David Corenswet’s DCU Superman stars in a sweet homage to the Man of Steel’s earliest cartoons and James Gunn’s upcomingSupermanmovie.Gunn’sSupermantakes inspiration from storylines such asKingdom ComeandAll-Star Superman, as well as the Man of Steel’s earliest comic book appearances. The DCU’s version of Superman seems to be aiming for a timeless portrayal of the character, with a somewhat retrofuturistic Metropolis informing his superhero career.
Illustrator and DC fanDylan Odomshares a fan-made Superman animation onInstagram, starringDavid Corenswet’s Superman as a 1940s cartoon version of the DC hero inspired by the famous 1940s Fleischer Superman animated shorts. The video shows Corenswet’s Superman saving the little girl from the trailer, fighting the movie’s mystery masked villain, and jumping from the Daily Planet’s decorative globe. Watch the fan-made short video below:
What The Fleischer Superman Tribute Means For James Gunn’s Superman
James Gunn’s Superman Will Probably Acknowledge All DC Eras
After Christopher Reeve’s Superman became a movie icon in 1978, the next two live-action movie Supermen paid homage to a few clear sources of inspiration.Brandon Routh’s Superman was an obvious tribute to Reeve’s, and Henry Cavill’s DCEU Man of Steel gathered elements from storylines such asSuperman: Earth One,Superman: Birthright, and theInjusticefranchise.David Corenswet’s Superman could be the first movie version of the hero to be partly based on the character’s 1930s and 1940s appearances, including the now iconic Fleischer cartoons.
Our Take On The DCU Fleischer Superman Tribute
James Gunn’s Superman Already Looks Like A Cinematic Version Of The Fleischer Animated Shorts
James Gunn’sSupermantrailer shows various similarities to the Fleischer Superman cartoons, and not only in terms of visuals.All theSupermanmovie villains, including Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor and the giant monster, resemble the “classic sci-fi” antagonists in the Fleischer shorts, such as The Mad Scientist and the Arctic Giant. In fact, Gunn’sSupermancould base part of its plot on the basic premise of some of the Fleischer cartoons. For instance,the kaiju seen in theSupermantrailercould be a modern version of the one seen in the 1940s shorts. It wouldn’t be shocking to see comet-controlling devices and evil robots making an appearance inSuperman.
Superman’s First Two Appearances In The DCU Show Him Defeated And Now I’m More Excited For James Gunn’s Superhero
The first trailer for James Gunn’s Superman is out, and David Corenswet’s Superman has now been defeated twice, which is perfect for the DCU Superman.
Superman saving Lois Lane from increasingly dangerous situations is a repeated occurrence in the Fleischer Superman cartoons. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane seems to have a big role in James Gunn’sSuperman,and she will likely need Superman’s help in classic Lois Lane fashion at some point. However, Brosnahan’s Lois will probably have more agency than her usually helpless cartoon counterpart. Lois' classic appearance and style look incredibly similar, though.
