Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the deep dive. Today, we're really diving in
and barking on a mission to unpack the well. The
incredible launch of Superman twenty twenty five is deep dive.
It's basically your shortcut to getting up to speed on
its huge box office win, the really positive reviews from
critics and audiences alike, and crucially, what this massive success
(00:21):
means for the whole future of the DC universe. This
film hasn't just like shown up, It's really landed with
this unprecedented impact. It feels like it's signaling a whole
revitalized superhero landscape. So okay, let's kick things off by
looking at Superman twenty twenty five's just astonishing box office performance.
This film right written and directed by James gunn You've
got David corn Sweat as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lewis Lane,
(00:44):
Nicholas Holt as Lex Luthor. It officially premiered Friday, July eleventh,
but those Thursday previews started the day before. In those previews,
huge a math of twenty two point five million dollars
that makes it the highest grossing preview day of twenty
twenty five so far.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, and it comfortably beats some big ones like Barbie.
Even Matt Ves is the Batman, right, and.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
For James Gunn personally, it was a new record, way
past Guardians.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Three, significantly higher than Guardians and look, it crushed Man
of Steele's preview number for a solo Superman film.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, though it didn't quite hit the Batman v. Superman number,
but still.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Still very, very impressive for a reboot like this.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Okay, Moving into the domestic opening weekend itself, so July eleventh, thirteenth,
the film pulls in and estimated what one hundred and
twenty two to one hundred and twenty three million.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Dollars, which makes it the biggest opening weekend for a
solo Superman film ever unadjusted of course, but still beating.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Man of Steel and the biggest superhero movie opening of
twenty twenty five so far.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Right, Globally, you're looking at around two hundred and seventeen
million dollars total for that opening weekend.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
That's the domestic plus about ninety five million dollars international.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, a really strong start everywhere.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Now, context is important here. The production budget's reported at
two hundred and twenty five million dollars plus you know,
another one hundred and fifty maybe two hundred million dollars
for global marketing.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So the break even point is pretty high, somewhere between
five hundred and seven hundred and fifty million, give or take.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
But the word is Warner Bros. Execs would be happy
with anything over five hundred million. They're playing the long
game exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
And what's really insightful, I think is how Superman twenty
twenty five didn't just like hit financial targets. It feels
like it fundamentally reset the audience's emotional connection with the
dc universe.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
That's a great way to put it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
It's not just a win, it's a huge validation of
this whole new DCU foundation they're building.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
And it kept going right the midweek numbers.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, looking at Monday, July fourteenth, the domestic take was
estimated around sixteen to eighteen million dollars. That shows really
healthy audience retention. People aren't just rushing out opening weekend,
they're going during the week.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Suggests good word.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Of mouth absolutely, which is why current projections now have
the domestic total looking comfortably over three hundred and fifty
million dollars, maybe even hitting four hundred million dollars. Wow,
and worldwide that could push it towards six hundred and
maybe even seven hundred million dollars.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
That's definitely hitting those satisfaction markers. For Warner Bros.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
For sure, and for you the viewer. This kind of
financial success, this stability, it signals that the DCU isn't
just you know, finding its feet again, it's actually building
real momentum. It means you can probably count on more
high quality, interconnected stories that you'll actually want to follow.
And a small thing maybe, but the run time helped
(03:20):
to one hundred and twenty nine minutes just over two hours.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Pretty brisk for a modern blockbuster.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, allows for more screenings per day, helps keep those
weekday numbers strong.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Okay, but those amazing box office numbers, they're only like
half the picture, right right. What really seems to be
driving this and maybe what's even more vital for the
dcu's future the reception. It's been overwhelmingly positive from critics
and audiences.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
That's the key combo.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
On Rotten Tomatoes, you've got an eighty two percent certified
Fresh score. That's from over three hundred critics, so a pretty.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Wide sample critical score definitely.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
But the audience score the popcorn meter, it's even higher.
I'm hovering around ninety five ninety six percent, Wow, from
over ten thousand very fight reviews. That's exceptional enthusiasm from
the public, and.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
That's huge because historically Superman films haven't always hit that
high with audiences.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
On urt right, this is the first time cooperman movie
broke ninety percent audience approval.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
There.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
It even beats Donner's original Superman from seventy.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Eight, which is saying something. Donner's film is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Iconic, and these scores aren't just initial hype. They've held
really steady past opening weekend.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, and that consistency is so important. You see it
reflected elsewhere too, Metacritic a generally favorable sixty eight out
of one hundred from critics okay, and a strong user
score there too seven point seven.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Out of ten, and Cinema score the exit polls a
solid A.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That's a fantastic grade. It directly points to positive word
of mouth, which is crucial for legs at the box
office resolutely. And then there's post track surveys, which dig
a bit deeper. They showed an impressive seventy eight percent
definite recommend from general audiences.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Seventy eight percent definite recommend that it's really strong.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
It is, and interestingly, parents gave it a perfect five
out of five stars. Kids rated at four point five
out of.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Five, so it's hitting across the board.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Families included, big time, strong approval across demographics.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
It's just clear the film really really resonated, and you
have to think a huge part of that is the cast.
Oh Deafi David Kornswet's performance as Clark Kent and Superman, Yeah,
just widely praised. He seems to perfectly capture that classic idealism,
that earnestness, but with a like a fresh modern feel.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
He embodies both sides so well, and yeah, the physical
transformation didn't.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Hurt either, ah, no kidding. And Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
People love her sharp.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Smart, and the chemistry between her and korn Sweat's palpable.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Right totally, and because their relationship is already established in
the film, you get that immediate emotional connection, no need
for a slow burn origin romance.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Which was a smart move. Nicholas Holt's lex Lusor two
getting good notices, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
A different take intellectual Menace, nuanced.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Avoids caricature, which is good. Yeah, and the supporting cast,
all those other.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Heroes, Hawk Girl, Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, Guy Gardner.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Right, they bring the wider DC universe to life, but
without you know, hijacking the main Superman story.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It feels balanced and overall the tone guided by Gun's vision.
Everyone seems to agree. Hopeful, optimistic, fun.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
A refreshing change, wasn't it, especially for the DC brand lately?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Definitely, it really hits those core Superman values. Gunn talked
about making it a story about human kindness, about hope,
kindness and truth, and it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Feels like that landed. That consistent acclaim from critics and
audiences is just so vital for the dcu's future, especially
given you know the challenges they've had before.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Right like Man of Steel. Financially it did.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Okay, Yeah, decent numbers, but critically divisive. That shaky foundation
really impacted the whole DCEU going forward.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
So Superman twenty twenty five learn from that, It.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Seems so they clearly prioritize getting both the critics and
the audience on board by going back to Superman's hopeful,
optimistic core and Look, it clearly paid off this broad appeal,
the positive buzz. That's what gives a franchise real longevity.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
So for us, for you watching at home, it.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Means you can probably expect a more cohesive, more satisfying
viewing experience from dc Now it builds trust. You're more
likely to show up for the next film, the next
series because you believe in the quality and the vision.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Okay, so let's unpack that. What does this all mean
for the future of the DCU, because it feels like
this film is foundational, really setting the stage for this
whole ambitious new era.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
No question the success here. It just unequivocally validates Gun
and Peter Saffren's whole DCU Chapter one Gods and Monsters strategy.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
So it's a high bar right out of the gate,
very high bar.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It proves gun specific style, that mix of humor, heart,
character focus, respect for the comics can work on a massive.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Scale, connects with critics and the general.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Audience exactly, which is a powerful endorsement, especially after while
the previous DCEUS ups and downs and the bold move
to recast Superman moving on from Henry Cavill.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah, that was big gamble.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Huge, and Gun himself has said, Look, success isn't just
about hitting seven hundred million dollars worldwide, It's about building
the brand long term, getting audiences positively engaged.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Right, which brings us to Superman two, not officially announced beforehand.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
What you gotta think those discussions are happening right now,
very seriously.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
A direct sequel with Coren's what feels like a lock,
doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Pretty much guaranteed. Gun even hinted before release he had
ideas for a follow up.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
So timeline wise, yeah, usually two three years for a sequel.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
That's typical. But Gun's recent comments were interesting. He said
he's working on something that's a Superman follow up in
some way, and that we'll see Superman again in less
than a couple of years.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Huh, So maybe not a direct Superman two next could be.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Maybe his next appearance is in a team up, a
crossover event. It keeps things fresh, that.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Is exciting, and the film itself, the ending clearly tees
up future stories for Clark right his whole journey balancing identities, relationship.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Absolutely the stage is set, and this win provides huge
momentum for the entire Chapter one slate.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Like Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow coming in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Definitely the successive Superman has got a boost excitement for
Millie Elcock as car Azorel, especially with that post credit
scene you mentioned Supergirl crashing into the Fortress of Solitude a.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Little worse for wear, apparently picking up Crypto.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah. It sets up her solo film perfectly and shows
a real contrast between the Cousins right.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Away and Peacemaker his cameo and Superman brief.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
But telling on a TV news broadcast mocking Superman's no kill.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Rule a classic Peacemaker right It.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Connects the characters, shows their different approaches, builds that continuity
ahead of Peacemaker season two next month on.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Max and Lanterns the Max series. Guy Gardner showing up
in the movie helps that too.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Sure Nathan Fillion is Guy Gardner, part of that Justice
gang in the movie helps establish the tone the vibe
for the Lantern Show. Even if that series is supposed
to be more of a gritty Earth based investigation.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
It all feels connected, very much so.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
The Brave and the Bold, the Batman and Robin film
with Damian Wayne that now launches into a DCU with
positive buzz, even the Authority. You see the engineer Angela
Spica played by Maria Gabriella Diferia in Superman.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Right, she's there in the climax, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Left unconscious. It neatly sets up the Authority movie that
potentially darker, more complex teams.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
So many threads, clay Face, swamp.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Thing, all those announced projects under chapter one, they all
benefit from this wave of enthusiasm and confidence generated by Superman.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It feels a genuine world building that Justice Gang you mentioned,
mister Terrific, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, Green Lantern, even if.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
They don't call themselves the Justice League yet, it lays
the groundwork. It shows the potential for a bigger team
down the lad line. It makes this universe feel populated
and real from the start. Keanu Williams is even listed
in the cast playing someone at the Daily Planet, just
adding to that fabric.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
The very different feeling than the start of the last
go around.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Completely different. This feels planned cohesive for you the viewer.
It means you're not just watching isolated movies. You're getting
drawn into a bigger, interconnected story that seems to actually
know where it's going. It's a game changer.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Okay, let's dig a bit deeper. Then, let's shift and
really explore how this film manages to deliver more than
just you know, big action. Yeah, thematic stuff, the performances,
this sort of cultural comeback for Superman.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Yeah, there's a lot there.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
We touched on the cast chemistry already, but it's worth
saying again. Coren Sweat nailing that Clark Superman duality.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
That endearing awkwardness is Clark, but undeniable presence as Superman, masterful.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And brosenhands lois so sharp, so intelligent, that chemistry just pops.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And holds Luthor again avoiding the usual trope that cold
obsessive intellect is quite chilling.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And the whole supporting cast, the meta humans, they just
bring the world.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Alive, They really do. It feels like a lived in universe.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
And thematically, the film really seems to resonate gun focusing
on truth, justice, kindness.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Those core Superman values. It feels like they landed with
audiences in a big way.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
He's portrayed as a symbol of hope, right.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Not just power exactly, and that feels well needed right now,
an optimistic counterpoint in a superhero landscape that's often pretty
dark or cynical.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
That mixed gun does so well epic action but also
real heart and that touch of humor.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
It creates a really balanced tone, doesn't it. Critics and
audiences both seem to find it refreshing.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
The film explores being good in a cynical world, Superman
as this immigrant embodying American.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Ideals, themes that strike a chord, and it even touches
on how public opinion can be manipulated, how figures like
Luthor can twist a hero's.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Image, which feels very relevant today.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Definitely reflects some current anxieties. And what's fascinating is how
these themes and performances connect directly to your experience as
a viewer. Why is the shift in tone, this focus
on hope and kindness hitting so hard? Now?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Yeah? What?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Well? I think audiences are genuinely hungry for stories that uplift,
that inspire, especially after years of maybe darker, more deconstructionist
takes on heroes. It signals a potential future for superhero
stories generally maybe moving back towards embracing the core virtues
that made these characters endure in the first place.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
So it's not just a DC thing.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
It's broader could be, and you see that commitment to
the character's roots in the film itself. Like bringing in Crypto,
the super dog.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Who's apparently pretty integral.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, not just a cute cameo, adds charm, humor, grounds
it in the comics, and.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
The hypnotic Glasses explanation for his identity a clever little nod.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
It shows Gun isn't afraid to embrace the comic bookness
of it all, but without making it, you know, overly campy.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
It celebrates the source material exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Yes, with focusing on Clark at the Daily Planet with
Jimmy Olsen and Perry White, it highlights journalism, truth, themes
Gun cares about.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
So for you watching it allows for a deeper connection,
I think so.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
It makes Superman's journey his values feel relevant personally. It
reminds you that great stories need more than just spectacle.
They need themes and characters that resonate on a human level.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
It really is something, isn't it. For years, people asked
if Superman was still relevant, if his goodness was like
old fashioned in our cynical world.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
That was the narrative.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Yeah, but Superman twenty twenty five just powerfully shut that down.
It proved audiences do still crave earnest terrorism. They leaned
into the optimism, the morality, and.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
It worked big time. The message of kindness of humanity.
It clearly resonated deeply. It's a positive counter story.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
And think about the timing. Superhero fatigue has been this buzzword,
but this film proves that if you have quality, a
clear vision, a compelling story ex cuted well, people will
show up in massive numbers.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
It absolutely sets a new benchmark quality Trump's fatigue, and for.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
David krantzwet Wow, he's the new Superman now for a
whole generation, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
His debut is so strong. He's firmly established as the
face of this revitalized DCU.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
He could be embodying this character for years, defining Superman
for a new era, like Christopher Reeve did back in
seventy eight.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
That's the potential.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Absolutely, So okay, let's wrap this up. The core takeaway
from this deep dive seems clear Superman twenty twenty five
didn't just like Fly. It's soared powerful, opening strong legs,
completely validating guns vision and Korn's Wet's.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Portrayal a massive success. By pretty much every metric.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Yeah, and this deep dive really highlights how going back
to core values, how clear hopeful vision can totally reignite
an icon. It makes you wonder, doesn't it. If Superman
can remind us what it means to be truly good,
what other classic heroes out there are just waiting for
their own optimistic revival.