The visionary behind Marvel’s Man Without Fear had a word of advice for James Gunn‘s Man of Steel. Drew Goddard, who created Marvel’s Daredevil for Netflix and wrote the first two episodes of the dark drama, weighed in on the Superman reboot written and directed by Gunn (in theaters July 11). In fact, Goddard had a suggestion that proved instrumental in shaping the ending of the DC Studios film.

“Drew Goddard was really helpful,” Gunn told Collider. “I think that there were a couple of little things in the movie, three or four things that we really argued about in the film, and all of them had to do with things that were a little bit darker or a little bit lighter. In discussing one of them, Drew Goddard was like, ‘You know what? It’s just not that film. It’s not that film with this little dark ending bit.'”

“And I thought, ‘He’s right. It’s not that film. It is not that film,'” Gunn continued. “And so that line that he said stuck with me for the rest of editing.”

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Goddard, a writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a writer-producer on Alias and Lost before going on to helm films like The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale, is part of the brain trust that Gunn put together to help build the new DC Universe in 2023.

The writers’ room includes Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Mister Miracle comic scribe Tom King (Lanterns), Christal Henry (HBO’s Watchmen), Christina Hodson (The Flash), and Jeremy Slater (Marvel’s Moon Knight), with Gunn overseeing the DCU with his DC Studios co-chief and producer Peter Safran (Aquaman, The Suicide Squad).

Gunn also consulted fellow filmmaker Jason Reitman (director of Juno and Ghostbusters: Afterlife), Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost and The Leftovers), and Chantal Nong, the Executive Vice President of Production for DC Studios and executive producer of such films as Wonder Woman 1984 and The Batman.

“I really go to Peter Safran and Chantal Nong and other directors. I showed [Superman] to Drew Goddard, and Jason Reitman, and Damon Lindelof, and all these people to get their input on what works and what doesn’t. And they were so helpful,” Gunn said.

As both the co-chairman/co-CEO of DC Studios and a filmmaker, he added, “I want to be able to support people but also be really honest. I don’t pull punches. I’m really blunt. And I think we need to come from the common space that we’re just trying to make the best movie possible without ego being a part of it.”

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Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

The post Superman: James Gunn Reveals How Marvel’s Daredevil Creator Changed Movie’s Original “Dark” Ending appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Following a wave of Superman (2025) figures released by McFarlane Toys, Tamashii Nations will release their own David Corenswet figure in his role as the Man of Steel. The S.H. Figurarts figure is the latest collectible in an over-the-top collection of products that DC Comics has released in support of the upcoming film from James Gunn, which will arrive in theaters July 11.

The new S.H. Figuarts Superman figure will be a completely new sculpt with a wired fabric cape for dynamic posing. As you’ll see from the images below, they didn’t hold back on the texturing of the suit. It will also come with an interchangeable head and hands. If you’re game to add it to your collection, Tamashii Nations has revealed that figure will be available for pre-order July 1 in Japan, but with the film so close, it’s likely that it will be available in the U.S. at some point this week as well. If that happens, you’ll be able to pre-order one here at Entertainment Earth. This article will be updated with additional information when it becomes available, so stay tuned.

Written and directed by Gunn, Superman stars David Corenswet in the title role opposite Rachel Brosnahan as intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as the Man of Steel’s archnemesis Lex Luthor. The first film in the newly rebooted DC Universe also introduces a cast of characters that includes superheroes Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), the Guy Gardner Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), and The Authority’s Angela Spica/the Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría).

Tamashii Nations S.H. Figurarts Superman 2025 Figure / Coming Soon

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Rounding out the cast are Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as Clark Kent’s adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent; Sara Sampaio and Terence Rosemore as Luthor’s associates, Eve Teschmacher and Otis; and Frank Grillo reprising his role from Creature Commandos as Rick Flag Sr. From The Daily Planet, Clark and Lois’ colleagues include Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), columnist Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), reporters Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett) and Ron Troupe (Christopher McDonald), and editor-in-chief Perry White (Wendell Pierce).

“In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC Universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind,” said Jeff Goldstein, President, Global Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

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David Corenswet’s Man of Steel may be “the most powerful being on planet Earth,” says Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor in Superman, but Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific is the smartest. An inventive genius, Olympic-level athlete, technological guru, and creator of a cyberwear company in the comics, Michael Holt is — in a word — terrific. As part of the corporate-sponsored team of metahumans tentatively known as the “Justice Gang” alongside the winged warrior Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and ring-wielding Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific is one of the Metropolis-based superheroes whose raison d’être can be summed up in two words: “Fair Play.”

Trailers have shown hot-tempered Guy butting heads with “Big Blue.” So what is the relationship like between Superman and Mister Terrific?

“Superman thinks that Mister Terrific is his BFF. That’s not true. [Mister Terrific] thinks he’s a herb,” the actor told ComicBook during a visit to the Superman set. “They are brothers in fighting crime. They’re brothers in being heroes. But they don’t have a lot in common.”

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Referencing Superman’s moniker as the Big Blue Boyscout, Gathegi called the idealistic superhero “the embodiment of good” in contrast to his cantankerous Mister Terrific.

“Our version of Mister Terrific is a little more complex in the sense that he’s battling other demons that pepper out. So he’s a little grumpy in this film,” Gathegi teased. (Example: in the latest trailer, Mister Terrific can be seen shouting at an exhausted Superman amidst a climactic fight. “Quit messing around,” he yells. Superman, looking worse for wear, replies he’s “doing important stuff.”)

It appears that Superman and Mister Terrific — along with intrepid Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) — join forces in the fight against Lex Luthor and his allies, which include the masked Ultraman and the nanotech-wielding Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría). Should we expect to see super-geniuses Mister Terrific and Lex Luthor go toe-to-toe — or brain-to-brain?

“In a sense, there is a battle of the brains. He’s a genius,” Gathegi said. “And if you want to know who wins this battle, you have to watch the film.”

The Michael Holt version of Mister Terrific first appeared in 1997’s The Spectre #54. The issue saw the widower contemplate suicide after his wife’s death in a freak car accident, only to adopt the mantle of Mister Terrific and the concept of “Fair Play” from Golden Age crime-fighter Terry Sloane.

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

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Superman’s Nicholas Hoult Reveals How Other Lex Luthor Actors Influenced His Version

The post Edi Gathegi Teases Mister Terrific’s Relationship With Superman, Lex Luthor: “He’s a Little Grumpy” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Lex Luthor has had more on-screen real estate than any other Superman villain. Since his debut in the pages of 1940’s Action Comics #23 — in which the red-haired super-genius plotted to turn the nations of Earth against each other and make himself supreme master of the world — Luthor has appeared in everything from the 1950 film serial Atom Man vs. Superman (played by Lyle Talbot) and the 1966 Filmation cartoon The New Adventures of Superman (voiced by Ray Owens), to Superman: The Animated Series (voiced by Clancy Brown) and a recent cinematic interpretation (Jesse Eisenberg) in the 2016 Man of Steel sequel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League.

But there are two actors who have defined Lex Luthor on both the big and small screen: Gene Hackman‘s real estate-scheming criminal mastermind in 1978’s Superman: The Movie and two of its sequels, and Michael Rosenbaum‘s bald baddie in the Superman prequel series Smallvile.

“I went back and watched Gene, and I love what he did. I mean, I’m such a fan of his in those [Superman] films,” Nicholas Hoult, the latest actor to play the Man of Steel’s arch-nemesis in James Gunn’s Superman movie, told ComicBook during a visit to the reboot’s set. “And also his whole career as an actor, obviously. He’s incredible — one of the best of all time — so that’s an intimidating thing, obviously.”

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While Jon Cryer and Michael Cudlitz have recently played versions of Lex Luthor in The CW series Supergirl and Superman & Lois, respectively, Hoult recalled growing up with Hackman’s Luthor and Rosenbaum’s Lex as “the first Lex that I was more aware of.”

Hoult, who previously played Henry “Hank” McCoy/Beast in Fox’s X-Men movies, noted that it’s intimidating “taking on any character that’s been interpreted before.”

“People have strong opinions and ideas of how it should be,” he said. “You want to take the script, first of all, and do that justice, and serve the story. And then just be honest and truthful to that, and what your opinion of it is.” For Hoult, having the visionary Gunn at the helm helped differentiate his version of Lex Luthor from previous cinematic iterations — whether that be Hackman, Kevin Spacey (in 2006’s Superman Returns), or Eisenberg (in the DC Extended Universe).

“I think that’s the brilliant thing [about] having James as the writer and director of this: he really understands storytelling first and foremost, but also the characters in this world, and what they all represent,” Hoult explained. “He wrote scenes that instantly felt very honest and believable to me, so it was then about just committing to those ideas that were on the page, and yeah, going back and watching Gene, and watching Michael.”

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

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Rachel Brosnahan has offered new insight into the tone of James Gunn’s Superman, describing the highly anticipated film as a hopeful take on the hero that is perfect for the current moment. Comic Book attended a set visit for the upcoming DC Studios movie where the Lois Lane actor spoke about what defines this new version of the Man of Steel. Without revealing specific plot points, she positioned the film’s optimistic message as a powerful and necessary contribution to the comic book movie landscape, suggesting its core philosophy is what makes it “the Superman we need right now.”

“It feels hopeful rather than explicitly comedic to me,” Brosnahan said about Superman. “One of the things I love about so many of James’ movies is that they’re a real shot in the arm of hope. They remind you that the reason people love comic books is because they teach us that superheroes aren’t the only superheroes. They aren’t the only ones with important powers in these worlds. They remind us of the importance of courage, and tenacity, and interest in each other’s well-being. What it means to be in service of the greater good.”

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“I think we could really use a shot in the arm of hope right now,” Brosnahan continued, contextualizing the film’s place in the modern landscape. “A lot of these movies, the Nolan Batman movies, were such a specific representation of these comics at a specific moment in time. I think part of the reason they were so successful is because they felt like what we needed. The hope is that this version is the Superman we need right now.” 

Brosnahan’s comments directly align with the mission statement James Gunn and DC Studios have presented for their new cinematic universe, which aims to launch with a hero who embodies “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.” By highlighting the film’s focus on the courage of ordinary people, she reinforces the idea that this Superman will be defined not just by his Kryptonian powers, but by the very human world he chooses to be a part of.

The Daily Planet and Superman’s Connection to Humanity

The importance of the Daily Planet and its staff in grounding Superman is a cornerstone of the character’s mythology, and Brosnahan’s emphasis on human tenacity suggests the film will lean heavily into this dynamic. In the comics, the Planet is more than just Clark Kent’s workplace, acting as his anchor to the world he has sworn to protect. It provides him with a vital, street-level perspective that his powers alone cannot offer. As a reporter, he confronts societal ills like corruption, inequality, and injustice, problems that cannot be solved with heat vision or super-strength. This role forces him to engage with humanity on its own terms, reinforcing his empathy and ensuring he never loses sight of the people he fights for. The ensemble cast of the Daily Planet, including Perry White (Wendell Pierce) and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), represents the very best of that humanity, and are expected to play a key role in Superman.

Central to this dynamic is, of course, Lois Lane. Across decades of comic book history, Lois has never been a simple love interest or a damsel in distress. She is Superman’s intellectual and spiritual equal, a fiercely intelligent and relentlessly driven investigative reporter whose courage often rivals his own. Her unwavering pursuit of the truth, no matter the personal risk, mirrors Clark’s own mission to fight for a better tomorrow. More importantly, she falls in love with Clark Kent, the kind, slightly clumsy farm boy, not just the iconic superhero.

Superman is scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th.

How important do you think the Daily Planet crew and Lois Lane are to crafting a hopeful Superman story? Join the discussion in the comments.

The post Rachel Brosnahan Reveals What Makes New Superman “The One We Need Right Now” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn’s Superman will include Ultraman as one of the movie’s antagonists, and there could be a very surprising twist attached to the Kryptonian villain. As the first big-screen entry in Gunn’s DCU (following the animated series opening act of Creature Commandos), Superman focuses on the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) facing public backlash over some of his recent heroic acts. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor takes the opportunity to strike against Superman, with a mysterious masked figure bearing a “U” on his chest as one of Luthor’s key henchmen against the Kryptonian hero. Ultraman remains arguably the biggest question mark hanging over Superman, as the identity of the actor portraying the villain is still a mystery.

Combined with some apparent multiverse elements seen in Superman‘s trailers has led to a growing amount of theorizing that none other than Corenswet’s Superman predecessor, Henry Cavill, is playing Ultraman. However, there could also be an even bigger twist on this possibility – namely, that Ultraman himself is actually Henry Cavill’s Superman from Zack Snyder’s “Knightmare” timeline of the DCEU.

Ultraman Being a Masked Villain Indicates His Identity Is Meant To Be a Surprise

In the comics, Ultraman does not wear a mask. His suit is a fairly close facsimile of Superman’s own, with the biggest change being a “U” emblem on his chest. By contrast, the Ultraman seen in Superman‘s marketing only resembles his comic book counterpart via the inclusion of a “U” on his chest. Simply having an evil version of Superman from another universe is a concept very easy to grasp, even for those who have never touched a Superman comic or seen a Superman movie; however, Gunn’s Superman movie is clearly doing something significantly different.

The fact that Ultraman can be so easily summed as “Evil Superman” begs the question of why Gunn has gone to such lengths to keep Ultraman’s identity a secret. Indeed, Ultraman has not been featured on any of Superman‘s posters, with both the character and the identity of his portrayer omitted altogether from the movie’s IMDB and Wikipedia pages at writing. That strongly suggests that Ultraman is being set up to be something far more significant than simply David Corenswet in a dual role. This is where the idea of Henry Cavill returning in a very specific context starts to look like the exact kind of curveball that a masked character like Ultraman could embody.

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Why Ultraman Could Be Knightmare Superman

While Henry Cavill’s Superman is a selfless hero with a heart of gold in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League, there is one area where his Kal-El sheds all of those qualities and becomes a rage-filled killing machine, that being the Knightmare future. Shown in glimpses in Batman v Superman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the Knightmare is a post-apocalyptic future in which Darkseid (Ray Porter) has led Apokolips to conquer Earth. Darkseid has also turned Superman into his mind-controlled weapon of destruction after using the Anti-Life Equation to bring Superman under his control.

Cavill’s Superman, as seen in the Knightmare timeline, is a strangely close approximation of everything Ultraman is: a Superman from another universe, and one who, while not “evil,” nonetheless wreaks havoc upon the world as the unwilling servant of Darkseid. Moreover, even the latest image of Ultraman released by Gunn (see above), looks like something pulled right out of Snyder’s Knightmare timeline. Additionally, Gunn’s DCU plans and the marketing material for Superman may have provided an answer for how Cavill’s Superman could get from the Knightmare timeline into the DCU.

How Knightmare Superman Could Appear In Gunn’s Superman Movie

One thing that has become increasingly clear about Gunn’s vision for the DCU is that the doorways of DC’s infinite multiverse are absolutely going to be in play. Peacemaker season 2 is set to dive right into that, with Gunn himself stating that the show will tackle the overlapping continuity elements and characters from the DCEU and DCU. Then there’s Superman‘s most recent trailers, which show a chasm being opened in the heart of Metropolis that appears to be some kind of interdimensional portal. These open plenty of doorways for DC characters from other worlds to make the jump into the DCU, and it might be Lex Luthor who is the culprit in bringing Ultraman into the Superman’s reality.

With Lex paying a visit to the Fortress of Solitude in Superman‘s trailers, one tool he might stumble across is a Phantom Zone port or some other kind of Kryptonian device that enables him to peer into alternate realities. Lex might deduce that his best shot at defeating Superman is to get another Superman, and Cavill’s Knightmare Superman would be especially appealing, since he’s already under mind control through the Anti-Life Equation. Lex might make the mistake of thinking he can leverage this to make Cavill’s Knightmare Superman his ally, perhaps by erroneously presenting himself as Darkseid’s ally. Of course, tampering with Kryptonian tech to create a Kryptonian henchman of his own would likely backfire on Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor as much as it did for Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex, and his creation of Doomsday, thereby making it a job for Superman to send Knightmare Superman back to his original timeline.

Even with a new DC cinematic future on the verge of beginning with James Gunn’s Superman, Zack Snyder’s DCEU movies and Henry Cavill’s Superman both cast long shadow over all things DC. If Ultraman indeed proves to be Henry Cavill behind the mask, not only would it be a masterful twist – there might be no more unexpectedly definitive testimony to the long-term impact of the Snyderverse than for the mind-controlled Superman of Snyder’s Knightmare timeline to become a force of nature in not one but two DC cinematic universes.

Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League are available to stream on HBO Max, and James Gunn’s Superman will be released in theaters on July 11th.

The post I Have The Wildest Theory About Ultraman In James Gunn’s Superman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s clear that James Gunn’s Superman pays homage to the Man of Steel’s history on the big screen (see: the use of John Williams’ iconic theme in the trailers), but the reboot also has some nods to DC’s past in the TV medium. In an interview with ComicBook to promote Superman, Gunn shared that he included a major reference to the TV series Smallville. Dating back to the first Superman teaser trailer released late last year, fans have known that the DC Universe’s Lex Luthor is in charge of LuthorCorp, which is a Smallville Easter egg.

“When I was making this movie, I really was taking stuff from all sorts of different comic books and TV shows and movies,” Gunn said. “And I’m a Smallville fan. It was LutherCorp in Smallville and so it is that. But also, first of all, most people don’t name their corporations after their first names, right? So, I believed it more in terms of that. And also, you know, it leaves the door open for, you know, was his father, in any way, ever a part of this, or his mother.”

Though Superman represents the dawn of a new era for the character and DC, Gunn has found numerous ways to pay respect to the character’s rich legacy across various mediums. With its tone and storytelling approach, the film is harkening back to the Christopher Reeve movies, looking to entertain audiences with an optimistic tale. Gunn has also pulled key elements from the comics, such as Clark Kent’s hypno glasses.

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In the DC Extended Universe, Lex’s company was called LexCorp. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s revealed that Lex’s father, Lex Luthor Sr., had founded it years prior. On Smallville, the company eventually changed its name to LexCorp, but it was introduced as LuthorCorp. Created by Lex’s father Lionel Luthor, LuthorCorp initially focused on agricultural products before expanding its horizons. Biotechnology, weapons, and electronics were among the areas the company added to its portfolio.

Smallville is a huge part of Superman history, earning a loyal, passionate fan base across its 10-season run. Though it’s been off the air since 2011, there’s still interest in seeing some sort continuation; Smallville co-creator Al Gough remains hopeful a planned sequel series will eventually see the light of day. Considering Smallville‘s place in the zeitgeist, it’s nice to see Gunn tip his hat to the long-running TV show. Though this obviously isn’t the same as seeing Tom Welling back in action as Clark Kent, fans will likely appreciate this Easter egg that acknowledges Smallville‘s impact in the overall Superman franchise.

Outside of the Smallville connection, Gunn’s reasoning for going with LexCorp is practical. It’s common for characters/people to use their surnames when naming a company. Marvel has multiple instances of this, including OsCorp (founded by Norman Osborn) and Stark Industries (founded by Tony Stark). So it’s just logical for Gunn and the DCU to run with LuthorCorp. It’ll be interesting to see if Superman dives into Lex’s family history and details whether or not his family have any role with the company.

The post Superman Contains a Major Smallville Easter Egg appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s one of the great mysteries — or rather, points of contention — among comics fans: how do people not realize that Clark Kent is Superman? After all, the only real “disguise” that Clark Kent uses in his everyday life is a pair of glasses and if we’re being honest, glasses don’t change a person’s appearance so much that you wouldn’t recognize them without them. With James Gunn’s Superman flying into theaters in just a couple of weeks, questions about how people don’t easily figure out that David Corenswet’s Clark Kent and Superman are the same guy, but it turns out the filmmaker had a solution for that: hypno glasses.

Speaking with ComicBook, Gunn revealed that the idea of simple glasses protecting Superman’s identity is something that he struggled with himself until he was reminded by comics writer Tom King that Clark Kent’s glasses have powers — and it is comic book canon.

“That’s canon in the comics,” Gunn said of the hypno glasses protecting Clark Kent’s identity. “It’s kind of been forgotten but that’s from the comics. I was sitting with Tom King, the comic book writer, and I was like, ‘you know the thing that I just don’t really know how to reconcile in myself is the glasses because the glasses always bothered me as a kid.’ They bothered me because I just don’t have that much suspension of disbelief to believe that.”

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Gunn also noted that while Corenswet’s Clark Kent does actually look different from his Superman, the canonical glasses that hypnotize people to protect Superman’s identity is true to the character.

“You know, they’re two different people even though I think out of all the actors that have played Superman, Corenswet looks the most different as Clark Kent to Superman, even more so than Chris Reeve. But he said, ‘you know, there’s an answer for that in the comics, it’s canon that they hypnotize people.’”

And Gunn isn’t wrong — or rather, King isn’t. Superman (Vol.1) #330 from 1978 established that Superman uses “Super-Hypnosis”, combined with his glasses, to trick people into seeing Clark Kent as a distinctively different person than Superman. It’s a little goofy, but it’s a concept that has been used a few times since.

Of course, the hypno glasses isn’t the only deep cut from comics that Gunn is bringing to Superman A recent international teaser trailer for the film also revealed that fans will also get to see Superman utilize one of his oldest, but most underused powers: freeze breath. The trailer showed Superman using the power to blow a dog to safety while he battled a kaiju attacking Metropolis.

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

The post James Gunn Reveals His Clark Kent Has Hypno Glasses to Protect His Superman Identify appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman’s trunks have been a huge part of the debate even before it was revealed what DC Studios’ new Superman would even look like, but it turns out that the future of the trunks in the DCU may be a little bit up in the air — at least for other heroes, including Batman. Superman wearing or skipping out on suit trunks has been a key part of the divide among fans as the last major on-screen version of the DC hero notably didn’t wear them. It was something Superman director James Gunn had mentioned that he was worried about in the past (and even consulted Man of Steel director Zack Snyder on), but has since revealed that his take on the hero would have them on.

In speaking with ComicBook during the Superman junket ahead of the new film’s premiere, director and DC Studios co-head James Gunn revealed that the future of the trunks hasn’t been decided just yet — but of all the DC characters who could have similar trunks in comics, Superman is the most likely to keep them.

“No, because we haven’t decided,” Gunn said when asked if other characters might have trunks in the DCU. “And, you know, listen, the trunks are good, so we’ll see what happens. I don’t know. I mean, I think it’s less likely that some other characters would have trunks than Superman. It’s much more a part of Superman’s costume, I think, than it is Batman’s right, even though he had trunks a lot in the comics.”

Superman Keeping His Trunks Makes Sense

Previously speaking with ComicBook on the return of cede trunks, Gunn even explained that Superman star David Corenswet helped him decide on which way to go, “At the end of the day, [the debate] wasn’t that heated. It was heated for a while. I was on the ‘no trunks’ team for a long time,” Gunn began. “And [Man of Steel director] Zack [Snyder] said that when he was doing it, he tried a billion different trunk versions as we did. And I kept going back to no trunks, no trunks, no trunks. And I’m like, well, ‘Let’s just grind it out. Let’s just keep trying trunks and see what happens.’ And David [Corenswet] said something to me that really affected me.”

“We were trying on all these different versions, and we screen-tested with trunks and no trunks,” Gunn continued. “And one of the things David said is that Superman wants kids to not be afraid of him. He’s an alien. He’s got these incredible powers. He shoots beams out of his eyes, can blow the truck over. He’s this incredibly powerful, could be considered scary, individual and he wants people to like him. He wants to be a symbol of hope and 
positivity.”

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Going even further, Gunn revealed that Superman is a little inspired by professional wrestling, “He dresses like a professional wrestler, he dresses in a way that makes people unafraid of him, that shows that,” Gunn explained. “That really clicked in for me. And I think trying to pretend that Superman’s costume doesn’t have some frivolity to it, at its base, trying to make it look serious is silly because he is a superhero. He’s the first one, brightly colored, and that’s who he is. So that’s where we landed and, eventually, we all came to a place where almost all of us agreed on the trunks.”

Superman releases on July 11th.

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We are just weeks away from DC Studios’ biggest project yet with the arrival of James Gunn’s Superman.  The eagerly anticipated film will give viewers a brand-new take on the iconic hero as well as fully usher in the new DC Universe (DCU). But while Superman will give fans an adventure that isn’t an origin story, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we won’t get to see some of the past as the DCU expands. Specifically, it sounds like when it comes to getting glimpses of Superman’s home world, Krypton, those very well could be coming — we just might have to wait a little while to get them.

ComicBook exclusively spoke with Gunn about Superman and he teased some of what fans might get to see of Krypton not in Superman, but in the upcoming Supergirl movie instead.

“That’s always a possibility,” Gunn said of seeing flashbacks of Krypton in Supergirl. “But I think those things are really integral to the two characters and the differences between them, and that Clark really does have sort of this really happy childhood. I mean, he had parents who loved him in an easy going upbringing, and it makes him the least dysfunctional of superheroes in so many ways. And Supergirl, especially the DCU Supergirl, she’s kind of a mess. I mean, she’s, she’s had a real issues growing up. And it is based on the comic where she watched person after person after person dying in front of her as her piece of the planet disintegrated.”

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Having Krypton scenes in Supergirl rather than Superman makes a lot of sense. As fans of the comics know well, Superman himself doesn’t have any actual real memories of his home, having been sent to Earth as a baby so that he would survive the destruction of the planet. His cousin, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, however, was older at the time of Krypton’s demise. As a result, the memories of the lost world and civilization are something that Kara carries with her. With the upcoming Supergirl movie being an adaptation of Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comics as Gunn noted, and with them dipping into Kara’s life and experiences prior to coming to Earth — or at least the impact of the loss of everything she ever knew — getting to see Krypton is much more fitting in that film than in Superman.

DC Studios’ Superman, directed by Gunn, stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult, will open in theaters on July 11. As for Supergirl, that film is directed by Craig Gillespie and stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl/ It’s currently scheduled to open in theaters June 26, 2026.

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Superman will soon be hitting theaters all over the world, and while fans have seen a wealth of footage from the new film, the film likely still has a few surprises up its sleeve. Fans don’t have to wait until the film’s release though to know about one such surprise, as during an exclusive interview with Superman director James Gunn, ComicBook learned all about one delightful cameo that will take place during the movie, and which DC Studios favorite will be bringing them to life.

During our interview, Gunn was asked about any fun cameos in the movie, and that’s when he revealed that Jennifer Holland will be making an appearance in the anticipated film. Now, you might wonder who she will be playing, and we have the answer to that as well, as Gunn revealed Holland will be playing one of the robots that fans meet when Superman heads back to the Fortress of Solitude.

“You’ll know Jen Holland, my wife, is also the robot at the end, just not credited,” Gunn said. “I actually recorded her on my phone. I said, ‘Oh, I need a robot that’s not really interested in what Number 4 is saying.’”

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Holland quickly became a favorite in DC’s Peacemaker series, but she’s also popped up in several DC projects over the past few years. She reprised her Peacemaker role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Black Adam, and The Suicide Squad, but she’s also appeared as Administrator Kwol in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Ms. Espenschied in Brightburn, which were both projects her husband directed outside of the DCU.

Now she’ll be joining the fun in Superman, and we can’t wait to see what other fun cameos and surprises await in the full film. You can find the official description for Superman below.

“Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.”

Superman soars into theaters on July 11th.

Are you excited for Superman? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things DC and Superman with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post James Gunn Reveals Jennifer Holland’s Superman Cameo Role appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There’s a long list of Marvel and DC actors who have played roles for both companies including Ryan Reynolds, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jared Leto, and many more, but Chris Pratt is not among those. He played Star-Lord in all of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and other films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though he’s yet to make the jump to the current run of DC movies (or any run for that matter). He’s long been rumored to join the DC universe, however, even if nothing concrete has come from those rumors yet.

During a media event for the upcoming Superman movie starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult and more, ComicBook spoke exclusively to director James Gunn regarding the possibility of Pratt finally joining the DCU. Gunn himself has responded to these rumors in the past, and while it’s still true the nothing has been decided on regarding Pratt in DC movies, Gunn said they’re still actively looking for the right role for him.

“Listen, Chris Pratt still one of my closest friends in the world and I am always looking for something for him,” Gunn said. “But also … the others, too. I mean he and Pom [Klementieff] are the ones that I see the most, and I’m the closest with and [Michael] Rooker. So I’m always looking for stuff.”

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Regarding Pratt’s role as Star-Lord, the Marvel actor has said repeatedly he loved playing the character and would welcome the opportunity to do so again. If the schedule and the role made sense, however, he’s also expressed interest in working with Gunn on upcoming DCU movies.

Captain Atom, Plastic Man, Booster Gold, and many more DC characters have been frequent suggestions from fans regarding Pratt’s possible roles in the franchise, though many have expressed a desire to see him in something that’s at least far removed from any kind of character adjacent to Star-Lord’s personality. Neither Gunn nor Pratt have given any indication as to what roles the actor might like to play, so fancasting and suggestions are all we have to fuel ideas in the meantime.

Gunn’s new Superman movie will head to theaters on July 11th.

The post James Gunn Provides Update on When Chris Pratt Will Join DC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC Studios is about to hit theaters with a brand new take on Superman later this Summer, and James Gunn is getting ready for a new entry in The Batman franchise now that there’s a script in hand. A follow up to The Batman has been in high demand ever since the first film hit theaters a few years ago, and that demand has been squarely focused on the creator behind it all as Matt Reeves had been working on a new script. But it had taken a bit longer than fans had been hoping for as Reeves had been taking his time with it.

But a major update in the process revealed that Reeves has officially turned in the script for The Batman II after years of work, and fans can’t wait to see the film moving forward. Things have changed with DC Studios since the release of the first film, however, and scripts are now more important than they ever have been before. And speaking to ComicBook, DC Studios co-head and Superman director James Gunn revealed that he hasn’t read the script yet but plans to do so as soon as he gets on a plane tomorrow — unless the long flight gets to him first.

“I have not. I have not. I’m so excited to read it, and I’m hoping I can read it on the plane to London tomorrow, but I also I might fall asleep,” Gunn said

What Does This Mean for The Batman II With DC Studios?

As James Gunn revealed to ComicBook, he had yet to read the script for The Batman II but planned to do so very soon. It makes a lot of sense as Gunn has not only emphasized how important of a project the new sequel is for the future of DC Studios, but also has emphasized how important scripts are to the way they are approaching new films overall. Gunn has explained how he will not move forward with a project if the script wasn’t up to snuff, and he’s even cancelled a project that he didn’t feel weren’t ready.

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It’s yet to be revealed how The Batman II will fit into the overall plans for DC Studios’ future, but it’s currently in the works for a release on October 1st, 2027. It had been delayed two times before thanks to the fact that director and writer Matt Reeves did not yet have a script ready (to which Gunn fully defends), but if it’s up to Gunn’s standards then the film will be moving forward rather quickly towards this potential release date. But there’s still so much that can happen before then that fans will need to keep an eye out for.

The post James Gunn Hasn’t Read Matt Reeves’ Batman 2 Script (& Reveals When He Will) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With James Gunn’s DCU on the way, there’s an ongoing and less-than-civil online discourse between fans of James Gunn and Zack Snyder. I’m here to offer some much-needed context for the feelings of the latter group. James Gunn’s Superman is just weeks away from hitting theaters (as of this writing), and yet much of the attention of the media, fans, and even the general audience seems to be focused on how hung up Zack Snyder’s fans are on the unceremonious end to the era of the DC Extended Universe. To his credit, Gunn categorizes said fans as a vocal minority without painting the entirety of the Snyder fanbase with the same brush; although the same cannot be said of much of the coverage relating to Snyder fans.

It’s an obvious and upfront caveat that there are Snyder fans who have behaved in unacceptable and overzealous ways towards Gunn, other fans, and journalists. However, I also think it is pertinent – indeed even crucial – to bear in mind that Snyder’s fanbase has been put through the ringer like few fandoms before it. Whether one is excited, skeptical, or indifferent to Gunn’s unfolding plans for the new DC Universe, the cinematic history of DC since Man of Steel (2013) shows quite clearly that Snyder’s fanbase didn’t become angry simply because they liked a set of superhero movies that other people didn’t. Rather, it was because of a series of tumultuous and frankly unfair events that are pretty easy to comprehend in full context, and explain why the Snyderverse is different from virtually any other abandoned movie franchise.

The Snyder DCEU Discourse Was Extremely Brutal & Over-the-Top

It’s easy to forget just how intense the discourse around the DCEU was in its earliest days, but I remember. Man of Steel definitely struck a nerve, but it was the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that became the definition of “love it or hate it” for DC fans (and most general moviegoers). I fell into the former category, but the people who hated Batman v Superman really, really, REALLY hated it, and made sure anyone and everyone knew it.

Some fans went as far as to launch Change.org petitions for Snyder to be fired from Justice League, and the online sphere was full of reviews and editorials lamenting in bitter, angry terms how much Snyder either hated, didn’t understand, or shouldn’t be allowed to tell DC stories (about Superman in particular). More than a few of these ventured into Snyder’s character and worldview being incompatible with the heroism of Superman, or taking out of context comments made by Snyder during the Watchmen press tour as an indication that he wanted to show Batman being assaulted in prison. My own social media was flooded with negativity about Batman v Superman to such an extent that it made it all but impossible to talk about liking the movie without being insulted or getting dogpiled.

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All of that was bad enough, but what made it worse was that Warner Bros. bent over backwards to rework Suicide Squad, Justice League, and the entire DCEU to meet the demands of its harshest critics – and largely to no avail. The re-shot theatrical cuts of Suicide Squad and Justice League are still garnering terrible reviews, and the entire post-Snyder DCEU (save for 2018’s Aquaman) failed to come anywhere near the commercial heights of his tenure. Essentially, Warner Bros. destroyed all the promise of the DCEU’s beginnings to address the highly venomous and arguably hyperbolic backlash to Batman v Superman. That kind of history weighs on you when you’re a fan of something, and it doesn’t go away overnight.

The Circumstances of Justice League & the DCEU’s Mishandling Is Going To Take a Long Time To Heal From (If Ever)

One point I often wonder about during discussion of the Snyderverse fandom is: what if Warner Bros. had not overreacted to Batman v Superman‘s backlash as they did? What if they had released Justice League without all of the behind-the-scenes drama and extensive reshoots? What if it had been more or less the movie that Zack Snyder’s Justice League ended up being in 2021? If Snyder’s Justice League had been a John Carter-level bomb that forced WB to pull the plug on the DCEU, most Zack Snyder fans woulda have likely made their peace with that outcome. It would have been far from ideal or desirable, but Snyder’s vision for the DCEU, in that scenario, would have been given a comprehensive and fair shot, and been a complete block of content, before Warner Bros. decided they were done throwing money at it.

Instead, the DCEU circa 2016-2017 is chock-full of stories (and outright accusations) about movies being revamped at the last minute, cast and crew members being horribly mistreated, the reworking of Justice League happening while Snyder was grieving a terrible family tragedy, and the studio’s management covering it all up. And there’s plenty to add to the pile on top of that: Warner Bros. management (at the time) rather blatantly undercutting the Snyder Cut’s eventual release with comments labeling a “storytelling cul-de-sac” and turning away from the subsequent surge in mainstream interest. The famed 1.5 million #RestoreTheSnyderVerse Twitter explosion just doesn’t happen without people beyond Snyder’s core fanbase responding positively to Zack Snyder’s Justice League, with some calling it arguably the best DC movie ever made. The studio also cut off Henry Cavill’s eventual return as Superman at the knees, just when Snyder fans had regained hope.

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All of the above, along with a great deal of non-stop social media snark and mockery, has been the reality for Snyder fans for the past 12 years. There’s also no end to said snark and mockery in sight, given how much Gunn’s Superman has frequently been leveraged by fans and even some in the media as a societal antidote to Snyder’s vision for Superman and DC. There remains a lot of healing to do for those of us enamored with the Snyderverse, and I can guarantee that trying to push them into simply getting excited for Superman, with all of the emotional baggage still in full view, is as much of a conversation-stopper as it would’ve been asking Gunn fans to just accept that his vision for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would never come to pass after his (brief) firing. That also leads into the unnecessarily acrimonious debate over the #RestoreTheSnyderVerse phase of this debate.

Seriously, What’s So Bad About Fans Asking To See Snyder’s Justice League Story Finished?

The aforementioned #RestoreTheSnyderVerse calls kicked off as soon as the world saw Zack Snyder’s Justice League; that renewed wave of enthusiasm has gradually been re-framed as not just misguided hope, but something to be treated with scorn, derision, and outright offense. And I can’t help but ask why.

Yes, reviving Snyder’s planned ending to his intended five-movie arc would be complex, and would involve convincing numerous cast members to return to the franchise, and coordinating elements like scheduling, budgeting, and so much more. With that said, long-awaited comebacks have all but become the new trend with DC and Marvel. Michael Keaton, Hugh Jackman, Wesley Snipes, Dafne Keen, Jennifer Garner, Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Krysten Ritter, Jon Bernthal, the growing ensemble casts of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and the list goes on. All of them were retired or departed DC and Marvel alumni who have come back into the game in the last two years. Is it really that absurd for Snyder’s fans to advocate the same for his Justice League cast, especially since the entire endeavor wouldn’t be a long-term comeback, but one explicitly intended to finish Snyder’s Justice League saga – a story that has the ending already baked into it?

It’s not even like the Snyderverse would or should represent a threat to Gunn’s burgeoning DCU. Gunn has repeatedly affirmed his commitment to having projects like Matt Reeves’ The Batman franchise stand alongside the DCU Batman in the classic “Elseworlds” tradition. Indeed, Gunn has even given a dash of hope to Snyderverse fans with his friendly social media selfie with Snyder in DC Studios – and if anyone genuinely believes Snyder and Gunn didn’t know or expect that would kick off an immediate wave of “Is the Snyderverse coming back?” speculation and rumors, I have a bridge to sell you.

Fans of Zack Snyder’s DCEU have been through a lot in the last 12 years. Trust me, I’m one of them. Sure, some Snyder fans have flown off the handle; however, the DCU is now rolling in, and the bitterness at the 12-year rollercoaster that was the DCEU is showing no signs of receding. A good place to start, in creating a better discourse, might be acknowledging that Zack Snyder fans didn’t become angry in a vacuum, and have plenty of justification for feeling so let down by DC and Warner Bros.

Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League are all available to stream on HBO Max, and James Gunn’s Superman will be released in theaters on July 11th.

The post Zack Snyder Fans Didn’t Get Upset For Nothing – Breaking Down The Snyder-Gunn Discourse appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, James Gunn revealed that Batman was his most pressing concern regarding the burgeoning DC Universe. The director may be kicking off his new world of interconnected superhero properties with Superman, but it’s the Dark Knight that will make or break the DCU. With the director all but guaranteeing that Matt Reeves’ Batman would remain its own separate thing, the question becomes what kind of Caped Crusader will patrol the streets of the DCU’s Gotham? As far as we’re concerned, there’s only one correct answer: Bat-God.

For those unfamiliar, “Bat-God” is the unofficial name some fans use to describe a specific, overpowered version of Batman from the comics, typically associated with Grant Morrison, although not exclusively. When you see comic fans using the phrase “prep time” in conjunction with the Caped Crusader, they’re usually talking about Bat-God. These fans believe that with enough time to formulate the right strategy, Batman can take down anyone from Spider-Man to Thanos without breaking a sweat.

Bat-God Made His Debut In A Story With A Biblical Name

The idea of Bat-God started with the Tower of Babel storyline, which ran in JLA issues 43-46 from July to October 2000. The story introduces the idea that Batman has a plan to eliminate every single member of the Justice League, should they turn evil. These plans range from turning Superman transparent and forcing him to overdose on solar energy to exposing Aquaman to a toxin that causes him to be afraid of the water.

Soon, fans and writers alike began to say that Batman had a contingency plan for everything, a concept taken to its extreme when Grant Morrison revealed that Bruce Wayne had programmed a backup persona — Zur-En-Arrh — in his own mind that would take over whenever he was mentally compromised. It wasn’t enough that Batman had a contingency plan for his fellow superheroes; now he had one for himself.

While the Bat-God persona runs the risk of becoming self-parody, when written correctly, it’s the only version of Batman that works as a member of the Justice League. When your gang has two god-like aliens, one actual god, one space cop with the most powerful weapon in the universe, and a man who can run faster than light, what good is a powerless vigilante wielding a bat-shaped boomerang?

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However, make that vigilante a nigh-omniscient doomsday prepper with a talent for crafting makeshift devices that would put MacGuyver to shame, and suddenly you have an invaluable member of the team. If James Gunn wants to differentiate the DCU Batman from every other live-action portrayal of the character, this is the version of the character he needs to embrace.

Robert Pattinson’s Batman Was Never Going to Join the DCU (And That’s A Good Thing)

“Will Robert Pattinson be the DCU’s Batman?” is a question that doesn’t need to be asked anymore. It’s like when fans asked if Christian Bale would be Zack Snyder’s Batman; both versions of the character were painstakingly depicted as realistic, street-level vigilantes. Smarter and richer than the average person, sure, but able to take out the entire Justice League? You might as well get TMNT‘s Casey Jones.

Since the first time Batman shared a comic book with other DC superheroes, the character has led a quasi-Jekyll and Hyde existence. In his own books, the Dark Knight would use his wits and keen detective skills to stop Two-Face from robbing the Second Bank of Gotham or to find the Joker’s secret lair. Meanwhile, as a member of the Justice League, he would routinely take on global threats and go toe to toe with intergalactic warlords like Darkseid.

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With comic books, it’s easier to suspend disbelief and accept that both versions of Batman are the same character. Movies, however, usually force you to pick one or the other, which is why both Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves chose to go with street-level heroes more concerned with stopping organized crime than stopping a planetary invasion.

James Gunn, on the other hand, needs to go in the opposite direction, especially if he wants a Batman that would believably team up with Superman. For that, he needs a Caped Crusader who can outsmart gods, find their weaknesses, and develop viable strategies to exploit them. In other words, he needs Bat-God.

Let us know if you agree or disagree in the comments. Batman: The Brave and the Bold is still in development at DC Studios.

The post James Gunn Needs To Use This Version Of Batman In The DCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman star Anthony Carrigan details the process of being fit into his costume to play Metamorpho, and it sounds like something out of a horror movie. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly as part of the outlet’s Superman preview coverage, the actor discussed what it was like transforming into his metahuman character. Carrigan discussed the various things he went through during hours-long makeup sessions before filming, but he felt it was “worth it” because it allowed director James Gunn to depict Metamorpho in a practical way. Carrigan hopes that will allow audiences to better connect with what is happening on screen because it’s real.

“It’s things that were glued on me, but then they painted on detail, and then more things were glued onto that,” Carrigan said. “I’m not kidding when I say that I was glued in, I was sewn in, I was completely enveloped. I was tied in … roped in, basically. But all in service of this incredible costume … It’s worth it because you can actually feel the texture of something. Your brain notices the difference.”

Superman marks the first time Metamorpho has been featured in a live-action film. As the name suggests, the character has the ability to transform his body into a wide variety of materials. Though Metamorpho has been portrayed as a hero in the comics, in Superman he will be more of an unwilling antagonist. In the interview with Entertainment Weekly, Carrigan discussed how Metamorpho is forced to be “an agent of the bad guy” (meaning Lex Luthor) and fight against Superman.

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To date, fans have been treated to brief looks at Metamorpho in action in various Superman marketing materials. People got a better idea of what Gunn might have in store when a collectible Metamorpho figure from McFarlane Toys was unveiled, seemingly showing off the full extent of the character’s powers. All of Metamorpho’s limbs sport different designs and textures on the figure, suggesting he will be transforming into all kinds of materials during the film.

The process of turning Carrigan into Metamorpho sounds like it was very uncomfortable. With today’s filmmaking technology, Gunn and crew probably could have easily made Metamorpho a photorealistic CGI character. Still, one has to appreciate the lengths the team went to going the practical route. Even with how advanced digital effects have become, Carrigan is right in saying the brain can still spot the difference between something practical and CGI. It goes without saying that Superman is going to have plenty of CGI over the course of its run time, but it’s nice to see that Metamorpho will be the real deal. Having the character be an actor in a practical costume will allow him to feel more tangible, eliminating the prospect of the uncanny valley.

Assuming Carrigan’s Metamorpho has a recurring role in the DC Universe, it will be interesting to see if the makeup process is altered or streamlined for subsequent appearances. Now that the filmmakers have this valuable experience, they might be able to come up with a way to make things a little easier for Carrigan so he doesn’t have to sit for five or six hours at a time. Even if they can’t, Metamorpho is shaping up to be one of the more compelling and interesting additions to the DCU.

The post Superman Star’s Metamorpho Transformation Sounds Like a Horror Scene appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new fan-made poster for Superman portrays the DC Universe’s version of the character in the style of the acclaimed 2005 comic book series All-Star Superman, written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely and colors by Jamie Grant. Artist Giorgio Marangolo shared the creation on Instagram, showing David Corenswet as Superman mimicking the pose from the first cover of All-Star Superman. He sat perched on a cloud looking out over a city with a serene expression, and a sunset on the horizon. The biggest difference was the addition of Krypto seated beside him, looking just as relaxed. Superman writer and director James Gunn has said that he took inspiration from All-Star Superman in the creation of this movie, but this homage takes it to another level.

Superman hits theaters on Friday, July 11th, and in the meantime, many fans have been revisiting All-Star Superman in preparation. The book had 12 issues published between 2005 and 2008, and was part of a bold new approach to revamping Superman planned out by Morrison and several other creators. At the time, Morrison even said that the image on this cover was an integral part of their idea for this series. They said it was based on a chance encounter with a person dressed as Superman at San Diego Comic-Con, which gave Morrison an epiphany.

“He was perched with one knee drawn up, chin resting on his arms. He looked totally relaxed… and I suddenly realized this was how Superman would sit,” Morrison said in an interview with Newsarama at the time. “He wouldn’t puff out his chest or posture heroically, he would be totally chilled. If nothing can hurt you, you can afford to be cool. A man like Superman would never have to tense against the cold; never have to flinch in the face of a blow. He would be completely laid back, un-tense.”

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Morrison, Quitely, and their colleagues hoped to create a more timeless Superman story without the need of contradicting all their predecessors. They hoped to make the story accessible to new readers and enticing to consistent readers as well. The book does not rehash Superman’s origin story, nor any other frequently-tread part of his life.

Still, All-Star Superman is a unique series and many fans are eager to see how exactly it has influenced Gunn’s Superman. To many, it seems like a strange introduction to the DCU, but that may be exactly the point. There are some obvious differences we can already see plainly in the trailer, such as the massive cast of characters, and we know that comic book movies rarely adapt a story from the comics as-is.

Superman hits theaters on July 11th. All-Star Superman is available now in print and digital formats.

The post David Corenswet’s Superman Recreates Iconic All-Star Cover in New Poster Fan Art appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new clip from DC Studios’ highly anticipated Superman has revealed a charged confrontation between the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) and his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). The footage showcases an enraged Superman bursting through the door of Lex Luthor’s office, demanding to know the location of his dog, Krypto. In a stunning display of manipulative power, a completely unfazed Luthor sips his coffee and feigns ignorance, prompting Superman to lose his composure and violently flip a massive table against the office’s reinforced window. The entire exchange is captured on camera by Luthor’s girlfriend, Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), confirming Lex’s actions are part of a ploy to paint Superman as an unstable and dangerous figure to the public. The scene culminates in Luthor whispering “ugly dog in a cape,” confirming he is behind the kidnapping and establishing his evil intentions.

This confrontation offers the most significant insight yet into the dynamic between the new Superman and Lex. Hoult’s portrayal of Lex Luthor is immediately established as a master manipulator who understands that Superman’s greatest vulnerability is his humanity. Luthor remains calm and in control, knowing all too well that Superman would never harm him. Meanwhile, he’s weaponizing Superman’s understandable emotional response, turning an act of love and concern for a pet into a spectacle of unchecked aggression. The scene most likely follows Krypto’s battle against Angela Spica a.k.a. The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), a key set piece of previous Superman trailers.

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The clip also pushes Corenswet’s Superman to an emotional breaking point, demonstrating a vulnerability that makes him more relatable. That echoes the movie’s marketing campaign, which is focused on how human the DCU’s version of the Man of Steel truly is. As such, the new scene perfectly sets the tone for the story’s main conflict, while also giving fans a hint of how evil the DCU’s Lex can be.

James Gunn’s Superman Is the Keystone of the DCU

James Gunn’s Superman serves as the foundational cinematic launch for Chapter One of the new DC Universe, titled “Gods and Monsters.” The introduction introduces audiences to a Clark Kent who is already established as Superman and working as a young reporter for the Daily Planet. The core narrative, as described by Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, will focus on Superman reconciling his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. It aims to present a hero who embodies “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow,” emphasizing his kindness and empathy. Central to this story is his relationship with his fiercely intelligent colleague at the Daily Planet, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and his ongoing battle of wits against the brilliant and ruthless CEO of LuthorCorp, Lex Luthor.

Superman distinguishes itself by presenting a DC world that is already populated with heroes and villains from its very first frame. This approach bypasses the need for origin stories, allowing the DCU to feel lived-in and historically rich from the outset. Because of that, Superman will have to navigate his role not just as an individual hero, but as part of a larger metahuman community that includes Nathan Fillion as the abrasive Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as the winged warrior Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as the genius inventor Michael Holt, also known as Mister Terrific. Anthony Carrigan also appears as the elemental transmuter Metamorpho.

Superman is scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th.

What do you think of Superman‘s take on Lex Luthor? Let us know in the comments.

The post Superman Clip Reveals Lex Luthor’s Most Nefarious Plan (And It Involves Krypto) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn’s Superman movie is a full house. The official start of the newly rebooted DC Universe introduces not just the Man of Steel (David Corenswet), but an expansive cast of characters that includes his work friends — the staffers of The Daily Planet newspaper in Metropolis, where the spectacled Clark Kent works as a mild-mannered reporter — and Superman’s other work friends, his superhero colleagues who comprise the tentatively named Justice Gang. Not to mention the unscrupulous company that LuthorCorp CEO Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) keeps, which includes the likes of Ultraman and the Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) of The Authority.

Everywhere you look, there’s a face of somebody new. So Reece Feldman, the content creator known as Guy With a Movie Camera on TikTok and Instagram who got his start on the set of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (which starred Lois Lane herself, Rachel Brosnahan), has saved the day with a sitcom-style roll call. The video, which you can watch below, is in the vein of Full House, complete with Jesse Frederick’s “Everywhere You Look” theme.

Along with Clark Kent (Corenswet) and intrepid reporter Lois Lane (Brosnahan), the staff of The Daily Planet includes boyish photographer and Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), gossip columnist Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), sports columnist Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett), and — don’t call him chief! — Editor-in-Chief Perry White (Wendell Pierce).

Although not present in the video, the Justice Gang — a team of corporate-sponsored superheroes bankrolled by tech mogul Max Lord (Sean Gunn) — includes ring-slinging Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), winged warrior Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and the inventor with a genius-level intellect, Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi).

Additionally, the movie features the likes of Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), the Element Man; government man Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo); Luthor’s entourage, which includes the selfie-snapping Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) and henchman Otis (Terence Rosemore) as well as Ultraman (to be revealed) and Sydney Happerson (Stephen Blackehart); and last but not least, Clark’s adoptive parents, the Kents (Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell).

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Although there are many characters in the movie, Gunn says Superman moviegoers won’t be confused “because I’ve screened the movie for so many people and saw that people aren’t confused,” the writer-director told Esquire Philippines. “So I know from fact that it’s not confusing.”

Gunn likened Superman to the Christopher Nolan-directed Oppenheimer, which had quite a sizable cast but focused on a handful of characters. “We’re used to seeing movies with protagonists and Superman is definitely the protagonist of Superman, and he has his work friends and he has his play friends,” Gunn explained. “Now, I don’t know if the Justice Gang are his play friends or if his work friends at the Daily Planet are his work friends or his play friends, but that’s the two groups of his friends from different places. And just because they have insignias on their costumes or superpowers doesn’t mean they’re not like any other supporting character in any movie.”

He continued, “I think Oppenheimer has three times as many speaking roles as we do. So I think people are fine.”

DC Studios’ Superman soars into theaters July 11. Tickets are now on sale.

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Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a mighty locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, David Corenswet’s Superman is endowed with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Powers like flight, super strength, speed, durability, and heat vision, all of which have been on display in the James Gunn-directed film’s trailers as the Kryptonian traded blows with the mysterious Ultraman, the Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), and Lex Luthor’s (Nicholas Hoult) legion of armored Raptors.

One of Superman’s powers that has been conspicuously absent, however, is the Man of Steel’s super-breath. The solar-fueled Superman has long had less showy super powers like super-senses and X-ray vision, but his freezing breath is on full display in the newest international teaser trailer that has made its way online (below).

The footage first shows Superman saving a Metropolis civilian from being crushed by a building toppled by a skyscraper-sized kaiju, and then using his super-breath to blow a dog to safety as he strains beneath the weight of the kaiju’s claws.

Although the Man of Steel is mighty, he’s not entirely invulnerable. Trailers have confirmed Superman will be exposed to green kryptonite — his greatest weakness besides magic —and he’s looking worse for wear when his Superman Robots infuse him with the healing power of the sun at the Fortress of Solitude.

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“I wanted Superman to be vulnerable,” Gunn recently told Rolling Stone, adding he “didn’t want a Superman who could punch planets.”

As the newest superhero on the scene, and with metahumans like Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) and winged warrior Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) for scale, Gunn’s Superman is perhaps not yet as powerful as previous cinematic iterations.

“We’re creating a whole universe now, so what’s a girl with wings gonna do in the face of that? So he’s a little less powerful. Guy Gardner’s pretty f—ing powerful. They’re all pretty powerful,” Gunn said. “Honestly, in talking to people, a lot of people are like, ‘I like Batman better because he can actually be beat,’ and I get that. So we have a Superman that can be beat.”

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

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Superman director James Gunn shares a new image of a deep-cut DC Comics villain who will be appearing in the film. On X (formerly Twitter), the filmmaker shared a picture he took of the on-set monitor featuring actor Stephen Blackehart as Sydney Happersen. The context for the scene remains a mystery, but Sydney apparently is in some kind of distress, as he’s in the midst of letting out a (comically?) large scream at something he’s seeing off camera. Per Gunn’s caption, this sequence was shot over a year ago during Superman‘s principal photography.

“Meet Stephen Blackehart as Sydney Happersen in Superman in a shot live off the on set monitor,” Gunn wrote. Blackehart’s appearance seems to be comics-accurate, as he’s sporting Happersen’s mustache and glasses. Check out Gunn’s post below:

Casual moviegoers might be unfamiliar with Sydney Happersen, but the name should ring a bell for die-hard DC fans. In the comics, Sydney is one of Lex Luthor’s most loyal associates. He’s best known for his scientific aptitude. Created by John Byrne, the character first appeared in 1987’s Superman Vol. 2 #2. In the comics, Sydney died in 1994’s Action Comics #700.

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Blackehart is another Superman actor who has previously collaborated with Gunn. He portrayed the Ravager Brahl in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. He also played Steemie Blueliver in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Briscoe in The Suicide Squad. Gunn has revealed multiple Guardians of the Galaxy actors have roles in Superman, including Pom Klementieff and Michael Rooker as voices of robots who tend to Superman in the Fortress of Solitude.

Given what we know about Superman, it isn’t too surprising to see someone like Sydney Happersen pop up. Lex Luthor has long been established as the film’s villain, so it makes sense that one of his most dedicated assistants would be at his side. As Lex looks for a way to thwart Superman, leaning on Happersen’s scientific know-how could give him an edge. It’s also fitting that Gunn — a director known for giving obscure comics characters time in the spotlight — is the one bringing Sydney Happersen to the big screen. It’ll be interesting to see what Gunn has in store for the scientist. Happersen will likely have just a supporting role, but there’s an opportunity here to carve out an entertaining dynamic with Lex — one that would be fresh for general audiences to experience.

Superman is shaping up to be a poignant and emotional superhero story, but Gunn has always excelled at balancing that heart with a sharp sense of humor. Sydney Happersen could be a source of comic relief in Superman; that expression, while probably warranted (the shot could be from the sequence depicting Superman’s battle with a kaiju in Metropolis), looks somewhat exaggerated, as if it’s meant to elicit laughs from the audience. Superman is set to feature a stacked ensemble, and hopefully Blackehart’s Happersen makes for a memorable addition to the DC Universe.

The post First Look at Deep-Cut Superman Villain Played by Guardians of the Galaxy Actor Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn’s Superman ushers in a new era for DC Comics adaptations on the big screen, and that’s going to be apparent from the film’s opening logos. On Threads, the Superman director and DC Studios co-head was asked if the movie will feature a new design for the Warner Bros. Pictures logo that traditionally has played before DC films. Gunn revealed that there won’t be any WB logo at the start of Superman, highlighting how DC Studios is its own separate entity. Superman is not considered a Warner Bros. film. It’s a DC Studios movie.

“There is no WB intro,” Gunn wrote in response to the fan. “It’s a DC Studios film.”

While there won’t be a WB logo before Superman, the film is still being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. That’s why there was so much conversation about the potential impact Superman‘s box office could have on WB as a whole. For his part, Gunn has downplayed the notion Superman is under an inordinate amount of pressure and has said he will be happy as long as the film makes back its budget.

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Superman is gearing up for its release in July, and it seems poised to be one of the biggest hits of the summer. Early box office tracking indicates it could have an opening weekend in the range of $125-145 million domestically, which would be higher than Man of Steel. A result like that would give DC Studios and WB the blockbuster they need to continue forging ahead with the DC Universe franchise.

DC Studios seems to be taking a page out of the Marvel Studios playbook in this respect. Though each Marvel Cinematic Universe installment is distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the classic Disney castle logo doesn’t appear at the start of each film. Instead, audiences are treated to just the Marvel logo. The same thing has happened for Lucasfilm’s releases under Disney. So, while this is new for DC Comics adaptations, it’s actually fairly standard practice in the industry as a whole. One would have to imagine there won’t be a WB logo attached to any Elseworlds projects that get released under DC Studios (such as The Batman Part II).

Earlier this month, when Gunn confirmed the final Superman run time, he shed additional light on the WB/DC Studios dynamic. He debunked a rumor claiming Warner Bros. mandated a shorter run time for the film, stating WB had no control over that since Superman is a DC Studios film. Though DC Studios is a division of Warner Bros. Discovery, it is a separate entity from Warner Bros. Pictures. The relationship between the two might seem confusing on the surface, but it isn’t too dissimilar from the Disney/Marvel dynamic. The big takeaway is that DC Studios maintains creative control over its projects without worrying about any interference from Warner Bros. Pictures. Though Gunn still has to answer to Warner Bros. Discovery, this should ensure the DC Universe unfolds the way he envisions it.

The post James Gunn Reveals a Surprising Superman Detail That Marks the Beginning of a New Era appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn has responded to fan concerns about his new Superman movie introducing too many characters, offering a hilarious comparison to a recent Oscar-winning blockbuster. With his film set to launch the new DC Universe, some have worried that including heroes like Green Lantern and Hawkgirl alongside Superman’s traditional supporting cast could lead to a confusing or overstuffed narrative. In a recent interview with Esquire Philippines, Gunn directly addressed this apprehension, confirming that based on his own internal screenings, the extensive cast does not overwhelm the story. To underscore his point, he compared Superman‘s ensemble to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a movie celebrated for its quality despite having a famously massive roster of characters.

“I’ve screened the movie for so many people and saw that people aren’t confused,” Gunn stated, pushing back on the idea that the cast size is a problem. “So I know from fact that it’s not confusing.” The concern stems from the fact that Superman will not only introduce the new Man of Steel (David Corenswet), Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), but also a significant number of other established DC heroes. This team, referred to as the Justice Gang, includes Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). Furthermore, Superman also features the hero Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) and the villain The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), while introducing brand-new characters such as the Hammer of Boravia. For many, this seemed like an ambitious amount of world-building for the very first film in a new cinematic universe.

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“We’re used to seeing movies with protagonists and Superman is definitely the protagonist of Superman,” Gunn explained his approach to integrating these figures into Superman’s story. “He has his work friends and he has his play friends. Now, I don’t know if the Justice Gang are his play friends, or his work friends at the Daily Planet are his work friends or his play friends, but that’s the two groups of his friends from different places. And just because they have insignias on their costumes or superpowers doesn’t mean they’re not like any other supporting character in any movie.” Gunn concluded with his sharpest point, delivering a comparison that highlighted the fallacy in assuming a large cast inherently equals a flawed film. “I think Oppenheimer has three times as many speaking roles as we do,” he said. “So I think people are fine.”

Building a Lived-In DCU From Day One

Gunn’s casting strategy for Superman reveals a distinct approach to launching his new DC Universe. Unlike the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which introduced its heroes one by one in largely self-contained solo films before uniting them in The Avengers, Gunn is starting with a world that is already populated and active. The decision to include a pre-existing team of heroes like the Justice Gang from the very first film establishes that superheroes are not a new phenomenon in this reality. This allows the DCU to bypass a lengthy phase of sequential origin stories and dive directly into a more complex world. The fact that Superman (David Corenswet) himself is already an established hero, not a rookie just discovering his powers, further reinforces this concept. 

This approach serves a dual purpose. On one hand, it immediately gives the world a sense of history. For instance, the presence of Guy Gardner implies a functional Green Lantern Corps with a history in the cosmos, while the inclusion of The Engineer acts as a direct narrative bridge to the announced The Authority movie. On the other hand, it grounds Superman’s story within a larger community. His “work friends” at the Daily Planet, including Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), and Perry White (Wendell Pierce), represent his connection to humanity, while his super-powered “play friends” show his place within the metahuman world. It’s a strategy designed to create a rich, interconnected, and expansive DCU from its very first chapter, setting it apart from previous cinematic universe models and promising a dynamic future where team-ups and crossovers are the norm, not the exception.

Superman is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11th.

What are your thoughts on James Gunn’s approach to launching the DCU with such a large cast? Join the discussion in the comments.

The post James Gunn Compares New Superman Movie to Oppenheimer With Hilarious Point appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Does Ultraman spell doomsday for the Man of Steel? Director James Gunn has teased that the Superman villain is “Lex’s thug and is pretty powerful,” as evidenced by the film’s trailers showing Ultraman in league with Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) and proving to be just as strong — if not stronger — than the Kryptonian Superman (David Corenswet). But is he powerful enough to kill Superman?

Gunn revealed a new look at the masked villain looking worse for wear, his full body suit in tatters. The image appears to be from the same scene unmasking Ultraman in the latest trailer (where the villain’s uncovered face can be seen briefly as he unleashes his own heat vision against Superman).

The film’s toyline has already revealed that — spoiler alert! — Ultraman is also the Hammer of Boravia, the armored terrorist seen attacking Metropolis over Superman’s interference with the foreign war between Boravia and Jarhanpur.

We’ve speculated that Ultraman’s secret identity might be that of the brain-swapping supervillain called the Ultra-Humanite, but the closer look at Ultraman’s mask brings to mind yet another Superman foe: Doomsday. More specifically, Doomsday’s containment suit that concealed the monster’s spike-covered form as he rampaged across the country in “Doomsday!,” which culminated in The Death of Superman.

Making his first full appearance in 1992’s Superman: The Man of Steel #18, the ultimate killing machine wore the body-covering containment suit as he wreaked havoc and acts of destruction before battling the Justice League of America (including Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern).

Superman #74 was the first to reveal the gray-skinned monster beneath the green suit as he traded blows with the Man of Steel (who remarked he’d never been hit so hard before). By the time Superman dies defending Metropolis in Superman #75 — the conclusion of a battle with Doomsday that rages across multiple cities and issues — Doomsday’s suit has been torn to shreds.

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In the comics, Doomsday was created hundreds of thousands of years ago as part of an alien genetics experiment that birthed the most destructive creature in the DC Universe. Ultraman is, essentially, an evil Superman from another Earth, with similar powers to his counterpart — including super strength, speed, flight, and heat vision — but draws his power from radioactive green kryptonite, Superman’s greatest weakness besides magic.

It could be that Lex’s answer to Superman might be another Kryptonian, or, potentially, a clone made from Kryptonian DNA. (Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor created Doomsday from a dead Zod in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.) In John Byrne’s The Man of Steel comic book run, Lex Luthor discovered that Superman was an alien when he tried to create a duplicate Superman as part of “Project Changeling.”

Luthor’s Superman clone couldn’t replicate the Kryptonian’s alien DNA, and so his body began to break down and crystalize. The artificial, chalk-skinned “Superman” became a Bizarro but was soon destroyed. Whether Ultraman is doomed to such a fate remains to be seen.

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… an infant from the doomed planet Krypton was rocketed to Earth. Landing in Smallville, Kansas, young Kal-El was adopted by the Kents and raised as Clark Kent, who used his solar-fueled powers to become Superman, Man of Steel. It’s a familiar origin story told in several cinematic iterations, and as such, not retold in James Gunn’s Superman movie. The reboot begins with the Last Son of Krypton (David Corenswet) already established as the newest superhero in a pantheon of metahumans that spans hundreds of years.

According to multiple reports out of the recent fan event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where those in attendance watched the first 30 minutes of the movie, Superman starts with what is being described as a Star Wars-inspired crawl. (No word yet if the opening titles are also inspired by the swooshing blue text of 1978’s Superman: The Movie, as seen in trailers.)

The opening of Superman is “similar to what is done in Star Wars, with a scrolling text setting the context for this new universe,” according to fansite Superman Brasil.

In recent interviews, Gunn stated that the Superman movie is “introducing a whole new world,” one that was soft-launched with the 2024 animated series Creature Commandos.

“We’re in an alternate reality where superheroes have existed for 300 years,” Gunn, the film’s writer and director, told Fandango. “And now we’re just picking up on the story of one particular superhero three years after he comes on the scene who happens to be the most powerful metahuman of all time.”

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Gunn has long made it clear that the previously-titled Superman: Legacy is not an origin story, but “tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas.”

“I think the most important thing is that [Superman] works as a movie by itself,” he told Fandango. “It’s a complete story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It’s an important part of the life of all three of the characters.” Those characters being Superman, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

Metahumans having existed for 300 years means they’ve become commonplace, whether it’s a human-looking alien from Krypton or a man-eating shark-man. It seems like the Star Wars-esque opening crawl will establish that backstory.

“If you saw a shark-man walking down the street, you’d probably vomit and s— yourself to death. If they saw one, it would be more like if you saw Paul McCartney on the sidewalk in New York,” Gunn previously told Entertainment Weekly. “I grew up reading DC and Marvel comics and having worlds and universes of superheroes who were interacting. I grew up watching Super Friends on Saturday mornings.”

“It’s a long time coming, to be able to be a part of a world in which superheroes are real,” he continued. “We don’t have to explain everyone away. There’s a little bit of magic in this world. There’s science beyond our understanding in this world. This is the kind of place where there’s an island full of dinosaurs that probably exists.”

DC Studios’ Superman — which also features Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, with Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. — flies into theaters July 11.

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Despite rarely wanting any glory or attention, superheroes spend a lot of time thinking about what they’re going to wear. More serious characters like Batman try to scare their enemies, so they utilize darker colors to hide in the shadows, while public figures like Superman choose bright shades to give off a warm and friendly vibe. DC has plenty of characters in both camps, and given the publisher’s storied history, there are countless costumes to sift through. That’s a good thing because, when a character makes the jump to live-action, the creative team behind the project has so many outfits to draw inspiration from.

The costume design teams that work on DC movies are no joke, creating some of the most breathtaking outfits ever put on film. In fact, there are ten DC superhero costumes that run laps around their comic book counterparts.

1) Batman (Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice)

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has enough problems to fill the Bat-Sub, but the Dark Knight’s costume isn’t one of them. Zack Snyder’s design makes Batman more physically imposing than his predecessors, and it easily has the best live-action cowl. The large bat logo ties the whole thing together, driving home the idea that this version of Bruce Wayne has been around the block and won’t take crap from anyone.

2) Superman (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)

The original cut of Justice League puts Superman back in his blue and red suit, which is a letdown, given that the comic book story it draws inspiration from has him wear a black one. Zack Snyder’s Justice League sets things right, giving Clark a black and grey costume that demands attention. The Man of Steel looks incredible when he goes up against Steppenwolf, with his new attire proving that he’s never going to let a villain get the better of him again.

3) Harley Quinn (Birds of Prey)

Harley Quinn’s look in Suicide Squad is an improvement on her comic book costumes because it provides a modern spin. However, the character embraces her heroic side in Birds of Prey, and her new look reflects that. Director Cathy Yan gives Harley a unique design that shows just how ready she is to step out of the Joker’s shadow and be her own person, which apparently means buying lots of ribbon.

4) Hawkman (Black Adam)

Hawkman is a ridiculous character in the comic books, as he typically wears little more than a winged helmet and straps to keep his wings in place. Black Adam switches things up by giving Carter Hall his own set of armor, which looks great. Gold is never a bad option when putting a superhero costume together, and Hawkman gets his fair share of it in his DC Extended Universe debut.

5) Rorschach (Watchmen)

The costumes in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen are products of their time. Zack Snyder’s adaptation of the comic book is aware of that, but it doesn’t change everything. The movie’s best decision is keeping the moving blot on Rorschach’s mask, allowing the character to convey emotion without having to show his face. The rest of Rorschach’s design also works, but it’s hard to look at anything else when the mask is that perfect.

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6) Aquaman (Aquaman)

Aquaman is the butt of so many jokes because he talks to fish. It’s hard to make fun of the hero when Jason Momoa is the one doing the talking, however. The DCEU helps its aquatic hero out by giving him a fantastic design that takes the orange and green color scheme from the comics and enhances it by placing scales all over the suit. The result is so good that no one even thinks about cracking a joke when Aquaman shows up.

7) Wonder Woman (Wonder Woman)

Another DCEU hero that benefits from getting a solo movie is Diana Prince. While Wonder Woman has some great comic book costumes, her look in Patty Jenkins’ movie outdoes them all. The colors may not be all that bright, but they still stand out in the World War I setting, and all the work the movie does setting up Themyscira’s history makes the hero’s accessories feel like an extension of her.

8) Blue Beetle (Blue Beetle)

Blue Beetle, like Iron Man, dons a suit that provides him with a plethora of technological abilities. However, where the two characters differ is that Jaime Reyes has to battle against the AI inside his costume. Blue Beetle makes the titular hero’s costume really feel like its own character, and it looks great to boot. It’s a shame it only gets one appearance, but if Jaime shows up in James Gunn’s DC Universe, his look shouldn’t change.

9) Batman (The Batman)

Like Christopher Nolan before him, Matt Reeves takes a grounded approach with the Dark Knight in The Batman. Bruce Wayne is just a man with childhood trauma who puts on a suit with a bat logo on it. Reeves’ design is so different than Nolan’s, though, as it allows the hero to be mobile and, most importantly, move his neck. The logo being detachable is the best detail, making it feel like Batman has a rhyme or reason for every choice he makes.

10) Superman (Superman)

It seems wrong to put a suit that hasn’t officially appeared yet on the list of the best DC movie superhero costumes, but Gunn and Co. hit it out of the park with their first big design challenge. Superman is bringing the trunks back and doing it in style. The Man of Steel’s logo is also distinct and will surely serve as one of the most important symbols in the DCU.

Which of the costumes on this list is your favorite? Is there another one that you think deserves a spot? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 DC Superhero Costumes That Are Better in the Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new TV spot for Superman has fixed a visual effects shot that fans did not care for, and the result is a huge relief. Earlier previews airing on TV featured a closeup of Superman (David Corenswet) in flight, but his features looked strange and his posture looked awkward. The new version is more symmetrical and natural-looking, and it shows the Man of Steel with a confident smile that suits him better. The new preview debuted on Sunday night during the NBA finals, and fans definitely took notice on social media. This means the change wasn’t all that subtle, even if it is welcome.

Below, you can see the shot of Superman flying from old TV spots on the left and the newer version on the right. Commenters generally seem to agree that the new version looks much better, though some are fearful that visual effects are still being tweaked this close to the premiere date. On that issue, there’s no cause for alarm. DC Studios co-head James Gunn himself addressed this shot in an interview with Entertainment Weekly last week.

“It was a TV commercial and it wasn’t a finished visual effects shot,” he explained. “So the part of him flying, it was a photograph of his face and him flying. It was a photograph of a drone flying in front of an actual background. So all the pieces were real, but it was incorporated in kind of a funky way. I didn’t love the shot, so it’s not even the shot that’s in the movie.”

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“Sometimes I’m pretty strict about when I’m going through a trailer and looking at each of the shots, but sometimes the commercials, I forget to look at this closely,” Gunn added. “So that one kind of got by me.”

Superman was filmed between February and July of 2024, with a few scattered days of pick-up shots in the following months. Many of the visual effects artists from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 followed Gunn over to this production, which may give fans some idea of the CGI style we’ll be seeing here. The effects were handled by Framestore, Industrial Light & Magic, and Wētā FX. On June 5th, Gunn announced on social media that Superman was completely finished, so no changes have been made to the movie itself since then.

Superman hits theaters on Friday, July 11th in the U.S. Tickets are on sale now.

The post New Superman Footage Fixes a Controversial Trailer Shot (& Now It’s Perfect) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC Studios intends to hit the ground running with its new DC Universe continuity, which means we actually know quite a bit about this world already. The DCU promises to be the most complete, faithful take on DC Comics to hit the screen, finally allowing it to compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It has incorporated a few characters and elements from the previous DCEU continuity, and we may see more of that in the future. The DCU started in December with the animated series Creature Commandos streaming on HBO Max, but it will launch to the big screen on Friday, July 11th when Superman premieres in theaters.

Understandably, DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery are eager to get fans onboard for the DCU, and they have done a lot of press to build it up. Co-CEO James Gunn in particular has dropped a lot of lore in advance, while recent comments by WBD CEO David Zaslav give us an idea of where the story is headed as well. We’ll learn more for ourselves soon enough, but in the meantime, here’s everything we’ve learned about the DCU so far.

Creature Commandos

First things first — the DCU is already underway thanks to the animated series Creature Commandos. There are seven episodes, each about half an hour in length, full of canonical information that may or may not become important down the line. The show picks up the story left off by Peacemaker Season 1, which lets us know that at least some of that show is canonical to the DCU. By extension, elements of The Suicide Squad (2021) may be fair game as well.

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Creature Commandos tells us a familiar story. Once again, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has assembled a team of prisoners with superpowers in the hopes of creating a powerful black ops force. In this case, the team members all have monstrous characteristics to some extent, which is why their “Task Force M” is also known as the “Creature Commandos.” This team is led by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), and it includes the Bride (Indira Varma), G.I. Robot (Sean Gunn), Weasel (Gunn), Doctor Phosphorous (Alan Tudyk), Clayface (Tudyk), and Nina Mazursky (Zoë Chao).

There are references to history and worldbuilding throughout the series, such as Professor Aisla MacPherson’s (Stephanie Beatriz) study of Themyscira, the magical island where Wonder Woman comes from. The mission and structure of Waller’s organization A.R.G.U.S. could come up again as well, but these kinds of details will likely be explained more fully when the time comes. Lastly, it’s worth noting that, although Tudyk voices Clayface in the Harley Quinn animated series, that show is not a part of the DCU.

Superman

Superman is already facing the increasingly familiar complaint from fans that they have seen too many trailers, and know too much about this movie before it has premiered. In terms of the DCU, we know that this is not an origin story, but rather, it picks up with Superman’s (David Corenswet) crime-fighting career well underway. We know that other superheroes and supervillains are well-known in this world as well.

The cast will include the Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Supergirl (Milly Alcock), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan). On the villain side, we have Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn), Angela Spica a.k.a. The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), and one more mysterious figure in the trailer whom many fans theorize is Ultraman.

Gardner, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl are all a part of pre-existing superhero team called the Justice Gang at the time this movie starts. Gunn shared this information in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, explaining that the group gets support from private corporations, calling their integrity into question. It’s an interesting way to set Superman apart in the modern era. Meanwhile, Spica is a part of a team called The Authority, which is expected to get its own movie later on in the DCU.

Peacemaker

After Superman, next up on the slate is Peacemaker Season 2 premiering on August 21st on HBO Max. The show is expected to return with a “soft reboot,” perhaps explaining which parts of the previous story are canon and which are not. The show itself is a spinoff of The Suicide Squad where John Cena first played Peacemaker. It’s about the antihero working with A.R.G.U.S. However, the trailers for this show don’t give us too much insight on the DCU so far.

Perhaps the biggest revelation is that the fictional rock band “The Mighty Crabjoys” is pervasive within this universe. It was referenced in Creature Commandos, and in the trailers for both Superman and Peacemaker Season 2.

Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface

There are three more DCU productions that have made it past the development phase so far. Supergirl is our second movie, scheduled to premiere on June 26, 2026 in theaters. It has already been filmed and is in post production right now. Depending on how things go, this may be the next DCU title we see after Peacemaker Season 2, though Lanterns is still awaiting a release date. Last we heard, that series would premiere on HBO in “early 2026,” but that may change. It is currently filming.

Finally, the Clayface movie is in pre-production now and is expected to premiere on September 11, 2026. It will star Tudyk as the voice of Clayface, making him one of the most prolific actors in this first story arc as far as we can tell.

As for content, we have limited information so far, but what we know is intriguing. Supergirl is reportedly about Kara Zor-El celebrating her 21st birthday by traveling across the galaxy with Krypto. The adventure will bring her into contact with new characters, and will take her far from the action on Earth. Similiarly, while we’ll meet Gardner in Superman, Lanterns will be about two other human Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), who employ their skills throughout the galaxy rather than sticking to earth. However, in this story they will begin by investigating a murder in Nebraska.

Slate

The first story arc within the DCU is called “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters,” and it includes three more movies and three more TV shows, all of which are still in the development phase. The movies are The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, and Swamp Thing, while the TV shows are Waller, Paradise Lost, and Booster Gold. These will introduce us to more main characters including Batman and Wonder Woman, and will bring the DCU together for some kind of climax, similar to the MCU’s “Infinity Saga.”

Meanwhile, there are a few other titles in development that have not been confirmed to be part of the “Gods and Monsters” story. On the movie side, we know there is a Teen Titans film in the works, as well as a movie about Bane and Deathstroke. Gunn just recently revealed the existince of a Wonder Woman movie as well. On the TV side, there is a Blue Beetle show in development, a Mister Miracle series, and a second season of Creature Commandos.

History

Finally, we can take stock of the tidbits Gunn and others have dropped in interviews, social media posts, and previews along the way. Perhaps the most important piece of background information came from Gunn’s EW interview, where he explained that superpowered people — or “metahumans” in DC parlance — have been known to exist for at least 300 years in the DCU. Gunn said that in this world, encountering a metahuman in public would be as exciting as meeting a celebrity, but not necessarily surprising to most people.

Additionally, Zaslav recently touted the DCU to investors, promising some big recognizable characters coming back into prominence soon. He mentioned that the “four pillars” of the franchise will be Superman, Batman, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman. Gunn confirmed this in his interview with EW, mentioning that a Wonder Woman movie is in the works as well. For some fans, that may be a hint about the shape of the story, as well as the teams and factions that may be forming soon among the characters we know are coming.

The DCU is an ambitious plan, and right now it’s balanced on a knife’s edge as we await the premiere of Superman on July 11th. For now, fans can only wait, hope, and speculate about what may be coming up. Those that want to get ahead can watch or re-watch Creature Commandos and Peacemaker Season 1 on HBO Max, and check out DC Comics for hints of the story arcs to come.

The post Everything We Know About the DCU’s Official Canon (Before Superman) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The impending arrival of James Gunn’s Superman continues to deliver great nods to the hero’s past on the big screen. As most fans have gathered from the trailers to this point, Gunn is doing his best to tie his version of the Man of Steel to the original film version with Christopher Reeve. Hints of the classic theme song and a shared tone drive that home, also maintaining some distance from Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe. The latest example of this has just been shared via Gunn’s social media, offering fans a new poster that amplifies the throwback elements of the movie.

As a few eagle-eyed Redditors pointed out, the design and look of the poster is a total throwback to the other posters from the ’70s. The small inset headshots of the cast and the black border drive it home. But the poster for the 2025 reboot has a few more nods, and possibly even a few thematic implications for the new film.

The original Superman poster features a silver Superman logo in front of a streaking bolt, meant to represent the Man of Steel flying by. The customary credits block gives the typical rundown of the title, cast, and crew, but the poster art skips any titles. Instead, we get the iconic tagline, “You’ll believe a man can fly.”

Gunn’s poster carries a lot of the same weight, with the throwback look, lack of title in the main art, and the credit box anchoring down the black border. It’s with Superman’s pose that you could dig in and make a few thematic connections. You can see David Corenswet looking back away from the new dawn and the words, “it begins.” It’s as if he is looking back at the actors who came before, with a lot of hope that this can bring the tone of the ’70s films into this new dawn. It’s either that or I should invest in some corkboard and red string.

If there is any deeper meaning to the posters, you’d have to bug James Gunn. But what is clear is that there is a real attempt to connect the new film to the feeling of those Reeve entries. It meshes well with the other source material that’s being used for crafting the film, like All-Star Superman and Superman for All Seasons.

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While there is a lot of nostalgia, it is also very clear that Gunn is working from a new playbook, and it isn’t leaning away from the more comic book-style details that were avoided until recently. We likely weren’t close to seeing Superman battle a giant kaiju in the 1978 version. We were barely ready for Clark Kent to race a speeding a train awkwardly.

James Gunn’s Superman will land in theaters on July 11, 2025. This gives it plenty of time to get some traction before the release of Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25. Which film will make a bigger impact at the movies? Are we finally moving away from darker hero stories for good? Let us know in the comments.

The post New Poster for James Gunn’s Superman Pays Homage to the Classic 1978 Film (& It’s Epic) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Prior to becoming co-head of DC Studios and directing Superman, James Gunn helmed the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy for Marvel Studios, and he found a way to reunite with some of his MCU stars in the DC Universe. Speaking with BuzzFeed, the filmmaker shared that a trio of Guardians of the Galaxy actors are a part of Superman, as Pom Klementieff and Michael Rooker voice robots that tend to Superman in the Fortress of Solitude. Bradley Cooper has a role in the sequence as well. When asked about the potential of reteaming with any other Guardians stars (like Dave Bautista or Zoe Saldaña), Gunn said he’s open to it.

“Pom Klementieff is one of the robots,” Gunn said. “In that same scene, it’s Bradley [Cooper] and it’s Michael Rooker as another one of the robots. We’ve got two Guardians right there.”

Part of the scene Gunn seems to be referencing was released as a special look at Superman back in April. In it, Krypto drags an injured Superman back to the Fortress of Solitude so a group of robots can treat the hero’s wounds. Gunn has previously confirmed that Alan Tudyk provides the voice for the robot “4” in the sequence. Tudyk is already a veteran of the DCU, having voiced multiple characters on the animated series Creature Commandos.

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Rumors about Cooper having a role in Superman have been circulating for a while. Back in March, it was speculated that he was going to play Superman’s father Jor-El and appear “in the first couple of minutes of the movie.” The way Gunn’s comments are edited in the BuzzFeed video makes it difficult to tell if Cooper is actually voicing another one of the robots or is playing a different character.

Given the rumors about Cooper being in Superman, Gunn’s confirmation regarding the Oscar nominee is fascinating. One would imagine that if Cooper was portraying Jor-El, Gunn would want to keep that under wraps. Throughout the course of the Superman marketing campaign, it’s never been officially confirmed if Jor-El is in the film, so if the character has a role, it’s being left as a surprise for the premiere. Gunn being open about Cooper’s involvement with Superman lends credence to the notion Cooper is voicing a robot. Of course, Cooper could have multiple roles in the film. Just because he’s a robot doesn’t mean he can’t also be Jor-El.

Audiences will have to wait until Superman opens in July to learn more about Cooper’s role and hear Klementieff and Rooker. In the meantime, it’s nice to see Gunn continuing some fan-favorite professional relationships as his career transitions to a new era. As a filmmaker, he’s made a habit of collaborating with familiar faces on multiple projects, typically finding a spot for the likes of Rooker, Nathan Fillion, and more. It’s part of what gives Gunn’s film their charm, and it’ll be interesting to see if any other Guardians are worked into the DCU. Zoe Saldaña doesn’t have her eye on any role right now, but that could change down the line.

The post James Gunn Confirms Which Three Guardians of the Galaxy Stars Are in Superman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman’s about to hit theaters, and the hype is bringing tons of new merch for the new DC film. Comicbook has your exclusive first look at the new Loungefly Superman Full-Size Light-Up Backpack, and it”s anything but subtle. Features include a big Superman symbol front and center that doubles as a pocket. It’s made with faux leather that has a metallic sheen that’s appropriate for The Man of Steel. But that’s not all!

Sure, this bag stands out in the daylight, but what about the dark? Worry not. For those who love glow-in-the-dark features, the Superman “S” symbol pocket will glow and the white piping around it will light-up. With James Gunn’s newest superhero film about to hit theaters, now’s the time to gear up.  The new bag is priced at $100 – $110 and is available here at Entertainment Earth and directly from Loungefly now with free shipping. Read below for more details and a full gallery of photos.

Loungefly Superman Full-Size Light Up Backpack – $100 / “Who’s ready for a Superman adventure?! Show off your fav superhero with this full-size backpack! This bag is inspired by Superman’s suit, complete with the iconic Superman “S” in the center. The logo doubles as the front pocket AND it glows in the dark! White piping around the logo lights up! Metallic faux leather gives the bag an extra sleek look!” / See here at Entertainment Earth

Features:

• Faux leather (polyurethane) with metallic PU trim
• Sturdy top handle
• Adjustable shoulder straps
• Applique, embossed, light-up, and printed details
• Glow in the dark
• Shiny gold hardware
• Coordinating interior lining

Dimensions:

• 12”W x 17”H x 5”D
• 30.4cm W x 43cm H x 12.7cm D

Superman Full-Size Light Up Backpack From Loungefly / $100

See at Entertainment Earth

Earlier this month, Comicbook’s Cameron Bonomolo broke down exactly which comicbook Superman stories the new movie would be using as inspiration. Apparently, Gunn’s new movie pays homage to dozens of legendary creators. According to him, “From writer Mark Waid and artist Alex Ross (Kingdom Come), to prolific penciler Curt Swan (Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen) and DC Comics publisher and artist Jim Lee (Justice League), there are a number of Easter eggs for the Eagle-eyed super-fan to spot. But there are three titles in particular that influenced the previously-titled Superman: Legacy: 2005’s All Star Superman, 1998’s Superman For All Seasons, and 2005’s Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.” Check out Bonomolo’s entire breakdown here.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest Superman news and collectibles? Then keep an eye on our Gear Page!

The post Loungefly’s New Superman Full-Size Backpack Lights Up and Glows (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Early box office projections for James Gunn’s Superman are in, and the film is poised to have a higher opening weekend than Man of Steel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Superman is estimated to gross around $135 million domestically over its first three days when it premieres in July. That figure would be much higher than Man of Steel, which opened with $116 million domestically when it debuted back in June 2013. If Superman performs as well as tracking indicates, it would post the second-highest opening for a Superman film of all time. Only Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice earned more, with a $166 million start.

However, estimates are all over the place as Superman gears up for its release in a few weeks. THR notes that some data has set the film’s range at $125-145 million. Warner Bros. is said to have a far more conservative outlook, pegging Superman in the $90-125 million range. Others believe Superman could reach $175 million, which would be the biggest opening ever for a DC Comics adaptation.

As the first theatrical release in the new DC Universe franchise, Superman is one of the most important projects on Warner Bros.’ film slate this year. Earlier in the year, there were reports that the movie’s box office performance could decide not just the fate of the DCU, but WB as a whole. For his part, Gunn has downplayed the notion that Superman is under an inordinate amount of pressure, saying he will be happy as long as the film makes back its budget. The DC Studios co-head doesn’t believe Superman needs to break records to be successful.

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Warner Bros. is very excited about Superman‘s prospects, putting together a sizable marketing campaign to generate hype. Ticket pre-sales for early access screenings were a massive hit on Fandango, illustrating that Superman is going to be a sizable box office draw amidst a very competitive July that also sees the premieres of Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Gunn believes there’s plenty of space for this summer’s tentpoles to all coexist at the multiplex, and he could be right. Early tracking for Jurassic World Rebirth indicates that film will earn between $120-125 million domestically over its five-day opening during Fourth of July weekend. Though that would be the lowest debut for a Jurassic World film, it’s still a very healthy figure that sets Rebirth up for a fruitful run before Superman opens. With so many genre tentpoles premiering in such close proximity to each other, there might have been concern that at least one of the titles would draw the short straw and go down as a disappointment. However, it looks like moviegoers are saving up their money for “Super Fantastic World” next month. Hopefully, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has robust projections as well.

Superman‘s box office estimates will likely fluctuate over the next few weeks. Where things settle could depend on how word of mouth pans out. If Superman is well-received, it stands reason to believe it will be able to hit the high end of these projections, which would be a phenomenal start for the DCU. Gunn has big plans for the franchise’s future, including a possible Superman follow-up that isn’t a straight sequel. Kicking things off on the right foot with a strong Superman box office will go a long way in ensuring those projects see the light of day.

The post James Gunn’s Superman Opening Weekend Box Office May Fly Higher Than Man of Steel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn’s first entry into his new DC universe starts with Superman, which is set to hit theaters on July 8. Starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult and with Gunn at the helm, the new movie is expected to be a hit (the stakes are certainly high). Well, Hot Topic wanted to make sure that if we were heading to the theaters we’d be doing it in style with their new Superman 2025-inspired fashion collection.

A new collection of Superman inspired pieces has launched that includes everything from a Superman basketball jersey to the Hawkgirl Color-Block Crop Jacket, taking inspiration from multiple characters in the DC film. The Superman Cargo Joggers also look particularly stylish (and comfortable). If you need to add some super to your closet then head to Hot Topic right here to see the entire collection, and keep an eye out for the Superman hoodie pictured above, as it will be added to the collection soon. Additional details can be found below.

Direct links to the Hot Topic Superman collection are listed below. Note that the items have a 30% discount at the time of writing, though the deal will only last through the end of the day today. Hot Topic regularly runs deals of 20% – 30% off.

• DC Comics Superman Logo Basketball Jersey
• DC Comics Superman Logo Cargo Jogger Sweatpants
• DC Comics Superman Logo Mineral Wash Girls Crop Hoodie
• DC Comics Superman Mister Terrific Color-Block Jacket
• DC Comics Superman Hawkgirl Color-Block Girls Crop Jacket
• DC Comics Superman Justice Gang Varsity Jacket
• DC Comics Superman Green Lantern Baseball Jersey
• DC Comics Superman Clark Kent Girls Crop Jersey
• DC Comics Superman Logo Wide Leg Denim Pants With Belt

Hot Topic Superman 2025 Movie Collection

See at Hot Topic

Superman’s Krypto Becomes the Most Adorable Popcorn Bucket

If you’re a dog lover like I am, you might be excited to learn what Cinemark is doing for their Superman popcorn bucket. As popcorn buckets have grown in popularity, many movie theaters are hopping into the trend to try to create the best and most creative bucket. This one might have to win. Cinemark has created a Krypto popcorn bucket, taking Superman’s Best Friend and having him carry a popcorn bag of his own, one that’ll act perfect for any real life popcorn enjoying. That isn’t all Cinemark will have though. Staying with the Krypto theme, you’ll also have your chance at a dog bowl popcorn bucket, as well as a delightful Krypto plush. The adorable Superdog is also featured on one of the other three popcorn buckets, with Superman behind him in an art piece by Dan Mora, though the others just feature different versions of Superman from the film.

Different popcorn bucket designs will be offered at all 3 of the major chains, so look out for those when you’re heading to the theater. 

Superman hits theaters on July 11th.

The post Hot Topic Launches Superman 2025 Collection Ahead of The Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

New fan art brings together Reed Richards from The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Clark Kent from Superman in celebration of their upcoming back-to-back releases in July 2025. Now is one of the most exciting times to be a fan of superhero movies, as two of the most iconic properties in comic book history, the Fantastic Four and Superman, will both be getting vibrant, colorful, and modern reinventions. Marvel and DC are often regarded to be in competition, but new art sees them celebrating each other, with Mister Fantastic and Superman fist-bumping each other.

Shared by @_themightymyles_ on Instagram, the art shows the similarities in both of the new incarnations of Superman and the Fantastic Four. The clearest and perhaps most welcome change is that both these heroes will be getting comic-accurate costume makeovers, with Superman’s new costume being brighter and more colourful than other recent versions, while the Fantastic Four will finally suit-up in their blue-and-white, 1960s-style suits. It’s great to see these heroes celebrating each other in this brilliant new art.

James Gunn’s Superman, the first film in the rebooted DC Universe, is scheduled for release on July 11, 2025. David Corenswet debuts as the Man of Steel, and he’ll be introduced alongside a new version of Metropolis. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, will also introduce us to an exciting new world on July 25, 2025. First Steps will be set primarily outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s main continuity of Earth-616, and will instead take place in an alternate, retro-futuristic, 1960s-inspired universe, which creates intriguing opportunities for Marvel to really experiment with tone, stakes, and design.

Superman and the Fantastic Four are arguably the most prominent and popular properties of their respective companies. Superman has headlined DC Comics’ stories since his first appearance in 1938’s Action Comics #1, while the Fantastic Four’s Marvel Comics debut in 1961’s The Fantastic Four #1 marked the start of the “Marvel Age of Comics,” establishing revolutionary new connected storylines and characters. It’s very possible that reintroducing these heroes into live-action could have the same revolutionary impact on the movie and TV franchises of the DCU and the MCU.

The releases of both Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are very highly-anticipated, and this fan art is a wonderful expression of the camaraderie and celebration of both. Superman is scheduled for release on July 11th, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps will follow on July 25th, as the first feature film in the MCU’s Phase 6.

Are you excited for Marvel and DC’s summer of superheroes? Let us know in the comments!

The post July’s Marvel Vs DC Battle Perfectly Celebrated In Superman & Fantastic Four Art appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman director James Gunn pushes back on the notion that the film is under extreme pressure to perform at the box office. In a wide-ranging interview with Rolling Stone, the filmmaker was asked about reports suggesting the future of DC Studios (or even Warner Bros. Pictures itself) is riding on how much money Superman makes when it opens in theaters later this summer. Gunn dismissed the idea that Superman needs to be a record-breaking success in order for the DC Universe to continue, pointing to the grosses of other films, like Iron Man. In Gunn’s mind, Superman is just one cog of a much larger wheel that already has other projects in motion.

“Really, I just go, ‘That’s their business.’ Because that’s not the truth for me,” Gunn said when asked about reports concerning Superman‘s box office. “My truth is this is the first movie out of DC Studios. Other people may say, ‘It’s gotta be a home run, nothing else.’ I’m like, ‘No, I’d be very happy with a double.’ F—ing Iron Man wasn’t the be-all and end-all. It wasn’t Avatar. We are doing something that’s a piece of the puzzle. It’s not the puzzle itself. We have Peacemaker, we have Supergirl, and what we want to do is make a movie that people love, they feel connected to the characters. It’s just this one movie. It’s not everything.”

He continued, “I hate it when there’s a f—ing article and it’s going on about all the problems and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and ‘that means even more pressure on James Gunn and Superman.‘ I’m like, ‘Guys, I’m not responsible for all that. I’m responsible for my piece of the pie. I’ve gotta make my budget back. I’ll be very happy with that.'”

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Earlier in the year, there were concerns that Warner Bros. was on very shaky ground. On the heels of notable box office bombs such as Joker: Folie à Deux and Mickey 17, some reports indicated WB could be sold off a la 20th Century Fox if Superman did not perform exceptionally well in theaters. Of course, this was before WB released massive hits such as A Minecraft Movie and Sinners, which are two of the highest-grossing films of the year so far.

Warner Bros. is very excited about Superman, with executives Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy praising Gunn for “understanding the assignment.” The studio is currently in the midst of a sizable marketing campaign for the film, which ushers in a new era for DC on the big screen. Next year sees the release of Supergirl and Clayface, so while DC Studios waits to see how Superman performs, Gunn and Co. continue to plot out the DCU’s future.

Obviously, Superman needs to turn a healthy profit so the DCU gets off on the right foot and more projects can continue through development. However, Gunn is right in stating there’s no need for Superman to break records. The film can still be a successful start for a new franchise without rewriting the history books. Gunn references the first Iron Man, which kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with $585.7 million worldwide back in 2008. And it was 20 years ago that Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins grossed just $375.4 million globally, but it was considered a large enough hit to warrant two sequels that passed the $1 billion mark. Sometimes, Hollywood’s biggest franchises have humble beginnings before moving on to bigger and better things. There definitely are expectations for Superman considering he’s one of DC’s premier characters, but Gunn has the correct mindset.

With Superman sandwiched between other high-profile studio tentpoles Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, sky-high box office projections might be unfair. All three of these films are targeting similar demographics, which could impact how well they hold after opening weekend. It’s not like Superman has the entire month of July to itself; Jurassic World and Fantastic Four are two highly anticipated projects that should make a pretty penny. As long as Superman has a strong opening weekend and can parlay that into the “double” Gunn talks about, it should be in good shape. This year has already seen two Marvel movies underwhelm at the box office, so a profitable superhero movie would be worth celebrating — regardless of how high the total gross is.

The post James Gunn Pushes Back on Superman Box Office Expectations appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman star Rachel Brosnahan believes actors who star in superhero films shouldn’t complain about the experience after the fact. In a conversation with Amanda Seyfried for Interview Magazine, the new Lois Lane actress discussed the similarities between her and her Superman co-star David Corenswet. This led to Seyfried pointing out a key reason why Brosnahan and Corenswet got along so well while making the movie: they were both excited to be a part of something so substantial. Seyfried noted it’s easy to tell when actors are passionate about their work in blockbusters. In response to that, Brosnahan shared her thoughts on actors who are critical of their superhero credits.

“I don’t know why people say yes only to then turn around and complain about it,” Brosnahan said. “Look, I don’t want to s— on other actors, but there was a minute where it was cool to not like superhero movies and to look back on projects like this and pooh-pooh them. Do it or don’t do it, and then stand by it.”

While Brosnahan (wisely) doesn’t name any names, in the past, there have been several actors who have discussed their complex relationship with studio tentpoles. Elizabeth Olsen, who played Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has said Marvel movies are “not really the art that I consume.” Another prominent MCU figure, Scarlett Johansson, has said that at times she’s felt more like “a plot device” than a well-rounded character for some of her Black Widow performances.

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Brosnahan is set to make her superhero movie debut in this summer’s Superman, the first theatrical release in the DC Universe franchise. It’s unknown when her Lois Lane could pop up next, though Superman director James Gunn has hinted that he’s developing some sort of follow-up that isn’t necessarily a direct, straightforward sequel.

It’s easy to see where Brosnahan is coming from; her point is actors should be proud of all their roles, whether it’s an Oscar-nominated indie film or a big studio blockbuster, and not look down upon them. At the same time, there is some nuance when it comes to actors and their mixed feelings about superhero films. Johansson and Olsen have both said they’re proud of their Marvel work, but there likely are aspects they wish played out differently. There are instances where comic book adaptations can be more plot-driven than character-driven, meaning there might not be as much to explore from an acting perspective. These productions can also be grueling and time-consuming, potentially limiting an actor’s opportunities to pursue other creative endeavors. In some ways, Johansson and Olsen provide well-rounded perspectives on the blockbuster experience, outlining the pros and cons of being involved with something so massive.

Brosnahan is at the start of her DC journey, so she’s coming at this with an entirely different perspective. Being in Superman is something that’s very fresh and exciting for her, and it’s great to hear she loved her time making the film. It will be interesting to see how or if her viewpoint changes over the course of her Lois Lane tenure. Stranger Things star David Harbour once felt he’d never get tired of being on the show, but after 10 years, he is ready to move on. Maybe Brosnahan will maintain the same level of enthusiasm regardless of how many DC projects she stars in, but this is a topic that can be viewed through shades of gray. It’s possible to have a fondness and appreciation for blockbuster work while also acknowledging some of the finer details that can dampen the experience.

The post Superman Star Slams Actors Complaining About Superhero Movies After Starring in Them (& They’re Wrong) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman will soon be flying into theaters, but fans will soon be able to see the Man of Steel hitting the racetrack as well thanks to a newly announced partnership between Upper Deck, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, and NASCAR. Upper Deck commissioned the Superman x 23XI race car, and Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team will be hitting the track with the snazzy new car later this month. While not everyone can see the car’s debut in person, they can grab two limited-release trading cards for it, and you can check one of those out in the image below.

The Superman x 23XI race car will make its debut on June 28th for the NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway, and those who want to add that vehicle to the collection can now purchase the first of two trading card drops featuring the new design on Upper Deck e-Pack, which is Upper Deck’s online trading card and collectibles platform.

The second of those two drops will happen on race day (June 28th), which will be the first time fans see Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE in all its Superman style hit the track. This will also be the first of the 2025 Cup Series to air live on TNT, and it will air at 7 PM ET.

“We’re constantly exploring new ways fans can enjoy and collect their favorite athletes and characters, and what better way to kick off the summer of ‘Superman’ than with an exciting crossover that marries the DC cinematic universe with the world of NASCAR,” said Upper Deck President Jason Masherah. “We continue to expand our footprint in the sports collectibles industry, bringing different sports to the forefront with innovative collecting experiences that fans and collectors can’t find anywhere else. I can’t wait to see how Superman and racing fans react to these first trading cards with the 23XI collectible license in conjunction with NASCAR.”

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Steve Lauletta, President of 23XI Racing, added, “Our goal at 23XI is always to raise the bar and connect with fans in creative ways, including how they collect and engage with our drivers. Through our relationship with Upper Deck, we continue to deliver unique experiences that fans can cherish forever.”

Upper Deck and DC have also expanded their overall partnership with a host of trading card sets releasing over the next year. Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and more will all be getting the spotlight in future sets, and there will also be board games coming through the partnership as well. As for Superman, James Gunn will be kicking the new DC Universe into gear when the film hits next month, and you can check out the official description for Superman below.

“Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.”

Superman soars into theaters on July 11th.

What do you think of the new Superman NASCAR trading card? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Superman and DC with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post Upper Deck and NASCAR Team Up for New Superman Race Car and Limited Edition Crossover Card appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The opening moments of the Superman trailer left many confused. The Man of Steel was on the ground, beaten and bruised after an intense fight with a mystery assailant. He had to call his pal Krypto to get him back to safety, which didn’t make the hero look as capable as his comic book counterpart. The rest of the trailer and the other looks at the movie put that idea to bed, as Superman is seen flying through the skies over Metropolis and holding his own against kaiju and super-powered individuals like Ultraman and the Engineer. However, James Gunn still doesn’t want to give off the vibe that his hero is unbeatable.

While speaking to Rolling Stone ahead of Superman‘s release, Gunn revealed how online debates changed his mindset while creating his version of Kal-El. “There are things that I know I don’t explain that I don’t even want to say out loud! But I wanted Superman to be vulnerable,” he explained. “I see the online things ‘Who would beat whom?’ — Homelander or Superman or f***ing whatever, Adam Warlock or Brightburn, and I’m like, ‘This is the f***ing stupidest f***ing conversation.’ Like, so then whoever would win this fight means that they’re the best? Because I’ll just go out and write God Man, who can destroy you with a wink. And I win. I win all the fights forever.”

Gunn also mentioned that his vision for the DC Universe forced him to scale back Superman’s strength. “But I didn’t want a Superman who could punch planets,” he said. “And also we’re creating a whole universe now, so what’s a girl with wings gonna do in the face of that? So he’s a little less powerful. Guy Gardner’s pretty f***ing powerful. They’re all pretty powerful. Honestly, in talking to people, a lot of people are like, ‘I like Batman better because he can actually be beat,’ and I get that. So we have a Superman that can be beat.”

It’s hard to argue with Gunn’s logic because one of the issues Superman has faced, especially on the big screen, is his reliability. The only reason Steppenwolf gets so far in Justice League is because the Man of Steel isn’t around, and once the hero comes back to life, the villain doesn’t last long. It’s a lot more interesting to watch Batman go up against Steppenwolf because he doesn’t stand a chance in a fight and has to get creative. Well, it sounds like Gunn’s version of Superman will have to take a few pages out of the Dark Knight’s playbook in the DCU if he wants to find success.

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Superman Will Have to Rise to the Occasion in the DCU

Given Gunn’s comments, it’s safe to say that Superman will do his fair share of losing in the DCU. That’s not to say he’s going to let Lex Luthor get the better of him at every turn, but it’s going to take more than punching to solve the world’s problems. That’s going to take some getting used to, especially after the DC Extended Universe put Superman on a pedestal, having him be the only solution to world-ending threats. However, the potential is there for an interesting arc for the character, one that sees him go into major battles with a unique mindset never seen before in superhero media.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

How do you feel about Superman being nerfed in the DC Universe? Do you think watching him get beaten will be more interesting than seeing him win every battle with ease? Let us know in the comments below!

The post James Gunn Explains Why He Powered Down Superman (And It’s for the Best) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The DC Universe that James Gunn is building is going to be a fresh start for Warner Bros. After attempting to create a cinematic universe with Zack Snyder at the helm, the powers that be are looking for something new. Gunn is preparing to deliver that with a fresh take on the Man of Steel, pitting the character against his arch-rival Lex Luthor while having him interact with a myriad of other heroes, including Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific. The hype around Superman is palpable, and the early tracking for the movie’s box office returns looks fantastic, teasing the first in what should be many wins for the DCU on the big screen.

Despite all the good that Gunn wants to do, the diehard fans of the DC Extended Universe and Snyder’s vision for it aren’t happy. They want to see more of Henry Cavill’s Superman and are ready to go to great lengths to ensure their voices are heard. Taking to the SnyderCut subreddit, one user laid out a plan to ruin Superman‘s opening by posting spoilers for the movie all over the place, leaving bad ratings wherever possible, and reserving seats in theaters without intending to use them. There are more than a few issues with the scheme, but Gunn isn’t giving it the time of day.

After being asked about his thoughts on the Reddit post, Gunn made it clear that he knows the fan who created it is part of a vocal minority. “lol I think we’ll survive,” he said on Threads. “I’m not sure the eight people that listen to that guy (I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it’s a guy) are going to impact the course of events.”

Gunn’s response is a dig, but it’s not a baseless one, as the Reddit post is getting little traction. And with less than a month before Superman‘s release, the detractors are running out of time to make an impact. The real kicker is, while DCEU fans are trying to be supportive of Snyder, the filmmaker is behind Gunn, going as far as to take a picture with him earlier this year that he knew would create headlines.

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Zack Snyder and James Gunn Are on Good Terms

Snyder’s time with DC was complicated, to say the least. The negative reception to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice threw the production of Justice League all out of whack, and Snyder found himself on the outside looking in. He eventually got to release his version of the movie after online campaigning from fans, which should have been the end of it. However, all these years later, some fans still can’t get over the way the higher-ups treated Snyder, and despite Gunn not being part of the decision-making back then, they’re pointing the finger at him.

Gunn and Snyder don’t care about all the online discourse, though, as they’re old friends whose working relationship dates back to 2004’s Dawn of the Dead. They even got together to hang out in early 2025, with Gunn posting a photo on Instagram of the two of them together that had everyone thinking Snyder was going to direct another DC movie. Gunn put that idea to bed, saying he was hanging out with his buddy, but the photo still proves that there’s no ill will between Snyder and the current brass at DC. In fact, Snyder is comfortable enough to give out tips about bringing the Man of Steel’s costume to life.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

What do you think of James Gunn’s response to the Snyder fan’s plan? Do you think it will affect Superman in any way? Let us know in the comments below!

The post James Gunn Brutally Responds to Superman Review Bombing Threat by Snyder Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

My Adventures with Superman is coming back for a special marathon in time for the premiere of James Gunn’s new Superman with DC Studios. My Adventures with Superman was one of the biggest surprises to come from Warner Bros. Animation and Adult Swim. The new animated series introduced fans to anime inspired takes of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and more alongside a whole new Metropolis. Telling the story of how Clark dons his Superman costume, My Adventures with Superman is helping to launch a whole new DC animated world that’s going to be explored with its next season to come.

My Adventures with Superman isn’t the only new Superman story in the works either as the James Gunn directed Superman for DC Studios prepares to hit theaters on July 11th. To help celebrate the new movie’s debut and kick off the July 4th weekend in style, Adult Swim has announced on its official Facebook page that My Adventures with Superman will be taking over on Saturday, July 5th from 12:00AM to 5:00AM with a big marathon of its Season 2 episodes.

What’s Next for My Adventures with Superman?

My Adventures with Superman is now in the works of a third season of the animated series, but has yet to reveal a release date or window for the new episodes as of the time of this publication. The new animated series has been a massive hit with Adult Swim audiences thus far, and the end of the second season expanded its universe in some big ways with the full introduction of Clark’s cousin Kara Zor-El, otherwise known as Supergirl. But she’s only one of the many new DC Comics heroes teased to be joining this universe. In fact, there’s a whole new expansion planned for this budding universe now in the works as well.

DC Studios has officially announced production of a brand new animated series titled My Adventures with Green Lantern with My Adventures with Superman producer Jake Wyatt as executive producer alongside co-producer Stephanie Gonzaga. This new show will be sharing the same timeline as My Adventures with Superman, so it’s likely that we’re starting to see a full universe expand under this brand with some of the same creative and design teams carried over between projects. For now, fans should really keep an eye on this next series to see how things can get even bigger.

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What Is My Adventures With Green Lantern?

“We’re making a new show!” My Adventures with Green Lantern executive producer Jake Wyatt shared in a special message to fans when the new show was first announced. “Some of you had questions—the show WILL take place in the same timeline as My Adventures With Superman. Stoked to expand and explore that universe with my buddy [Stephanie Gonzaga].” Wyatt also confirmed it would carry over much of the same design team from the Superman series too, “We are gonna bring as much of the Superman design team to Lantern as we can!”

As for what to expect from My Adventures with Green Lantern, the new animated series is currently teased as such, “Beware her power… Green Lantern’s light. In My Adventures with Green Lantern, a Green Lantern Power Ring falls from the sky and chooses high school student Jessica Cruz to be its champion. When more debris from the Lanterns’ ancient space war arrives along with their alien foes, she must make the oath to defend Earth in brightest day and blackest night.” Who knows, maybe the two will even have a crossover before we all know it if they both reach their own successes?

The post My Adventures with Superman to Launch Marathon in Time for James Gunn’s Superman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Rachel Brosnahan will soon make her debut as Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman, but before the DC Universe’s first movie hits theaters, fans should watch some of Brosnahan’s best movies and TV shows. The actress’ forthcoming entry into the superhero realm has generated tons of fan excitement, as Superman signals the start of a hopeful new era for DC. The movie will also mark the 12th live-action rendition of Superman/Clark Kent when David Corenswet steps into the lead role. A talented journalist for the Daily Planet, Lois is also Superman’s love interest and will play a pivotal part in the movie. Early in her career, Brosnahan made single-episode appearances in shows like Gossip Girl, CSI: Miami, Grey’s Anatomy, and Orange is the New Black before landing more prominent roles in both TV and film. An Emmy and Golden Globe winner, Brosnahan has tacked numerous genres, from comedy to Western, and many of her movies are worth watching.

The following five films and shows are the highlights of Brosnahan’s work. DC fans should definitely check them out before Superman.

1) The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Brosnahan won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her outstanding lead performance as Midge Maisel in Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Set in the 1950s and ’60s, the comedy series chronicles Midge’s journey as she pursues her dream of becoming a stand-up comedian after her husband leaves her. Funny and heartwarming all throughout its five seasons, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a delight to watch. Brosnahan portrays the emotional and more humorous sides of her character with authenticity and perfect comedic timing. Arguably Brosnahan’s best-known and most-acclaimed project to date, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel demands to be watched by anyone in search of the star’s greatest work.

2) Manhattan

Manhattan didn’t receive nearly enough attention when it aired its two seasons in 2014 and 2016, and it remains a criminally underrated historical drama. The show depicts the construction of the atomic bomb, known as the Manhattan Project, in Los Alamos, New Mexico through the eyes of various scientists and their families. Based on true events, yet heavily dramatized, Manhattan primarily fixates on fictional characters rather than the real-life individuals. This paves the way for an array of compelling character arcs and stunning narrative developments as both personal and workplace drama permeate Los Alamos. Brosnahan brilliantly takes on the role of Abby Isaacs, the wife of a gifted young physicist striving to prove himself. Abby’s self-discovery journey takes a number of surprising turns, and Brosnahan stands out among the show’s stellar cast members. Manhattan deserves more appreciation, so DC fans should take the opportunity to stream it.

[RELATED: 7 Essential Lois Lane Comics to Read Before Superman]

3) Dead for a Dollar

2022’s Dead for a Dollar is a solid Western movie despite flying under the radar. The story takes place in the 1890s and sees Brosnahan play Rachel Kidd, a businessman’s wife who has been abducted and held for ransom in Mexico. A bounty hunter is hired to track down Rachel and return her home, but what happens next is far from what anyone expects. Brosnahan’s character appears a typical damsel in distress at first glance, but an empowering plot twist near the end of the movie splendidly subverts expectations. Dead for a Dollar is led by a top-notch trio of Brosnahan, Christoph Waltz, and Willem Dafoe. Exciting action complements all of the drama well, making Dead for a Dollar a Western film well worth viewers’ time.

4) I’m Your Woman

The 2020 Amazon original movie I’m Your Woman stars Brosnahan as Jean, a woman sent on the run with her son after her husband disappears while working in organized crime. Set in the 1970s, I’m Your Woman presents an unconventional take on the crime genre, as its story predominantly takes place away from violent mobsters and focuses on those impacted by their deeds. Jean’s arc in the film is magnificently elevated by Brosnahan’s layered performance, which expertly illustrates the character’s experience with agency and inner turmoil as she navigates a world in which she’s no longer safe. I’m Your Woman slowly builds up to a riveting culmination, and anyone who loves a good crime thriller needs to check it out.

5) The Courier

Another exceptional period drama featuring Brosnahan, 2020’s The Courier tells the true story of British businessman Greville Wynne’s covert operation to end the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. In support of Benedict Cumberbatch‘s lead role, Brosnahan portrays Emily Donovan, an American CIA officer who helps coordinate Wynne’s mission as an undercover courier to the Soviet Union. The Courier is a captivating spy story with plenty of tension and suspense. Wynne’s efforts to evade capture produce some heart-pounding sequences, and audiences will be left astonished by this incredible rendition of true events. Even though Brosnahan features in a small role, The Courier remains one of the best titles in her filmography.

All of these titles are available to rent, stream, or purchase across various platforms. Superman opens in theaters on July 11th.

The post 5 Rachel Brosnahan Movies and TV Shows to Watch Before Superman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman’s big screen return is now less than a month away, and while DC and Warner Bros. Discovery aren’t afraid to share more details and footage from the film online, they are also showing a brand new trailer in theaters. While it features a bevy of the same moments and beats from the previous trailer, there are also a few spots of new footage throughout, and in particular, a few lines of dialogue from David Corenswet illuminate Superman’s true mission (via DC Film News).

During the trailer, we see more of the big battle that causes a building to fall, that’s where Clark reveals what his purpose is here on Earth and how he views that purpose to someone unknown. You can check out the trailer in the video below.

Superman says, “My parents sent me here to serve the people of Earth, and to be a good man.” After a few more moments of footage, we then see him say “That’s my greatest strength”, and though it’s unclear who he is speaking to, one could assume it’s Lex Luthor, just in the tone in which he says that last line.

One of the most refreshing elements of the Superman footage we’ve seen so far is just how many times Superman is simply helping people throughout. This latest trailer was certainly more action-packed than previous ones, but we still see more shots of Superman holding up a building to protect people in the midst of it all, and that looks to be a central focus of the film in general.

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Another aspect of the film that looks to set itself apart from other Superman films is its embracing of the Silver Age. There’s a Silver Age flair to this Superman that we’ve simply never had a chance to see before onscreen, and that also feeds into the general tone of the film, which seems as aspirational and hopeful as ever. Krypto’s inclusion alone is indicative of this, and not just that he’s in the movie, but in the clear bond that he has with Superman, which is spotlighted quite a bit in the footage released so far.

One character who we’re still waiting to see more of is The Engineer, who we’ve only seen two key sequences with, and those are exceptionally brief in the trailers. While we have had more looks at Lex Luthor, there’s still some mystery regarding what he’s really after and why he’s involved The Engineer in his plans. Then there’s also the Ultraman of it all, but that likely won’t be revealed until the movie is actually released. You can check out the official description for Superman below.

“Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.”

Superman soars into theaters on July 11th.

What about the Superman footage stands out to you most, and are you going to be seeing it opening weekend? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Superman and DC with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post Superman Alternate Trailer Reveals Man of Steel’s Mission With New Footage appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A superhero project is only as good as its villain. Think of some of the worst movies and shows in the genre (Catwoman, Green Lantern, Inhumans, etc.) and try to remember something about their bad guys’ motivations. Sure, the name of the villain might be easy to remember, but there isn’t some defining quality that makes them memorable outside of their history in the source material. Good adversaries, on the other hand, know exactly what they want and why they want to do it, such as Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, it looks like another character is about to join that category this summer in Superman.

The latest trailer for James Gunn’s superhero film is all about the rivalry between Lex Luthor and the Man of Steel. The two characters have gone at it before on the big screen, but never like this. In fact, Superman‘s marketing reveals that Nicholas Hoult’s Lex might be the best version of the character yet.

Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor Will Do Anything to Stop Superman

Lex Luthor’s motivations are almost always the same: he doesn’t believe Superman should have a say in Earth’s affairs and wants to rid the world of him. Gunn isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel in 2025, as he’s having Lex use his vast resources to challenge Clark Kent’s alter-ego, while trying to prove to the people of Earth that they don’t need a godlike hero watching over them. However, he’s not trying to hide his hatred for the Man of Steel. He reveals that he’s willing to kill Lois Lane because she interviews the hero now and again, and plans to hunt down the parents responsible for raising his arch enemy.

To put this plan into action, Lex doesn’t waste any time. He visits the Fortress of Solitude with his allies, the Engineer and Ultraman, destroying Superman’s robotic allies while the hero is off trying to make the world a better place. There’s even a point in the latest look at the film where Lex demands that his employees let innocent people die because they prefer to look to Superman for hope instead of him. Lex’s hate clearly knows no bounds, which can’t be said about most of the other live-action versions of the character.

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Nicholas Hoult Only Has One Real Competitor for the Top Spot

Hoult’s performance is bringing the ruthless villain from the comic books to life. While it’ll take seeing the entirety of Superman to confirm that Lex has never been better than he is in the DC Universe, the new take on the character has an easy road to success. What the early portrayals of Lex have going against them is that they care more about money than anything else. Gene Hackman’s portrayal and Kevin Spacey’s after that only cross paths with the Man of Steel after their plans for real estate domination go too far. Hackman’s later appearances veer into more ridiculous territory, with him using his own DNA to create Nuclear Man in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. However, it’s hard to take those events seriously because Superman Returns tosses them out the window in favor of more real estate schemes.

The DC Extended Universe had Lex more focused on Superman, but Jesse Eisenberg’s take is all over the place, coming off more like a real-life tech billionaire than a comic book villain. That means there’s only one live-action iteration that has a chance to steal the throne from Hoult: Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex from Smallville. While Rosenbaum has the benefit of having several seasons’ worth of material to work with, his character is the easiest to relate to because he starts out as Clark’s friend before slowly learning his secret. By the end of the show, he’s a hurt friend who has no choice but to become a villain.

Hoult’s Lex probably isn’t going to go to dinner at the Kent home or buy Clark a cup of coffee. Sometimes, though, evil for evil’s sake is the right choice, as it’s the only way to combat a hero who stands for truth and justice.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

Do you think Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor will be the best version of the villain? Who else has a claim to the title? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor in Superman Might Be the Best Version of the DC Villain appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Trunks or no trunks? That was the question when it came to David Corenswet suiting up as the Man of Steel in James Gunn’s Superman movie. The suit — designed by Oscar-nominated costume designer Judianna Makovsky, who worked on Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies as well as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Suicide Squad, and Avengers: Endgame — features an Alex Ross-inspired Superman symbol, a raised collar and piping similar to DC’s 2011 relaunch The New 52, and the classic red trunks, which have been an element of nearly every suit Big Blue has worn since Action Comics #1 in 1938.

DC Comics stripped Superman of his circus strongman-style trunks in 2011, opting for a red belt look (the “red underwear” returned for the milestone Action Comics #1000 in 2018). For 2013’s Man of Steel, director Zack Snyder had Henry Cavill don a super-suit sans trunks, a look that would stick through 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League. (Tyler Hoechlin’s Dad of Steel wore a similar suit in television’s Superman & Lois.)

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The last live-action big-screen interpretation of Superman to wear the trunks was Brandon Routh’s in 2006’s Superman Returns, which paid homage to Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel and the Richard Donner-directed Superman: The Movie from 1978. It took nearly two decades, but the trunks have returned on Corenswet’s comics-accurate suit in Superman — with input from Snyder and Corenswet himself.

“The only thing I knew is that I didn’t want [the suit] to look too much like a wet T-shirt. I didn’t want to have muscles built into the suit,” Gunn told Fandango about the classic red-and-blue suit. “I wanted to create a world where metahumans actually existed, but also, that they wore these [suits] for various reasons, and that it was, in a way, a uniform.”

That includes the LordTech-branded “Justice Gang” uniforms worn by superheroes Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion).

Once Gunn determined that his Superman wouldn’t be a body-hugging muscle suit, “I just kind of went from there working with Judianna, who did all my costumes from Guardians of the Galaxy, and just taking it bit by bit by bit until we ended up with the beautiful suit that we ended up with,” Gunn said. “And getting David’s input, frankly, as we sort of built it up around him, getting his ideas.”

“One of the biggest questions was, ‘Were we gonna have trunks, or were we gonna not have trunks?'” Gunn continued. “I talked to Zack Snyder, who was like, ‘I tried a billion different versions with the trunks, and at the end of the day, I tried it, but I just couldn’t get there.’ And I was feeling exactly the same way.”

As Gunn and Makovsky tested out versions of the suit — one with trunks, and one without — Gunn was leaning towards the no-trunks look. And then Corenswet had a suggestion.

“You wanted trunks, in theory,” Corenswet told Gunn. “You liked the idea of trunks.”

“Theoretically, I liked the idea of trunks,” Gunn replied, “because it’s the Superman I grew up with.” The problem, Corenswet noted, “They look kind of silly. You were looking for a way to make them look cool, or you were looking for a function, an explanation to justify having them, and my thing was, ‘Maybe they’re supposed to look a little silly?’ Maybe the reason he wears them is to look a little silly. Basically, to undermine how powerful he really is.”

Because the citizens of the DC Universe have known about the existence of metahumans for 300 years, Gunn said, “Everyone knows he’s an alien. He shoots beam out of his eyes, he can blow things down with his breath. He’s sort of this terrifying creature. And David saying, ‘But he really likes kids, and human beings, and people. He wants kids to not be afraid of him.’ And so that was the thing that made me decide to keep the trunks.”

DC Studios’ Superman is written and directed by Gunn and stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, with Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, with Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.

Tickets are now on sale for Superman, which soars into theaters July 11.

The post James Gunn Consulted Zack Snyder About Superman’s Suit in New Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The hype around James Gunn’s Superman is reaching an all-time high. After announcing early screenings of the film for Amazon Prime subscribers, the marketing team over at DC dropped a new trailer to announce that tickets are officially on sale. Unlike a lot of final trailers, the one for Superman is chock-full of new footage and dives into the motivations of the main villain, Lex Luthor. The CEO of LexCorp won’t be the only threat that the Man of Steel faces, though. There’s one battle that he has to fight off-screen, and it involves another iteration of the character that fans just can’t let go of.

Every time a new look at Superman makes its way online, the actor Henry Cavill begins trending on social media platforms like X. Of course, Cavill played the hero in Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe, which many people still hold near and dear to their hearts despite the franchise being disbanded. Regardless, the arguments are getting old, and it’s time for everyone to get on board with Gunn’s vision for the character.

James Gunn’s Superman Is Making Up for the DCEU’s Mistakes

The reason so many people are yearning for a time when Snyder was in charge of DC’s movies is that what Gunn is doing is so vastly different. The sulking heroes are gone, being replaced by hopeful icons who are proud to put on a suit and protect the innocent. That’s not to say Snyder’s universe was completely without merit. However, it didn’t appeal to the masses, which became a problem when DC’s competitor, Marvel Studios, was releasing movies that reached every demographic. The DC Universe can’t afford to alienate any part of the fanbase and rely on a vocal minority to put public pressure on the bigwigs to release director’s cuts of movies, and Gunn knows that.

Instead, the filmmaker is doing something unique, dropping his most important character into a world that’s already full of metahumans. Superman will spend his first solo movie trying to find his place in the world, while Lex and Co. work to ensure that the public believes they don’t need the hero around. It’s not all that different from what Cavill’s iteration dealt with in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but with one slight difference: David Corenswet’s Man of Steel will actually be the focus of his movie.

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Henry Cavill Gets the Short End of the Stick in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Man of Steel has a lot going for it, which is why it’s so surprising that the sequel pits Superman against Batman. BvS spends so much time setting up Bruce Wayne’s motivations and teasing members of the Justice League that it forgets to give any love to Clark Kent. He spends most of the movie reacting to other characters’ moves instead of making his own, which leaves him behind the eight ball when Doomsday shows up and starts tearing apart the city. Lex even has Superman eating out of the palm of his hand at one point, which won’t happen in the hero’s 2025 film.

The latest trailer for Superman shows the Man of Steel dealing with everything that Lex throws at him and having fun while doing it. Even when the villain threatens to kill Lois Lane and the Kents, the mood doesn’t shift because Superman, at his core, is unflappable. Snyder’s version can’t decide what his morals are until it’s too late, leaving Cavill between a rock and a hard place.

It’s not Cavill’s fault that his material fails to do him justice, and fans don’t let that sort of thing go over their heads. They cling to the idea that he was wronged in some way and lash out by attacking other actors trying to do their job. That’s not fair to anyone, so the best course of action is for the detractors to watch Superman, and if it’s not for them, they can peacefully return to rewatching the DCEU movies for the hundredth time.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

Are you still upset about Henry Cavill’s treatment in the DC Extended Universe? What are your thoughts on the latest trailer for Superman? Let us know in the comments below!

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The latest trailer for James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman movie delivers a fresh look at David Corenswet’s Man of Steel in action and teases a multitude of heroes and villains that populate the new DC Universe. Amidst the high-octane sequences and character reveals, one particular frame has sparked considerable online discussion. The frame in question features Superman holding a small, green-skinned infant with a noticeably large head. For many, these distinct visual characteristics immediately evoke one of Superman’s most iconic adversaries: Brainiac. However, a closer look, coupled with other contextual clues within the same shot, points towards a completely different DC character.

While the infant’s green skin and enlarged cranium understandably evoke Brainiac’s features, this initial assumption overlooks crucial details. The definitive identifier confirming the baby’s true identity is the clear presence of Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) alongside Superman and the child. In DC Comics lore, Metamorpho, also known as Rex Mason, is the father of an infant named Joseph “Joey” Mason, who’s also green. Consequently, this revelation shifts the focus from a potential origin story for a major Superman antagonist to the introduction of a significant family dynamic for Metamorpho.

Who Is Superman‘s Baby Joey?

In DC Comics, Baby Joey is the infant son of Rex Mason, the hero Metamorpho, and Sapphire Stagg, the daughter of the unscrupulous industrialist Simon Stagg. First appearing in Justice League Europe #11 in 1990, Joey’s introduction brought a challenging new dimension to Metamorpho’s life. Unlike his father, whose powers allow him to transmute his own body into various elements, Baby Joey possessed the inverse ability: he could transmute other people and objects with a mere touch. This power was initially uncontrollable, making him dangerous and leading his grandfather, Simon Stagg, to isolate him in a specialized crib within Stagg Industries, all while attempting to exploit the infant’s unique metamorphic capabilities for his own corporate gain, specifically to produce a new fuel substitute.

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Simon Stagg’s machinations naturally put Metamorpho at odds with his father-in-law. The comics depicted Metamorpho going to great lengths to protect and free Joey, even clashing with other heroes, such as Green Lantern Guy Gardner and the Metal Men, in his desperate attempts to rescue his son, a storyline that seems to inspire part of Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie. The movie’s toys featuring Baby Joey even detail a “slime-filled rescue mission” where Superman is involved in freeing Krypto and Baby Joey, strongly implying that Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) may use the infant as leverage against Metamorpho.

What Does Baby Joey’s Addition Mean for Superman?

The appearance of Superman holding Baby Joey, with Metamorpho present, carries significant implications for the narrative of James Gunn’s film, particularly concerning Metamorpho’s arc. Previous trailers showed Metamorpho confined in a high-tech glass cell, which he appears to be sharing with Superman. In that scene, Metamorpho’s hand is also transformed into a green stone, most likely kryptonyte, indicating the hero is helping subdue Superman. By tying all these clues together, we can infer that Metamorpho will initially work for the bad guys as a way to secure his child’s well-being. Superman, however, will eventually help Metamorpho break free, which is likely the frame we saw in the latest trailer.

Since Superman is packed with different set pieces, including iconic characters such as María Gabriela de Faría’s Engineer and original creations like the Hammer of Boravia, the latest Baby Joey reveal gives credit to the rumors that Gunn’s movie would follow an anthology structure of sorts. During an interview with Daily Planet colleague and lover Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Superman could revisit key moments of his DC Universe career. That would allow the movie to explore all the different threads introduced by the trailer without risking a convoluted continuity. Plus, since Superman also features Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), who form part of the Justice Gang, an anthology structure could also explain why the trailers sometimes show other heroes being antagonistic towards the Man of Steel, only to help him in different moments.

Superman is scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th.

How do you think Baby Joey will factor into Metamorpho’s decisions and alliances in James Gunn’s Superman? Share your theories in the comments!

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In 2011’s X-Men: First Class, the mutant Armando Muñoz (Edi Gathegi) was nicknamed “Darwin” because of his ability to adapt to survive. Recruited to the CIA’s Division X — a precursor to the X-Men in 1962 — Darwin was part of Professor Charles Xavier’s (James McAvoy) first class alongside fellow young mutants Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Havok (Lucas Till), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), and the winged Angel (Zoë Kravitz).

But midway through the Matthew Vaughn-directed X-Men prequel, Darwin was killed by the Hellfire Club’s Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) when the energy-absorbing villain used his own powers to overload Darwin’s reactive abilities. Fans have long pointed out that, of all the characters in First Class, Darwin should have survived.

“They’re not wrong,” Gathegi told Entertainment Weekly in an interview for Superman, where the Twilight and For All Mankind actor plays the tech-based, hyper-intelligent hero Mister Terrific. “I think it is just a case of bad representation and missed opportunity. There was a lot that they could have done with that character, probably should have done with the character.”

“I was waiting to be brought back [after First Class] because, as you know, the character doesn’t die,” Gathegi continued of Darwin’s power set. “The fact that he died in the first one isn’t that big of a deal if he does what he does in the comics, which is come back. Every movie that came out and the character didn’t come back, it solidified that it was a misrepresentation and a missed opportunity.”

The sequel, 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, eschewed most of the First Class cast except for McAvoy’s Professor X, Lawrence’s Mystique, Hoult’s Beast, Till’s Havok (in a bit role) and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto. While First Class would be Gathegi’s only appearance as the Marvel mutant, Superman is “kind of undoing the wrongs of Darwin,” he said. “I know that as it stands right now, this isn’t the only project that I’ll be in.”

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Gathegi couldn’t divulge where Mister Terrific next appears after Superman, but in the comics, the character has been a member of the Justice Society of America, the Justice League, and the Terrifics, a quartet that includes Plastic Man, Phantom Girl, and element man Metamorpho (who also appears in Superman, played by Anthony Carrigan).

Mister Terrific is “one of the most philosophically compelling heroes in DC: he’s an atheist who believes in justice,” Gathegi notes of the character who wears his famous “Fair Play” jacket as part of the “Justice Gang,” a team of corporate-sponsored superheroes with the Guy Gardner Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced).

After the death of his wife in a freak car accident, Michael Holt “found meaning in knowledge,” Gathegi explained. “He saw that, while the universe might be cruel, intelligence, science, and innovation could make it better. He chose to become hope rather than succumbing to the despair of losing his wife.”

Written and directed by Gunn (the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad), the new movie stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, with Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, with Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.

Superman soars into theaters July 11.

The post Superman’s Edi Gathegi Shares Disappointment With Past Marvel Role: “Missed Opportunity” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…another reboot of Superman? Originally titled Superman: Legacy, the James Gunn-directed Superman movie will premiere across theatres in the United States on July 11th this year. With a little over a month to go, DC Studio has been providing fans with updates, teasers, and sneak peeks into behind-the-scenes moments. While the plot of the film is being kept strictly under wraps, we still know quite a bit about the upcoming movie from the various trailers and teasers, especially the ones released in the past couple of months. 

Two years ago, on March 16th, James Gunn tweeted, “Yes, I’m directing Superman: Legacy to be released on July 11, 2025.”  Arriving a couple of weeks ahead of Marvel’s reboot of Fantastic Four, the film is the first project in the new “DC Universe” franchise, which replaces the former “DCEU” and will probably set the tone for the new interconnected universe that DC Studios plans to build. As such, heavy is the responsibility that falls on Gunn’s shoulders, especially considering, historically speaking, Superman’s story has proven to be a tough tale to tell. But if Guardians of the Galaxy taught us anything, it’s that Gunn has a penchant for spinning epic stories that have their heart in the right place. And so far, the trailers seem to prove just that. 

Superman Returns, Again: Cast, Story & Inspirations

“The primary protagonist of Superman is, shockingly, Superman (David Conrenswet). The main villain of Superman is, shockingly, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult)”, Gunn shared on Threads last year. While that perhaps gives us an inkling of what the main arc will be about (after all, Luthor and Superman’s rivalry has been thoroughly explored in the comics and their many adaptations alike), the scope of the film seems to be much bigger, at least according to recent trailers.

Several heroes and villains will join our favorite OP Kryptonian as he attempts to convince a jaded world what kindness and justice truly mean. This is not going to be an origin story. It will (apparently) not spend a lot of time delving deep into Kal-El’s aristocratic Kryptonian past or his years growing up on a tiny farm in Kansas. The film will find “Clark Kent” already in Metropolis, trying to make his mark as a reporter at the Daily Planet, while his superhero alter ego attempts to do good in a world quickly tiring of the antics of superpowered beings. 

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“I stopped a war!” a clearly agitated Superman says to Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) in the main official trailer for the film. Clearly, this Superman is not the untouchable or aloof version we met in the old films. We already know from his meteoric crash in the Arctic that he can be hurt; in fact, he can apparently be beaten to a bloody pulp. What we’ve also gathered so far is that Gunn seems determined to stray far from the dark, gritty take on Superman that the DCEU went with. Instead, he is returning the last son of Krypton to his Boy Scout roots. From the first teaser, the Superman we witness is reminiscent of the symbol of hope a lot of us were familiar with growing up, through comics and Christopher Reeve adaptations, one that has been lost in adaptation over the past few decades. Gunn’s Superman believes in doing good. He stands for kindness, for empathy, for refusing to back down when lives are at stake. He is not a killer. He is a protector. This is evident from the snippet where we see him arguing with Lois Lane about the consequences of his stopping a war in the fictional nation of Boravia. All he wanted to do was save lives, but the world sees it differently, painting him as a wildcard who thinks he is beyond the reach of the law. 

“Look up”, says the tagline of the film. Look up, because that’s where hope is. Where Superman is and always will be. Gunn’s Superman is not invincible; he is just dauntless in the pursuit of what’s right. His refusal to stand idly by while lives are lost and justice is at stake in a world where kindness is no longer in vogue is perhaps what will be the main focus of the story. It certainly seems to earn him a lot of enemies, including one massive armored villain who can fly and shoot lasers from his eyes. So far, we only know this villain as the Hammer of Boravia, an original villain created by Gunn for this film. He first appeared in promo material released last year, in a Daily Planet piece written by Kent himself. According to the newspaper clipping, the Hammer of Boravia came seeking “retribution for the recent political interventions in Boravia by Superman” and attacked downtown Metropolis, leaving 22 citizens injured. 

Aside from the Hammer, Supes also takes on The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) and a massive fire-breathing kaiju that Gunn recently said takes inspiration from Godzilla Minus One. Several other superpowered beings will seemingly appear in the film, including the “Justice Gang” members (Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner), and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, a pivotal superpowered being. Joining them in this star-studded cast are Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, Neva Howell as Martha Kent, and Gunn’s own brother, Sean, as the businessman Maxwell Lord. Kara Zor-El, played by none other than House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock, is also set to make her first appearance on screen as Supergirl.

But perhaps the most important character, and one who fans are terribly excited to see, is Superman’s equally superpowered pooch, Krypto. The raggedy, excitable superdog is based on Gunn’s own dog, Oju. We properly meet him in this sneak peek that also gave us a proper look into the Fortress of Solitude, where a team of apparently emotionless automatons wait to take care of Superman’s needs and help him heal from major injuries.

Gunn himself wrote the script (and was originally not so keen on directing it). The writing is apparently heavily inspired by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Superman for All Seasons limited series (1998), Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman (2005-2008), and other OG Superman comics. The film will have a runtime of two hours and nine minutes, which is interesting considering the sheer number of characters Gunn has set out to explore in that span. 

Superman will be in theaters and IMAX on July 11th.

The post James Gunn’s Superman: Everything We Know About the Movie After the Latest Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Metahumans may have existed for 300 years by the time Superman starts, but the Man of Steel is relatively new when we meet him in the James Gunn-directed movie. In the newly rebooted DC Universe, Superman (David Corenswet) has been active for three years — placing his costumed debut around June 2022, according to promotional Daily Planet newspapers dated June 2025. (Superman’s first appearance in Action Comics #1 is cover-dated June 1938).

“We’re introducing a whole new world, which is a lot of fun,” Gunn told Fandango. “We’re in an alternate reality where superheroes have existed for 300 years, and now we’re just picking up on the story of one particular superhero three years after he comes on the scene who happens to be the most powerful metahuman of all time.”

And not only is Superman not the world’s first superhero, he’s not the only metahuman based in Metropolis.

The prequel novel Superman: Welcome to Metropolis revealed that the City of Tomorrow is also home to the Justice Gang, a team of corporate superheroes backed by LordTech mogul Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn) that includes the hyper-intelligent Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), ring-slinging Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and the winged warrior Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced).

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While some of the Justice Gang will reappear in post-Superman projects like Peacemaker season 2 and HBO’s Lanterns, Gunn insists that the movie stands alone.

“I think the most important thing is that [Superman] works as a movie by itself,” Gunn said. “It’s a complete story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. It’s an important part of the life of all three of the characters.”

Those three characters are Clark Kent/Superman, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who previously masterminded a plot involving the cyborg Metallo, according to the prequel novel.

The previously-titled Superman: Legacy is not an origin story, and instead “tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas.”

Gunn has cited the Silver Age-inspired All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely as one of the three biggest influences on his Superman movie. The episodic, 12-issue series took place years into Superman’s career when he was well established as a superhero.

DC Studios’ Superman — starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, with Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. — is only in theaters July 11. Tickets are now on sale.

The post James Gunn Reveals How Long Superman Has Been Active in the DCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Before the romantic flying sequence in 1978’s Superman: The Movie, intrepid Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) gets the scoop on Superman (Christopher Reeve). The “caped wonder” (as he’s originally dubbed by the Metropolis newspaper until a breathless Lois coins the name “Superman“) answers Miss Lane’s questions: his relationship status, height and weight, where he’s from, and why he’s here. “To fight for truth and justice and the American way,” Reeve’s Man of Steel says earnestly.

After their “meet cute” (meet save?) in which Superman rescues Lois from a helicopter dangling over the edge of The Daily Planet, Lois remains blissfully unaware that her co-worker — the bumbling, spectacled Clark Kent — is secretly the Man of Steel. (He’d later reveal his identity to her before a memory-erasing kiss in 1980’s Superman II.)

Trailers for James Gunn’s Superman movie revealed a twist on the “Clois” dynamic as seen in the Richard Donner-directed classic. When Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) sits down to interview Superman (David Corenswet), he dons the superhero persona sans costume: Lois is aware that Clark Kent is Superman, and Lois and Clark are already an item.

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“This isn’t like the interview in the Donner movie where Lois doesn’t know that he’s Clark,” Corenswet told Entertainment Weekly of a scene in which Clark gives Lois an interview as Superman about his actions in a conflict between Boravia and Jarhanpur. “Lois knows everything about him, so he’s in a very vulnerable position. He’s madly in love with this woman and desperately wants her to understand him and appreciate him and love him back.”

Lois, who can be seen hitting the ground — and the skies, piloting Mister Terrific’s (Edi Gathegi) T-Sphere ship with Daily Planet chief Perry White (Wendell Pierce) and boyish photographer Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) in tow — is “ambitious and hungry.”

“I think, in that moment, she sees an opportunity for a front-page story,” Brosnahan adds of the interview scene. “I really appreciated that James makes space for you to see her in action at the height of her journalistic prowess.”

The Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star shares Gunn’s reverence for the 1978 film, reflected in everything from the John Williams-inspired theme to a Superman lovingly described as “a little old-fashioned.”

“My dad was a huge Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Superman fan, and I feel like he showed me that movie when I was about 12,” Brosnahan said. “So that was the definitive Superman for me, even though it was long before my time.”

Superman auditioned actors like Tom Brittney (Greyhound) and Nicholas Hoult (who would eventually be cast as Lex Luthor) for the title role, and Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton) and Emma Mackey (Barbie) for Lois Lane.

“We mixed and matched these different actors and actresses to find out not only who was the best Clark and who was the best Lois, but who was the best ‘Clois,’ who was the best together,” Gunn said. “I do think that David was the best Clark, Rachel was the best Lois, but they also had the most chemistry together.”

By the time we come into the action, Superman is already established as one of several resident superheroes of Metropolis. And Lois and Clark — who met while covering a story about the supervillain Metallo — have been dating for “about three months,” Brosnahan revealed. “Which is the point in a relationship where you’re like, Was this a really great fling or is this more serious, possibly forever? It’s one of the things that I love about their love story. While they have totally opposite worldviews, they complete each other, and they kind of need each other.”

DC Studios’ Superman — starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, with Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. — soars into theaters July 11.

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