Riddle me this: what grows in strength but not size, though it can’t be seen, in darkness it shines? The answer? Hope.
As “Superman” kicks off its world tour in the Philippines, we are reminded just why the Man of Tomorrow is the hope of today. In a country where resilience is expected to be part of the culture, having Superman visit means more than just fan service—it’s a celebration of hope with fans who believe wholeheartedly in a better tomorrow.
Rachel Brosnahan, David Corenswet, and James Gunn at the Superman Shield World Record Attempt | Photo from Superman Official Page
Director James Gunn, producer Peter Safran, and stars David Corenswet (Superman / Clark Kent) and Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane) landed in Manila to tremendous fanfare, kickstarting their visit with a record-setting activity which saw hundreds of fans join the largest crowd gathering recreating Superman’s iconic “S” shield at the Bridgetowne Open Grounds in Pasig City.
The activity was the perfect launchpad for the film’s world tour, and while the day started off strong, it didn’t stop there—the evening saw a Red Carpet Fan Event, with the cast and creators of “Superman” visiting the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. The guests were greeted with fireworks and a beautiful rendition of the Superman theme song performed by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.
Fans were dressed from head to toe in cosplay attires and blue and red outfits, turning heads and drawing curious mallgoers towards the source of the commotion—the special guests of the evening, who were welcomed warmly by fans with loud cheers of “mabuhay!”
“It’s beautiful. The energy is great, and I certainly wasn’t expecting this,” shared Gunn.
Gunn and co preserved the memory of the fan event with a selfie video from the stage, and were given special Superman-themed jeepney memorabilia to commemorate their visit.
“This energy is wind beneath our wings as we take these next steps of our tour,” said Brosnahan.
David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, James Gunn, and Peter Safran at the 30 minute screening of the film at Superman World Tour in Manila | Photo from SM Mall of Asia
Day 1 of the Superman World Tour closed out with a special screening of the first 30 minutes of the film, and needless to say, it was amazing. The screening started off with a bang in the middle of the action, and making viewers more hyped for what’s to come.
But of course, the tour wouldn’t be complete without an in-depth interview with James Gunn, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, which took place on day 2 at the official press conference.
Getting into a bit of Gunn’s personal history with the character, the director said, “I always liked the character of Superman. I started reading his comics when I was like 3 or 4 years old. I saw…this other world that I just became enmeshed with when I was a child, even before I could read, and falling in love with those images.”
“I wanted to recreate that feeling that I had as a young child, in a film that both children and adults can enjoy, where it’s this other universe that is still grounded, with real stakes, real people who have issues, and problems, and relationships,” shared Gunn, detailing his vision for this version of Metropolis.
David Corenswet in Superman | Photo from DC Studios
When asked about how he handled the responsibility of carrying the mantle of Superman, David Corenswet said he started focusing on the physical aspect of the character, spending most days at the gym where he found his first major insight about the character.
“When you take on a physical transformation like that, it’s just you against your own mind…and in that moment, you feel very alone,” shared David, which led to his realization that “he (Superman) struggles with feeling alienated from the people he loves the most. He wants desperately to be connected to them, and he knows and feels that he ultimately isn’t quite like them.”
Rachel Brosnahan in Superman | Photo from DC Studios
Meanwhile, Rachel Brosnahan shared about the challenge of adapting Lois Lane for modern audiences. “I was really attracted to this version of this character because it feels equally weighted…She’s an everyday superhero, and just like Superman, she’s not knocked off balance very easily. She can logic her way around just about anything and she’s 10 steps ahead of everyone else. Then, along comes this thing that she couldn’t have seen coming, that she can’t logic her way out of, and it totally knocks her off her feet,” she shared.
David Corenswet, James Gunn and Rachel Brosnahan at the Superman Red Carpet Fan Event | Photo from Superman Official Page
As the curtains close on the Manila leg of the Superman World Tour, the rest of the world opens up, ready as ever to accept the latest incarnation of the quintessential superhero that is Superman. And as we continue looking up towards heroes that can bring us salvation, we are also invited to look inwards to find that spark of hope that can start within ourselves.
“Superman” premieres in the Philippines on July 9, in Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore on July 10, and in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam on July 11. Catch it at your nearest cinema and tell us in the comments what you think about the movie.