Lessons That Superman (2025) Should Learn From Superman (1978)

Superman (2025) is arguably the most-anticipated superhero movie of the last five years, and certainly the one with the most corporate interest and highest levels of fandom expectation riding on its success. Superman (2025), (formerly Superman: Legacy) will be the first installment in DC Studios CEO James Gunn’s ambitious new slate for the DCU. The upcoming movie, written and directed by Gunn, aims to do three things at once; re-introduce the Grandaddy of all superheroes to a new generation, push the hard reset button on the last decade of DCU canon, and kick off an ambitious new era of multimedia storytelling at DC.

There has been some skepticism around Gunn being the right choice for handling a character as pure, earnest, and traditionally heroic as Superman. Gunn is nothing if not a sincere filmmaker, and he has shown the ability to delve into deep emotional territory in the context of a comic book movie (Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 3 being the rawest example so far). But no one who has seen Slither or Super, or even The Suicide Squad, would describe any of them as movies that particularly embody Superman’s famous mantra of; Truth, justice, and the American way. In the end, Gunn will tell the Superman story that he wants to tell, and that’s really all that any filmmaker should aspire to do.

But, if Gunn and his partners at DC are hoping to conquer the coveted trifecta of global box office success, critical acclaim, and widespread adoration in their fan base with Superman (2025), then they should take some inspiration from their past (better yet, their legacy), for the sake of their future. Namely, they should take a look back at Richard Donner’s foundational classic Superman (1978). Superman (1978) or Superman: The Movie, was a smash box office hit and a genuine phenomenon in its day. The movie was literally the big bang event for the modern superhero genre. But beyond simply being the first comic book movie to reach the cultural mountain top, Superman (1978) remains a fantastic movie, and it still represents the ideal blueprint for how Gunn and DC Studios could tell the perfect Superman origin story, to this day.

The Daily Planet

Superman (1978) is largely focused on Clark discovering his newfound identity as the last remaining son of Krypton and a universal force for good, while still trying to maintain his career as a dedicated reporter for the Daily Planet. Donner’s movie spends plenty of time in the bustling newsroom of the Planet. At times, it feels inspired by classic Hollywood journalism movies that follow ambitious young journalists on trail of scandal, like His Girl Friday or even All The President’s Men. The one thing Superman (1978) lacks in this category, is a memorable portrayal of Clark’s eternal best pal and ace news photographer, Jimmy Olsen.

The fun of watching Clark, Lois, and Jimmy work together to track down a major story for the Planet, is a dynamic that My Adventures with Superman absolutely nails in its first two seasons. This central trio of characters should be front and center in Superman (2025). Luckily, it appears that Gunn’s movie, in keeping with the Man of Steel’s journalistic roots, will prominently feature both Jimmy Olsen and the Daily Planet.

Out of This World

It’s easy to forget that the Superman story is, by definition, the story of an alien come to earth. The opening sequence of Superman (1978) features what is still the most vividly alien-looking depiction of the planet Krypton that has ever been rendered on screen (the epic prologue from Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel makes for a close second). The vast and jagged frozen tundra of the planet’s surface, the crystalline architecture of the capital city, and the neon glow of the tin-foil-like robes that the Kryptonians wear, all make for an indelible vision of an alien world. The way Donner captures the essential “Alien-ness” of Kal-el’s origin story not only contributes to the pure immersive enjoyment of seeing an alien culture brought to life on screen, it’s also crucial to the emotional substance at the core of any great Superman story.

As Krypton is falling, Kal-el’s mother, Lara expresses her trepidation and sorrow over sending her only son to Earth, “He will be odd, different… Isolated… alone”. To which Marlon Brando’s Jor-el responds, “He will never be alone”. The paradox of Clark’s simultaneous connection to and alienation from his home world, gives the character a profound sense of inherited tragedy. Clark didn’t just grow up as an outsider in Smallville, Kansas. He grew up an outsider on planet Earth, yet he is still one of us.

Must-Haves

A variety of factors came together to make Superman (1978) the triumph that it was. Superman (2025) would greatly benefit from including some, if not all, of the following things:

Humor: Gene Hackman is ruthlessly funny as Lex Luthor. He, a charming scoundrel, along with his bumbling sidekick Otis (Ned Beatty), make for an incredible kind of classic comedic duo that scarcely exists in contemporary cinema. Hackman’s Luthor is the kind of cunning egomaniac who can lay out his whole plan for nuking an entire coastline with a twinkle in his eye, and you’re still pretty much on onboard with him throughout it. Nicholas Hoult who is set to play Luthor, has more than proven his comedic chops in projects like The Great. Hopefully, Gunn’s movie will utilize his skill set similarly.

Iconic Musical Score: The musical score for Superman (1978) was yet another notch in the already legendary John Williams’ belt. William’s main theme for Superman is among the most recognizable pieces of music ever composed for a movie. Superman (2025) has to have at least one heart-swelling melody that fans are still humming on their way out of the theater.

Lois and Clark: The crackling connection between Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane and Christopher Reeve’s Clark Kent is a huge part of what makes the original Superman (1978) work. Kidder and Reeve are still the defining portrayals of these characters because of their effortless, endearing chemistry; both comedic and romantic. Rachel Brosnahan, like Hoult, has earned her comedic and dramatic bona fides by playing the titular role in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel for five seasons, making her a natural choice to take on the mantle of Lois. David Cornswet, while appearing in several hit movies like Twisters and Pearl, is still relatively unproven in the Rom-Com department.

New Tech:Superman (1978) was literally marketed on the tag line “You’ll believe a man can fly”, and the movie delivered. Donner and his team of effects artists showed audiences around the world something they had never seen in a movie before; a believable depiction of human (or Kryptonian) flight. Superman (2025) doesn’t necessarily have to have its own T-Rex from Jurassic Park, or the T-1000 walking through the prison bars in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but some kind of exciting new technological showcase that at least momentarily takes your breath away, would be expected in a new Superman movie. And if Gunn and co can somehow achieve that kind of effect through the use of practical means the way Superman (1978) did; all the better.

Of its Time: Superman (1978), while far from an overtly political or preachy movie, does reflect the times that it was made in. Superman (2025) should aspire to do the same. Superman’s ethos of earnest honesty and old-fashioned altruism was considered hokey back in the late 70s when the movie came out. At one point in Superman (1978), Lois teases Clark for being shameless enough to use the word “Swell” in open conversation. Dropping a character with the seemingly outdated moral worldview of Superman into 2024, should create some interesting sceanrios that reflect the era we, and he, are all living in.