Socially conservative superheroes

As a fan of superhero movies, I awaited July 2025 with eager anticipation. Two major films were scheduled for release just a couple weeks apart. On July 11, DC Studios released Superman, directed by James Gunn. This was followed on July 25, with the Marvel Studios film The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman. Both movies have been well-reviewed by most critics, have proven popular with general audiences, and are currently on track to be financially successful.

Many observers have noted similarities between these two films. Both feature iconic characters with long histories. Superman made his comic book debut in 1938, helping launch the so-called Golden Age of Comics, which was dominated by what is now DC Comics. The Fantastic Four first appeared in 1961, inaugurating the Silver Age of Comics, where Marvel became DC’s chief rival. Both films also represent fresh directions for their respective franchises. Superman is a full-on reboot of DC’s film franchise while The Fantastic Four: First Steps represents a recalibration of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Not surprisingly, both films also have a lot riding on them. DC’s previous franchise, the DC Extended Universe, ended with a whimper amid mixed reviews and uneven box office receipts. The MCU, while more popular, has lost some of its momentum over the past five years. Both studios, and their respective parent companies, Warner Bros. (DC) and Disney (Marvel), need these films to be unqualified successes, both critically and commercially.

I enjoyed watching both movies with my family the weekends that each was released. In my subsequent discussions with my wife and children, we have noted another similarity between the two films. This resemblance has received less attention in the media, even though it stood out to us and many other Christians with whom we’ve talked. Simply put, both Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps emphasize the value of traditional families and the value of human life, including the preborn and infants. Both films are surprising socially conservative, marking a welcome departure from most superhero movies.

In Superman, the titular character reveres his biological parents, who sent him into space as an infant to escape their dying planet, Krypton. 30 years later, he is a superhero because he believes that honors their parting instructions to him. When Superman discovers that their intentions for him were less noble, he becomes disillusioned. At a particularly low point, Superman’s adoptive father, a Kansas farmer named Jonathan Kent, reminds him that his heroic deeds are rooted in his good character, regardless of what his biological parents intended. By the end of the film, Superman is thankful that he is Clark Kent, the adopted son of Jonathan and Martha. They remain his moral compass and the most important influences in his life.

Superman greatly values human life, and he does everything he can to save as many people (and animals) as possible. He grieves when he can’t save everyone. In a crucial scene, he goes to great lengths to rescue a baby who is in grave peril, leading to a heroic turn for an important secondary character. For Superman, life is sacred and meant to be preserved.

The Fantastic Four has always been about family, dating back to the characters’ origins. Reed and Sue Richards are happily married. Johnny Storm is Sue’s brother. Ben Grimm, Reed’s best friend, looks monstrous, but has a heart of gold. He is part of the family, too. Their superhero headquarters is also a real home, where they share their lives, including weekly family dinners.

A major plot point in Fantastic Four: First Things is that Reed and Sue are expecting their first child. The antagonist demands that they give him their unborn child. After the baby is born, the world pressures the Richards to sacrifice their infant son for the greater good. Not only do they refuse to abandon their son, but in a key scene Sue convinces a mob that the Fantastic Four will both protect the child’s life and save the lives of everyone on earth (and the social outcast who lives under the earth).

Superhero films remain immensely popular. They form the imaginations of countless fans, and their impact on popular culture is expansive. Superman and Fantastic Four: First Things aren’t rooted in a biblical worldview, nor is their ethical vision consistently virtuous. But as Christians, we should celebrate the fact that two big budget superhero films are unequivocal in their celebration of traditional marriage, family values, parenting, and the value of every human life.

In our age of moral confusion, let us give thanks for socially conservative truths that appear in these superhero movies and, in their own way, remind millions of moviegoers of God’s good design.