The social media embargo for James Gunn‘s “Superman” has been lifted, bringing with it the first reactions from members of the film press. The Warner Bros. tentpole is the latest superhero movie from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Suicide Squad” writer-director Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios with Peter Safran. “Superman” marks the launch of a rebooted DC Universe on the big screen. Film press are calling it a “thrilling start” to Gunn’s DC Studios.

Film critic Bryan Sudfield praised “Superman” as a “bold yet faithful” feature adaptation of the DC icon. He added that Gunn’s take felt unique while still staying true to the character’s roots.

“‘Superman’ soars with heart, humor, and style—a bold yet faithful take on the iconic hero,” he wrote on X. “James Gunn sets a fresh tone while honoring the character’s legacy, and David Corenswet shines with sincerity and strength. A promising, thrilling start to DC’s new era.”

Entertainment journalist Brandon Davis took to X to praise David Corenswet’s performance as the titular Man of Steel, adding that his chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan was “an excellent driver” of the story.

“David Corenswet portrays an exceptional iteration of [Superman] with sincerity, heroism, purity, and inspirational traits,” he wrote. “Corenswet & Rachel Brosnahan’s chemistry for Clark and Lois is off the charts.”

However, not everyone was a fan of the DC Studio debut. Movie critic Peter Howell said “Superman” was “not the super start to the DC Universe everybody had been hoping for,” and that it prioritized style over substance.

“James Gunn is brilliant at conjuring spectacle and creating alien realms, not so great at storytelling,” he wrote on X. “David Corenswet plays a boyishly sweet Superman, constantly getting his ass kicked; he’d be better as the lead in a Dudley Do-Right movie. Rachel Brosnahan makes a spiky Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is more obnoxious than villainous. The real star of the show is superdog Krypto, who steals every scene he’s in — I’d rather see a movie about him.”

“Superman” stars Corenswet in the title role, plus Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Brosnahan as Lois Lane. The supporting cast includes Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Anthony Carrigan (Metamorpho), Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific), Nathan Fillon (Guy Gardner), Isabela Mercad (Hawkgirl) and more. While plot specifics for the movie have remained under wraps, Gunn has said his superhero epic encompasses “the story of America.”

“I mean, ‘Superman’ is the story of America,” Gunn explained to The Sunday Times. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost… Yes, it’s about politics. But on another level it’s about morality. Do you never kill no matter what — which is what Superman believes — or do you have some balance, as Lois believes? It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.”

Check out more “Superman” first reactions below. The film opens in theaters July 11 from Warner Bros. and DC Studios.

“SUPERMAN reminds us that Clark Kent has always been a beacon of hope and the goodness that can exist in this world. James Gunn’s vision is a comic book brought to life and it bought a lightness and a happiness to one of the most beloved heroes around.” – Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman)

“This is the BEST #Superman movie to date. When James Gunn gets out of the way & lets his work speak for itself, it’s incredible. 💙💛❤️ It’s not perfect, but darn close & made me a believer in Gunn’s #DC.” – Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph)

“There’s glimmers of a heartfelt, hopeful & optimistic #Superman akin to classic Action Comics, but the film sadly buckles under a convoluted & often silly plot. However, there are terrific performances from Corenswet, Brosnahan, Hoult & Gathegi – plus Krypto really is the best!” – Nicola Austin @nicola_aus

“James Gunn’s #Superman is the hero’s most vibrant, optimistic, and character-driven big screen outing since Richard Donner was as running the show. It lays a solid groundwork for a larger universe, but this is Superman’s story and a damn good one. Marvel let a big fish get away.” – Nick Spake (@NSpake)

“James Gunn absolutely nailed it with #Superman. From the music and VFX to the camerawork and humor, he crafted the ideal light-hearted, kid-friendly family film for the summer. Every character had standout moments—especially Krypto.” – Jeremy Kazieva (@jeremy_kazieva)

“Superman is filled with hope, love, and deeply powerful themes of what it means to be human. Corenswet completely embodies the strength and honor of the character, and his chemistry with Brosnahan is electric. Loved the action, and ambitious story. Gunn pulled it off!” – Ben Meter (@metersreviews)

New York
CNN
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US stocks fell Monday as President Donald Trump announced a flurry of tariffs on countries including Japan, South Korea and South Africa.

The Dow closed lower by 422 points, or 0.94%. The S&P 500 fell 0.79% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.92%. The three major indexes posted their worst day in about three weeks. Meanwhile, the early opening Asian stocks started Tuesday flat.

Stocks dropped lower midday after Trump announced 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea, set to go into effect August 1. Stocks continued to fall in the afternoon as Trump announced tariffs of varying rates from 25% to 40% on countries including Myanmar, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Laos and South Africa.

Trump posted letters on Truth Social outlining the tariffs, which are separate from sectoral tariffs. The tariff rates “may be modified, upward or downward,” according to the letters.

Stocks had opened lower as Wall Street mulled the Trump administration’s plan to announce new trade deals — or notify countries of new tariff rates. Trump on Sunday said the White House would send “tariff letters” to countries on Monday at noon. Trump had told reporters on Friday the letters would disclose new tariff rates set for August 1.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said the president would sign an executive order to move the July 9 tariff deadline to August 1, creating a timeline for negotiations.

US-listed shares in major Japanese automakers Toyota, Nissan and Honda dropped by 4%, 7.16% and 3.86%, respectively.

US-listed shares in major South Korean technology companies LG Display and SK Telecom dropped by 8.3% and 7.76%, respectively.

Exchange-traded funds managed by BlackRock that track Japanese, South Korean, South African and Malaysian stocks were down 2.4%, 3.56%, 1.73% and 1.97%, respectively.

The Japan-focused, South Korea-focused and Malaysia-focused ETFs posted their worst day since early April.

Ross Mayfield, an investment strategist at Baird, told CNN that the proposed tariff rates were higher than the market was expecting, leading to a sell-off in stocks.

US government bonds also slid as investors digested the tariff developments. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.39% and the 30-year yield rose to 4.92%. Yields and prices trade in opposite directions.

The US dollar index, which measures the dollar’s strength against six major foreign currencies, gained 0.3%. The Japanese yen, South Korean won and South African rand all weakened against the dollar.

On Tuesday, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.5% in early hours of trading, while South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.5%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.3%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was up less than 0.1%.

Kai Wang, Asia equity market strategist at Morningstar, interpreted the relatively muted Asian stock response as investors looking beyond the tariffs, and focusing instead on the new August 1 deadline as a sign of progress.

“(Asian) markets are treating the latest tariff move more as posturing than policy, with room still seen for dialogue,” he said.

US stocks rallied in recent weeks as investors bet the worst of the tariff confusion was in the past. As Trump’s self-imposed July 9 deadline for trade deals — the conclusion of a 90-day pause that began April 9 — approached, Wall Street was cautiously optimistic.

Mohit Kumar, chief strategist and economist for Europe at Jefferies, said in a note he does not think the original July 9 deadline will have a “material impact” on markets.

“It will create near-term uncertainty and prompt some profit taking given current valuations and positioning. But the letters are meant as an incentive for other countries to agree to come to a deal quickly and we see more trade deals being signed in the coming weeks,” Kumar said.

A dip in stocks should be seen as a buying opportunity, Kumar said.

The S&P 500 has notched four record highs since June 27. Stocks have pushed higher as economic data has been stronger than expected, helping assuage concerns about the impact of the early stages of Trump’s tariff campaign.

“The renewed optimism appears to have been buoyed by a series of data points that have seemingly quelled some of the worst investor fears,” Brian Belski, chief investment strategist at BMO Capital Markets, said in a July 3 note. “For instance, cooler-than-anticipated CPI numbers continue to suggest a muted tariff impact, for now at least.”

Belski said he thinks trade deals will be announced in the coming weeks, providing “more clarity for both investors and businesses and likely keep[ing] the uptrend in stocks intact.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Monday he expects “several announcements in the next 48 hours.” Bessent had told CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday that tariff rates would “boomerang” higher on August 1 if trade deals were not completed.

“If we’ve learned anything over the last three months, it’s that the situation is very fluid and can change with very little notice,” Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, said.

While many investors expect stocks to grind higher, others warn that there is complacency in markets.

Scott Wren, global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said in a note he thinks the Wall Street consensus is “overly optimistic on the tariff outlook.”

Wren said there is concern that as tariff rates settle, the economy will begin to slow and consumer spending might pull back.

“Our feeling is that stocks are ahead of themselves, and as a result, we are looking to trim positions in markets and sectors we find to be overvalued,” he said, mentioning US small cap stocks and consumer discretionary sectors in the S&P 500 that have performed well in recent months.

Trump on Sunday also announced an additional 10% tariff on any countries aligning with BRICS — an economic bloc including founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

While the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record highs in recent weeks, the Dow is still about 608 points away from hitting an all-time high.

Wall Street this week will be fixated on any signs of more proposed tariff rates. Lukman Otunuga, senior market analyst at FXTM, said if tariff rates jump higher than expected and revive “recession fears and trade uncertainty,” then stocks “could be slammed while safe havens rally.”

CNN
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President Donald Trump cranked up the pressure Monday on America’s trading partners, firing off letters to heads of several countries, informing them of their new tariff rate. But at the same time, Trump took some of the edge off by signing an executive action Monday to extend the date for all “reciprocal” tariffs, with the exception of China, to August 1.

Those “reciprocal” tariffs were expected to go into effect Wednesday. In some cases, the letters Trump sent specify new “reciprocal” tariff rates that are higher or lower compared to April levels.

Trump was not definitive when asked if the new August 1 deadline was “firm” ahead of a dinner at the White House on Monday night. “I would say firm, but not 100% firm. If they call up and they say would like to do something a different way, we’re going to be open to that.”

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung were the first recipients of Trump’s letters.

Both countries will face a 25% tariff come August 1, according to the letters, but both nations said on Tuesday they plan to engage in further talks with the US, with Japan saying it was working towards a trade deal.

Trump announced similar letters were sent to Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Myanmar and Laos, informing their leaders of new tariff rates as high as 40%.

Then later in the day, he posted seven new letters sent to leaders of Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (which is set to reach a 30% tariff), Indonesia, Bangladesh, Serbia, Cambodia and Thailand, putting the running total at 14 letters delivered on Monday.

In the letters, Trump said he takes particular issue with the trade deficits the United States runs with them, meaning America buys more goods from there compared to the amount that American businesses export to those countries. Trump also said the tariffs would be set in response to other policies that he deems are impeding American goods from being sold abroad.

He encouraged country leaders to manufacture goods in the United States to avoid tariffs.

This comes ahead of his initial 12:01 a.m. ET July 9 deadline for countries to make deals or face the threat of higher tariffs. That date marks the end of the pause on “reciprocal” tariffs, which briefly went into place in April. Since then, impacted countries have faced a minimum 10% tariff.

In all 14 letters, Trump threatened to raise tariffs even higher than the specified rates if a country retaliated against the United States with tariffs of their own. Trump said these rates would be “separate from all Sectoral Tariffs,” meaning, for instance, the new tariff won’t be stacked on top of the current auto tariff of 25%, the White House confirmed. That would apply to any future sector-specific tariffs, too, a White House official said.

Despite the many trade qualms Trump has broadcast as having with the European Union, prompting him to threaten higher tariffs on several occasions, the trading bloc appears to have not received a letter from him.

“We’re not going to comment on letters that we haven’t received,” Olof Gill, a European Commission spokesperson, told reporters Monday afternoon.

“My understanding is that we can now expect an extension of the current status quo until August 1 to give further time for the EU and the US to reach an agreement in principle on a mutually beneficial agreement that works for both sides,” Simon Harris, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said in a statement on Monday.

Collectively, the US bought $465 billion worth of goods last year from the 14 countries that received letters on Monday, according to US Commerce Department figures. Japan and South Korea, America’s sixth- and seventh-largest trading partners, accounted for 60% of that, shipping a total of $280 billion worth of goods to the US last year.

The prospect of higher tariffs on goods could translate into higher prices for American consumers. Among the top goods America imports from South Korea and Japan, for example, are cars, auto parts, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and machinery. Trump has placed or threatened to levy industry-specific tariffs on many of these goods.

In April, Japan was set to face a 24% tariff, while South Korea was set to face a 25% tariff. Now, both face the same 25% rate.

Japan’s Ishiba, convened a cabinet task force on Tuesday after receiving the letter and voiced Tokyo’s deep “regret that the U.S. government has imposed additional tariffs and announced plans to raise tariff rates.” He said the country would continue negotiations with the United States to seek a bilateral trade deal that benefits both countries.

South Korea’s Finance Ministry said in a statement that it would monitor developments closely, but warned that if market fluctuations become “excessive” the government would “take immediate and bold action in accordance with its contingency plans,” though it did not immediately detail what that action may entail.

While the other countries ship less to the US compared to Japan and South Korea, in many cases they are among the top foreign sources of goods.

For instance, South Africa, which is set to face 30% tariffs, accounted for roughly half of the platinum the US imported from other countries last year and was the top foreign supplier of it.

Malaysia, which is set to face a 24% tariff versus the 25% rate Trump announced in April, was the second-top source of semiconductors shipped to the US last year, with Americans purchasing $18 billion worth of them from there.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Cambodia are top manufacturing hubs for apparel and accessories.

Trump’s letter to Cambodia’s prime minister threatened a tariff rate of 36%, 13 percentage points lower than what had been in place in April, before it was paused.

Stocks dropped lower midday after Trump announced the first batch of letters and continued to fall as Trump announced tariffs of varying rates from 25% to 40% on countries including Myanmar, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Laos and South Africa.

Despite Trump saying country-specific tariffs won’t be stacked on top of sectorial ones, shares of auto companies that have a heavy manufacturing presence in Japan and South Korea declined sharply. US-listed shares in major Japanese automakers Toyota, Nissan and Honda dropped by 4%, 7.16% and 3.86%, respectively.

Those declines, however, may reflect the increased likelihood of Trump potentially raising tariffs on cars from the two countries should they retaliate against the general 25% tariffs, were they to go into effect, by slapping higher tariffs on American goods.

“These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship,” Trump ended the letters before signing off.

The Dow closed lower by 422 points, or 0.94%. The S&P 500 fell 0.79% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.92%. The three major indexes posted their worst day in about three weeks. Meanwhile, stocks in Asia started Tuesday trading flat.