The primary trailer for writer-director James Gunn’s “Superman,” which premiered on Thursday morning, marks the official debut of the brand new Man of Metal as performed by David Corenswet, in addition to the love of Superman’s life, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and Superman’s archenemy, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).
Talking with Selection after a particular preview of the trailer on the Warner Bros. lot on Dec. 17, Corenswet stated the chance to lastly showcase what he’d been engaged on for over a 12 months and a half was “the very best factor ever,” however he shrugged when requested what it was prefer to see himself as Superman with an viewers for the primary time.
“I simply disassociate,” Corenswet stated. “It’s not me up there. It’s Superman. It’s Clark Kent. What’s cool is seeing all of your pals up there.”
He’s not simply speaking about Brosnahan and Hoult, both. When Gunn and his fellow DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran first introduced their slate in January 2023, they made clear that their reboot of Superman would additionally formally reboot the DC Universe as a totally unified artistic endeavor that may seize the wealthy breadth of characters established over practically 90 years throughout the wider DC Comics. (The animated DC sequence “Creature Commandos,” which is at present streaming on Max, is supposed to be a “delicate intro” to the DCU — an appetizer to “Superman’s” principal course.)
In follow, that signifies that for the primary time in live-action, the “Superman” film franchise is launching in the identical cinematic universe as dozens upon dozens of metahumans and super-powered creatures that vary from well-known in their very own proper to completely obscure to most people. Think about Christopher Reeve’s Superman flying within the first “Superman” film subsequent to Martian Manhunter, Hawkman and Blue Beetle — or Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark preventing within the first “Iron Man” film alongside Physician Unusual, Shang-Chi and Wanda Maximoff. The filmmakers and studios behind these earlier comedian ebook motion pictures believed audiences might solely deal with one superhero at a time. However because of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, filmgoers have been conditioned to simply accept a film during which a large number of superheroes occupy the display screen on the similar time.
And good gravy, are there are numerous them within the first take a look at Gunn’s new movie. Right here’s an inventory of 17 DC characters and Easters eggs — from Superman’s canine to Krypto to Stagg Industries — tucked contained in the “Superman” trailer.
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Lois Lane
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan makes her debut as Lois Lane, Clark’s love curiosity and fellow reporter on the Day by day Planet. Lois is a great and fearless journalist, however is usually unaware that Clark and Superman are the identical particular person. Brosnahan is the most recent star to play Lois, after Amy Adams, Margot Kidder, Teri Hatcher, Kate Bosworth and extra.
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Lex Luthor
Nicholas Hoult, who lately starred in “Nosferatu” and “Juror #2,” is Superman’s final nemesis, the bald and super-smart Lex Luthor. Thought of one of the vital iconic villains of all time, Lex is the power-hungry CEO of LexCorp who typically poses the best menace to Superman. Hoult joins an inventory of actors who’ve taken on the position, together with Jesse Eisenberg, Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, Jon Cryer, Michael Cudlitz and extra.
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LuthorCorp
Lex Luthor runs LutherCorp, his billion-dollar company based by his father. Within the comics, it’s later renamed LexCorp and is situated within the coronary heart of Metropolis.
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Krypto
Superman’s canine finest good friend Krypto was introduced to seem within the movie again in October. Gunn revealed that his personal adopted canine Ozu impressed him whereas he was writing “Superman.”
“I keep in mind considering, ‘Gosh, how troublesome would life be if Ozu had superpowers?’ – and thus Krypto got here into the script & modified the form of the story as Ozu was altering my life,” Gunn wrote. “What higher time to debut the not-so-good-good-boy Krypto.”
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Man Gardner
Nathan Fillion (“Citadel,” “Firefly”) rocks the red-haired bowl lower as Inexperienced Lantern member Man Gardner. As a member of the Inexperienced Lantern Corps, a galactic house police drive, Man can fly and create inexperienced mild constructs out of his ring. Along with the bowl lower, he’s recognized for his conceited and cocky angle. Fillion is anticipated to reprise the position on the HBO sequence “Lanterns,” which stars Aaron Pierce and Kyle Chandler as well-known Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan.
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Hawkgirl
Isabela Merced (“Alien: Romulus,” “Madame Net”) performs the winged heroine Hawkgirl. A number of ladies have taken the Hawkgirl mantle, they usually all have massive, bird-like wings and wield an Nth metallic mace. Aldis Hodge beforehand performed Hawkman in “Black Adam.”
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Mister Terrific
Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind,” “The Blacklist”) performs Mister Terrific, one of many smartest individuals on the planet and a grasp inventor. He wears a T-shaped masks on his face and makes use of quite a lot of high-tech devices.
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Clark Kent
Clark Kent is the nerdy, bespectacled alter-ego of Superman who additionally works on the Day by day Planet. Most individuals don’t notice that Clark and Superman are the identical particular person, aside from Lois Lane.
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Jonathan Kent
Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell play Jonathan and Martha Kent, often called Pa and Ma Kent, who undertake the younger Kryptonian boy when he crash-lands on their Kansas farm. They have been beforehand performed by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane within the “Man of Metal” and DCEU movies.
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The Kent Farm
Jonathan and Martha Kent stay in Kansas and lift a younger Superman as their very own after he lands from the faraway planet of Krypton.
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Metamorpho
Anthony Carrigan (“Barry”) is Metamorpho, who can rework his physique into varied parts. Within the comics, Metamorpho can stretch like rubber, flip into liquids or gases and acquire rock-like power. Carrigan beforehand performed the Batman villain Mr. Zsasz within the sequence “Gotham.”
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Stagg Industries
Stagg Industries is one other mega-corporation that’s run by billionaire antagonist Simon Stagg. Within the comics, Simon’s daughter Sapphire falls in love with Rex Mason (performed by Anthony Carrigan), and Simon is chargeable for turning Rex into the disfigured hero Metamorpho.
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The Day by day Planet
The Day by day Planet is the newspaper the place Clark, Lois, Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard and Cat Grant work. Wendell Pierce’s Perry White is the editor-in-chief. The constructing is understood for its globe on the sharp rooftop, and it’s seen on the entrance as effectively.
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Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard and Cat Grant
Skylar Gisondo (“Booksmart,” “The Righteous Gems”) is photographer Jimmy Olsen, who works on the Day by day Planet. Jimmy is usually portrayed as a detailed colleague to Clark and Lois and has appeared in a number of different “Superman” variations. “Saturday Night time Stay” alum Beck Bennett performs Day by day Planet reporter Steve Lombard. Steve is usually portrayed as a sports activities reporter and rival to Clark. Mikaela Hoover is fellow Day by day Planet reporter Cat Grant. Within the comics, she’s typically a love curiosity for Clark or Jimmy Olsen.
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Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is Superman’s personal headquarters situated within the Arctic. The key base is product of large ice shards and much away from humanity.
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Kelex
Superman appears to be like fairly emotional over a destroyed robotic, and it’s attainable it’s Kelex from the comics. Kelex was a servant droid from Krypton who later turns into a caretaker on the Fortress of Solitude. If it have been destroyed, it could sever one of many final connections to Superman’s residence planet — making sense that he can be unhappy.
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Monster Struggle
It’s unclear if the large, fire-breathing monster that Superman fights within the trailer is from the comics, but it surely might be one in every of his first main battles because the Man of Metal.