When designing a costume for the Man of Steel, some things are hard and fast requirements. He has to have a cape, despite what Edna Mode would tell him. (No capes!) And he has to have that giant “S” on his chest. These elements define Superman. What you might not have realized, however, is how much discussion goes into the inclusion of trunks, or shorts, on the Superman suit design. Different directors over the years have stamped their own take on the hero, most notably with Zack Snyder going “No Trunks” for his approach with Henry Cavill – a fan favorite.
So when CinemaBlend took the trip to Cleveland, Ohio to visit the set of James Gunn’s upcoming DC movie Superman, we made it our minor mission to get to the bottom of the Trunks debate with regards to David Corenswet’s Kal-El. As we saw in the first-look photo for Superman, as well as in the Superman teaser trailer, Gunn’s Superman sports shorts. While speaking with Corenswet about the conversation, we asked him point blank if he was ever in the No Trunks camp. And he told CInemaBlend, flat out:
No. Not even for a minute.
There you have it. The definitive answer, directly from the new Superman’s mouth.
It was later in the day, however, when we got to speak at length with James Gunn that he elaborated on David Corenswet’s approach to the costume, and why the actor felt like this Superman needed the red shorts. Some might dismiss it as a creative choice made by Superman costume designer Judianna Makovsky. Not so. As Gunn told us, a LOT of conversation went into the choice, with Corenswet eventually winning his director over from the “No Trunks” army. Gunn said:
One of the things David said is that Superman wants kids to not be afraid of him. He's an alien. He's got these incredible powers. He shoots beams out of his eyes, [he] can blow the truck over. He's this incredibly powerful – could be considered scary – individual, and he wants people to like him. He wants to be a symbol of hope and positivity. So he dresses like a professional wrestler. He dresses in a way that makes people unafraid of him, that shows that. That really clicked in for me.
It clicks for me, as well. Is this Superman going to be a little more family friendly? Possibly. As we saw from the early promotional material, Superman (Corenswet) has a pet dog named Krypto, and smiles while he flies. That doesn’t mean he isn’t fighting massive alien creatures, facing down real threats from Lex Luthor (Nicolas Hoult), and risking himself to save our planet. It just means that this version of the hero will lean closer to hope and optimism than the iteration offered up in Zack Snyder’s universe. So, no one will get their neck snapped in this summer’s DC blockbuster. That’s my best guess, anyway.
Be thinking of these little decisions when you watch Superman, which opens on July 11 as part of the 2025 movie schedule. They actually are big decisions, and they tell us more about the characters than you might have realized. Red trunks are red trunks. But to David Corenswet, they are a conscious choice by this alien visitor to make children more comfortable in his presence. And I think that’s sweet.
Make sure you have your tickets to Superman so you can see it on opening day.
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