James Gunn Clears Up Big Question About Superman Using John Williams' Score

Superman trailer features Williams’ theme.
Gunn’s Superman film will use a mix of Williams’ score and original music.
Fans divided on using the classic Superman theme; some stand by SnyderVerse.

The Superman trailer release date was officially announced with a new motion poster featuring the iconic John Williams theme. Now, James Gunn has confirmed if his first DCU movie will use the Williams Superman theme or a new anthem for the Man Steel.

The new Superman trailer release date announcement was accompanied by a motion poster that features a variation of Williams’ Superman theme. This caused fans to wonder if this meant Gunn’s Superman movie was using Williams’ iconic theme or if the score was only used for the motion poster to build hype for the next incarnation of the Man of Steel. According to Gunn, the answer seems to be both.

A new DCU actor has one past DC movie on their to-watch list, but most fans probably would recommend something other than this notoriously bad film.

In June 2024, multiple outlets were invited to the Superman set to discuss the upcoming film with writer and director Gunn (via Gizmodo). During the event, Gunn revealed that Superman will be more orchestral-driven than the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks, which featured classic songs from various artists and eras. Gunn added that composer John Murphy’s Superman score is largely original with “nods” to Williams’ classic theme.

“There’s nods to [John] Williams and then also John Murphy’s created this incredibly beautiful score. But the one thing is it is a score, it’s not a soundtrack. So it’s not about the songs. There’s a few songs in it. And of course, I chose those songs beforehand, but it isn’t like any of my previous movies really in terms of the score is what drives it. It’s a much, much more of a score film.”

Another variation of Williams’ Superman theme can be heard in the above video in which Gunn urges fans to tell their friends about the upcoming trailer. This may give fans a sense of how Gunn plans to use Williams’ Superman theme. It’s Williams’ score, but a different take on it. Perhaps Gunn intends to use the classic theme sparingly, similar to how the first Creed movie only used the iconic Rocky theme at key moments in the film for maximum impact. Of course, this is speculation, but DC fans already have strong feelings.

Some fans were thrilled to hear Williams’ Superman theme in the motion poster and previews for the trailer. They argued the iconic Superman theme is fitting for any incarnation of the character, similar to how the James Bond theme has been used for each version of 007. Others wanted Gunn’s Superman movie to move on from the Christopher Reeve era and use a new theme.

Of course, some of those critics are SnyderVerse fans, many of whom have openly stated that they intend to boycott Gunn’s Superman movie and won’t give it a chance. They’re still upset that Warner Bros. scrapped Snyder’s vision and that Gunn opted to replace Henry Cavill as Superman. Not everyone who wanted a new Superman theme is among those who can’t let go of the SnyderVerse, and there is something to be said about moving forward. Still, there are lessons Gunn’s Superman movie can learn from Reeves’ 1978 film, and using the classic Williams score doesn’t mean the DCU movie will be beholden to the past.

Superman is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.