superman, surpassing MOS's record.
• Gunn explained why Superman would be different from other CBMs.

While Richard Donner’s Superman paved the way for CBMs, the character hasn’t been done justice on the big screen since the Christopher Reeve-led classic. But things are looking hopeful again, thanks to James Gunn, and the trailer for his Superman has fans convinced that this will be a return to form for one of the most iconic fictional figures of all time.

Superman | Credit: Warner Bros.

Although it can’t be said for certain if this iteration of the Man of Steel will break DC’s live-action curse of the last few years, the reception to the first trailer does paint a positive picture, as it broke Snyder’s Man of Steel‘s record.

Superman teaser has dethroned Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel

Man of Steel | Credit: Warner Bros.

One of the biggest positives from Zack Snyder‘s Man of Steel was its trailers, which, to this date, put many CBM trailers to shame. But as of now, Superman‘s teaser has crossed over 51M views, surpassing MOS‘ most-watched trailer. While it’s important to note that the internet climate has changed rapidly since then, it does reflect the general public’s interest in the character.

If anything to go by, MOS‘ box office performance wasn’t as great as it could’ve been despite the impeccable reception to its trailer. However, given Gunn’s record in the realm of CBMs so far, if he does succeed in delivering a Superman story for the ages, there’s no doubt that the film will indeed do great at the box office.

James Gunn’s Superman will be character-driven

Superman | Credit: Warner Bros.

With the Superman teaser breaking records, fans’ expectations for the first Superman film in years are at an all-time high. As for what fans can expect from this iteration of the character, Gunn expressed that it’ll be pretty character-driven, adding, “That’s a really big difference from not only other Superman movies, but superhero films”.

Even though he confessed it’ll be optimistic, which is finally a step in the right direction for the character onscreen, James Gunn shared that the film will have its darker moments. During an interview with Fandango managing editor Erik Davis, he elaborated on the trailer, adding (via GeekTyrant),

The film is optimistic, yet not without its darker moments. It’s a big science fiction movie, but at the same time, incredibly grounded. I wanted it to be something that was the essence of the Superman that I grew up with [and] loved, but also something new at the same time.

Hopefully, with seven months to go before its release, Superman will regain its glory on the big screen, as we can really use his optimistic view on mankind right now.

Superman will hit theatres on 11 July 2025.

Written by Santanu Roy

Articles Published: 2007

Santanu Roy is a film enthusiast with a deep love for the medium of animation while also being obsessed with The Everly Brothers, Billy Joel, and The Platters. Having expertise in everything related to Batman, Santanu spends most of his time watching and learning films, with Martin Scorsese and Park Chan-wook being his personal favorites. Apart from pursuing a degree in animation, he also possesses a deep fondness for narrative-driven games and is currently a writer at Fandomwire with over 1500 articles.