I thought we were done with 3D.
Watching a movie in 3D in 2025 is like finding a DVD in the bargain bin and being told it’s “premium format.” It’s a leftover from that weird 2009-era optimism, when “Avatar” made everyone think plastic glasses and eye strain were the future of cinema.
“Avatar” did give the 3D market a major boost for a time, but the momentum quickly faded as countless films tried to cash in on the trend by converting non-3D movies into 3D post-production, often with underwhelming results.
I can count on less than two hands the total number of movies since “Avatar” that actually benefited from the 3D treatment: “Life of Pi,” “Hugo,” “The Walk,” and “Gravity” come to mind.
Regardless, James Gunn is now fully behind seeing “Superman” in 3D. He’s even gone so far as to use his Bluesky account to promote the experience of donning those silly dark glasses to watch his film.
Just saw the final version of “Superman” in 3D and oh wow … just incredible to see. If you have a taste for 3D, this is a great way to see the film.
A strong argument against 3D is that it can compromise the visual quality and artistic intent of a film. Many movies, including “Superman” by all accounts, aren’t shot in native 3D but are post-converted, often leading to dimmer visuals, awkward depth, and a sometimes jarring artificiality. In that light, watching “Superman” in 3D is far from essential and may even detract from the way the film was originally meant to be seen.
I’ve always found the glasses themselves to reduce brightness and color contrast, muting the cinematography that directors and cinematographers carefully craft. I value clarity and visual fidelity, watching a film in 2D is and has almost always been the way to go.