The first teaser trailer for Superman has finally landed and with it comes the first official look at several DC Comics characters in live-action. Superman is scheduled for release on July 11, 2025, and will be the first movie to help launch DC Studios’ new cinematic universe, the DC Universe. The reboot has led to several recasts for prominent roles including the Man of Steel himself, though a handful of DCEU characters will move to the DCU.
Despite centering around the eponymous hero, Superman boasts a stacked cast, with many yet to have been adapted in live-action. The first trailer for Superman dropped on Friday, December 20, and revealed the first official shots of Superman‘s supporting cast, each sporting some particularly comic-accurate character designs. Here’s everyone unveiled and how they compare to their comic book counterparts.
10
Superman Emulates The Silver Age Of DC
Portrayed By David Corenswet
Superman is unsurprisingly the focal point of the first teaser trailer for Superman, first seen plummeting into a snowy landscape likely to be the location for the Fortress of Solitude. Superman’s vulnerability is immediately apparent as he appears bloody and bruised, raising the question of who could have inflicted such harm on the Man of Steel. Corenswet is also seen embodying the secret identity of Clark Kent with a curly mop of hair and the iconic pair of glasses.
His rendition of Clark Kent looks slightly different from his comic book counterpart, although this is seemingly in aid of making his disguise look more convincing.
James Gunn revealed early in Superman‘s development that his main source of inspiration was the “All-Star Superman” run of comics. This is plain to see in Superman’s costume, which looks identical to the one worn in that comic. His rendition of Clark Kent looks slightly different from his comic book counterpart, although this is seemingly in aid of making his disguise look more convincing.
9
Lois Lane Looks Like The Classic Intrepid Reporter
Portrayed By Rachel Brosnahan
Superman’s soulmate, Lois Lane, plays the second-most-primary role in the Superman trailer as it highlights the importance of her relationship with Superman. While Lois isn’t initially aware of Superman’s secret identity in DC Comics, the trailer seems to depict Lois kissing both Superman and Clark Kent. This is indicative of how Superman is not an origin story and instead shows the Man of Steel as an established figure, meaning he could have unveiled the truth to Lois during that time.
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Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane looks very faithful to her DC Comics design with dark hair and smart work attire. Superman‘s version of Lois gives her longer hair than some iterations in DC Comics that depict her with a shorter bob. Her relationship with Superman is going to be central to the upcoming movie, and she will no doubt be thrust into dangerous situations throughout.
8
Jonathan Kent Is Seen Sobbing Over Something
Portrayed By Pruitt Taylor Vince
Jonathan Kent only appears once in the trailer as he is being consoled by Clark on their family farm. It’s unclear what leads to Pa Kent’s breakdown, though the absence of Martha Kent hints at the morbid possibility that she dies during Superman. This would mirror Man of Steel as Superman had to deal with the death of his father, though Superman might flip that script. Should Superman’s suit be made by Ma Kent, this would add an extra layer of sentimentality to it.
Pruitt Taylor Vince looks slightly different from the typical depiction of Jonathan Kent in DC Comics. Typically, Superman’s adoptive father is depicted as clean-shaven and with a full head of gray hair, whereas Superman‘s Pa Kent is balding with a beard. It should be said, however, that Pruitt Taylor Vince would likely embody the role of a farmer well, and sports a comic-accurate outfit to boot.
7
Krypto Rescues Superman
Based On James Gunn’s Dog
Krypto has been depicted in a promotional image for Superman, so it’s no surprise that he also popped up in the trailer. He can be seen speeding through the snow after Superman summons him with a super-whistle. Upon being commanded to take the incapacitated Superman “Home,” Krypto takes Superman’s cape in his mouth before pulling him to safety. It isn’t made immediately clear in the trailer whether Superman means to be taken to the Fortress of Solitude (as the snowy locale suggests), Kent Farm, or elsewhere.
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Krypto’s live-action design looks slightly smaller and hairier than Krypto tends to be drawn in DC Comics. He does, however, sport a comic-accurate red cape with a yellow S-symbol badge and collar. James Gunn revealed via Threads that Superman‘s Krypto is based on his dog, Ozu, which helps explain the character design. He also clarified that Krypto is a “not-so-good-good-boy,” promising an interesting dynamic between the Superdog and his master.
6
Lex Luthor Looks Especially Threatening
Portrayed By Nicholas Hoult
Lex Luthor debuts around halfway through the trailer inside what seems to be the Luthorcorp headquarters. He can be seen witnessing a flying metahuman (possibly Superman, though other superhumans are also in operation), spinning the cylinder of a revolver, and looking particularly emotional in a tight closeup shot. Superman’s arch-rival will likely play a key role in the movie, as James Gunn confirmed that he will be the “main villain” of Superman.
Luthorcorp has also been called Lexcorp in DC Comics.
Nicholas Hoult closely resembles Lex Luthor in DC Comics. Arguably, Luthor’s most recognizable trait is his bald head and clean-shaven face. Man of Steel flouted this precedent with its version of Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (though he would shave his head later on), which sparked some backlash. Hoult’s Luthor is therefore a high-profile example of how Superman and possibly the DCU as a whole will attempt to be comic-accurate.
5
Guy Gardner Appears As The Green Lantern
Portrayed By Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion is a prolific collaborator with James Gunn, so its no surprise that he has been cast in the DCU’s first live-action movie. Guy Gardner will be the first Green Lantern to appear in the DCU, and can be seen in the trailer deploying his power ring to block the windows of a Stagg Industries building as he approaches a distressed Superman. He can be seen entering the room with Hawkgirl, suggesting that the two are part of a team akin to the Justice League.
Fillion’s Guy Gardner certainly embodies one of his most recognizable looks from the comics with red hair styled as a bowl cut. This hairstyle is one of the earliest adopted by the cocky hero, though he would adopt a less bold style in other comics. Superman‘s Guy Gardner doesn’t sport his typical green getup from DC Comics, however, and instead dons a mostly white super-suit that emulates the design of Hawkgirl. Fillion does, however, convey Gardner’s brash persona in the few short moments he appears in the trailer.
4
Hawkgirl Is Another Established Superhero
Portrayed By Isabela Merced
Hawkgirl first appears tailing Guy Gardner in the Stagg Industries building for a brief second before she can be seen soaring through the skies of Metropolis wielding her signature mace. It is unclear who the hero is fighting, though this scene is immediately followed by Superman fighting a kaiju in a similar location. It is still unclear which version of Hawkgirl Merced will be portraying.
These all look relatively comic-accurate, though Hawkgirl is notably dressed in a similar white and black uniform to Guy Gardner rather than her typical yellow and green skintight suit.
Superman‘s Hawkgirl sports a classic winged helmet, mace, and what appears to be a pair of organic wings. These all look relatively comic-accurate, though Hawkgirl is notably dressed in a similar white and black uniform to Guy Gardner rather than her typical yellow and green skintight suit. It is unclear whether Merced’s Hawkgirl will return in a future DCU installment and, if so, if she will don a more comic-accurate costume.
3
Superman Appears To Be Crying Over Kelex
Voice Actor Still To Be Determined
Superman is later seen in the trailer hunched over a prone robot that is missing the lower half of its body. Superman is clutching the hand of the lifeless droid and looks visibly upset, which suggests that the two shared a close bond. This seems to take place in the Fortress of Solitude judging by the crystal walls, which suggests that this robot is Superman’s Kryptonian robot assistant, Kelex, the Fortress of Solitude’s caretaker and another link to Krypton along with Krypto.
If this is Kelex, he looks slightly different from the Kelex of DC Comics. Kelex is typically colored gold or brass with a sleek, disc-shaped head. The robot that Superman grieves over, meanwhile, is colored pale blue with a more humanlike head shape, though he retains the classic visor in place of eyes.
Portrayed By Anthony Carrigan
Metamorpho can be seen briefly towards the end of the Superman trailer staring directly at the viewer. Metamorpho is one of DC’s more unique heroes, with the ability to transmute his body into a wide variety of materials, including stone, steel, and rubber. His specific role in Superman is unclear, though his association with Simon Stagg suggests that Metamorpho might have something to do with the Stagg Industries that appears in the trailer.
Given Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho only appears in a tight close-up shot, it is difficult to see how closely his body resembles that of Metamorpho in DC Comics. Nevertheless, his shoulders are visibly composed of different compounds, suggesting he will closely resemble a comic-accurate patchwork-style design. Carrigan’s Metamorpho also resembles the pale and textured skin of Rex Mason, though his deep blue eyes are a unique addition to the live-action rendition.
1
Mister Terrific Wields Some Protective Tech
Portrayed By Edi Gathegi
Mister Terrific appears briefly in the same shot as Guy Gardner, but in a longer shot towards the end of the trailer. The shot includes a close-up of his face wearing a T-shaped mask before deploying his T-Spheres to generate a protective forcefield as a group of combatants open fire on him and a recoiling female figure that may be Lois Lane. These soldiers, meanwhile, may belong to Lex Luthor given the familiar purple and green color scheme of their armor.
James Gunn has suggested that Mister Terrific is the most prominent of Superman‘s supporting heroes.
Mister Terrific is perhaps the most comic-accurate figure among the already-established superheroes in Superman. His black-and-white leather jacket and T-shaped mask emulate his comic book costume, and while it’s difficult to see if the customary “Fair Play” is emblazoned across his sleeve, Superman set photos reveal that this is likely the case. His costume also resembles the designs of Hawkgirl and Guy Gardner, though it appears as though their costumes are designed to resemble Mister Terrific’s.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.’ rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill’s departure from the role, honoring the character’s roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.”
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025 - Cast
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David Corenswet
, Rachel Brosnahan
, María Gabriela De Faría
, Edi Gathegi
, Nicholas Hoult
, Frank Grillo
, Nathan Fillion
, Milly Alcock
, Sara Sampaio
, Pruitt Taylor Vince
, Skyler Gisondo
, Anthony Carrigan
, Wendell Pierce
, Beck Bennett
, Sean Gunn
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
Source: Threads
