Summary

• David Corenswet's Superman suit borrows from the New 52 era of DC Comics.
• The New 52 suit was explained to be Kryptonian battle armor, offering some hints about the DCU version of Superman.
• The New 52 era faced backlash for changing beloved characters and weak storylines.

With a little over a year left until the film's release, James Gunn and DC Studios have revealed the first look at David Corenswet's Man of Steel in Superman. Originally titled Superman: Legacy, the 2025 film will mark the official launch of Gunn's new DC Universe, which replaces the heavily controversial DCEU that attempted to compete with the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade. With the launch of a new franchise, there are plenty of exciting new avenues for the DCU to explore, especially with its new and bright-eyed Superman. While audiences still don't know very much about Corenswet's take on DC Comics' most iconic superhero, Gunn may have just revealed more than meets the eye.

The new Superman suit doesn't have a direct parallel in DC Comics, borrowing from various different eras of the character, including his classic look and an insignia reminiscent of the "Kingdom Come" storyline. However, one of the clear inspirations for Corenswet's Superman look is a surprising one, particularly because of the controversy that it caused in the DC fandom. As unpopular as the relaunch was with fans, it would seem that the New 52 era of Superman played a heavy role in the design of the DCU Superman, dropping some hints about what audiences should expect from the movie when it finally hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

David Corenswet's Superman Suit Borrows From The New 52

Superman (2025) Cast & Characters
Character Name	Actor
Clark Kent/Superman	David Corenswet
Lois Lane	Rachel Brosnahan
Lex Luthor	Nicholas Hoult
Hawkgirl	Isabela Merced
Mister Terrific	Edi Gathegi
Guy Gardner/Green Lantern	Nathan Fillion
Jimmy Olsen	Skyler Gisondo
Perry White	Wendell Pierce
Jonathan Kent	Pruitt Taylor Vince
Martha Kent	Neva Howell
Eve Teschmacher	Sara Sampaio
Angela Spica/The Engineer	Maria Gabriela de Faria
Rex Mason/Metamorpho	Anthony Carrigan
Maxwell Lord	Sean Gunn

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The newly-revealed look of David Corenswet's Superman depicts Clark Kent changing into his superhero suit as an alien threat sets upon Metropolis through the window behind him. The noble hero finishes putting on his red boots, completing the iconic look. In the first image of David Corenswet's Superman in all his glory, it seems that the DCU version of the character will be borrowing from the New 52 version of the character, at least when it comes to design.

This is especially true of the design near the neck of Corenswet's Superman suit, which includes a blue collar and a similar anchor point for his bright red cape. Though there are some differences, the new Superman suit also includes a similar paneling design in its body, harkening back to the interesting design change that originated with the character's rebooted look in the New 52. While there are likely many inspirations for the design of Corenswet's Superman, it appears that the New 52 rendition of the character is the most prominent.

The Origin Of Superman's Suit In DC's New 52

The New 52 saw many design changes in iconic characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the other members of the Justice League. For this particular era of DC Comics, Superman's new suit had an entirely different origin than in previous iterations. This version of the suit was explained to be Kryptonian battle armor, as opposed to the handmade suit that Superman typically wore in the Golden Age. This suit was specifically designed to detect Kryptonian DNA, making it especially useful for those of pureblooded descent from the endangered alien peoples.

Like most costume changes in the superhero realm, Superman's battle armor suit was hated by some and loved by others. Nevertheless, it inarguably provided the hero with numerous advantages in combat, including extra protection against superpowered enemies. While some argued that it was overdesigned, Superman's New 52 suit was far less exaggerated than other comic book makeovers that have occurred over the years, thereby making it a mostly inoffensive costume change. The suit also connected Superman to his Kryptonian heritage in a way that is all too often lost in certain adaptations of the character, always reminding him where he came from and what he had to fight to protect.

Why Didn't DC Fans Like The New 52?

Upcoming DCU Projects
Name	Project Type
Superman	Movie
The Authority	Movie
The Brave and the Bold	Movie
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow	Movie
Swamp Thing	Movie
Creature Commandos	Series
Peacemaker Season 2	Series
Waller	Series
Lanterns	Series
Paradise Lost	Series
Booster Gold	Series

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DC's New 52 was heavily controversial, still angering many fans to this day. The era marked a complete reboot of DC's continuity following the multiverse-shattering events of Flashpoint. The initiative came from a desire to bring in new readers without forcing them to catch up on decades' worth of comics. Instead, the storylines of most major characters were rebooted, with new and updated origin stories taking the place of the old. This alone angered fans who had been loyal to the brand from the beginning and were now being told that their favorite stories were no longer canon. However, this wasn't the only problem with the New 52 continuity.

Not only were many old beloved stories from the DC universe no longer canon following Flashpoint, but the New 52 also lacked a cohesive canon of its own. In most cases, fans were left to figure things out for themselves when it came to characters' histories, which can be frustrating over an extended period of time. Moreover, characters like the Flash, Batgirl, Cyborg, and the Martian Manhunter were all changed in ways that didn't sit right with longtime DC fans, turning many away from the franchise altogether. Worst of all, the writing of the New 52 stories in the 2010s was especially disappointing, with weak plots and questionable storylines, including Superman and Wonder Woman's controversial romance, weakening the entire initiative. Ultimately, the New 52 was walked back in 2016 with DC's Rebirth reset.

What Does Superman's New Suit Tell Us About The DCU?

Even with this fresh look at the DCU's Superman, audiences still know very little about the new version of the Man of Steel. However, the new design for Superman's suit could offer some hints about Corenswet's character. For instance, the focus on the New 52 era of the character could indicate a more optimistic hero, in contrast to Henry Cavill's version of Superman in the DCEU, which was mostly inspired by darker stories like "The Death of Superman." Given James Gunn's history in the superhero genre, primarily the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, it is fair to say that his version of Superman would be lighter in tone than that of the DCEU.

Moreover, the use of the Kryptonian battle armor from the New 52 could indicate a stronger influence of Kal-El's alien heritage. The film was originally titled Superman: Legacy and is reported to explore Superman's relationship with his two fathers, Jonathan Kent at Jor-El. The Kryptonian suit could represent Kal-El's connection with Jor-El, allowing him to carry on his birth father's legacy despite the destruction of Krypton. This would tie in nicely with the film's tone, while maintaining a connection between Superman and his homeworld.

The first look at David Corenswet's Superman is certainly exciting for DC fans as they eagerly await his debut in his 2025 solo film. While it may borrow from one of Superman's most controversial eras, the DCU promises a bright future for fans of the Man of Steel.