WARNING: This article includes SPOILERS from the Superman movie.One of the many actors to have played Superman in live-action has weighed in about the DC Universe commentary surrounding James Gunn’s new take on the DC icon. Following the Superman movie ending, Krypton’s last son has an open future in the world of the DCU, with David Corenswet now playing one of the franchise’s most legendary superheroes.
A big topic of discussion for Superman has been how Corenswet’s Clark Kent is depicted, both in terms of whether the hero can be deemed “weak”, and in terms of how his morals are displayed. This has led to a range of takes on things like Superman’s power levels, or the moments in the Superman movie where Clark saves animals.
During an exclusive interview for Brandon Routh and Joseph Kahn’s movie, Ick, ScreenRant’s own Grant Hermanns asked the former Superman star about his thoguhts on the commentary that has emerged with Gunn’s film. Routh, who played the Man of Steel in 2006’s Superman Returns, shared the following:
ScreenRant: I see I’ve got enough time for one more question, so Brandon, I’ll come to you. I loved the review you gave of Superman, that was such a beautiful one. I, myself, was very similar in how emotionally connected I was to the film. Now, one thing I’m curious about, though, is that in all the responses I’ve seen to the film, I’ve seen people now even complaining about the squirrel scene, and as someone who was sort of an extension of Christopher Reeve’s Superman, much like David Corenswet, in that you both are just pure do-gooders, what is it like for you to see people complaining over a scene like that, which is something so pure for Superman?
Brandon Routh: Well, listen, there are a lot of voices. There are a lot of different versions of Superman that people like to see, and you can’t please everybody all the time. I know that. And, as an actor, you have charge over a certain amount of things. So, first of all, he played the moment as truthfully and as Superman and heroically as he could. He did in the context of what he was supposed to do, the performance that was Superman.
So, it’s hard to take yourself out of that, even knowing that you did a good job. But at the end of the day, there are a lot of things that everyone can pick out of the movie, anybody could pick anything out of a movie. I think the overall idea is, what I’m coming to in this roundabout way, is that for me, it’s the energy of the story, it’s the energy that I felt. Experiencing it, and leaving the theater that I received from the way Superman was looking at the world, and how he spoke to people, and the kindness and the gentleness. Yes, maybe he wasn’t as powerful, and he was more affected by Kryptonite, than other times. That’s the story.
As a viewer, you just have to take, “This is the story I’m experiencing. This is this version of Superman.” There are other versions of Superman, they still exist. We’re still here! We’re watching. This is the one highlighted right now, and it’s wonderful, and that is a celebration too.
Routh’s Superman review saw the actor state the movie brought him to tears more than once, and while his own tenure playing the hero was short, he did end up getting to play him one more time following Superman Returns. During Arrowverse’s crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Routh reprised his iteration of Superman from Earth-96 in several episodes.
When it comes to Superman’s portrayals in media, there have been so many different iterations of the DC superhero, and each generation of fans is going to respond differently to what they see on screen. But as Routh says himself, if one version of Superman doesn’t resonate with some audience members, there are always other takes for them to enjoy.
In the end, any movie or show will always generate various responses, and while there has been a huge positive reception for Superman, others may prefer previous versions of Superman. Whether it be the DCEU, Arrowverse, or the Christopher Reeve franchise, each Superman that has been brought to life in live-action has been allowed to have its own unique take.
Hearing Routh’s comments and overall support for Corenswet’s Superman just goes to show how supportive he has always been of the DC superhero. It’s also key to take into account that Corenswet’s Superman is still a hero in progress, as the DCU is bound to see him grow over time.
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Following Corenswet’s last moments in the Superman post-credits scenes, it’s unclear when fans will see him again in the DCU. But hopefully, given the commercial and critical success behind Superman, Corenswet will be back in the suit sooner rather than later.
Ick opens in theaters on July 24.
Superman
9/10
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Producers
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Peter Safran
