Fans Roast “Superman” Promo Footage, But James Gunn Stands His Ground
James Gunn has a message for Superman fans: those googly-eyed memes? Not CGI. The Superman director found himself defending a new promo clip from the upcoming film after fans mocked it online, calling lead actor David Corenswet’s face “goofy” and weirdly distorted.
The 30-second clip, which James shared on X, shows Superman flying over a frozen landscape. Instead of awe, fans were distracted by the way Corenswet’s face looked — some claimed his eyes were too big and too far apart. “There’s something with his face that looks a little off,” one fan wrote.
James quickly set the record straight. “There is absolutely zero CG in his face,” he replied, adding, “People’s faces can look different when you put a wide angle lens up close.” He explained that the background was filmed in Norway, and everything about Corenswet’s appearance was real.
Despite James’ explanation, the internet had already turned the moment into a meme fest. Fans edited Superman’s face onto everything from Steve Buscemi’s Mr. Deeds character to Mr. Bean and Marty Feldman’s Igor from Young Frankenstein. Others, still loyal to Henry Cavill’s version of Superman, shared side-by-side comparisons and called Corenswet a “downgrade.” One fan even begged, “Please fix his eyes. There’s still time to edit.”
While the face debate raged on, one unlikely star stole the show: Superman’s dog, Krypto. The film’s first trailer, released in December, introduced the heroic pup, who rescues his injured owner from the snow. “Krypto, home. Take me home,” Superman says weakly, before the tiny dog grabs his cape and pulls him to safety.
For many viewers, Krypto became the main reason to watch the movie. “I’m dead serious when I say Krypto the Dog is the only reason I’m watching Superman,” one fan tweeted. Another demanded, “We need a Krypto solo movie.”
Set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025, the film promises plenty of action beyond the memes. The trailer teases Superman’s double life as reporter Clark Kent, his romance with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and epic battles against villains like Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). DC Universe heroes such as Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) also make appearances.
Unlike past Superman movies, James’ version won’t retell the character’s origin story. Instead, it will focus on Clark Kent in his mid-20s, already balancing his life as a hero and journalist. This film is the first step in Gunn and DC Studios co-chairman Peter Safran’s ambitious reboot of the DC Universe, which will continue with Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in 2026.