Superman 2025 Removes Most Controversial Trailer Moment From Final Movie

Superman director/writer James Gunn addressed a highly controversial moment from the film's trailer, which he confirmed was removed from the movie. As DC Studios' first theatrical movie goes through its final tweaks and adjustments before its release, fans are already waiting to find out how footage seen in trailers and marketing will fit into the film from a contextual perspective.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shared that a controversial scene featuring Superman flying in Superman has been cut from the film. Although trailers occasionally show footage from movies that are not fully completed with regard to CGI or lighting, those are not the only reasons material like that is cut. Sometimes, cuts just happen before a film's eventual debut, which seems to be the case here.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, the outlet addressed fans' feelings that David Corenswet flying was superimposed over the scene by using CGI. Gunn confirmed that this was made for "a TV commercial" and "wasn't a finished visual effects shot," which was created by combining footage from a photograph and a drone. Gunn even admitted that he "didn't love the shot," which was then cut from the movie:

"No, I don't think it was so much. It was a TV commercial and it wasn't a finished visual effects shot. So the part of him flying, it was a photograph of his face and him flying. It was a photograph of a drone flying in front of an actual background. So all the pieces were real, but it was incorporated in kind of a funky way. I didn't love the shot, so it's not even the shot that's in the movie. Sometimes I'm pretty strict about when I'm going through a trailer and looking at each of the shots, but sometimes the commercials, I forget to look at this closely. So that one kind of got by me."

While fans have seen plenty of exciting footage of Superman flying in trailers and marketing, this scene garnered heavy criticism when it showed up in a TV spot released in late January. Many commented on the lackluster CGI work and the fishbowl-style lens use, making the footage look underwhelming for Corenswet's Man of Steel.

Under Gunn's direction and Corenswet's casting as Clark Kent, Superman will be the first theatrical release in the new DC Universe. Also starring Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor) and Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), this film will show Superman in his early years as a hero in Metropolis, facing a horde of villains threatening the world's safety. Superman will soar into theaters on Friday, July 11.

Will Other Superman Trailer Footage Be Removed From Final Cut?

Studios not using trailer footage in the final cuts of movies is nothing to necessarily worry about, as this strategy has been in use for years. Most recently, fans saw Marvel Studios do the same thing, editing trailers for Thunderbolts* to hide spoilers from the movie (which Marvel has done during the MCU's entire run).

In terms of Superman's use of this shot, this shows Gunn's attention to detail and meticulousness in making sure fans are getting the best product possible for the first entry in the universe he now oversees. While this may not be the only moment removed from the final cut of the film, there is still plenty left to do in making sure Superman has the best chance to perform well in theaters.

Once Superman comes to theaters, conversations are sure to heat up about how it compares to past DC outings. James Gunn has already teased some of what to expect in terms of differences, which will only add to the talking points fans are already ideating during the film's marketing campaign.

With more trailers likely to show off even more new footage from the film in the coming weeks, only time will tell what stays in the final cut and what gets left on the cutting room floor.