Man of Steel: Why Superman Chose the Blue & Red Suit (Not the Black Suit)

Director Zack Snyder reveals why Superman chose the red and blue suit rather than the black one in Man of Steel. Superman’s suit is an important aspect of his superhero identity, in both the comics and other media. The black suit, sometimes called the Recovery Suit, is especially interesting to fans, as it’s only been used sparingly in the DC Extended Universe. Superman wears it briefly in Man of Steel, however, only during a nightmare vision created by General Zod. Many fans have been hoping the black suit will make a more substantial appearance at some point.

This also explains why fans were so excited by Snyder’s reveal in December 2019 that Superman would have worn the black suit in his version of Justice League. What’s more, fans will likely see this come to fruition, as his Snyder Cut is now an actual project on the way at HBO Max. Considering the number of teases Snyder has shared from his cut of Justice League, fans will see a lot more than just Superman’s black suit.

Related: Justice League: What Black Suit Superman Means for the Snyder Cut

Just before the announcement about the Snyder Cut release, the director hosted a watch party for Man of Steel. On his Vero page, Snyder explained his reasoning for different aspects of the film, including why Superman chose the red and blue suit rather than a black one. According to Snyder:

The House of El’s family suit would be the black suit, but the suit facing out into the public, the suit he says ‘you’ll help them attain wonders,’ that suit is the suit of optimism in my opinion. The red and blue suit, to me, is more inclusive. it’s a friendlier suit.

Snyder’s comments about the suit choice make sense, especially considering how important image is to superheroes. While the black suit would have been an interesting change for Superman and Man of Steel, the red and blue suit is iconic for a reason. Even fans who were hoping to see the black suit in a bigger capacity during the movie have to understand the choice. It also helps that Snyder clearly gave Superman’s decision a lot of thought. Plus, the director wasn’t completely opposed to the idea; his picture of Cavill wearing the black suit in the Snyder Cut was even captioned “my Superman.“

Unfortunately, the Snyder Cut of Justice League won’t come out until 2021, so fans have awhile before they’ll see the black suit in action there. It will also be interesting to see the role it plays, including how long Superman wears it for and in what context. As it is the Recovery Suit, its presence in Justice League makes a lot of sense. However, until the Snyder Cut is released, fans will have to make do with this interesting Man of Steel reveal from Snyder.

More: Henry Cavill Was Cast As Superman 9 Years Ago Today: His DC Future Explained

Source: Zack Snyder/Vero

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About The Author

Rebecca VanAcker is a news writer and evening editor at Screen Rant. She enjoys covering all things superhero, especially Marvel and the Arrowverse. In the past, she’s written TV recaps for Screen Picks and reviews for Yahoo TV UK. Though Rebecca likes movies and other forms of storytelling, TV is her true passion, having written about it in some capacity since 2014. She especially loves female-driven shows like Parks and Recreation, Jane the Virgin, and Fleabag.
A graduate of Michigan State University, Rebecca got her teaching certificate before falling in love with writing and the entertainment industry. She has a B.A. in English, and her longtime love of reading has followed her into adulthood. While she enjoys discovering new books, right now she’s probably just re-reading Harry Potter for the millionth time. Her other hobbies include baking, anything Disney, and exploring with her dog, Beckett.
You can follow Rebecca on Twitter @BecksVanAcker, or contact her directly at rvanacker23(at)gmail(dot)com.

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