The movie Superman's producer Peter Safran stressed the superhero's kindness as the key to bring new life to this 2025 reboot in an interview ahead of the film's premiere in Beijing on July 10.
Produced by DC Studios based on the eponymous character from DC Comics, the film breaks with the tradition of telling origin stories first and instead begins with failure of the rookie Superman.
As the first film in the DC Universe, it has so far grossed nearly 400 million U.S. dollars globally. Safran said the blockbuster's possible commercial success lies in the portrayal of a kind superhero character and its ability to resonate with the audience.
"I feel like the qualities of Superman are those we can all embrace. The idea of seeing good in others, the idea of being kind, the idea of looking for the best in people, it's just a beautiful message. And I feel like people can truly embrace it. Kindness is something that is not old-fashioned. It's kind of a wonderful idea. And in a world that is very cynical, superheroes are out there today. I do think his integrity is kind of almost punk rock," Safran said.
As co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios, Safran said he values highly the Chinese market and the Chinese movie fans, adding a film integrating the DC Universe with the Chinese mythology is not ruled out.
"We want to find a way to truly organically grow the brand here and create homegrown properties. And I think that those mythologies fit very well. They easily can mesh with the characters and the stories that we want to tell. So, keep your eyes open. I think there are going to be some very cool stuff," Safran said.
Superman producer stresses superhero's kindness in Beijing
Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."
Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.
"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.
"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.
Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.
EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland
