From the cape to the core

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Before the world sees the new “Superman” take flight, the film’s stars and creative team came to Manila to share an in-depth look at how the film came together and what it means to them.

Filmmaker James Gunn, who serves as the writer, director, and co-producer of “Superman,” was joined by lead stars David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, along with producer and DC Studios co-head Peter Safran.

Filmmaker James Gunn and ‘Superman’ lead stars David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan PHOTOS COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

For Gunn, stepping into the “Superman” legacy meant embracing a different kind of protagonist than he’s used to writing.

“I think what drew me to this film is that it’s about a character who has goodness in his heart, he’s in a world that isn’t always so nice and the most rebellious thing about him is that he has a good soul and he is a character for the world, he is a character for the Philippines,” Gunn shared in a media conference.

“I’m usually used to writing about characters who are kind of quarry, have some issues. Superman has some issues, he is not perfect, but he is a really good guy and he gets the kind of hope and guiding light you need in this world today,” he added.

Gunn spoke candidly about his childhood connection to Superman comics and how his vision for the film eventually came into focus after years of being encouraged by producer Safran.

“I started reading Superman comics when I was 3 or 4 years old. I loved a lot of superheroes, both DC and Marvel superheroes. But I do have to say, I’m sitting here today, not because of my dream, but because of the dream of Peter Safran who has been bugging me for 10 years to try to make a Superman movie,” Gunn enthused.

“It wasn’t until one day that I just saw what the movie could be in my head, how it could be different — be the Superman that I fell in love with from the comic books. I saw Superman in a world of superheroes, with friends that were superheroes, and a Daily Planet gang, and a flying dog, and giant monsters, and this other world that I just became enmeshed in as a child, even before I could read, and falling in love with those images,” he continued.

“So I wanted to create that feeling I had as a young child in a film that both children and adults could enjoy, where this other universe, but that is still grounded, with real stakes, real people who have issues and problems in relationships, things and flaws, things change about themselves, things they don’t want to change because they’re stubborn,” Gunn added.

Corenswet, who takes on the character of Superman, described a physically demanding preparation period that began long before filming.

“The gym was the first place I began because, soon after we had this conversation, the actors went on strike. James and I didn’t talk for several months, and I had no contact with the studio during that time. All I had was my own decision. James had very kindly said, ‘You’re in good shape, but I want you to work on your shoulders.’ It sounded to me like a pretty minor request. He didn’t say, ‘Look, you’re a skinny guy, and you’ve got to put on a lot of weight.’ But that was my own thought,” Corenswet recalled.

“In Christopher Reeve’s words, ‘I’ve been a string bean my whole life, and Superman is not a string bean.’ So I decided that I wanted to, as soon as I could, put on as much weight as I could — reasonably and healthily. And I’ve sort of wanted to do that my whole life. I always felt a little bit skinny, like I couldn’t quite fill out a T-shirt. So I was really excited about that. But in that new level of gym commitment — five to six days a week, two and a half to three hours a day — was something I’d never done in my life,” he added.

Corenswet added that starting the story after Superman’s origin gave the film a fresh energy.

“It made it easier. The origin story is still an important part of this film — it plays a big role in the character’s development and crisis — but we don’t have to see it play out in the same way,” he said.

“It’s much more fun to jump into the middle — when you’re already getting your ass kicked and you have to get back in the fight. That’s a really straightforward and easy thing to play as an actor,” Corenswet added.

Meanwhile, Brosnahan, taking on the role of Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, spoke about what it meant to inherit such a legacy.

“She’s an iconic character that I feel like so many young women saw themselves in and so it’s a privilege of a lifetime to step into her shoes and to stand on the shoulders of so many incredible actors, comic book artists who have created other versions of her,” shared Brosnahan.

On modernizing Lois Lane for a rapidly evolving media landscape, Brosnahan said, “We talked a little bit about what that would look like today. What it means to show up professionally to the office looks a little bit different today than it did even 10 years ago.

“We talked about what she looked like as somebody who’s always going to chase the story to the ends of the earth — who puts work first and foremost in her life. What does her apartment look like? What does she look like? How does she express herself through her clothes? And that meant a lot of flat shoes,” she laughed.

“But I think one of the first questions I asked James before the audition meeting was, ‘Where does she fit into the canon of this character that is so familiar to so many of us, and probably to so many of you?’ He really talked about the importance of her journalism. But also, James made this beautiful roadmap that I was really attracted to. This version of the character feels equally weighted,” she continued.

“You have a superhero who has superpowers, and you have this character who’s a superhero in her own right. She’s an everyday superhero. And just like Superman, she’s not knocked off balance very easily. She can logic her way around just about anything. She’s 10 steps ahead of everyone else,” she added.

The Manila stop marks the beginning of the cast’s global press tour. They flew next to Rio de Janeiro for a series of events on June 23. Their next stops are: London (July 2), Paris (July 4), Los Angeles (July 7), New York (July 9), and Beijing (July 10).

“Superman” will soar into theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 9, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.