I have never fanboyed for a superhero film like I have for Superman.
One week ago, Warner Bros. unveiled an extended sneak peek of James Gunn’s highly anticipated Superman film during CinemaCon in Las Vegas, and the nearly five-minute footage gives us a first substantial look at what’s in store when the Man of Steel arrives in July.
The new teaser opens with a sequence featuring a battered and bloodied Superman crash-landing in the snow. As he lies there broken and vulnerable, he weakly whistles for his super-powered canine friend, Krypto.
The enthusiastic Krypto, oblivious to Superman’s injuries, playfully jumps on his master (anyone with a dog knows how real this is), inadvertently causing more pain with every excited bounce.
After finally convincing his well-meaning but clueless pal to help, Superman orders, “Krypto, take me home.” The good boy grabs his cape and drags him toward a crystalline structure emerging from the snowy wasteland, revealing a first glimpse of the iconic Fortress of Solitude in this new DC universe. It may be different from previous renditions in the DC universe, but it’s certainly unique.
Inside the fortress, Superman is greeted by Kryptonian robots—one voiced by Alan Tudyk as Robot 4—who assist the injured superhero by exposing him to concentrated yellow sunlight to accelerate his healing. This is the first time we’ve seen Kryptonian technology being used to heal Superman’s injuries, and it will no doubt play an important role in the film.
The remainder of the teaser showcases the rest of the ensemble cast that Gunn has assembled. We get peeks of Rachel Brosnahan as intrepid reporter Lois Lane, who is apparently in the early stages of her relationship with Clark Kent.
Nicholas Hoult appears as a menacing Lex Luthor, who in one scene ominously notes, “He’s back,” which implies Superman will be out of commission for a while during the film.
The footage also provides looks at several other heroes joining the DC Universe, including Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner (sporting his infamous bowl cut), Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho. There’s also a touching moment between Clark and his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent, played by Pruitt Taylor Vince, at the Kent family farm.
According to Gunn’s previous statements, the central conflict of the film revolves around Lex Luthor’s attempts to defeat Superman, whom Luthor views as an existential threat.
Gunn has compared Luthor’s perception of Superman to an artist’s fear of AI—a genius who has worked his entire life to become powerful and respected, only to be overshadowed by this caped figure who effortlessly captures the world’s attention.
The filmmaker has also teased that while the film will feature large-scale superhero action, including “robots and monster babies and giant kaiju,” the story remains grounded in human relationships, especially the developing romance between Clark and Lois, who are still in the early “getting to know you” phase of their relationship.
Superman marks the beginning of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, a new shared universe being shepherded by Gunn and Peter Safran.
The film will be followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, starring Milly Alcock as Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, scheduled for release in June 2026, and Clayface, a body horror film about a B-level actor who transforms into the shapeshifting villain, slated for September of this year.
For now, all eyes will be set on July 11, when Superman flies into theaters worldwide.
