‘Superman’ Trailer Breakdown: 17 DC Characters and Easter Eggs in James Gunn’s New Universe (2025)

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Dec 19, 2024 7:05am PT

Jordan Moreau, Adam B. Vary

‘Superman’ Trailer Breakdown: 17 DC Characters and Easter Eggs in James Gunn’s New Universe (1)

The first trailer for writer-director James Gunn’s “Superman,” which premiered on Thursday morning, marks the official debut of the new Man of Steel as played by David Corenswet, as well as the love of Superman’s life, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and Superman’s archenemy, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

Speaking with Variety after a special preview of the trailer on the Warner Bros. lot on Dec. 17, Corenswet said the opportunity to finally show off what he’d been working on for over a year and a half was “the best thing ever,” but he shrugged when asked what it was like to see himself as Superman with an audience for the first time.

“I just disassociate,” Corenswet said. “It’s not me up there. It’s Superman. It’s Clark Kent. What’s cool is seeing all your friends up there.”

He’s not just talking about Brosnahan and Hoult, either. When Gunn and his fellow DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran first announced their slate in January 2023, they made clear that their reboot of Superman would also officially reboot the DC Universe as a fully unified creative endeavor that would capture the rich breadth of characters established over nearly 90 years within the wider DC Comics. (The animated DC series “Creature Commandos,” which is currently streaming on Max, is meant to be a “soft intro” to the DCU — an appetizer to “Superman’s” main course.)

In practice, that means that for the first time in live-action, the “Superman” movie franchise is launching in the same cinematic universe as dozens upon dozens of metahumans and super-powered creatures that range from famous in their own right to totally obscure to the general public. Imagine Christopher Reeve’s Superman flying in the first “Superman” movie next to Martian Manhunter, Hawkman and Blue Beetle — or Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark fighting in the first “Iron Man” movie alongside Doctor Strange, Shang-Chi and Wanda Maximoff. The filmmakers and studios behind those earlier comic book movies believed audiences could only handle one superhero at a time. But thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, filmgoers have been conditioned to accept a movie in which a multitude of superheroes occupy the screen at the same time.

And good gravy, are there are a lot of them in the first look at Gunn’s new film. Here’s a list of 17 DC characters and Easters eggs — from Superman’s dog Krypto to Stagg Industries — tucked inside the “Superman” trailer.

Lois Lane
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan makes her debut as Lois Lane, Clark’s love interest and fellow reporter at the Daily Planet. Lois is a smart and fearless journalist, but is often unaware that Clark and Superman are the same person. Brosnahan is the latest star to play Lois, after Amy Adams, Margot Kidder, Teri Hatcher, Kate Bosworth and more.
Lex Luthor
Nicholas Hoult, who recently starred in “Nosferatu” and “Juror #2,” is Superman’s ultimate nemesis, the bald and super-smart Lex Luthor. Considered one of the most iconic villains of all time, Lex is the power-hungry CEO of LexCorp who often poses the greatest threat to Superman. Hoult joins a list of actors who have taken on the role, including Jesse Eisenberg, Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, Jon Cryer, Michael Cudlitz and more.
LuthorCorp
Lex Luthor runs LutherCorp, his billion-dollar corporation founded by his father. In the comics, it’s later renamed LexCorp and is located in the heart of Metropolis.
Krypto
Superman’s canine best friend Krypto was announced to appear in the film back in October. Gunn revealed that his own adopted dog Ozu inspired him while he was writing “Superman.”
“Iremember thinking, ‘Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?’ – and thus Krypto came into the script & changed the shape of the story as Ozu was changing my life,” Gunn wrote. “What better time to debut the not-so-good-good-boy Krypto.”
Guy Gardner
Nathan Fillion (“Castle,” “Firefly”) rocks the red-haired bowl cut as Green Lantern member Guy Gardner. As a member of the Green Lantern Corps, a galactic space police force, Guy can fly and create green light constructs out of his ring. In addition to the bowl cut, he’s known for his arrogant and cocky attitude. Fillion is expected to reprise the role on the HBO series “Lanterns,” which stars Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as famous Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan.
Hawkgirl
Isabela Merced (“Alien: Romulus,” “Madame Web”) plays the winged heroine Hawkgirl. Multiple women have taken the Hawkgirl mantle, and they all have large, bird-like wings and wield an Nth metal mace. Aldis Hodge previously played Hawkman in “Black Adam.”
Mister Terrific
Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind,” “The Blacklist”) plays Mister Terrific, one of the smartest people on the planet and a master inventor. He wears a T-shaped mask on his face and uses a variety of high-tech gadgets.
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is the nerdy, bespectacled alter-ego of Superman who also works at the Daily Planet. Most people don’t realize that Clark and Superman are the same person, except for Lois Lane.
Jonathan Kent
Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell play Jonathan and Martha Kent, known as Pa and Ma Kent, who adopt the young Kryptonian boy when he crash-lands on their Kansas farm. They were previously played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane in the “Man of Steel” and DCEU films.
The Kent Farm
Jonathan and Martha Kent live in Kansas and raise a young Superman as their own after he lands from the faraway planet of Krypton.
Metamorpho
Anthony Carrigan (“Barry”) is Metamorpho, who can transform his body into various elements. In the comics, Metamorpho can stretch like rubber, turn into liquids or gases and gain rock-like strength. Carrigan previously played the Batman villain Mr. Zsasz in the series “Gotham.”
Stagg Industries
Stagg Industries is another mega-corporation that’s run by billionaire antagonist Simon Stagg. In the comics, Simon’s daughter Sapphire falls in love with Rex Mason (played by Anthony Carrigan), and Simon is responsible for turning Rex into the disfigured hero Metamorpho.
The Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is the newspaper where Clark, Lois, Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard and Cat Grant work. Wendell Pierce’s Perry White is the editor-in-chief. The building is known for its globe on the pointy rooftop, and it’s seen at the entrance as well.
Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard and Cat Grant
Skylar Gisondo (“Booksmart,” “The Righteous Gemstones”) is photographer Jimmy Olsen, who works at the Daily Planet. Jimmy is often portrayed as a close colleague to Clark and Lois and has appeared in several other “Superman” adaptations. “Saturday Night Live” alum Beck Bennett plays Daily Planet reporter Steve Lombard. Steve is often portrayed as a sports reporter and rival to Clark. Mikaela Hoover is fellow Daily Planet reporter Cat Grant. In the comics, she’s sometimes a love interest for Clark or Jimmy Olsen.
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is Superman’s private headquarters located in the Arctic. The secret base is made of massive ice shards and far away from humanity.
Kelex
Superman looks pretty emotional over a destroyed robot, and it’s possible it’s Kelex from the comics. Kelex was a servant droid from Krypton who later becomes a caretaker at the Fortress of Solitude. If it were destroyed, it would sever one of the last connections to Superman’s home planet — making sense that he would be sad.
Monster Fight
It’s unclear if the giant, fire-breathing monster that Superman fights in the trailer is from the comics, but it could be one of his first major battles as the Man of Steel.