Manila loves Superman: Filmmakers, stars share fresh takes on classic characters

Even before the guests entered the Music Hall proper, enthusiastic cheers and “SUPERMAN” chants could be heard, only intensifying when they began signing autographs and posing for selfies.

The fact that many had come directly from the early morning’s Bridgetowne event did little to dampen anyone’s excitement, with dozens attending both events in full cosplay regalia, proudly representing Superman characters from across the decades.

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Sports Director and cosplayer Glenmarc Antonio, who arrived as Clark Kent, explained the character’s appeal, stating, “Superman's constant belief in the goodness of humans, no matter how evil some may be, is very inspiring for me, so it’s very significant that Manila kickstarted the Superman tour worldwide, and to be part of this crowd and be able to shake the hands of the celebrities and get their autographs was nothing short of amazing.”

At an exclusive 30-minute IMAX preview immediately after the fan meet, Gunn told the gathered media, “This is a movie about goodness, about hope. There’s so much bitterness, so much anger in the world – this is about a guy that’s different from that.”

Gunn expounded on his approach at the following day’s press conference where, on a set designed to resemble the comics’ Daily Planet, he revealed that he’d never actually set out to direct a Superman film, only taking it on after ten years of producer and DC Studios chief Peter Safran “bugging me for ten years” to do it.

Gunn clarified that his reluctance didn’t stem from a lack of love for Superman, but a desire to do something different from how the character had been traditionally portrayed.

“I started reading Superman comics when I was three, four years old… I saw Superman in a world of superheroes, with friends that were superheroes, and a Daily Planet gang, and a flying dog, and giant monsters in this [other] world that I just became enmeshed in -even before I could read- and falling in love with those images. So I wanted to create that feeling in a film that both children and adults can enjoy, but grounded with real stakes, and real people who have issues and problems and relationships.”

Fresh from her award-winning run as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, newly minted Lois Lane, Rachel Brosnahan, shared that she was attracted by Gunn’s decision to present her character as a “superhero in her own right” as a dedicated journalist in a world where truthful reporting has become more important than ever.

“She's an everyday superhero, and just like Superman, she's not knocked off balance very easily. She can logic her way around just about anything. She's 10 steps ahead of everyone else. And then along comes this thing that she couldn't have seen coming, that she can't logic her way out of. And it totally knocks her off her feet,” she said.

“True love!” chimed in Corenswet, playfully, as Brosnahan continued, “We talked about what she (Lois) looked like, as somebody who's always going to chase the story to the ends of the earth, who puts work (at the moment we meet her) kind of first and foremost in her life. What does her apartment look like? What does she look like? How does she express herself through her clothes, and that meant a lot of flat shoes.” (While the flat shoes were practical, Brosnahan joked that she spent a lot of the film looking up at the 6’4” Corenswet’s nostrils.)

Naturally, in true Gunn fashion, Lois wasn’t the only one to receive an update, as Corenswet’s titular character is slated to be presented without the narrative crutch of his familiar origin story.

“It's not that the origin story isn't important in the film; in fact, it's a big part of the film,” said Corenswet. “It's just that when you start with a character that means something in the public consciousness, you don't have to explain that they were born at this time or this place…it's much more fun to just jump into the middle of where you're getting your ass kicked and you’ve got to get back to the fight.”

Corenswet went on to speak on the importance of portraying a character dedicated to doing the right thing and how, in a roundabout way, the 4-month Hollywood actors’ strike of 2023 helped him get into character, as uninterrupted hours in the gym helped build his physique and his take on the character.

"When you take on a physical transformation like that, it's just you against your own mind. Whether you're going to get that extra rep in or do that extra set, or stay those extra 20 minutes to do your shoulders at the end of a long push day, in that moment, you feel very alone, even while you're at the gym with other people," he said.

This feeling of loneliness, he realized, was his initial connection to Superman's struggle: an isolation and alienation from those he loves, knowing he isn't truly like them.

"He wants desperately to be a part of them, to be connected to them, and he knows and feels that he ultimately isn't quite like them. And that, I thought, was a universal human experience: to be surrounded by people and to feel lonely. So that was my first way into the character," Corenswet added.

With a top-tier director, an endlessly charismatic cast, and an optimistic outlook, things are looking good for the big-screen DC Universe. With pre-release hype driven well and truly up to eleven, and the stars on their way to Brazil for the next stop on their World Tour, Philippine fans have been left with an indelible memory—no matter what final form James Gunn’s film will take, June 19 will forever be the day that they met Superman.

Up, up, and away. 

Superman opens in Philippine cinemas on July 9.