The beacon of hope finally has hope. Superman is slatted to have a new movie come this summer. For a character so iconic as Superman, seeing him on the big screen is always exciting. Any story in fact that has him is exciting. Given that Superman has the powers that could defeat some of DC’s bigger powerhouses but still warm enough to throw a football around with neighborhood kids, he is a perfect recipe to create a role model in a superhero light. That is the Superman that is coming in the summer. Since Superman is receiving a refreshed coating that calls back a classic time, there is hope that Superman will succeed. There is some excitement for the movie and for the character. Fans have been given just snippets of the new movie, but so far, its enough for plenty of fans to look forward to that. Fans of Superman and DC have something to anticipate and enjoy. That could lead right into a huge success. Since, there is a lot riding on the success of Superman, what will it mean if the movie is successful?
One of the biggest benefactors if Superman succeeds will be none other than Superman. Over the last several years, he has taken a back seat to Batman. Plenty of events have centered around Batman while Superman has been just in the motion. Very little stories have centered around Superman. Despite having a longer reach than Batman, Superman has been sidelined, even though he has a universal reach, much longer reach than Batman. What hasn’t helped either is that Superman seemed to be a character that was difficult to explore. Many thought his boy scout demeanor couldn’t stack up against Batman’s brooding, Spider-Man’s jokes, and Ironman’s quips. So, writers turned Superman a bit cruel. Made him a villain. Or made him a bit bullish. It was a formula that many used. For a while it did give the character a bit of a spark but it couldn’t provide the long-term heat. It was a style that faded quickly. Once it drew closer to the end, many wanted Superman to go back to his boy scout roots. James Gunn is doing that with Superman! If Superman does perform to expectation, the character will have a rejuvenated chapter in his history. People will appreciate Superman even more. Bring people back to his side. It’ll show that a person like Superman – hopeful, optimistic, inspiring, friendly – could work! Give him a boost to step out of Batman’s shadows since Batman seems to be everywhere. Instead of being below his level, give him that much needed help to put him side by side to Batman in the eyes of the public. It’ll bring trust back to Superman. Success could show that Superman has depth to his character that different fans could attach to. Could probably draw in support from audiences that may have sided with Batman given the frequency of Batman. Even though Superman is perhaps the godfather of all superheroes, he has fallen in popularity against, Ironman, Antman, Black Panter, Thor and Batman. Success gets him back in the middle of that conversation.
If this does well, it will give DC, as a brand, a big boost as well. Over the last several years, DC has had a hard time to find success after success. It has been difficult for DC to have a continuous success. If Superman performs well, it gives some cautious optimism that DC could finally have a flow of success. It starts with Superman. DC wanted to establish a shared cinematic universe before. Green Lantern and Man of Steel were the foundations of both attempts. However, both films were shaky, commercially and critically. Green Lantern was not strong enough to continue anything. Man of Steel was able to garner enough momentum but the film was a soft foundation which supported a franchise that reflected that quality. If Superman were to pass expectations, that could create just a bit of trust that the upcoming universe will reflect the quality of the film. More than that, it’ll bring more trust and anticipation for DC. Therefore, DC could enter some positive territory that the brand has seldomly walked into. Superman could bring in interest, approval, anticipation and hope. Superman sets the tone, since it is the first film in the universe, and the motto is start with your best foot forward. The success of the film will carry the tone.
This will also flow to other characters. This type of success has been seen with Marvel. Many absurd characters have received the limelight and have gained household name notoriety. That is due to the success and approval from previous projects. That success came from Iron Man. DC could see this happen and it might happen sooner than later. Superman has a few characters in the film that are bit down the barrel in DC’s roster. They could see the limelight themselves and perhaps get some interest among audiences. Peacemaker has already received this type of success. A successful Superman movie could open the doors for many characters that are bit down the barrel or characters that are one scene away from jumping onto the big stage. If Superman is successful, audiences will want more DC. In order to fill out that demand, characters will have to be at the center of stories obviously. Superman is the beacon of hope but also the rallying point for many in his universe.
There is hope for DC. Poetically, it lies in the hands of Superman. Superman does have the qualifications to successfully launch an expansive universe. Given that James Gunn has a great track record with the Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, it gives lots of anticipation for Superman. And since Superman is going back to a more hopeful tone, there’s lots to look forward to. Add that up, Superman opens the gate for lots of success.
