Watch out, MCU — the DCU has arrived. Only time will tell whether James Gunn’s attempt to reboot DC into something that can be a real rival to Marvel will prove successful, but this first trailer for his Superman movie has certainly got the fans excited. With nary an Iron Man-like quip in earshot, and a stirring cover of the classic John Williams theme, the new film starring David Corenswet as the superhero that started it all promises to be a beautifully back-to-basics comic book adaptation.
That said, Gunn still has to create a shared universe with this one, and the trailer teases how Corenswet’s Big Blue will immediately be living in a world populated by other costumed heroes and filled with world-ending threats. In just 2 minutes 19 seconds, the Superman teaser trailer manages to squeeze in a whole bunch of major DC characters. Here’s all of them, including a couple you might not have spotted.
Superman/Clark Kent
Brilliantly subverting expectations, the Superman trailer throws Corenswet’s suited and booted Superman at us right off the bat instead of building up to him. In another unexpected move, it opens with a bloodied and beaten Superman, promising that this is a version of the character who is human and vulnerable and isn’t some messianic god-like figure (looking at you, Zack).
Lois Lane
Lois Lane fans, rejoice! It looks like Rachel Brosnahan’s ace reporter will be a huge presence in the film. Suitably, she’s the next major character glimpsed after Supes, as we see her walking through the Daily Planet bullpen and sharing a loaded glance with Corenswet’s Kal-El, now in his everyday guise as the mild-mannered — and messy-haired — Clark Kent.
Jonathan Kent
Next, we see a wholesome moment as Clark bonds with his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince), on the steps of the Kent farmhouse in Kansas. This is quietly a huge reinvention of the cinematic Superman story as it looks like Pa Kent has survived to see his son become a superhero, in contrast to both the 1978 film and Man of Steel.
Krypto
Here he is, the star of the show! Honestly, this movie might be called Superman but something tells us Krypto will be everyone’s favorite character come next July. James Gunn, king of the scene-stealing animal characters, has finally given us the Silver Age sidekick in a live-action movie. He’s even got his own red cape and superpowers!
Lex Luthor
No, it’s not Agent 47 from Hitman. In just one shot, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor immediately marks himself as potentially the most dangerous iteration of the character we’ve yet seen on film. It’s hard to imagine Gene Hackman or Jesse Eisenberg’s Luthor waving a gun around and looking threatening. Get ready for a Lex who’s a match for Supes in looks, youth, and charisma.
Guy Gardner/Green Lantern
Good news: Green Lantern is back on the big screen for the first time since Ryan Reynolds and his CGI suit! Bad news: it ain’t Hal Jordan. Instead, it’s Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, somehow looking even more ridiculous than his last DC role (as The Detachable Kid in The Suicide Squad). For those perturbed by that bowlcut, don’t worry, some more serious Green Lantern content is just around the corner in the form of Lanterns.
Mr. Terrific
X-Men: First Class‘ Edi Gathegi will appear as Guy Gardner’s teammate, Mr. Terrific. It’s currently unclear exactly what team this is, but it looks like their HQ is Stagg Industries. This highly suggests the foursome (we’ll meet the other two in a second) is an adaptation of the Terrifics. The smartest man on DC’s earth, a later clip shows Mr. T’s drone-like T-Spheres protecting him from gunfire.
Hawkgirl
Isabela Merced has managed to instantly shake off the stigma of Madame Web by joining the DC universe as Hawkgirl. Hawkgirl is the third member of Mr. Terrific’s team. Kendra Saunders is either the reincarnation of an Egyptian immortal or an alien warrior, depending on the version, so we’ll see what’s in store for Merced’s take. Don’t expect any connection to Black Adam‘s Hawkman.
Kelex
Why is Superman crying over a funky-looking robot buddy? We’re guessing this is Kelex, the Kryptonian android who guards the Fortress of Solitude. It seems poor Kelex will get destroyed over the course of the film, suggesting an enemy — perhaps Lex — will storm the Fortress. The death of Kelex no doubt hits Clark hard as it means he’s lost yet another connection to his homeworld.
Metamorpho
Metamorpho may look like a villain, but he’s actually one of the good guys. Gotham‘s Anthony Carrigan returns to the worlds of DC to play Rex Mason, an archaeologist who uncovered the wrong ancient artifact and became transformed into a being with an ever-shifting elemental form. Every superhero team needs a tragic hero, à la the Hulk, and Metamorpho is the Terrifics’.
Elsewhere, there’s some kind of flame-breathing dragon creature and a giant glowy eyeball thing shown attacking Metropolis at different times. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but these don’t appear to be direct lifts of any specific comic book critter. What we can say, though, is that 2025’s Superman will embrace the Last Son of Krypton’s long and storied legacy like no other film before it. Get ready to look up (at the cinema screen) come next July 11.