Clark and Lois Steal the Spotlight in James Gunn’s Superman Tease

In the wake of months of teaser trailers, bold casting announcements, and ominous release date pushes, the first full trailer for Superman has finally arrived. DC Studios is unafraid to take risks under its new leadership, and Gunn’s rebooted take on the Man of Steel is no exception. The film hits theaters in July of this year, and with the first full trailer, fans have more than enough fuel to be hyped for the DCU’s new direction.

A New Superman, A New Lois, A New (Expansive) DCU, and Even A New Superdog

Superman immediately sets itself apart from past takes on the character by eschewing a full origin story for the titular hero in favor of Clark Kent’s internal journey toward acceptance. Balancing the weight of his Kryptonian legacy as a literal royal with his Kansas, small-town upbringing will be central to the character’s emotional journey through the film. David Corenswet, who has already turned heads for his work in Pearl and Hollywood, will leap a more mature 25-year-old Superman than audiences are used to seeing, less wide-eyed and inexperienced than, say, Brandon Routh or even Henry Cavill. In addition, the trailer makes it abundantly clear that his Clark Kent and Superman identities are at the forefront of the story, particularly in his relationship with Lois Lane.

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) stars as Lois Lane, who has been given a modern, sharper edge than past depictions of the character. The trailer starts with Lois running through a “fake” interview with “Superman,” played (spoiler alert) by Clark Kent, in an alley. Their rapport is charged with flirtation and playfulness but also aggression and a sense of competition in matching wits. Viewers have been divided on whether Lois already knows Clark’s secret, with some arguing she certainly does. This writer has other ideas: that her face at the end of the scene, as well as Brosnahan and Corenswet’s performances and chemistry, are purposefully vague, intended to cast doubt. For our purposes, the mystery will do. Regardless, the tight, bright cinematography and delicious banter are some of the best parts of the trailer. All of this only drives home the point that this film is about Clark and Lois above all else.

Nicholas Hoult is a less mysterious addition to the already star-studded Superman cast, taking on the role of Lex Luthor. Viewers familiar with the silver fox are treated to his expected posturing, psychopathy, and shirt button-popping villainy in the trailer. However, he’s not alone in evil; Lex’s sidekicks include Sara Sampaio, who plays Eve Teschmacher, and Terence Rosemore, who plays Otis.

Speaking of Kryptonian sidekicks, one unexpected (but much-loved) addition from the trailer is Krypto, Superman’s white superdog. Fans were first introduced to the fearless canine in the original teaser trailer that debuted in December 2022, which saw the hero lying motionless on the ground in his signature blue costume with Krypto hauling him out of danger by the cape to the Fortress of Solitude. The new trailer leans hard into the canine’s character, showing him heroically tangling with Lex Luthor and a high-tech female villain who looks to be an unstoppable force. The latter has been identified as Angela Spica, aka The Engineer, played by Maria Gabriela de Faria, who, in the trailer, is suited up in black Spandex with nanotech rotating blades all over her body, leading the charge in an attack on the Fortress of Solitude.

In between CGI stunts and kaiju-flavored teases, fans will also get to see an ensemble of lesser-known but still very compelling DC characters in the trailer. Nathan Fillion is wearing a green and yellow power ring as Guy Gardner, the bowl-cut wearing Green Lantern; Anthony Carrigan is Rex Mason/Metamorpho, a brawny hero with the ability to shape-shift and control the elements through his body; Isabela Merced is a.k.a. the winged warrior Hawkgirl; and Edi Gathegi plays Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, a brilliant inventor with a variety of high-tech suits and weapons at his disposal.

One final character teaser fans will notice is Milly Alcock, who plays Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, better known as Supergirl. It’s a small indication that the film’s scope will have a larger focus on Krypton and its royal family than audiences have previously seen. Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell join the cast as Clark’s adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, a grounding element of the character’s origin story.

Fans of DC Comics’ animated series Creature Commandos will have another crossover nod to keep an eye out for as well: Frank Grillo will reprise his role as Rick Flag Sr., and Sean Gunn will play Maxwell Lord.

Keeping The Cosmic Status Quo In Check

Superman is very much at home in the blockbuster action genre, offering a generous serving of the high-flying superheroics that the DCU does well. The trailer offers shots of superhero chases across rooftops and more cosmic stakes than most DC movies (zoom in on Superman punching through a large star in deep space to see one example). But a more prominent thread throughout the trailer, and likely throughout the film, is the hero’s willingness to defend his actions when questioned. One particularly intense exchange comes from Lois, who queries Clark on how the public, or at least the U.S. Secretary of Defense, would feel about his interventions. “People were going to die!” is his indignant reply, a defense of his heroism against those whose support is vital for his continued heroics in the first place.

The moments that fans will likely remember most about this trailer may very well not be the literal stunts but rather the more earnest moments of humor and heart. A quieter but effective closer to the trailer shows Superman lying on his bed, exhausted and happy to be alive (finally, we’re happy to say). He’s also enjoying a snooze atop his chest from a contented Krypto.

With a stacked cast, a decidedly modern approach, and a more emotional story at the heart of the film, Superman isn’t simply a reboot of the titular character. It’s a reset of the DCU more generally, and judging by this trailer, it’s a much-needed one.