Summary

James Gunn chose to include Superman's red trunks in the reboot after hearing David Corenswet's thoughts about it.
Originally hesitant due to aesthetic concerns, Gunn was convinced by Corenswet's idea of the trunks symbolizing Superman's approachability.
The decision to keep the red trunks adds a classic and comic-accurate touch to Superman's appearance.

James Gunn's Superman, starring David Corenswet, is due in a few weeks. In a recent interview, the filmmaker explained why they eventually decided to use the superhero's red trunks despite initial hesitations.

Superman is a reboot of the film series and the first movie in the DC Universe (DCU) produced by DC Studios. Before Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios' leadership, Henry Cavill was set to reprise his Man of Steel role for another film. However, Safran and Gunn decided to give the franchise a restart with a younger lead, so they cast Corenswet. Zach Snyder skipped the red trunks for Cavill's Superman, but Gunn decided to have the new lead wear the classic costume and he explained why.

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By Catherine Armecin Martin

Gunn and Corenswet recently sat down for an interview with Fandango. During the chat, they recounted what made them include Superman's red trunks because Gunn nearly ditched them. The Guardians of the Galaxy director shared how he reached out to Snyder about the matter and had Corenswet try a costume with and without trunks, and Gunn was close to deciding they should go for the costume without trunks. "You wanted trunks, in theory. You liked the idea of trunks," Corenswet said during the chat. Gunn agreed and said, "theoretically," he liked a Superman with red trunks because that's the superhero's appearance to him growing up. Corenswet acknowledged that the classic red trunks "look kinda silly," but believed it was for a purpose. The actor said it was probably designed that way to "undermine how powerful he really is." Corenswet's idea resonated with Gunn and that convinced him to keep it. Gunn explained:

In this version of the DCU, everyone knows he's an alien. He shoots beams out of his eyes. He can blow things down with his breath. He's sort of this terrifying creature. But he really liked kids and human beings and people. He wants kids not to be afraid of him. And that was the thing that made me decide to keep the trunks.

In a separate interview with Screen Brief in December 2024, Gunn said when they were working on the costume, they "went back and forth a lot about the red trunks." He felt they had exhausted all their options, but the red trunks really looked out of place. So he contacted Snyder, who admitted to experiencing the same predicament. Snyder told Gunn they "tried like a billion versions with the trunks and just never got there." However, when he asked Corenswet about the costume, the latter had no qualms about wearing it. Instead, Corenswet told the director that it was probably designed that way, so kids would not be afraid of him and that conversation changed how Gunn sees the character and his red trunks.

Aesthetically, Superman's red trunks seem out of place, and that's the reason Gunn was hesitant about it. Even Snyder decided to ditch it after trying countless versions and not achieving the look he wanted to accomplish. Keeping it is essential because it's part of Superman's iconic look. The red trunks break up the blue bodysuit and create a strong color contrast, making the design feel more grounded in comics and animation. Unfortunately, it wasn't as pleasing to see in a live-action movie. However, Corenswet's take on the trunks makes sense because the superhero isn't gritty or brooding but bold and idealistic, and it's the vibe the color red gives out. A classic and comic-accurate portrayal of Superman will certainly include it. However, a modern cinematic version could leave it without losing the character. Regardless, the audience will surely focus more on how compelling the story is, not on Superman's costume and whether he is wearing red trunks.

Superman will hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

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