Superman's New Movie Costume Reveal Finally Answers One Controversial Debate

There are many questions a filmmaker must answer when adapting a previously established character into a live-action film. That includes whether to add some potentially contentious costumes to the proceedings. When it comes to Superman, the eternal question is whether he looks better with or without red trunks.

A photo revealing James Gunn's Superman movie costume confirms the director's stance. Though David Corenswet's Kal-El is hunched over putting a boot on, you can spot some red trunks when looking carefully toward his nether regions. Gunn previously responded to the trunks query in December 2023 with a diplomatic response: "The costume has changed in many, many ways throughout the years. They are all (or mostly all) valid versions of Superman, with or without trunks." He played coy before, but Gunn ultimately landed in the "trunks" camp.

Numerous people, including some here at Looper, believe Superman's red trunks belong in the past. Henry Cavill's version of the Man of Steel went sans exposed underwear, and it looked all right. But if anyone can make the red trunks work in the modern age, it's probably Gunn.

David Corenswet's Superman having red trunks may be a good way to help differentiate this iteration from the one most people will most likely associate him with — Henry Cavill's version. Overall, a slight majority of fans always preferred the red trunks version. On X (formerly known as Twitter), James Gunn polled nearly half a million people as to whether or not they liked the trunks. 59.3% of respondents said they preferred them. 

On a much smaller scale, a similar poll was conducted by Redditor u/KungPoW_Chickens, which also found that the majority of people like Superman's look with the trunks. However, reading through the comments on these polls highlights a rigorous debate of individuals discussing whether Superman has outgrown his classic, original look. Many believe the trunks to be goofy and a sign of a bygone era, while others think they provide an appropriate differentiation between the upper and lower halves of the Man of Steel. 

It's difficult to categorize a piece of clothing as being uniformly "good" or "bad"; it all comes down to each individual's interpretation. Judging by how good the rest of Corenswet's outfit looks, the trunks should mesh well with everything else. Hopefully, the next photo of this new Superman shows off the trunks in all their Kryptonian glory.