The extended preview of James Gunn's Superman that is currently playing in theaters ahead of IMAX screenings of A Minecraft Movie was officially released online during CinemaCon on Thursday, and the response was noticeably mixed.
The teaser begins with a 5-minute clip, showing a badly injured Man of Steel (David Corenswet) crashing into the snow near his Fortress of Solitude. Supes whistles for Krypto, and after causing the hero to call out in pain by overenthusiastically jumping all over him, the super-pooch drags him back to the Fortress.
Once inside, some robots begin to heal Superman by exposing him to the sun's rays, once again eliciting screams of agony.
Gunn's take on the material was always going to come in for criticism from those that prefer Zack Snyder's darker interpretation of the character, but this footage has also received backlash from comic book fans who feel that Superman shouldn't show such vulnerability (despite the fact that the Man of Steel has been left bruised and broken numerous times in the comics). In addition, it seems a lot of people simply can't get on board with the dog!
Here are some examples of the negative responses on social media (via THR):
— “The real Superman doesn’t need a bunch of robots to carry him over to a table to heal…and doesn’t whine like a little b*tch when the sun hits him.”
— “Snyder’s Superman literally took a nuke at point blank range and healed from the sun without feeling any pain from its radiation, which is accurate in the Comics. Gunn’s mediocre interpretation is screaming in agony.”
— “James Gunn gets it, they said. He won’t make it a stupid comedy, they said. They said he understood the assignment. That was the worst Superman clip I have ever seen. It’s an utter joke and it’s all about Krypto.”
And the positive:
— “How in the name of hell can anyone not like this preview? I’m convinced some people just like to rage hate. This looks so ‘Superman’ it’s insane.”
— “By far, far and away, the best part of this trailer is that there is ZERO cynicism, zero moral grayness, zero self loathing, zero sense that Superman is a ‘vigilante.’ It’s a romantic, idealistic, innocent vision which is pure awesome.”
— “Love the design of Fortress of Solitude and the giant double doors with the House of El symbol that lights up. We have Krypto, Kelex and the other service robots. This is very silver age and all star superman and I f*ckin’ love it!”
— “The dog being a rambunctious little sh*t jumping all over you at the worst possible time is incredibly relatable. Also, good lord, everything about the Fortress looks great. This movie is Superman as f*ck.”
How do you feel about this latest look at Gunn's Superman? Have another look at the clip below, and let us know in the comments section.
Superman also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Isabel Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
Sara Sampaio is on board as Lex's assistant/lover Eve Teschmacher, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell will play "Ma" and "Pa" Kent, and Milly Alcock's Supergirl has been confirmed to make her debut ahead of her own Woman of Tomorrow movie.
"And that’s a wrap," Gunn posted earlier this year when filming concluded. "God bless our cast and crew whose commitment, creativity, and hard work have brought this project to life. I set out to make a movie about a good man in a world that isn’t always so much. And the goodness and kindness and love I’ve encountered on a daily basis on the set has inspired me and thrust me forward when I felt too spent to move on my own.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It has been an honor. The destination has been Superman, but the journey has been the toil and the laughter and the emotions and ideas and magic we’ve shared together on set - and for that I am forever grateful."
You can check out an updated synopsis for the movie below.
"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."