This week, James Gunn’s much-hyped Superman movie premieres and with it comes a swirl of speculation, drama, and one massive oopsie.
From the moment Gunn announced his take on the Man of Steel, fans have wondered just how political this Superman would be. Gunn hasn’t exactly dodged the question either. He’s said outright that the film will contain political elements, and in today’s fiercely polarized environment, that’s enough to set off alarm bells for both fans and detractors.
Despite the anticipation, no official reviews have dropped yet. That’s because of a strict press embargo… well, mostly.
In what might go down as the Kryptonian Leak Heard ’Round the World, The Daily Beast accidentally published its full review a whopping five days early. And it wasn’t exactly glowing. The headline?
“The Terrible New ‘Superman’ Movie Is the Final Nail in the Grave for the Superhero Genre.”
Whoopsie poopsie.
The article was taken down within five minutes, but the internet doesn’t forget—and screenshots were everywhere within seconds. Warner Bros.’ PR team has been scrambling ever since, not only because the embargo was broken, but because it was broken with a fatal headline punch to the jaw.
Talk about bad timing for a movie that’s already under a microscope.
Now, Gunn and Warner Bros. are hoping that audience excitement—and perhaps some glowing word-of-mouth—can help the film deflect those early rays of criticism. Gunn has said the movie doesn’t need to hit $700 million to be considered a success. But considering its hefty budget and the fact that superhero fatigue is real (unless you’re a dinosaur—Jurassic World: Dominion roared back to life last weekend), some insiders are skeptical.
Will Superman soar—or will those early leaked reviews prove to be its kryptonite at the box office?
