- Releasing globally on Friday, July 11
- First DCU Chapter One movie that'll be released
- DC Studios co-head James Gunn on co-writing and directing duties
- Trailers released in December 2024, and May and June 2025
- Main cast confirmed
- Gunn has teased other DC heroes might make cameos
- Story synopsis revealed
- Will draw inspiration from multiple DC comic series
- Could set up future DCU projects
- A pseudo-sequel movie is in the works
Superman is almost ready to fly into theaters. The iconic Kryptonian's next big-screen adventure, which is also the first movie to arrive as part of James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC Universe (DCU) takes flight on July 11. With less than 48 hours to go until its release, then, you'll want the complete lowdown on what to expect.
In this guide, I've rounded up the latest and biggest news on one of 2025's hottest new movies. Indeed, you'll learn more about its confirmed cast, plot synopsis, trailers, and potential impact on other DCU Chapter One projects.
Possible cast and story spoilers follow for Superman, so proceed with caution.
Superman release date
As mentioned, Superman launches on Friday, July 11. Its release date was initially revealed in January 2023 when Gunn revealed the initial line-up for DCU Chapter One.
Gunn has also confirmed (via Threads) that its runtime is two hours and nine minutes, which is inclusive of its end credits crawl and post-credits scene.
Superman trailer
Superman's first trailer made us all look up last December and, while it teased plenty, Krypto the Superdog was the one thing I obsessed over following its release.
Superman's inaugural teaser wasn't unexpected. Gunn confirmed Superman's first footage would arrive on the previously mentioned date three days prior to its worldwide debut. We were also treated to a 30-second teaser for Superman that made us believe that a man could really fly before it was publicly available, too.
More footage has arrived since, including Superman's official trailer (see above) that confirmed the appearance of another villain the titular hero will fight. For more on who this mystery individual might be, read my Superman trailer #2 breakdown piece.
One final trailer was released in mid-June. Be sure to read this article on four crucial details that you might have missed, too.
Lastly, DC Studios unveiled its first extended clip in April, which gave us a jaw-dropping first-look at its Fortress of Solitude and the robot assistants that inhabit it. A behind-the-scenes featurette is also available if you want a peek behind the curtain on Superman's development.
Superman cast: confirmed and rumored
Potential spoilers follow for Superman.
Here's the lengthy confirmed cast list for Superman so far:
- David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman
- Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
- Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
- Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern
- Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl
- Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific
- Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho
- Maria Gabriela de Faria as Angela Spica/The Engineer
- Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher
- Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonatan 'Pa' Kent
- Neva Howell as Martha 'Ma' Kent
- Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord
- Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen
- Wendell Pierce as Perry White
- Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard
- Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant
- Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
- Alan Tudyk as Kelex
- Christopher McDonald as Ron Troupe
- Terence Rosemore as Otis
- Bradley Cooper as Jor-El
The vast majority of these characters are household names, so DC Comics devotees and general audiences alike should know who many of them are.
If you need a refresher on any or all of the above, or have no clue who they are, check out my Superman cast and character guide for more details. Be aware, though, that I wrote it before Gunn confirmed (via Jake's Takes) that Cooper will play Supes' Kryptonian father, which is why he's not listed in the aforementioned article. Cooper was rumored to be portraying Jor-El, though, so we had an inkling he'd appear in this flick.
The only character who isn't listed above but is confirmed to show up is Krypto the Superdog. Kal-El's loyal but boisterous canine companion's appearance was all but confirmed when leaked image suggested Mr. Terrific would encounter Krypto at some point. Since then, Krypto, whose personality and likeness was inspired by Gunn's own rescue dog Ouzo, but who was played by a different canine called Jolene (per Time magazine), has featured in various trailers and TV spots.
As for other potential inclusions, Milly Alcock's Supergirl is rumored to make a brief cameo. Gunn has said Superman will include characters who haven't been confirmed yet, so don't be shocked if she makes a cameo.
Finally, it's unclear who's playing Ultraman, one of this movie's secondary villains whose identity has been the subject of intense speculation. However, an unlikely source has seemingly confirmed one of Superman's biggest fan theories and revealed who Ultraman really is. Don't worry, though, I won't spell out his identity here.
Superman story synopsis and speculation
Here's Superman's plot synopsis: "James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind."
The first thing to note is that the Man of Steel's latest feature film won't be an origins story. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly (EW), Gunn revealed Supes has been operating as a superhero for three years by the time this movie starts, so we won't see Kal-El's birth, Krypton's subsequent destruction, Supes' arrival on Earth, and the emergence of his powers.
Unsurprisingly, Superman has been inspired by various stories from his 80 year-plus comic book history.
For starters, when Gunn teased the DC superhero's new suit last March, fans suggested this film is a reverse-engineered take on 'Kingdom Come', a 1996 Elseworlds four-issue run created by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
According to The Direct's David Thompson, Corenswet has also said it has cherry picked elements from Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's 'Superman: For All Seasons' miniseries, and Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, and Jamie Grant's 'All-Star Superman' comics.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson's 'Superman: The Warworld Saga', Tom King's 'Superman: Up In The Sky', and the character's Golden Age comics are all big influences, too (per Gunn on Threads). As evidenced by composer John Murphy's retooling the Christopher Reeve-starring films' instantly recognizable musical theme (see the YouTube video above), other Superman-led films have also inspired its tone and feel.
Superman won't solely focus on the eponymous individual's superhuman exploits. His civilian life will be examined as much, if not more so, than his time wearing that legendary blue and red suit.
The DCU's first film, then, will place as much emphasis on Kent's home life alongside his surrogate human parents, his job as a roving reporter for The Daily Planet, and budding romance with Brosnahan's Lane (they've been dating for three months by the time the story begins, Brosnahan told EW) as him rescuing Metropolis and its population.
Per Gunn, the DCU's take on humanity has known about metahumans for 300 years at the start of this flick, so these superpowered marvels aren't a novel idea to planet Earth's most successful species.
And what of the rivalry between the titular metahuman and his archnemesis Lex Luthor who, in this universe, runs the multinational company LuthorCorp rather than the traditionally-named LexCorp? Where does it stem for and why is the latter so hell-bent on taking Supes down a notch or seven?
"He [Lex] is someone who really worked hard for a long time in terms of science, himself, his intellect, and how he wants to be perceived," Hoult told EW. "I wanted him to feel like he was as much alpha as possible, where he's someone who's, in his mind, done everything he possibly could for himself, but also for humanity in some ways. In his mind, he should be adored. And then... this superhuman... has come along, who all those things come naturally to in many ways. That gives Lex a deep, deep resentment."
Where to watch every other live-action Superman movie
Want to know where to stream every live-action Superman movie (or films that he features in) to date? They're all on HBO Max in nations where one of the world's best streaming services is available.
If HBO Max hasn't launched in your world region, check out my guide on how to watch the Superman movies in order for more details on where you can stream them.
How will Superman set up other DCU movies and TV shows?
We don't know how Superman will set up other DCU projects, but it'll be a jumping-off point for the DCU's next three projects: Peacemaker season 2, Supergirl (Gunn confirmed Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow's title had been changed in June), and Lanterns.
Peacemaker's sophomore season, which arrives in mid-August, will feature Grillo's Flag Sr is a major antagonistic role. Its first trailer also confirmed Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Maxwell Lord will cameo, so it'll connect to Superman via that trio's appearances. Gunn has also described Peacemaker 2 as "pretty important" to the DCU's overarching narrative, too, so it's as much a vital cog in the storytelling machine as Superman is.
Meanwhile, Supergirl's next big-screen outing is inspired by Tom King's literary series of the same name.
If she shows up in Superman, the latter may set up her next adventure. For now, we know it'll arrive in theaters in June 2026, its first image teased a location that'll be familiar to DC comic book fans, Jason Momoa's Lobo is a vital part of its story, and a sizable Supergirl movie update confirmed Krypto will appear. Read my definitive guide on Supergirl for even more information.
As for Lanterns, it's an HBO TV Original that's been described as a superhero version of True Detective. Its chief creative team was revealed in May 2024, with King, Damon Lindelof, and Chris Mundy all boarding the project. Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler have been confirmed as its leads in John Stewart and Hal Jordan. It'll also feature Fillion's Gardner (per EW), so he'll act as the bridge between this project and Supes' latest live-action adaptation.
And what of Clark Kent's own DCU future? A direct sequel isn't thought to be in development, but Gunn has said (via The Phase Hero podcast) it'll be "less than two years" until we see Supes again. Gunn also told Brazilian outlet Omelete that Corenswet knows he's involved in Gunn's next project,
Could be getting a World's Finest starring Superman and Batman, a Trinity movie featuring the pair and Wonder Woman, or even a fully-fledged Justice League flick? That would be something, but I'd expect the Batman-starring The Brave and the Bold film and Wonder Woman's standalone DCU movie to be released first before any team-up flicks happen.
For more DC-based coverage, find out how to watch the DC movies in order or see which DCEU films made it onto our best HBO Max movies list. Alternatively, learn more about Creature Commandos season 2 and The Batman Part II, the latter of whom sits independent of the DCU.
