Look! Up on the TV screen! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!
Only five weeks after its theatrical release, James Gunn’s reboot of DC Comics’ most legendary superhero is now available for streaming. Normally, the quick move to video on demand would indicate poor box office performance, but Superman is a certified hit, grossing $500 million worldwide to date. Instead, Gunn says the move was strategic, to give audiences the chance to watch before the premiere of Season 2 of The Peacemaker on HBO – and if you’ve seen the film, you’ll recognise the connection to the series.
In addition to being the highest-grossing superhero movie of the year, Superman was also a critical hit: it currently holds an 83 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In a mixed review, TimeOut praised David Corenswet’s performance as the Last Son of Krypton, praising the ‘lovely balance of sweetness, strength and self-doubt bubbling beneath the surface’ he brings to the role. And we mustn’t forget Krypto the superdog, ‘a sidekick whose lack of proper training and licky nature makes him a menace to foes and friends alike.’
Superman is now available to rent or buy on digital services like Prime and Google Play. It’s expected to stream on HBO Max at some point in the future, but given past Warner Brothers releases, that might not be until October.