After rewatchingMan of Steel, I’m even more interested in and excited to see one key part of the upcomingDCUSupermanmovie. As the last solo Superman movie to come before theDCU’sSuperman,Man of Steelis naturally a focal comparison point for us when it comes to seeing one of the biggest superheroes in the genre brought to life. WithMan of Steelfollowing as many superhero movie conventions as it subverts, the 2013 release offers an interesting example of what aSuperman moviecan be, and one that’s only gotten more noteworthy in the years that have come since without a solo Superman follow-up.
Asthe DCEU timelineended in 2024 withAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the franchise ultimately finished before ever being able to bring in another chapter of Superman’s movie series, thoughBatman V Superman: Dawn of Justiceprovided a crossover film that explored the two titular heroes going from enemies to allies. However,Man of Steeloffers a look at a crucial relationship in Superman’s life that looks set to be explored before the DCU puts Batman and Superman on-screen together - and the DCEU Superman movie makes this part of the upcomingSupermanstory even more interesting.
Man Of Steel Provides A Different Take On Clark & Lois
As a Superman origin story movie,Man of Steelunsurprisingly delves into the romance that develops between Clark Kent and Lois Lane, with the pair’s blossoming relationship beginning in the events of the film.Man of Steelmakes sure to follow a lot of what makes the duo’s relationship work in most iterations of their story - with Lois being every part the intrepid journalist she’s best known as being, and her and Clark bonding over the unusual circumstances they find themselves in.
However,the DCEU movie also takes care to make its version of Clark and Lois its own, both in terms of their individual characterizations, and in the way the movie’s story tweaks the hero’s usual trajectory. For example, rather than Clark and Lois initially working together and their relationship starting from there,Man of Steelhas Superman and Lois cross paths and develop a relationship long before Clark seemingly even stepped foot in the Daily Planet, let alone began working there, allowing the film to cultivate a version of their story that is clearly different even when it feels its most familiar.
While this relationship isn’t the focus of the movie, this approach does allow it to feel like a core part of the heart of the narrative, especially when rewatching the movie with the knowledge that this leads into the tragedy of Superman’s death and subsequent resurrection, which is made impactful in no small part by Lois' reaction to it, and the time spent building their relationship inMan of Steelpreviously. Though this version of the DC comic relationship has now come to an end, the way in which the DCEU depicted the couple does make the road forward for the franchise’s movie endeavors more interesting on some levels.
The Similarities & Differences Between The DCEU & DC Universe Superman & Lois Stories Make The Upcoming Movie Even More Interesting
The ways in which the DCEU and DC UniverseSupermanmovie debuts already look like they handle the relationship between Clark and Lois in both similar and different ways makes the upcomingSupermanmovie all the more interesting.Much likeMan of Steel,Supermanappears set to explore this relationship on-screen in a way that most Superman stories don’t- namely, by having things start off after Clark has been Superman for several years, skipping the introduction to Lois and earlier teases of their romance that most movie or show renditions of the pair tend to focus on.
2025’sSupermanwill break a 12-year-long streak for DC in terms of bringing the next live-action solo Superman movie to the big screen afterMan of Steel.
However,it does already appear that the DCUSupermanmovie will be taking a decidedly different approach toMan of Steelin terms of focusing more on the relationship between Lois and the titular DC hero. Since the film’s teasers and trailers seeming to signal that this part of both of their stories will get more of a feature in the movie itself - andSupermanexploring a version of Clark who’s already working at the Daily Planet, and a version of Lois who already knows his secret identity - there’s plenty of space to delve into parts of their relationship that other on-screen adaptations simply don’t get time to.
With both the DCEU and DC Universe kicking off their respective extended universes via Superman’s debut story - and having his relationship with Lois crop up in both of these examples - there’s an even greater ability to compare and contrast the two films, and the ways in which they help establish the tone and lore of each of their own franchises. That said, the DC Universe’s set up thus far also offers some unique potential in terms of us potentially getting to see a greater spotlight on this story in a way the DCEU never really got chance to.
The DC Universe’s Differing Focus Can Let Superman & Lois' Dynamic Be An Even More Core Part Of Its Story
The DC Universe is already looking different from the DCEU when it comes to how it approaches establishing its wider world and the figures that come within it - something that’s arguably in part the result of the tumultuous path walked by the DCEU timeline itself, which didn’t end up being able to get the time to build more of the extended lore that DC’s comics hinge upon due to the complications of its run. As such, whereMan of Steelunderstandably focused more solely on Superman and his origins, the DCUSupermanlooks set to tread a new path that lets far more figures get their moment in the proverbial sun.
WithSupermanhaving eschewed the need for an origin story and the screentime that would be needed to depict the opening chapters of Clark’s life, there’s an ability to dedicate more of its story to building the world around its hero. Ultimately, this seems a setup naturally made to benefit aspects of its story like the development of the dynamic between Lois and Superman, and how things between them evolve - especially since the trailers also show Lois challenging Clark on his decisions made as Superman, reinforcing the idea that their relationship is a complicated one deserving of some more focus.
The concept of a Superman movie focusing on the hero’s biggest and most long-lasting relationship is by no means new material, but - similar to the denizens of the Daily Planet, and Ma and Pa Kent - the level of importance Lois holds in DC lore and in terms of how she and Clark’s relationship defines both of their stories means it’s one that’s exciting to see take off in new ways that both mirror and contrast what came before it. Hopefully, the DCU’s Superman movie is able to mirror howMan of Steelmade this storyline work, while also adding its own fresh spin on an iconic cornerstone of DC’s world.
