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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Best Netflix Movies Best movies on Disney Plus Movie Release Dates Best Netflix Shows Recommended reading Superman first reactions are praising David Corenswet's performance and comparing James Gunn's new DC movie to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Early Superman reactions have leaked online and fans are calling James Gunn’s first DC movie "unique" and "damn beautiful" Superhero Movies Warner Bros. has seen an early cut of Superman and James Gunn has "really understood the assignment" Superhero Movies James Gunn's Superman looks like a comics-accurate take on the Man of Steel at last – but will it be enough to revive DC at the box office? Clark Kent and Lois Lane are at odds in new Superman trailer that features tons of city-shaking action and some super cameos James Gunn shares the most important Superman review yet - from the grandchildren of comic creator Jerry Siegel "This is the Superman movie we've been waiting to see" Entertainment Action Movies Superman debuts to strong Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics calling James Gunn's new DC movie "charming," "playful," and "a breath of fresh air" Emily Garbutt 9 July 2025 Critics are largely positive on James Gunn's Superman When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Warner Bros.) The first reviews are in for Superman, and the new DC movie has debuted to a strong Rotten Tomatoes score. The first theatrical outing in James Gunn's DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters currently has a critics' score of 86% on the review aggregator site, based on 151 reviews. Despite a smattering of negative reviews and a general consensus that the movie is a little overstuffed when it comes to plot, the DCU's big-screen fare seems to be off to a good start. Our own Superman review gave the movie four stars, and calls the film "a spectacular reinvention" of the Man of Steel and a "real crowdpleaser," even if there are "too many supporting characters that barely register." You may like Superman first reactions are praising David Corenswet's performance and comparing James Gunn's new DC movie to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Early Superman reactions have leaked online and fans are calling James Gunn’s first DC movie "unique" and "damn beautiful" Screen Daily's review is in agreement, saying "Although overstuffed and uneven, at its best Gunn’s Superman combines the most admirable attributes of both character and director, resulting in an ambitious, occasionally stirring film that is weirder, nervier and more thoughtful than most blockbusters." "Gunn’s screenplay can certainly be faulted for piling on too many elements," echoes The Hollywood Reporter. "But what matters most is that the movie is fun, pacy and enjoyable, a breath of fresh air sweetened by a deep affection for the material." "By all of these measures, Gunn’s charming take on the Superman myth succeeds — it even won over a particular superhero-weary critic," writes the New York Times, while ScreenCrush calls the movie "a super-breath of fresh air – for DC Comics and for superhero movies in general." "Superman hasn’t had this much charm and personality since Christopher Reeve made you believe a man could fly," reads the Boston Globe's review. "And while David Corenswet won’t replace the memories of Reeve, he’s certainly the best Superman since the late actor hung up his cape and tights." Not everyone was so positive, though. "It’s hard to make a comic book come to life at the same time as you’re trying to bring life into a comic book," writes IndieWire. "But it’s even harder to care if a man can fly when there isn’t any gravity to the world around him." The Times, meanwhile, thinks "Gunn approaches the nerdosphere’s most celebrated property like a giddy amnesiac who has missed the precipitous rise and fall of multi-character Marvel superhero movies and is instead stuck somewhere in the early 2010s." Superman stars David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, opposite Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Set in a world where humans and superheroes exist side-by-side, Kal-El must reconcile his life on Earth with his Kryptonian heritage after he learns something unsettling about his past. Superman arrives in theaters on July 11. While we wait, check out our guide to the other upcoming DC movies and shows, or get up to speed with our guide to watching the DC movies in order. See more Movies News Emily Garbutt Social Links Navigation Entertainment Writer I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Superman first reactions are praising David Corenswet's performance and comparing James Gunn's new DC movie to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Early Superman reactions have leaked online and fans are calling James Gunn’s first DC movie "unique" and "damn beautiful" Warner Bros. has seen an early cut of Superman and James Gunn has "really understood the assignment" James Gunn's Superman looks like a comics-accurate take on the Man of Steel at last – but will it be enough to revive DC at the box office? Clark Kent and Lois Lane are at odds in new Superman trailer that features tons of city-shaking action and some super cameos Latest in DC Movies James Gunn says he turned down directing Superman in 2018 because it would've been "politically messy" in the old DC universe Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" When is Superman on streaming? Speculation on the potential HBO Max release date Superman star David Corenswet shares heartwarming message ahead of premiere, proving why fans think he "was born for this role" Superman first reactions are praising David Corenswet's performance and comparing James Gunn's new DC movie to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy A Superman soundtrack Easter egg have DC fans convinced a crossover with Robert Pattinson's Batman is on the way Latest in News Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya says if Dragon's Dogma's director didn't take over his hack-and-slash series, "there would have been no Bayonetta" James Gunn says he turned down directing Superman in 2018 because it would've been "politically messy" in the old DC universe Final Fantasy 14 devs "struggling to find a balance between referencing past Final Fantasy games and introducing new content," but a new Gundam anime may be just the inspiration Yoshi-P needs Dune: Awakening devs are "incredibly sorry" about exploits and the patch that caused "an unfortunate amount of lost bases and equipment," promising to "reimburse" items Helldivers 2 new Major Order kickstarts the effort to rebuild Super Earth's fallen Mega Cities following the Illuminate invasion, to bring the planet back to its "rightful state of glory" Former Xbox boss says Microsoft was "disadvantaged" before the Xbox 360 era where it was able to "flex its muscles" in third-party gaming: "Having developers feel good, make money on your platform was key" GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy" Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse" Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic" Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat" FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special" Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber" M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion" 28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy” Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation" Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever" Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date" Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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