Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel Collaborator Mocks James Gunn’s Superman Costume Reveal

James Gunn’s Superman suit reveal gained a lot of attention online – including a not-so complimentary response from one of Zack Snyder’s collaborators on Man of Steel. While the shot of David Corenswet pulling on his boots provided a lot of food for thought thanks to the events taking place around the iconic DC hero, Clay Staub, who worked as second unit director on Snyder’s previous franchise reboot, was less than impressed and shared his mocking thoughts on his X/Twitter account.

Superman (2025)

Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.’ rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill’s departure from the role, honoring the character’s roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.”

With production set to conclude on the 2025 movie in the summer, fans have been eagerly awaiting the reveal of what the new Man of Steel will be wearing when the new DCU kicks off proper. The recent unveiling of Corenswet’s Superman costume was always going to cause a fuss, and it certainly didn’t disappoint in that respect. Staub’s critique took aim at both the design of the suit and the manner in which it had been revealed. He wrote:

“Who thought this was the best option for a First Look? Really, I’m not joking, speaking solely from the layout perspective, the pose (pulling his boot on) making the chest and arms look bulky and rubbery. BTW are those Trunks we’re returning to, I’m asking for a friend?”

Following up on the post, he added that his take was not a shot at Corenswet or the story that Gunn could be building around the new iteration of the character, but he did feel that the whole reveal “failed” to do what was intended. He said:

“But the Suit and the Man are One! BTW – I’m not commenting on the Actor or Story, it could be Great. I’m just looking at the layout and the takeaway. If the metaphor is the New Man/New Suit or Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps…then both failed.”

Superman’s Return Continues to Divide Fans

The costume reveal is part of a build of reveals about the upcoming DCU reboot, and we can expect plenty more in the coming months. However, it is unlikely that any of those will be as divisive as the reveal of Corenswet’s full Superman ensemble. The reason for that is that many fans have no intention of giving the movie a chance thanks to their continued grievance over Henry Cavill’s franchise exit.

Comparisons between the new and former Supermen are inevitable. Snyder’s fans have been quick to jump on Staub’s comments to slam the decision for Gunn to bring back the red trunks to Superman’s costume, while others have already labeled the movie as “MCU lowest common denominator crud.” The challenge of battling disgruntled fans of Henry Cavill has become the crux of Netflix’s upcoming season of The Witcher, with Liam Hemsworth already being compared to his predecessor, so with Superman facing fans of both Cavill and Snyder, it is going to be a fight worthy of the Man of Steel himself.

Related

DC’s First Movie Ever Featured Superman In His Purest Form

Superman and the Mole Men might not be what we expect from a Superman movie these days, but it set the precedent for his character.

While the debate is one that is going to continue building momentum as Gunn shares more details about the movie, no one will be truly able to make a judgment on the latest attempt to bring DC’s finest to screens until Superman takes to the sky on July 11, 2025.