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Concept Art Reveals Trunkless Version of David Corenswet's Superman
Posted on August 06, 2025 by Neil Cole
Newly revealed early concept art for James Gunn's "Superman" features a trunkless version of the suit before final approval returned the classic red trunks thanks in large part to lead actor David Corenswet and costume designer Judianna Makovsky.
James Gunn initially leaned toward omitting the trunks, aligning with prior interpretations like Henry Cavill's DCEU costume. Gunn consulted with Zack Snyder on the matter, both of whom had tried version after version with trunks but felt it never quite worked. Screen tests followed, featuring Corenswet wearing both a trunkless and a traditional design. When Corenswet spoke up, arguing that the trunks - though arguably "silly" - served a purpose, Gunn reconsidered. Corenswet explained that Superman doesn't seek to appear cool; instead, the slight silliness of the trunks humanizes him, making him more approachable - particularly to children who admire him.
Costume designer Judianna Makovsky previously described the trunks as a daily topic of debate during pre-production. The definitive decision was surprisingly delayed until the day before principal photography.
"It's one of those things where you want to see if you can actually pull it off," stated Makovsky in a June interview with PopVerse. "We didn't have this iteration of the underwear until right before we shot. The decision to use the underwear wasn't made until the night before we started shooting."
As opposed to the trunkless design that leaned heavily into a streamlined, full-blue aesthetic, the final suit blends Silver Age aesthetics with contemporary design - complete with the red trunks and classic yellow belt for the first time in live-action since the version of the costume worn by Brandon Routh in "Superman Returns".
Since its opening on July 12th, "Superman" has earned over $500 million at the global box office.
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