Warner Bros. Execs’ Reaction to Superman Early Cut Is Exactly What Fans Want to Hear

Warner Bros. executives Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy have seen an early cut of James Gunn’s Superman, and their reaction will be encouraging for DC fans. During an appearance on the podcast SmartLess, the pair opened up about the new DC Universe franchise and praised the work Gunn did on this summer’s Superman. De Luca expressed enthusiasm for Gunn’s storytelling approach, which he felt proved to be a perfect fit for the property. Not only is the executive excited about Superman, he’s very much looking forward to what Gunn and Peter Safran have planned for the whole shared universe moving forward.

“We’ve seen an early cut of Superman, and I don’t want to bury the lede, there’s a lot of marketing about to roll out ahead of its release, but [Gunn] really understood the assignment,” De Luca said. “His heart’s in the right place, his aim is true, and we’re really excited about their new version of DC.”

The first feature length release for the DC Universe, Superman is scheduled to hit theaters in July. Warner Bros. obviously has a lot riding on it, as its success will determine the future of the DC Universe and could have long-term ramifications on the studio itself. De Luca and Abdy found themselves under fire earlier in the year due to high-profile bombs like Mickey 17. The success of Sinners and A Minecraft Movie has shifted the discourse around them, but Superman remains a vital project for WB.

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The marketing materials for Superman so far have underscored the tone and style Gunn is going for, paying homage to classic cinematic iterations of the character (utilizing the John Williams theme in the trailer) while ushering in a new era for DC on the big screen. While Superman isn’t identical to Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, he seems to be blending humor with heart like he did on his Marvel movies. An extended sneak peek at Superman featured some levity (the robots in the Fortress of Solitude), while other promotional bits have highlighted a poignant, personal story about Clark coming to terms with his dual heritage.

Obviously, De Luca and Abdy aren’t going to say anything bad about Superman months before the film comes out, but it’s still nice to see them take the opportunity to rave about it. After the DC Extended Universe faltered, Superman is under a lot of pressure to perform, as Gunn has ambitious plans for the franchise’s future. Those plans might not get to be realized if Superman doesn’t resonate with audiences, but it shouldn’t come as a shock that Gunn seemed to “understand the assignment.” His track record with comic book adaptations is very strong, as he finds a way to tap into what makes the characters strike a chord while also delivering entertaining action. Superman looks like it could be his most heartfelt superhero film yet.

It’ll be interesting to see how Superman fares in July. That month will be quite busy at the multiplex, as that’s also when Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps debut. Superman will need strong word of mouth to stand out from the crowd, and if it’s as good as De Luca and Abdy claim, that won’t be an issue. With only two months until Superman‘s premiere, there should be a massive marketing push to raise awareness and generate hype. Superman is clearly a lynchpin of WB’s film slate this year, and the studio will pull out all the stops given how excited they are about it.