All-Star Superman writer Grant Morrison has a complicated relationship with the Man of Steel, so it’s no surprise that James Gunn’s 2025 Superman movie sparked some strong opinions.
While a lot of fans walked away happy with David Corenswet’s first turn as Superman, Morrison saw the film as both a win and a frustration wrapped into one bright red cape.
Gunn’s take on Superman landed as a lighter, more optimistic interpretation of the character, something audiences had been wanting to see after years of gloom-heavy superhero storytelling. Corenswet’s Clark Kent came across as earnest, hopeful, and emotionally open, which helped ground the film.
Morrison even went as far as calling it the best Superman movie yet, but that praise came with some sharp caveats.
Speaking on Half the Picture, Morrison explained that while the film came close to nailing the feeling of Superman, certain creative choices didn’t sit right with him. As someone whose work helped shape the tone of the movie, that disconnect clearly stuck with him.
“It became the closest to capturing what Superman feels like. I had a few things I didn’t like about it. [James] made specific choices that I think were made for dramatic reasons that were understandable in order to make him seem more relatable, he had him getting beaten up an awful lot. I want to see him stop getting beaten up and fight back.”
For Morrison, Superman works best when his power isn’t constantly undercut for the sake of tension. Letting him get knocked around too often chips away at the mythic quality that separates him from other heroes. Relatable doesn’t have to mean vulnerable to a punch every ten minutes.
Another sticking point was how the film handled Clark’s discovery of his Kryptonian roots. Gunn’s version borrowed a page from Invincible, revealing that Krypton’s legacy wasn’t as benevolent as Clark believed.
Instead of being sent to protect Earth, Superman learns his original purpose was far darker. Morrison explained:
“I didn’t like it because I prefer it when Krypton’s this lost utopia. I like the idea that there was something amazing, and nature just wiped it out. Their own lack of attention to detail allowed them to be wiped out. I think there’s something much more poignant about that.”
That change in backstory didn’t just tweak the lore, it shifted how Morrison viewed Superman’s moral foundation. For him, the idea that Clark’s ethics could wobble based on new information about Krypton cuts too close to the core of who Superman is supposed to be.
“The thing I found almost upsetting in it was that it felt like Superman’s morality was quite fragile. It was just based on this wish-fulfilment bullshit.”
Still, Gunn managed to pull Morrison back on board by the time the final act rolled around. The film’s climax, which sees Superman standing firm against a defeated Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, reaffirmed the character’s moral center when it mattered most.
“They put him in a position where I was concerned that he would break down, lose his compass. The fact that he didn’t was just nice to see.”
That moment seemed to remind Morrison why Superman endures. No matter how much you shake his world, Clark Kent chooses compassion and restraint when everything’s on the line.
With Gunn clearly interested in pushing Superman into new thematic territory, the big question is where things go next.
The filmmaker has already set the stage for a future clash and possible alliance between Superman and Lex Luthor in Man of Tomorrow, currently scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. The sequel will also introduce Brainiac, played by Lars Eidinger, which signals an even bigger cosmic swing.