DC Enters a New Era: James Gunn Unveils First Trailer for Superman

DC Studios will be leading more fearlessly into their bold new DCU with Superman, the studio’s reboot of the renowned superhero, penned and helmed by writer-director James Gunn. Slated for release this July, months of anticipation have built around Gunn’s foray into the franchise, and with the release of the first full trailer, fans have more than enough reason to be excited. Tossing out the reboot playbook with its establishment of a new Clark Kent, saucy Lois Lane, solid rogues’ gallery of DC heroes and villains, and one stealing superdog, the trailer is full of promise for an engaging and more emotionally accessible reboot.

Not Your Father’s Superman

Gunn has gone on record that the film is not what we have come to expect in a run-of-the-mill origin story. Superman, instead, is much more concerned with Clark Kent’s inner transformation as the reporter struggles to reconcile his innate Kryptonian royalty and upbringing with the values instilled from his blue-collar, Kansas rearing. In other words, this time, it’s not really about his abilities at all, but rather, about Clark’s place in the world and where he belongs. This approach to the Man of Steel gives the film a chance at truly emotional gravitas.

The take on Clark himself, played by Pearl and Hollywood’s David Corenswet, is 25 years old and much more experienced than we’ve been used to, for so long, with a younger, squinty-eyed, green-clad superhero. In the trailer, his Clark Kent/Superman dual life is made pretty obvious in his dealings with Lois Lane.

Pearls and Broadway darling Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) plays Lois Lane, an ambitious and confrontational journalist, who is seemingly not afraid of calling anyone on their BS. The first scene of the trailer, though, presents an interesting spin, as Lois is participating in a training interview for the Daily Planet (complete with cardboard cutout reporters and “crowd” noise), of her own story by “Superman” (spoiler: Clark Kent in disguise). Flirtation and one-upsmanship are definitely in play, but whether Lois has figured Clark out is still in question. The trailer has divided fans who say she already knows. Myself included, there are many who feel the opposite: that the evidence in the trailer leans more heavily to Lois being in the dark, especially when you pay close attention to the cast members’ facial expressions in key moments. Whichever side of the debate you fall on, this connection is an obvious strong point of the film, placing Lois and Clark’s relationship at its center.

High-profile actor Nicholas Hoult is the other lead of the ensemble, playing longtime Superman villain Lex Luthor. Hoult’s screen time is limited in the trailer, but we get a good taste of his trademark ice-veined villainy, power-hungry corporate swag, and Luthor’s complete lack of ethical parameters. He’s not alone: costume designer Anthony Patton brings two more characters to life, starting with Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, and Terence Rosemore as Otis, both of whom fill the roles of Luthor’s tight-knit lackeys, two willing henchmen who are themselves morally, if not entirely legally, flexible.

Stand by for Krypto

One very non-human breakout character? Superman’s white dog, Krypto. In the teaser that was released last December, fans first got a glimpse of him in action, yanking the gravely wounded superhero to safety into the Fortress of Solitude. The full trailer doubles down on the paladorable pooch’s actions, with one shot in particular of him holding his own against Lex Luthor, and also another, high-tech, younger female villain named Angela Spica, a.k.a. The Engineer (played by Maria Gabriela de Faria). Spica sports a sleek black spandex bodysuit with an array of metal rotors on her wrists and shins that can disintegrate anything on contact (nanotech, of course). She, like Luthor, leads an all-out assault on the Fortress.

For one Superman movie, the trailer isn’t skimping on any of the bells and whistles either, with expansive epic fights, a healthy sampling of kaiju, team-ups, and a full cast of lesser-known yet worthwhile DC characters. Nathan Fillion makes an appearance as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, who has the dubious distinction of having one of the nerdiest superhero bowl cuts on the planet. Anthony Carrigan plays Rex Mason, or Metamorpho, an elemental shapeshifter who can use the elements through his own body; Isabela Merced also debuts as Hawkgirl; and Edi Gathegi takes on the role of Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, a billionaire inventor and entrepreneur by day, masked superhero by night.

Young Milly Alcock joins the cast as Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, more familiarly known to fans as Supergirl. Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, played by Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell, respectively, are Clark’s adoptive parents. Introducing these characters makes it appear that the more expansive familial relationships of the entire Kryptonian race will play a major role in the film’s character building.

Fans of DC will also recognize Frank Grillo reprising his role from the DC Animated Universe’s animated series, Creature Commandos, while Sean Gunn joins the cast as Maxwell Lord.

Hero or Help?

There’s a lot of action, with punches thrown and even an intergalactic flight or two, in the trailer for Superman, but really, what fans will get is the choices that Clark Kent has to make with superpowers in a world he never asked to be a part of. In a world that doesn’t quite understand. Lois presses Kent on how his actions are perceived by authorities such as the U.S. Secretary of Defense. An impassioned Kent’s reaction, “People were going to die!”, sets up what feels like an emotionally activated kernel that should drive much of the drama throughout the film.

The humor is a nice touch, too, and it’s not all spandex and heroics. The ending moment of the trailer, Clark Superman naps in bed, victorious and completely at ease (for him), and Krypto, a proud, full-bodied beast, grunting with satisfaction, content on Superman’s chest.

Superman looks like more than a reboot of sorts, but rather a reset for the DCU on the whole, from its stacked cast, the modern approach it takes on its source material, and its interesting emotional stakes to the story of its titular hero. Judging by this new trailer, it is looking like a very good one, indeed.