James Gunn’s Superman Is Unlike Anything DC Has Done Before

DC Studios is entering a whole new universe of its own with the release of their latest superhero film, Superman. This rebooted take on the world’s most famous superhero under the writer-directorship of James Gunn, is set to release in cinemas this July, and fans have been teased with months of promotional material for Gunn’s take on the Man of Steel, so the first full trailer for Superman now dropped, fans have nothing left to do but wait with bated breath. With a new and emotionally-balanced Clark Kent, a mouthy new Lois Lane, a host of DC characters, both hero and villain, and a single, superdoggo, it looks like James Gunn is setting DC up for a modern, grounded, and relevant reboot, just in time for its cinematic universe reboot.

This is a Story, not an Origin.

This Superman trailer is very clear about one very specific thing. This is not an origin story. Gunn has said many times over the months since development began on this film that the focus would not be on Clark Kent’s usual “How did you get those powers?” origin so familiar to audiences. In this film, the director says, the focus is on Clark Kent’s “internal journey” to find out how to reconcile his Kryptonian past as a literal prince with the grounded, earthbound upbringing he had in Kansas. It’s a theme we will see explored, and one that is sure to lend an emotional depth to the story as we follow Superman on a journey to find where he truly belongs.

David Corenswet, best known for his role in Pearl or his small part in the movie version of Hollywood, stars as the big blue boy scout in the role of 25-year-old Superman. This is no green, naïve, deer-in-the-headlights Superman we are used to, either; this Superman feels more battle-hardened, jaded even, by the world’s realities he is so new to. We see dual elements of both Clark Kent and Superman in his performance, and it’s no wonder, as it seems his dual relationship with Lois Lane will be a central part of the narrative.

Speaking of Lois Lane, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan stars as the tough, no-nonsense Lois Lane of this story. The trailer opens with a playful twist on the familiar Superman setup; we see Lois frantically running through a recorded “interview” with Superman, played by none other than Clark Kent. Right off the bat, the trailer seems to make it clear their relationship will be at the center of this Superman; it’s flirtatious, and there’s a clear antagonism between the two. There’s no denying they’re into each other, but the question of whether Lois Lane knows his secret identity yet is left unclear. Some eagle-eyed viewers have interpreted it as her already knowing. Other viewers, and this writer, remain unconvinced. It’s more likely that the actors’ expressions in the trailer make it clear that she still is not in on the secret. Regardless, it’s a fun, fresh take on an otherwise stale Superman story element, and it’s central to this version of the character.

Lex Luthor, by all accounts, is in it, too. Nicholas Hoult, another high-profile addition to the film’s stellar cast, plays the controversial businessman and trusted arch-enemy to Superman, Lex Luthor. We see a brief tease of his trademark malevolence and callous business acumen, and that’s only the start of his role in the film. Lex is no one-man band in this story either. Sara Sampaio and Terence Rosemore play his close confidants Eve Teschmacher and Otis, respectively.

Krypto, Kaiju, and A Host of Other DC Characters

The one surprising breakout character of this trailer? Superman’s four-legged furry Kryptonian sidekick, Krypto. The famous white dog first appeared to superhero acclaim in the teaser trailer released by DC last December, where he is seen dragging a gravely injured Superman to the Fortress of Solitude in an intense moment of heroism. The full trailer this week continues to double down on Krypto as a fan favorite, as we see him in a moment of conflict with Lex Luthor, before single-pawedly taking on The Engineer, a high-tech villainess set on world domination.

Kaiju fans will be pleased to see as well. We get flashes of kaiju from the trailer, and likely will be in the full film as well. There are several DC characters that many fans don’t yet know, but are teased and included in this fun little montage; a host of “new” characters that hint at the comic source material that the rest of the DCEU will hopefully have more of.

Nathan Fillion stars as a gruff Green Lantern and fellow Justice Leaguer Guy Gardner, a staple character known for his banter in comics as well as his recognizably bowl-cut hairstyle. Anthony Carrigan takes on the role of Rex Mason/Metamorpho, a shapeshifter who can manipulate the elements within his body. Isabela Merced takes on the all-new role of another DC hero, the winged female warrior Hawkgirl. Edi Gathegi appears as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, a highly skilled inventor who became a masked crime fighter. Fans might even be treated to a surprise cameo or two from the likes of Paul Rugg, most famous for his voice acting role as T.J. Rice for DC’s own Harley Quinn animated series, who is included as a journalist in the “Hall of Heroes” montage.

Milley Alcock is a familiar face to fans of DC and Marvel’s shared MCU, appearing in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and she will be playing a part in Superman, as well. She will be playing the young Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, better known to many fans as Supergirl. And fans might see their favorites from several other DC properties as well; Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell are included in the trailer in the parts of Clark Kent’s adopted Kansas parents, Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, respectively.

DC fans will be familiar with Frank Grillo as well. He is no stranger to the DCEU, appearing in most films of the shared universe, and here he is reprising a role we haven’t seen in a few years: Rick Flag Sr. He last appeared in his own animated DC series, Creature Commandos. Sean Gunn, an actor well-versed in superhero films and known best as a frequent cast member of The Guardians of the Galaxy movies, takes on the role of Maxwell Lord.

The Big Fight Between Hero and Humanity

DC’s Universe reboot is chock full of high stakes, across-the-galaxy war, high-flying epicness, big city skylines, small-town Americana, and, of course, action and violence. The montage near the end of the trailer is a microcosm of this. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of an enemy, to an epic world-ending battle sequence that makes one question if humanity can survive at all in the face of a larger conflict they can barely comprehend. It’s a wide, even cacophonous breadth of filmmaking that Gunn shows off as his toolset for what fans of the character love about Superman. And still at the center of all that is something that we have seen in both DC and Marvel superhero films for years now: that internal struggle of heroism versus duty versus humanity. Clark Kent’s argument with Lois Lane over the ethics of his actions, after she’s nearly had the Secretary of Defense over him for his heroism, riles the audience up. Clark screams, “People were going to die!” but it doesn’t excuse, to her, his direct defiance of presidential orders. Is there a right side to this internal struggle? It’s hard to say, and it’ll likely play out in the film itself too, but right now it makes it clear that this is no black and white universe, and Superman is still very much the hero we need him to be.

Beneath the Seriousness, Laughs

DC is known for dishing out the big time action, caped crusaders brawling in Gotham back alleys in blood and rain. But they have also increasingly included that lighter touch in the films, as we’ve seen more than with other superheroes; that sweet, more relatable humanity and even humor from the characters in these stories. We get to see just that at the tail end of the trailer: a Superman who has it all, but finds time in his day to get to relax just a little. The power of solitude, for a few moments in bed. It’s that pause from the high-stakes conflicts, the Superman who we as an audience love but also see ourselves in, a hero we can root for. We see Superman in a state of relaxation before he jumps again and flies off, fists high and chest heaving. He has earned it.

Superman will release in theaters on July 21, 2025.