Superman - The Man of Tomorrow: The Hope of Today
What people get wrong about Superman and why he should be as important as ever
The Man of Tomorrow
The character of Superman has been around for nearly 100 years, first appearing way back in 1938. And since he has become one of the most iconic characters and figures in the world. He is truly a household name, everyone knows Superman. But not everyone KNOWS Superman. And that statement includes the company that owns his movie rights, Warner Brothers. The last solo Superman film came to us 12 years ago and regardless of what you think, the clearest statement you could make is that it was divisive. Before that it was almost 12 years beforehand in 2006 with Superman Returns that was a prequel/continuation/reboot of the original Superman movies. Essentially what I’m saying is the last time a solo Superman film hit the screens and was universally loved may have been 50 years ago with Superman: The Movie. That’s ridiculous. And in this time of trials and tribulations, I think a lot of people have forgotten what Superman stands for. He’s become far too misconstrued with even Warner Brothers refusing to make a movie for years because they claimed that he is “unrelatable”. Over the last 5 years I have digested hours and hours of Superman content from films to shows to animated films and most importantly the comics. All of that has helped raise my love and appreciation for this character and has made me want to express it in a piece highlighting my favourite projects and why this character, in 2025, should mean just as much as he ever did.
Superman: The Movie
The one that started it all. Not just the portrayal of Superman on the big screen but of all the superhero movies we have received over the last 25 years. And a movie that has withstood the test of time. To this day, nearly 50 years later, it is still the best portrayal we have ever seen of the Man of Tomorrow up on the big screen. I have my dad to thank for showing me these films when I was younger and putting me on this path of loving Superman. Christopher Reeve is still the blueprint, the standard bearer for which nobody else has quite lived up to (except for the man I will be speaking on later). And there’s a reason for that, Reeve played not only Superman but Clark Kent with care. Because the truth is that yes they are technically the same character but they very much are different people in their universe. Some have been fantastic Supermen, some have been fantastic Clark Kent’s. The tricky part is naturally playing both sides of the character so well and that is what Reeve did decades before anyone realized how difficult it truly is.
Maybe it was a sign of the times, where cynicism wasn’t the cool thing to do, but there is such sincerity and whimsy in this movie. There is a light hearted nature while not being a film that makes itself the butt of the joke. It takes itself seriously but at the same time it knows that it is a film about an otherworldly alien that wears bright blue and red tights. And maybe that’s something we have lost over the decades. Too much we’ve seen this iconic character be taken too seriously. Superman isn’t a character that refuses to smile or goes for the cocky machismo character type. He’s a character that understands children everywhere look up to him, that he is a beacon of hope and a sign of a better tomorrow and that is what this movie nailed.
The movie came out when my dad was 5 years old. He wasn’t the ‘nerd’ type (despite being obsessed with this movie, Batman and the Star Wars prequels…) and yet that movie meant so much to him and he held it so near and dear to his heart that he showed it to me when I was growing up. The beauty of art is showing the things that have made such an impact to you, to your loved ones. To some it may sound corny to be speaking about a Superman film like that but it isn’t to me. Long-lasting art can be found in all areas and very simply put, it goes to show the level of care this film was made with.
All-Star Superman
At the risk of sounding cliche, All Star Superman is the piece of media that reminded me what a beacon of hope Superman can be when he is handled the right way. Everyone that has heard or read of this comic run knows about the infamous roof scene. That scene alone has spread like wildfire from people trying to spread the word of what Superman means to people and rightfully so. But the truth is that that one scene is such a small part in the entire run that exemplifies that to the fullest. If you wanted to show someone the true spirit of Superman you would show them those panels, that scene but if you wanted Superman to forever play a part in their mind - you would show them the entire story. It is Superman at its finest and I don’t say it lightly that without it, my appreciation for this character would not nearly be at the level it is today.
Superman & Lois
The project that defied all odds. Say what you will about the CW, but by the time this show aired in 2021, people had already made up their minds about the network and particularly their adaptations of DC property. The Flash was already 7 seasons in, Arrow had wrapped its 8 season run, Supergirl and other shows were approaching their final season. Nobody expected a low budget show about Superman to end up being one of the best adaptations of the character ever - and yet that’s exactly what it became.
From the very beginning this show and their writers proved that they weren’t just making a Superman show because they were tasked to but because they wanted to. Time and time again throughout its 4 seasons the team proved that they not only understood but truly cared for the character and his surroundings. If you want to know what makes this show so special, you don’t have to look further than the title. They made it clear that this isn’t just about Superman, but it’s about his family and those that he loves. This is as much a story about Superman as it is just about family and love. And that’s why it rises above every expectation set for it.
And as for the man behind the titular character, when I first heard about this show and saw Tyler Hoechlin - I didn’t take it seriously. How could this guy, who’s not bulking out of his head, play a character like Superman. But through the last few years of me personally consuming much more Superman media than I ever had, and this show, the brilliance of Hoechlin and his portrayal came through. Hoechlin played this character with such sincerity and generosity. He became Clark Kent, the father, the husband, the loyal friend. Everything that makes Superman, Superman - Hoechlin exemplified on the screen. And that is exactly why, as a person who had been holding true to Christopher Reeve being the greatest Superman ever, when those credits rolled on the final episode of this series, I finally let myself admit that no, the best Superman ever is Tyler Hoechlin.
Superman (2025)
The start of the new DCU marked the end of Superman & Lois which was a very bitter sweet silver lining but it has only filled me with hope. James Gunn has yet to falter on a comic book project that he has helmed and I believe the biggest reason for that is he comes from a place of true love and appreciation for comic books. He’s not a director for hire, he truly loves these characters and landscapes. And that appears to be the leading cause in this movie. From the casting (David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan are both perfect for their roles) to James Gunn saying that projects like Superman the Movie and All-Star Superman would be serving as inspirations for the script - I have very high hopes that I fully believe will be delivered on.
The Hope of Today
Now back around to Warner Brothers’ claim that Superman is not relatable enough anymore. I simply don’t think he could be any more relatable or any more needed than in today’s current climate. Superman lives by the motto “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow” that’s what pushes him everyday to do what he does, to save people, even some that despise what he stands for. He strives to leave this foreign world that he landed on a better place than he found it. And isn’t that what we all should strive for?
Yes, maybe we don’t relate to coming from outer space, maybe we don’t relate to having super powers or being the most indestructible man in the world. But we all should relate to that motto. We should relate to fighting for what we believe is right and for being a great human to our neighbours and for lending a hand whenever we can. Sadly some of us intrinsically don’t relate to that. And sadly some of those people are in positions of power. But just like when Superman is down and out in a fight, we should never let that light inside of us dim. That is when the bad guys win.
It’s not like the stories told through this character come from an otherworldly place, every story ever told through Superman comes from us. It’s all a reflection on our society and our world. Isn’t that what stories are for anyways? To learn? To do better? Maybe I’m being too hopeful or corny, but I truly believe we could all learn something about ourselves if we just turned to the Man of Tomorrow a little more.