Trunks or no trunks? Until "The New 52" took away the Kryptonian's red underoos, it was kind of a given that Superman would have them on screen. Still, they were absent from Man of Steel and the DCEU, leaving fans to wonder whether they might be similarly ditched in Superman.
Filmmaker James Gunn instead decided to embrace the comic books, leading to a version of this character who looked like he'd just stepped straight off the page. He did, however, consider versions of the suit without the trunks.
Thanks to artist Maybelle Pineda, we have a first look at artwork depicting Supes in another fully blue suit, along with what looks like some photos from a costume fitting. The internet is divided when it comes to this take, with some saying it looks much better and others arguing that it's a major step backwards.
"One of the biggest questions was, 'Were we gonna have trunks, or were we gonna not have trunks?'" Gunn said last month. "I talked to Zack Snyder, who was like, 'I tried a billion different versions with the trunks, and at the end of the day, I tried it, but I just couldn’t get there.' And I was feeling exactly the same way. Theoretically, I liked the idea of trunks because it’s the Superman I grew up with."
The Superman writer and director previously credited star David Corenswet with changing his mind.
"We were trying on all these different versions, and we screened tested with trunks and no trunks. And one of the things David said is that Superman wants kids to not be afraid of him," Gunn explained. "He’s an alien. He’s got these incredible powers. He shoots beams out of his eyes. He’s incredibly powerful and could be considered scary."
He added, "He wants people to like him. He wants to be a symbol of hope and positivity. So he dresses like a professional wrestler. He dresses in a way that makes people unafraid of him, that shows that hope and shows that positivity. And that really clicked in for me."
You can see what might have been in Superman in the Instagram gallery below.
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures.
In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
"Superman is an indescribable joy," we said in our review. "A beautiful, moving thrill, David Corenswet is the perfect Man of Steel in a movie packed full of ideas. Fortunately, under James Gunn’s expert direction, all of those work, creating a rousing experience that flies higher than DC has in a very long time."
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Also appearing are Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, and Milly Alcock.
Superman is now playing in theaters.