James Gunn’s Superman Breaks Free Of HBO And Lands On Another Streaming Service

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 6 seconds ago

Now that Supergirl is out in theaters it’s the best time to sit back and re-watch last year’s rebirth of the DC Universe, Superman. Directed and written by James Gunn, the bright, colorful film was the complete opposite of Zach Snyder’s Man of Steel over a decade earlier. Now that’s it free of HBO Max and available to stream on Amazon Prime, more people will have the chance to experience Gunn’s vision for the DC Universe. 

Superman Sets Up DC’s Rebirth

Superman packs a lot into its 129 minute runtime, including introducing fans to the staff of the Daily Planet, the Justice Gang, LuthorCorp, the Fortress of Solitude, and for the first time in live action, Krypto the Superdog. It’s a lot of work (re)establishing an entire cinematic universe with one film, but Gunn pulls it off. A calm, overly polite Superman (Daivd Corenswet) vs. an increasingly manic Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is the dynamic we needed to see between the two classic archenemies. 

It’s the supporting cast around Superman that steals the show. Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is the annoying co-worker you want to punch in the face but can’t deny he gets the job done, while Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl is the diminutive brawler and thankfully, there’s zero attempt at explaining her backstory. Edi Gathegi, as Mr. Terrific, finally receiving his second chance as a superhero after X-Men: First Class killed off Darwin in the dumbest way possible, was the film’s breakout star. 

DC Scored A Win Over Marvel

Superman may have failed to reach a billion dollars at the box office but it manage to outgross every Marvel release of 2025: Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and Fantastic Four: First Steps. With a $600 million worldwide gross, it was good enough for the number 10 spot for 2025, which isn’t bad, but for superhero movies, it feels like if they don’t break a billion, they are considered a failure. Removed from box office drama and taken on its own now that its onto a new streaming platform makes it easier to appreciate Gunn’s vision for what it is, and not what fans were expecting. 

No one could have predicted that Corenswet would fit so easily into the boots of the legendary Christopher Reeve, or that his chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane would be electric. The problem now, is that with the follow up film, Supergirl, currently showing in theaters that there’s expectations for Gunn’s DC Universe. Early reviews for the adventure of Superman’s cousin, played by Milly Alcock, haven’t been great so far, but Warner Bros is invested in Gunn and looking at not only box office numbers, but merchandising, and, as Superman’s move to Amazon makes clear, licensing. 

It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s Amazon Prime!

A bright, colorful, optimistic Superman sticks out in the current superhero landscape that’s becoming increasingly dour as the years go on and the initial audience that made the films a hit moves on to other things. When you sit back and fire up Superman on Amazon Prime don’t worry about the future of superhero movies, James Gunn’s plans for the future, or anything else for that matter. Relax and enjoy Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult as the closest we’ve ever come to Reeve, Kidder, and Hackman since the 70s. Superman is a timeless character, and a year after its release, Superman is going to begin aging like a fine wine.