The Uncertain Future of the Man of Tomorrow

Jackson Mahuron discusses the history of Clark Kent, his current limbo status within popular media and what should happen with the Superman IP going forward.

Superman debuted in the first issue of  “Action Comics” in June 1938, by Jewish creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Both creators were children of immigrants fleeing countries due to antisemitism. They joined the comic industry, a production that was predominantly made up of Jewish people who were forced out of the newspaper and magazine industries.

Taking some inspiration from the golem, an indestructible stone protector from 16th century Jewish culture, it’s no surprise that Superman is the protector of all: a champion who looks to inspire hope and change the heart of man for the better.

However, lately it seems that the symbol of truth, justice, and the American way has fallen to the wayside. Perhaps the Man of Steel’s biggest Kryptonite is actually just its current intellectual property (IP) overlords.  

Since his comic debut, Superman has sold over 600 million copies — topping the lists of most popular comic book characters. He’s also appeared in over 2,000 episodes of the radio serial “The Adventures of Superman,” had four animated series, seven live-action television series (including a few super-spinoffs), and more than a dozen movies. He has undeniably been a hot commodity since his original creation.

With so much media dedicated to the hero, it’s hard to believe that his last solo movie was “Man of Steel”, which debuted nearly a decade ago in 2013. 

This past month, fans gathered at the DC Panel of San Diego for the very first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. There was excitement for new shows and movie announcements across the big comic companies, with Marvel previewing multiple projects well into 2026. Rumors snowballed online days before that DC would not only potentially be revealing trailers for their confirmed projects such as “Aquaman 2” and “Blue Beetle,” but that actor Henry Cavil would also make a surprise appearance to announce his next appearance as Superman.

Sadly, not only did Cavill not appear on stage, but no movies were discussed other than “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” and “Black Adam,” both of which already had trailers available to the public. After the lackluster performance from DC Comics, David Zaslav, the new Warner Bros. Discovery president, announced that the upcoming “Batgirl” movie that was already in post-production would be canceled and turned into a tax write-off for the company. 

Zaslav has also recently  told the press they are interested in shifting focus away from some of the disjointed stories, instead opting for a 10-year plan to introduce a more connected cinematic universe akin to what Disney has been doing with Marvel for the past decade. 

This to me, feels like a step in the wrong direction. While the DCEU struggled to pump out quality movies for a long time, they eventually started to find some great pieces of media within the disconnected hodgepodge lore of Zack Snyder -- a man who fundamentally does not understand these characters as well as he thinks he does.

Just as we are starting to salvage this cinematic universe with genuinely exciting movies such as James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” Jams Wan’s “Aquaman,” and Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey,” it seems Zaslav wants to scrap it and start a new one.

Not only is this a bad sign for the smaller projects that were going to be created for HBO Max releases, but it also means our out-of-continuity stories such as “The Batman” and the Ta Nehisi Coates’ Superman period piece project  could be pushed aside for stories that try to focus more on cameos and strategic cash grabs over genuine explorations of new and classic characters alike.  

So where does this leave our man from the stars? The unfortunate answer is, I’m not really sure.

Personally, Superman has grown into my favorite comic book character and I would love for a chance to see him re-imagined on the screen again. He has so much to offer the world at a time when he is needed the most. His character themes give us  a multitude of opportunities for stories about immigration, climate change, anti-corporatism, using journalism to cut through the lies of the elite, standing up for the little guy, and most importantly, just being a friend.

I’m worried we won’t get the rumored period piece Superman with a first-ever Black portrayal of the character in a movie. I’m simultaneously worried that if he’s commodified into a shared universe again, he will be obfuscated to fit the needs of a general audience that seems to become less and less interested with his core character values.

It seems his plans are currently to be determined, sent straight to the Phantom Zone to wait for the next media merger to finally give the character a purpose. Or better yet, wait for the character to become public domain in 2033 to see what can truly happen with the character.

I say give the people disjointed Superman movies that take place in different periods that don’t have to worry about the continuity.  Make sure they serve no bigger or more important purpose than to pay respect to the original superhero. He inspires us to be better, and I want to help return the favor to the beloved Son of Jor-El. 

Until then, I recommend watching the classics to hold you over. The Richard Donner movies leave you with a smile and a warm feeling in your heart. “Superman: The Animated Series” explores the weirder sides of our hero, putting him in situations with the Toy Man and Mr. Mxyzptlk that would otherwise never be shown in a big budget blockbuster.

Finally, in celebration of the 23rd anniversary of “The Iron Giant,” a movie that Superman does not appear in, he can still teach us that with all the power in the world, the most important thing we can be… is good.