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James Gunn’s Superman truly has the weight of the world on its shoulders. The previous DC Extended Universe crashed and burned under the weight of its terrible creative decisions. Gunn is picking up the pieces, but his take on their most troubled hero could make or break the new universe. Superman has struggled on the big screen for a long time now, but the first teaser for his next adventure inspired hope, just as Kal-El always does.
In addition to running the universe in general, James Gunn wrote and directed Superman. Few living human beings have as much influence as he does over the superhero movie genre. Gunn directed several compelling examples, but he also produced a shocking amount of entries people don’t generally associate with him. Zack Snyder was the de facto leader of the previous DC cinematic universe, but Gunn was one of its best contributors. Now that he’s in charge, the two most different fan bases in the universe will fight to the death.
James Gunn’s Superman Teaser: A 10,000 Foot Overview
The Superman trailer is a broad cross-section of the film. It doesn’t reveal much about the plot, but it does capture the vibe of the movie. The most prominent bookend scene sees a bloody Superman crash into a snow heap and ask Krypto the Superdog to pull him to safety. We see Clark Kent as a teen at his Kansas home and as a busy adult at the Daily Planet. He balances those responsibilities with his work as a costumed hero. We see him save a little girl and fight a monster. This Superman has his Fortress of Solitude, complete with the robotic caretaker Kelex. Humanity seems to develop several opinions on Superman. Lots of people yell and throw things, but a child in a warzone desperately reaches to the sky for his hero. In the meantime, Clark and Superman find time to bond with Lois Lane.
The teaser features a ton of character reveals and little Easter eggs. We won’t really know which elements are integral to the plot and which are fun nods until the film comes out. Kal-El is far from the only hero on display in the teaser. Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, an early Green Lantern, appears for a moment. As does Isabella Merced’s Hawkgirl and Eddie Gathegi’s Mister Terrific. Slightly more in-the-know fans clocked Anthony Carrigan’s alien-like gentleman as Metamorpho, tying into the extremely brief Stagg Industries logo. The teaser’s evil side most prominently includes Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. He seems intense as he loads a handgun and stares daggers into the camera. The only other antagonists in the trailers are the unnamed giant monster and a glowing ball in the night sky. It’s a compelling mix of classic Superman stuff, niche nods, and a sprawling world of superheroes.
What Does James Gunn’s Superman Teaser Tell Us About the Film?
I was shocked to see how similar this teaser was to the early trailers for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. It opens on Superman in the snow, but instead of boldly preparing to fly, he’s struggling to stay conscious. When he saves a little girl, he does so in a slow-motion shot that would feel right at home in Snyder’s oeuvre. The widespread negative reaction to Superman also brought up memories of Snyder’s entries. The big difference is in the tone, which remains appropriately soaring. Fans have called for a bold, optimistic, hopeful Superman for years, but the general atmosphere is epic in a surprising way. Whoever edited the trailer did so for sizzle, and it certainly works. It is, however, surprisingly light on the Save the Cat stuff a lot of us expected.
When I think of wildly different takes on matching source material, I often think of the Dune movies. David Lynch’s surreal creative leanings make the novel feel even more alien than it should. Denis Villeneuve took a more straightforward approach, adapting the weird elements as facts of life in the far future. Lynch said, “Let’s make this even weirder,” but Villeneuve said, “It’s not weird to them.” In a similar fashion, Snyder wanted to eliminate the wonder and whimsy of the DC Comics Universe. Gunn simply introduces Superman into a world that lives with those elements. Clark Kent is one man in a world full of superheroes, villains, monsters, and everything else. This universe has a space cop with a power ring, a winged lady with a magic mace, a man who invented himself superpowers, a kaiju, and a shifting mass of chemicals before Superman even gets involved. It’s just not weird to them.
James Gunn’s Superman looks excellent so far. Fans of the Man of Steel have enjoyed several excellent TV adaptations, but nothing beats the silver screen. Being accurate to the comics is one thing, but preserving the feel of a comic book reality is a truly high honor. Superman soars into theaters on July 11, 2025.
