Superman Day (United States)

 

Every year on June 12, fans around the world honour Superman Day, a celebration of the legendary Kryptonian hero and his 90 years of adventures. Established in 2013 by D.C. Entertainment to coincide with the release of "Man of Steel," this special day was initially known as "Man of Steel Day." Comic book shops, in partnership with D.C., marked the occasion by distributing free copies of "All-Star Superman #1 Special Edition." Over time, the celebration evolved naturally, and the name transitioned to Superman Day, continuing to unite enthusiasts in tribute to the timeless superhero.

The creation of the Kryptonian Hero

The world was first introduced to Superman in 1933, a creation conceived from the mastermind’s, writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster. Making his debut in Action Comics #1, this marked the start of an extraordinary journey for the iconic Man of Steel. Clad in his signature blue costume, complemented by a red cape and emblazoned with a distinctive red "S" on his chest, Superman has since become a globally recognized symbol.

Previous live-action performances of Superman

For 76 years and continuing, Hollywood has brought Superman to life on screen, starting with Kirk Alyn's portrayal in the 1948 serial film “Superman." But it was with the titular Richard Donner magnum opus, “Superman,” that the character gained multidimensional stardom. From this point, the live-action universe changed forever. Superman began his journey onto the theatre screens from being a two-dimensional cartoon to a personified figure in the highly acclaimed Donner feature. From then on, there was no looking back.

The Kryptonian took on many forms with the indomitable force of Christopher Reeves in the Donner films, to Tom Welling’s teenage Clark Kent in the TV series “Smallville,” to Brandon Routh’s forgettable rendition in “Superman Returns,” to his most popular on-screen reincarnation, by the British thespian, “Henry Cavill” in the “Man of Steel,” being the most notable.

And with that, the torch is being handed to David Corenswet in the upcoming James Gunn-helmed 2025 tentpole, “Superman” which was previously titled as “Superman: Legacy.”

Upcoming Superman films

The most anticipated and the only Superman feature slated to be releasing soon is the James Gunn’s “Superman.” Gunn unveiled the first look at David Corenswet in the 2025 film "Superman," a month back, introducing a fresh take on the iconic hero and his costume.

Corenswet follows in the footsteps of legendary actors, from Christopher Reeve’s memorable portrayal in the 1970s to Henry Cavill’s grittier rendering in Zack Snyder’s DC Universe. In a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Corenswet shared that his ultimate acting ambition was “definitely to play Superman.”

The initial images of Gunn's film show Corenswet in a worn and grimy Superman suit, hinting at a possibly gritty version of the character. Gunn previously mentioned to Variety that his Superman needed to be “someone who has all the humanity that Superman has but he’s also an alien. It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has and be somebody who you want to give a hug.”

"Superman" is set to hit theatres on July 11, 2025, from Warner Bros.