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The defining characteristic of Superman is that he’s… well, super. Super fast. Super strong. Super tough. Which is part of what makes him a fun character but also what makes him difficult to write – especially when you’re trying to slot him into a whole universe of characters and not have him make everyone else obsolete. So, DC Studios and James Gunn had a novel idea – make him a little less super and a little more beatable.

We’ll ignore those of you braying that Superman wasn’t always indestructible (he couldn’t always fly or shoot heat vision, for that matter) but the idea of a Superman who can be beat might be a new concept to modern audiences. Outside of the use of kryptonite, he is usually shown as being nigh-indestructible. How do you create an interesting narrative around that?

“But I wanted Superman to be vulnerable,” Gunn explained. “I didn’t want a Superman who could punch planets. And also, we’re creating a whole universe now, so what’s a girl with wings gonna do in the face of that?”

So he toned down the invulnerability and made everyone else a little more powerful. “So he’s a little less powerful,” Gunn said. “Guy Gardner’s pretty fucking powerful. They’re all pretty powerful. Honestly, in talking to people, a lot of people are like, ‘I like Batman better because he can actually be beat,’ and I get that. So we have a Superman who can be beat.”

That “Superman who can be beat” is the foundation of the upcoming DCU that James Gunn and the newly minted DC Studios are creating. He soars into cinemas on July 11, 2025.

James Gunn's Superman movie is out now - and we have a lot to say about it. You can also read about Superman's S-Shield through the ages, how Superman and Clark Kent keep their secret identity secret, our recs for best Superman comics, and how to watch all his TV series and movies in order.