First Official Superman Trailer Debuts: Meet the New Man of Steel

DC Studios will be starting a new era with the release of Superman, the writer-director’s reboot of the superhero franchise. The new take on the Man of Steel from James Gunn will arrive on July 14, 2025, but fans have been treated to months of incremental news, teasing what they can expect when Superman finally hits the big screen. The latest: A first full trailer from Gunn that not only whets fan appetites for a rebooted Man of Steel but also gives them more than enough reason to get hyped for July.

Expanding on a teaser released last December, the latest trailer for Superman gives fans a first look at the character’s new look, under the guise of Clark Kent (David Corenswet), Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), an entirely new set of DC heroes and villains, and one puppy-stealing, possibly interdimensional superdog.

Superman Begins

Long before Batman and Wonder Woman, Superman was DC’s bread-and-butter. The characters’ first forays into live-action film and TV were a mixed bag, from campy ’50s series to earnest ’70s films to Zack Snyder’s ratings-beating sleetport. But this new take from Gunn promises a reset, or at least a reboot.

Notably, Gunn has repeatedly stated that the film will not be an origin story for Superman, the character. Clark Kent’s origin story is well-known by now, at least by comic book fans: He was an infant Kryptonian scout sent to Earth before the destruction of his home planet, and brought up by loving foster parents in Kansas. Here, the focus is on Clark’s internal journey, coming to terms with the duality of his Kryptonian royal blood and his blue-collar Kansas upbringing.

Portrayed by David Corenswet, fresh off roles in Pearl and Hollywood, Superman is 25. This version is older than the wide-eyed, inexperienced version of the character fans have seen in films prior, like the 1978 and 2013 films. Throughout the trailer, his dual life as both Clark Kent and Superman plays heavily in his interactions with Lois Lane, in particular.

Rachel Brosnahan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fame stars as Lois Lane, though the trailers open with a twist: Lois is seen running through an interview with the self-proclaimed “Superman” (played, of course, by Clark Kent). The ensuing exchange hints at both flirting and fisticuffs, but as far as Superman’s secret identity goes, it’s not made clear yet whether Lois knows he’s Clark or not. On that note, there are some who argue in the comment section of the trailer that Lois already knows for sure.

Fans have been making this argument for a while now, and the evidence is convincing on paper, but I’m in the minority who think it’s more likely she doesn’t know, mostly because of the two actors’ telling facial expressions during that pivotal moment of interaction. Regardless of where fans land, at the core of the film is the pursuit of Clark Kent’s relationship with Lois Lane, in particular, and how that relationship will fare throughout the film.

Lex Luthor, Superman’s most well-known villain, is portrayed by high-profile actor Nicholas Hoult. From what’s seen in the trailer, he delivers Lex Luthor’s usual brand of boorish evil that fans are used to from the character.

Hoult is by no means alone in the role: In this trailer and photos from the film’s set, both Lex Luthor and his “office” team are on full display. The latter includes Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) and Otis (Terence Rosemore).

Krypto, Kaiju, and a Whole DC Family Tree

One breakout character? Superman’s boisterous white dog, Krypto. Fans first spotted the superdog in the December teaser, dragging a gravely wounded Superman back to his Fortress of Solitude. If anything, the full trailer doubles down on the dog’s shtick, including him engaging in a nose-to-nose confrontation with Lex Luthor himself, as well as the high-tech, machine-enhanced villain Angela Spica, also known as The Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria).

The trailer is heavy on spectacle and shows off impressive superheroics from the cast. Besides full-scale battles, flashes of what appear to be kaiju, and setups for several multi-hero team-ups, the trailer also introduces an entirely new roster of characters fans may be less familiar with but are just as interesting and compelling as Superman and Lois themselves. From Nathan Fillion as the bowl-cutting Green Lantern Guy Gardner to Anthony Carrigan as elemental shapeshifter Rex Mason/Metamorpho to Isabela Merced as winged warrior Hawkgirl to Edi Gathegi as former-genius-turned-masked-inventor Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, Superman looks to have a broad cross-section of DC’s well-loved secondary characters.

Fans also got their first look at Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El—aka Supergirl (played by Milly Alcock). While it’s not known how, or if, she will factor into the on-screen narrative, her inclusion is significant, as it’s the first time a family member of Superman and Supergirl, with any Kryptonian surname besides Kent, has been addressed directly. It also means this version of the characters’ shared back story and history goes deeper than previously known.

In what would no doubt bring tears to original Man of Steel Richard Donner’s eyes, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell round out the cast as Clark’s adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, respectively.

The name Frank Grillo may ring a bell for more than a few DC fans as well, as the actor makes a notable crossover here, reprising his role as Rick Flag Sr. from his animated series, Creature Commandos. Fans will also recognize Sean Gunn, who makes an appearance as Maxwell Lord.

Making Friends and Foes, and Finding Middle Ground

Beyond the wide variety of characters both on screen and coming down the pipeline, the trailer makes it clear Superman won’t be afraid to show more than Clark’s costumed heroics. On one hand, the trailer is packed with action that fans have come to expect from superhero films over the years, from rocket-powered rooftop leaps to action on a cosmic level. On the other hand, the nuance to Clark’s humanity is brought to the fore in quieter moments, too, particularly one featured later on in the trailer. The weight of the choices Clark makes during the film is quickly made clear after Lois questions Clark about how his past actions were perceived by those in leadership positions, even going as far as to bring up how they viewed his performance from the Oval Office: The U.S. Secretary of Defense. His response? “People were going to die!” He asks. Lois quips back: “Is there a middle ground?” Hinting at a larger, systemic problem in the balance between political idealism and realism when in the face of international conflict and danger, that weight also drives some of the most tense, high-octane moments in the trailer itself.

The scene is juxtaposed by a lighter moment: The final seconds of the trailer are Superman lying down on his bed, in a rare moment of peace. The only other thing in the shot? Krypto, who is taking a rest on Superman’s chest, is both happy and satisfied. It’s one of the most human moments in the trailer and one that punctuates the emotional storytelling and nuanced stakes the on-screen action wields in Superman.

Superman has a stacked cast, a modern tone, and a balance between superhero mythos and grounded emotions that at least makes it more than just a reboot, but also a reset for the DC cinematic universe. But with a trailer this hyped, how high can it go?