Preview:
- The full trailer for James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ is now online.
- David Corenswet plays the Man of Steel.
- ‘Superman’ will be in theaters on July 11th.
We’re now less than two months away from James Gunn’s big red-and-blue hope for his fledgling DC Studios attempt to rekindle true interest in DC Comics’ properties on the big (and small) screen.
Yes, choosing to kick off the cinematic side with ‘Superman’ is certainly a big swing, but if the new trailer is anything to go by, Gunn is bringing his trademark wit and heart to the new movie, with David Corenswet taking over the lead as Clark Kent/Supes, Rachel Brosnahan as crusading journalist Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult playing Big Bad Lex Luthor.
The promotion for the movie has so far been focused on Gunn’s take on Supes –– likely to be on the more cheerful, heroic side than Zack Snyder’s descent into gloominess after ‘Man of Steel.’ And Superdog Krypto (modelled on the director’s own pooch, Ozu) has been stealing scenes in recent looks at the movie (such as the one screened during Warners’ CinemaCon presentation this year).
The first full trailer offers the best look yet at the movie, revealing a central figure chafing at the idea that his heroics aren’t as well received as they might be, Lex Luthor’s giant ego on display as per usual and plenty of Krypto.
Related Article: James Gunn Offers a First Look at Krypto the Superdog from ‘Superman’
What has happened with the movie so far?
(L to R) Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and David Corenswet as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Superman’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Announced as part of Gunn and Peter Safran’s big plan to re-launch (and rejuvenate) the DC movie universe based at Warner Brothers.’ ‘Superman’ represents the opening cinematic salvo.
Gunn, who has no little superhero experience at this point, wrote and directed the movie last year. There has been plenty of scrutiny on every aspect, including who would end up in the suit and who might be Lois.
Then, of course, there was talk of the tone, since the most recent take on the character (barring the TV likes of ‘Superman & Lois’ and ‘My Adventures with Superman’) was Snyder’s DC Extended Universe offering.
What’s the story of ‘Superman’?
Exact plot details are still being kept in the Fortress of Solitude for now, though we do know it’ll see the hero wrangling with his responsibilities while balancing a connection with Lois.
Or, to quote the barebones official logline: “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.”
Safran, Gunn’s co-chief of DC Studios (and a producer on the movie) said this about the new movie during the duo’s big announcement about DC films and series going forward:
“It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”
Who is appearing in ‘Superman’?
(Center) James Gunn and the cast of ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram Account.
Alongside Corenswet, Brosnahan and Hoult, Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardener), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Anthony Carrigan (Metamorpho), Terence Rosemore (Otis), Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher) and María Gabriela de Faría (Angela Spica/The Engineer) are all in the cast.
That’s the main ensemble; we can expect an appearance from Gunn’s brother Sean (a regular in his movies, who has played the likes of Kraglin and provided the on-set reference performance and voice for Rocket Raccoon in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise) as the villainous Maxwell Lord.
James Gunn talks ‘Superman’
(L to R) Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, David Corenswet as Superman and Director James Gunn in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Superman’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Talking Talking with Comicbook.com, Gunn detailed how he and his team had shot the flying scenes in particular, always an important consideration for a Superman movie.
Here’s what Gunn said:
“I wrote up this big document on action and what our philosophy is of action and how we shoot it and what it is, and keeping it alive in the air, as well as on the ground. And to be able to shoot stuff in the sky as if we were shooting it –– that is really hard. So we took a lot from films like ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ which, we are shooting flying things. We shoot a lot of our action with actual drones flying in and around Superman and the people that he’s flying with, The Engineer, whoever else, that he’s fighting up in the air, and we did that on sound stages. We got these really small, crazy drones now. We’ve got some of the best flyers in the world here who are working with it.”
And when asked about his inspirations for the new movie, this was what what Gunn told IGN:
“I think that obviously the original Donner movie influenced me, but there’s also a lot of things that this isn’t, like I’m just making a Donner-type movie. It’s very different from that. Zack [Snyder] did some excellent stuff. So there’s a lot of ways that influenced me. There’s a lot of ways in which the DC animated universe [influenced me], and then there’s a lot of stuff from the comic books –– above and beyond anything else, ‘All-Star Superman’ –– that influenced me more than anything. To take that sort of Silver Age feel, that sort of science-fiction approach to it with gadgets, Lex [Luthor] is really a sort of sorcerer in a way. He’s a scientist, but he’s so good at science and I think of him as like a sorcerer.”
When will James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ be released?
Gunn’s ‘Superman’ is scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th.
‘Superman’ opens in theaters on July 11th. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.
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