Gunn Pulls a “Sonic”: Edits ‘Superman’ Trailer After Fans Slam Flight Shot

James Gunn has confirmed that the Superman teaser scene that sparked a lot of backlash earlier this year won’t appear in the final movie.

When the teaser came out in January, fans quickly pointed out a flying scene that didn’t look right. Many said the shot looked fake, especially how David Corenswet’s face appeared mid-flight.

Viewers shared their reactions on social media, calling the moment awkward and badly done.

Gunn, who is directing the film and also runs DC Studios, recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the scene. He said he agreed with fans and wasn’t happy with how it looked either.

“It was a TV commercial and it wasn’t a finished visual effects shot,” he said. “The flying part used a photo of David’s face and a drone flying in front of a real background. All the elements were real, but they were put together in a weird way. I didn’t love the shot, so it’s not even in the movie.”

He also admitted that some trailer or promo shots don’t always go through his full review. “Sometimes I’m pretty strict when I look through a trailer shot by shot, but with commercials, I forget to check as carefully. That one got past me.”

The new spot seemingly fixes the issue:

New ad spot for ‘SUPERMAN’ during the NBA Finals pic.twitter.com/qcsZBNeTMk

— DCU Updates (@DCU_Updates) June 23, 2025

Gunn also confirmed that barrel roll shot is still in the movie:

There has been speculation online that David Corenswet’s face was digitally edited in the flying clip. Gunn shut that down directly in a reply on Threads, saying, “There is absolutely zero CG in his face. People’s faces can look different when you put a wide-angle lens up close. The background plate in Svalbard is 100% real, as is David.”

Talking more about his experience directing this Superman reboot, Gunn said the process reminds him of working on the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. “I’m learning a lot about how to shoot Superman. It’s very different from any other character I’ve written before. The flying, the look, the feel — it’s all new to me.”

The new Superman movie is set to arrive in U.S. theaters on July 8, with the UK premiere following on July 11. The film stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

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