The internet has transformed the landscape of movie promotion and marketing, making it easier than ever for filmmakers to reach a global audience. With social media, streaming platforms, and online advertisements, the film industry has harnessed the digital age to drive engagement and excitement like never before.
With platforms like YouTube and other social media networks in general, they have become indispensable tools for promoting upcoming films.
Studios release teasers, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive content directly to fans, fostering anticipation. Viral marketing campaigns often take off, creating organic discussions and memes that fuel interest even further.
And this time, Superman is making a return, and that its number is staggering.
The news was delivered by James Gunn, the DC Studios CEO himself on the X platform.
The teaser clip of Superman offers the first footage of David Corenswet as the new Superman, as well as first looks at Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor and various heroes who are set to populate the new DC Universe, from Krypto the Superdog to Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillon), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan).
The teaser also previewed the romance between Superman and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane.
Gunn celebrated Superman's number of viewers, by thanking everyone for the support because after all, returning the icon to the big screen after 13 years is difficult.
Replacing Henry Cavill is not an easy feat.
The hype surrounding Gunn's Superman is immense. Fans have been expressing their excitement to see Gunn's signature blend of humor and heart applied to the iconic character.
The casting of David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane has also been well-received, further fueling anticipation.
And here, 250 million views is a lot.
In comparison, the first Joker: Folie à Deux trailer launched with 167 million views in its first 24 hours, for instance, while Inside Out 2, considered the highest-grossing movie of the year with $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office, launched its trailer to 157 million views. Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine however, is still holding the record for biggest trailer launch of all time with 365 million views.
Compared to Cavill's Man of Steel, this film is expected to have a more hopeful and optimistic tone.
Whereas Man of Steel was a darker and more grounded take on the character, and was brewing a similar recipe to Batman in the DC Extended Universe, Gunn's version is more focused to Superman as a hero straight from the comics.
This shift in tone is likely to resonate with audiences who have been craving a more classic and uplifting portrayal of the character.
Superman as a character is tricky to adapt. But this Superman here is bleeding hope.
From the battered and bleeding Superman being saved by his dog Krypto in the snow, or the superhero protecting a young child from flying helium tanks, there’s no denying that James Gunn’s new Superman movie is bound to be emotional.
Krypto really did take us home: With over 250 million views and a million social posts, Superman is officially the most viewed and the most talked about trailer in the history of both DC and Warner Bros. This is because of all of you: thank you! We’re incredibly grateful and,… pic.twitter.com/Ry3aGA88Zl
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) December 20, 2024
According to James Gunn:
"We’re embracing all of the Superman mythology. He has friends who are other superheroes. He has people he doesn’t get along as well with who are other superheroes. He has a lot of the things that we love from the Superman comics that we haven’t been able to see as much of in filmed media, and definitely haven’t been able to see in a grounded way, which is what I hope we’ve created."
Before the trailer release, the marketing for James Gunn's Superman was relatively low-key.
The biggest news was the casting of David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, which generated a lot of excitement and discussion among fans.
After all, Corenswet's portrayal of Superman suits the character better because of how Gunn wants this Superman to be the younger version of Cavill's, who is seen as a more mature, bulkier Superman.
As for the rest, Gunn and his team of creatives only teased the film's tone and direction in interviews and social media posts.
Overall, the pre-trailer marketing was more about building anticipation and cultivating excitement than revealing concrete details about the film.
This strategy likely aimed to maximize the impact of the first official trailer and generate a strong buzz around the project.
And if that is the case, Gunn certainly succeeds.
It's worth noting that this is the fourth time in Warner Bros. history that they’ve brought the superhero to the big screen, the previous instances being 1978’s Superman with Christopher Reeve, 2006’s Superman Returns with Brandon Routh and 2013 with Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill.
