BY RAINE NAKPIL
SUPERFANS, families, and casual passersby at Bridgetowne looked up to witness a heroic makeover of Pasig City’s soaring cityscape on the evening of June 18, 2025; the event was spectacular Superman-themed drone show that lit up their smiles and the skies.
Held at The Victor, a colossal steel statue that was superb in its own right, the show was a heartfelt visual salute to the Man of Steel himself, indicating the beginning of vibrant celebrations that would lead up to James Gunn’s July 9 movie premiere of “Superman” in the Philippines, which would be ahead of the July 11 global release.
An impressive fleet of drones danced in the airspace, forming Kal-El’s Kryptonian S-like emblem of hope, the image of Clark Kent’s alter ego in mid-flight, and even his loyal canine sidekick, Krypto. The mixed crowd — including old and new fans of the franchise — stood captivated as modern technological marvels met the nostalgic imagery of a timeless champion, who represented what it meant to be human in world that had increasingly grown alien.
The open-to-all show was more than just a spectacle; it set a fitting tone for the highly anticipated red-carpet event, happening on June 19 at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, where loyal enthusiasts would be given the opportunity to get within a cape’s length of the film’s director, James Gunn; producer, Peter Safran; and main cast members David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
As an iconic anthem floated through the Pasig City air, the show captured moments of collective awe and joy. As the drones spelled out, “Look up, Manila,” there was no doubt where all eyes were turned to in celebration of the legacy of the Man of Tomorrow. Indeed, the “Superman” global promotional tour was officially, “Up, up, and away!”
