James Gunn’s Superman, hitting theaters July 11, 2025, is getting a bit of a makeover after some early test screenings, according to Dexerto. The guy behind Guardians of the Galaxy and DC Studios co-boss is tweaking the film’s structure to nail the vibe for this big DC Universe (DCU) kickoff. With David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, the movie’s shaping up to be a mix of epic action and real human feels. Here’s the scoop on what’s changing and why it’s got fans buzzing.
Word is, Gunn’s been messing with the film’s flow after getting feedback from test audiences. Dexerto cites insider Jeff Sneider, who mentioned an early cut used a “days of the week” setup, like labeling scenes with “Monday” to keep things moving. That’s been reworked to make the story smoother, though details are hush-hush. Gunn’s going for something special here, telling Cinema Today he’s inspired by Godzilla Minus One, balancing big superhero moments with Clark and Lois’ relationship and Lex’s scheming. “That’s the heart of it,” he said. You can feel he’s aiming for something that hits you in the chest, not just the eyes.
The cast is stacked—Corenswet’s stepping into the cape, Brosnahan’s playing a sharp Lois, and Hoult’s Lex looks like a slick villain. You’ve also got Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, plus Krypto the superdog, inspired by Gunn’s own rescue pup, Ozu. Gunn’s hyped about Corenswet, telling The Hollywood Reporter he’s gonna “freak everyone out” with how good he is. The teaser trailer, which blew up with 22.6 million views in a day, has fans stoked, though some diehard Henry Cavill fans are still side-eyeing the new guy.
Test screenings are par for the course, but Superman’s tweaks are getting attention. World of Reel says early cuts were heavy on humor, so Gunn’s dialed that back for a more serious tone, trimming about 25–30 minutes to land at roughly 140 minutes. There’s even talk of swapping editors midstream, which shook up the structure. Feedback’s been all over—some called early cuts “terrible,” others said it’s “Guardians-level awesome.” Gunn’s staying chill, telling The Nerds of Color he’s just doing “pickup shots” and “learning stuff” from screenings, not overhauling the whole thing.
This is a big deal for the DCU. With a nearly $300 million budget, Superman’s the first major film in Gunn and Peter Safran’s new vision, following the animated Creature Commandos. It’s gotta reset the DC brand after flops like The Flash. Fans are split—some worry the less goofy tone might lose Gunn’s spark, but others are pumped for a deeper Superman. The teaser’s got epic shots, like Superman hurt in the snow or smooching Lois mid-flight, and a full trailer’s coming soon, with Safran hyping it as a “two-and-a-half-minute” banger.
Gunn’s clearly pouring his heart into Superman, tweaking it to make sure it lands right. Whether these changes make it fly or flop, we’ll see on July 11. For now, it’s looking like a fresh, emotional take on the Man of Steel. Get ready—Superman drops in theaters July 11, 2025.