In this milestone 299th episode of the VFXShow, Mike Seymour is joined as always by Jason Diamond and Matt Wallin to unpack the visual effects tour de force that is Superman (2025), a film that reinvents the Man of Steel through an ambitious mix of lighthearted storytelling and full-throttle VFX action spectacle.
From the icy crystalline depths of the Fortress of Solitude to the warping chaos of an artificial pocket universe, the film leans heavily on cutting-edge visual effects, primarily from Wētā FX and Framestore. We break down:
- The surreal and claustrophobic pocket universe, a fully simulated, bendable prison dimension built to contain Superman himself.
- The reimagined Fortress of Solitude, which is home to rejuvenating solar radiation and an adorable set of helpful robots.
- The physics-defying oner of over 2000 frames long, blending character & stunt choreography, virtual camera work, over two days of filming into one seamless sequence.
- How Krypto the Superdog, who not only saves the day, but steals every scene he is in.
- And what it takes to make a believable kaiju attack on Metropolis, because it’s not a superhero film without skyscraper-smashing consequences.
This week superheroes and their alter egos are
Matte Mage Matt Wallin * @mattwallin www.mattwallin.com
Follow Matt on Mastodon: @[email protected]. and letterboxd.com/mattwallin/
Captn. Photon Sentry, Jason Diamond @jasondiamond www.thediamondbros.com
Mr Motion Blur, Mike Seymour @mikeseymour www.fxguide.com. + @mikeseymour
Special thanks to Matt Wallin for the editing & production of the show with help from Jim Shen.
Next week, for the 300th show, we will be discussing the Fantastic Four and will be both video (YouTube) and audio as before.
For more, check out our full discussion on The VFX Show podcast, available here on fxguide and wherever you get your podcasts.