The cast and crew of Superman spoke to ScreenRant and other members of the press at the Superman trailer screening and Q&A event, offering some great insight into the DC Universe superhero’s iconic suit. The Superman suit has been reinvented a few times over the years, and this latest iteration is one of the most interesting and unusual to date. With a stiff collar and a logo that resembles the “Kingdom Come” comics, there has been considerable care expressed about how the suit will look in action. Details about this have been shared by the film’s director and stars.
Speaking of the costume, star David Corenswet made it clear that “the suit looks a lot cooler than it actually feels.” He detailed how “not glamorous” it was to wear the suit, with the actor being equipped with a crane and pulley. He outlined the process, describing the suit as hot, before going into detail about what it felt like to wear the suit and what it meant to be seen in it. While wearing the suit had some meaning in itself, he emphasized the importance of others seeing him in it.
“It’s like when you get, I don’t know, a great haircut, and you forget about it, but then you walk around, and everyone’s like, oh my gosh, you look great. There was one time I walked onto the set, and I had other people seeing me in the suit for the first time. So I got to see other people seeing Superman, and I didn’t feel like Superman, but it was great to see my co-stars and the crew members who were also working on this amazing piece of historical media. Those moments when they saw it for the first time or when they saw Superman fly for the first time, it wasn’t that particular moment, but seeing them, seeing it. And then the coolest thing was seeing kids seeing it when people on the set brought their kids to the set or seeing it first-person, a five-, six-year-old seeing Superman. There’s nothing like it. It was amazing.”
James Gunn was with him, who provided more context on the design and creation of the costume, saying that he “didn’t want it to look like a wet T-shirt” and “didn’t want it to have a bunch of fake muscles.” However, it was a difficult task in the making of a superhero movie, which led to some doubts when it was finally completed. Gunn described being convinced by Corenswet that the suit actually fit the character, with the director explaining how Corenswet’s perception of the costume and Superman’s colorful personality influenced him. “David said, yeah, he’s an alien from space with superpowers who doesn’t want kids to be afraid of him. And that hit me then, and it hits me now when I say that, that’s who he is, and that’s where the costume comes from, and that fits into Jerry and Joe’s original vision of the return of the circus wrestlers and stuff. And that’s who Superman is. And that’s why he has a reason for his colors; his costume is so colorful. It’s because he doesn’t want to scare kids. He has red lights coming out of his eyes. He can blow things away with his breath. He wants to not scare kids.”
The impact of seeing this suit on set was huge for all involved. Nicholas Hoult, who plays Lex Luthor in the film, said that seeing the costume left him in awe and made him “feel all warm and fuzzy inside”. With Superman’s iconic costume being so culturally important, it seems the familiar look had an impact, even during the making of the film. Hoult continued:
“It made me feel like a kid again. And there’s a scene where he flies onto this set, and I’m watching, and I had a little laugh, a little smile on my face. I was like, this is amazing. And then I turned around and everyone in the room had the same look on their face, looking at him. And that’s the effect he had on everyone afterwards. It was really special.”
Superman’s costume means a lot to a lot of people, and seeing it brought to life in such vibrant, gorgeous colors seemed to touch the hearts of everyone involved. Every live-action Superman has worn a version of the suit, with their own unique touches. However, the description of the colors and shorts helps establish this version as a familiar feel. Much of the talk about the character’s legacy seems to be quickly approached through the simple colors and design of the suit itself.
Superman’s identity is at the core of the film’s themes, and it’s interesting to hear that it’s as important on a script level as it is in the character’s design and visuals. Hearing Gunn and Corenswet talk about the costume and its use shows that they were able to create something special and unique for the film. This has been reinforced with the first glimpses of the character, with Superman’s design being truly unique and interesting.
Our Take on James Gunn and David Corenswet’s Superman Costume
The Core Concept of Superman Looks Important to the Film
Hearing stories about the reaction to the suit, and how quickly it taps into memories of who Superman is, is incredibly promising. While “Legacy” is no longer part of the title, as it suggests Superman is looking back rather than forward, director James Gunn has made it clear that much of the film still struggles with that theme. Understanding Superman, and seeing so much of his history being touched on visually — even in the design of his costume — only makes me more excited for this movie to come out.
