10 Things We Need To See In James Gunn’s Superman Movie Trailer

James Gunn’s Superman promises to be one of the most exciting comic book movie events of the 2020s, and the hotly-anticipated upcoming trailer has a lot to answer for. Slated to officially kick off the new cinematic DC Universe born of James Gunn’s vision, Superman has a lot of heavy expectations to bear, spearheading a new franchise after the underwhelming DCEU. Recently, Gunn announced a release window for Superman‘s first trailer, supposedly dropping sometime in mid-December 2024.

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There is so much that remains to be proven about the upcoming Superman movie that the first glimpse of official footage will finally reveal. So far, sanctioned official images, leaked on-set photos and videos, and statements from James Gunn himself have been the only hints about what the film will have in store. Seeing the trailer will finally put a lot of the reported elements of Superman in context while setting fan expectations for the important upcoming movie.

10 David Corenswet’s Superman Costume In Action

Official images aren’t enough to accurately gauge the new suit’s feel

Close up of David Corenswet's Superman Costume

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One of the earliest official images to drop regarding Superman was the latest incarnation of a live-action Superman costume, as worn by actor David Corenswet. The image shows Corenswet sitting in a somber pose as Superman, adjusting the boots of his costume as some kind of large-scale battle with crashing beams of energy loom in the background. Many fans were quick to criticize Superman’s new look, not impressed by the costume’s bulky motorcycle-jacket padding, dramatically re-vamped “S” logo, and overall bagginess. The return of Superman’s red trunks also wasn’t received universally well.

Perhaps seeing David Corenswet’s costume in motion will help sell hesitant audiences on the new Superman suit, which may look better in-action than as a static image. After all, Superman looks his best with a cape dramatically fluttering in the wind as he springs into action. With any luck, the trailer won’t shy away from leading with clean, clear footage of Superman flying around while clad in the new suit.

9 David Corenswet And Rachel Brosnahan’s Chemistry As Clark Kent And Lois Lane

Their romance will be critical to Superman’s success

Superman Legacy Actors David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan

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As exciting as high-flying superhero action is, such surface-level thrills have never been the only thing that made Superman movies and TV shows work. Historically, the best live-action interpretations of Superman have nailed the chemistry between Clark Kent and Lois Lane, a foundational romance that helps anchor the all-powerful hero into a relatable being. Most recently, Henry Cavill and Amy McAdams left a lot to be desired in that department, with their own Clark Kent and Lois Lane never feeling like they had a believably strong bond.

Hopefully, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan will be a stronger on-screen match for each other that will help to form the emotional core of the film. Ideally, the trailer will be able to assure future DCU audiences that the franchise’s tentpole film won’t be slacking in the romance department. Considering David Corenswet’s experience as a romantic lead in films like Look Both Ways, expectations are high for his Clark Kent’s heartthrob status.

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8 How Krypto Looks In Action

The scruffy superdog needs to sell himself a little more

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Another more controversial reveal about the upcoming Superman in official imagery was the soft-launch of Krypto the Superdog. In a promotional image, David Corenswet’s Superman sits on the moon gazing back at the Earth next to the first live-action version of Krypto the Supergdog, Superman’s pet dog with the same powers as him. However, whereas Krypto is traditionally drawn as a purebred white Labrador Retriever, James Gunn’s Krypto is decidedly scruffier and smaller, modeled after the director’s own dog, Ozu.

To put it mildly, the movie incarnation of Krypto got something of a lukewarm reception, with many fans expressing disappointment that the first live-action version of the canine character didn’t line up with his classical design. The upcoming trailer could charm frosty audiences on the scrappy new Krypto, as seeing him in motion could be adorable enough to overcome any qualms of comic book innacuracy. It’ll also be interesting to see just how big a role Krypto plays in the story, whether he’s a side-character curiosity or a steadfast presence throughout.

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7 An Official Look At Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern Costume

Expectations are high for the first live-action Guy Gardner

Nathan Fillion as Nathan Drake next to Classic Green Lantern Guy Gardner in DC Comics Custom Image by Nicolas Ayala

Superman won’t be the only DC hero appearing in his own self-titled film. Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific has already been shown off on set photos, presenting a stunningly accurate depiction of the tech genius hero pulled straight from the pages of a comic. However, one of DC’s goofiest hero designs also sits among the cast list of Superman, and has yet to be shown off in any official or unofficial capacity. Nathan Fillion will join Superman as Green Lantern, but rather than the archetypal version of the hero, Hal Jordan, Fillion will star instead as Guy Gardner.

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Known as a cocky, obnoxious, bristly hero, Guy Gardner is very unique as far as appearances go, rocking a sleeveless green and white motorcycle jacket in lieu of the standard Green Lantern bodysuit. Famously, Guy Gardner is also known to wear his ginger hair in a hilarious high bowl-cut that makes him stand out anywhere. It’s hard to resist the anticipation of seeing just how faithful to the comics James Gunn will go for this particularly goofy character design, and how the hair will look in-motion atop Nathan Fillion’s talented head.

6 A Good Look At Nicholas Hoult’s Performance As Lex Luthor

A Superman movie is only as good as its villain

A split image of Nicholas Hoult in Those Who Wish Me Dead and Lex Luthor from DC Comics

While speculating on the film’s heroes is all well and good, any Superman movie relies on a dastardly villain to stay entertaining. Nicholas Hoult was announced as Lex Luthor for Superman long ago, shaving his head for the role to ensure a faithful portrayal. Hoult is no stranger to comic book movie roles, playing the younger version of Beast in the X-Men prequel series, and has sported a bald head before on-screen as Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road.

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There’s still shockingly little known about how exactly Hoult will play Lex Luthor, and his appearance is one of the most eagerly-anticipated aspects of the Superman trailer. Considering the painful disappointment of Jesse Eisenberg’s most recent live-action take on the famous mastermind villain, the bar is quite low going into Superman, but Hoult certainly has the potential to exceed expectations. It’ll be interesting to see how Hoult ranks among all the other live-action Lex Luthor performances.

5 An Official Look At Mily Alcock’s Supergirl And Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl

A few valuable DC heroines will also appear in the film

Isabella Merced looking shocked in Alien Romulus Image via 20th Century Studios

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Mr. Terrific and Guy Gardner aren’t the only notable heroes that will be sharing the screen with Superman in his self-titled movie. A couple of famous DC heroines are also slated to join the roster of the film, with Mily Alcock as Supergirl and Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl. While Supergirl got a movie interpretation relatively recently in last year’s The Flash, played by Shasha Calle, Superman will mark the first time that Hawkgirl has ever gotten a live-action feature, though her avian partner Hawkman appeared in Black Adam.

A chance to glimpse both of these heroes in-action will be one of the most exciting prospects of the upcoming Superman trailer. Mily Alcock’s presence was sorely missed in the second season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, so seeing her return to such a large character will be a true treat. Isabella Merced will also be a welcome returning presence to big-name movies after the smashing success of Alien: Romulus.

4 How Much Screen Presence The Other Heroes Will Have

Hopefully, Superman’s story won’t be drowned out with other heroes

Superman Legacy Superhero Cast with Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, Guy Gardner, and Mr. Terrific in comic book art.

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With all the excitement and anticipation added by the presence of so many other unique DC heroes, it’s important to remember that James Gunn’s upcoming film will be a Superman story through and through. In the past, the DCEU seemed perhaps too eager to stuff multiple characters into single films, with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Flash, and Black Adam all being overstuffed with unwieldy casts of heroes outside of their titular lineups. James Gunn will have to ensure that Superman himself stays as the film’s focus.

The trailer should give a better insight into just how often these secondary heroes will appear, whether they’re one-off cameos or enduring sidekicks for the entire runtime. In either case, James Gunn has proven to be quite adept at navigating large superhero casts, as proven by the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and The Suicide Squad. If there’s one director that can adequately balance such a stacked roster, it’s him.

3 How The Tone Will Differ From The DCEU

James Gunn may promise a brighter, more hopeful Superman

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Another thing the DCU will need to do with Superman to distinguish itself from its cinematic universe predecessor is the establishment of a different tone. Informed from the start by Zack Snyder’s dark sensibilities, Superman’s appearances in the DCEU were frequently criticized for a fundamental misunderstanding of the character. The series was quite dour with Henry Cavill’s Superman, making him out to be more of a tragic messiah figure than a traditional hero, emphasizing Kal-El’s alien heritage over Clark Kent’s Midwestern American upbringing.

Ideally, the trailer for Superman will be able to convey a refreshingly brighter tone, returning to the Superman films of old with Christopher Reeves as a more hopeful message for humanity. It’s safe to say no movie has been able to perfectly adapt Superman’s comic personality, either being too dark or too theatrical, though many TV shows, such as Superman & Lois, have nailed his down-to-Earth and optimistic temperament. Hopes are high that the Superman trailer will demosntrate a more inspiring comic book universe that doesn’t shy away from the inherent silliness of the genre.

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2 A Look At Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen

Might be the most perfect DC movie casting of all time

A split image of Skyler Gisondo and art of Jimmy Olsen from a DC Comic

As great as superpowered characters are, seeing some of Superman’s more human supporting cast in action is just as exciting a prospect for the upcoming trailer. Above all else, the film’s vision for Jimmy Olsen will be an exciting reveal following the announcement of Skyler Gisondo’s casting as the sprightly sidekick photographer for The Daily Planet. Gisondo made a name for himself as the chipper, flustered teen Eric Bemis in Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet, making him a dead ringer for the traditional version of Jimmy Olsen.

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The DCEU movies did Jimmy Olsen dirty, attempting to make him as cool and edgy as the rest of the universe by turning him into a wartime photographer and secret CIA agent whose only notable contribution to the plot was to die. Worst of all, Superman’s traditional best friend doesn’t even share a single screen with Henry Cavill’s Superman. After such an awkward use of the character, the chance to see Skyler Gisondo as an upbeat, friendly, bowtie-wearing version of Jimmy Olsen makes the Superman trailer all the more exciting.

1 An Official Look At Ultraman And More Information About The Movie Villain

Superman’s dark reflection might finally get an official statement

Ultraman using his heat vision in DC Comics

One of the most poorly-kept secrets surrounding Superman is the all-but-confirmed appearance as Ultraman as a major villain alongside Lex Luthor. Beyond rumors and unconfirmed leaks, set photos of Superman have surfaced featuring a costumed character arresting Superman that very well could be Ultraman. Hopefully, the first trailer for the film can finally confirm or deny the evil Superman clone’s appearance in the upcoming film.

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Not to be confused with the legendary tokusatsu character of the same name, Ultraman in the DC comics is a parallel-universe version of Superman who runs an evil version of the Justice League called the Crime Syndicate. However, rumors have it that Superman‘s Ultraman will actually be a creation of Lex Luthor, sent to combat Superman on his level of strength. It’s even been suggested that Ultraman will devolve into Bizarro over the course of the film, a possibility the trailer for Superman could very well reveal.

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