Superman 2025 Trailer Teases Lex Luthor, Supergirl, and a Bowl-Cut Green Lantern

DC Studios is already entering a new phase in its ambitious slate of movies and TV shows with Superman, a reboot of the famous superhero franchise with writer-director James Gunn. The movie is set to release in July, but it’s been months since the project was announced, and fans have only had a small tease to hold them over. Luckily, Gunn and DC Studios finally released the first full trailer, and it only took one scene of superdoggo heroics for us to realize we have so many reasons to be excited.

Meet Superman

Gunn has already said this film will not be a traditional Superman origin story, but rather an evolution of Clark Kent’s journey to find balance between his Kryptonian royal blood and the ordinary world he grew up in Kansas. Superman’s cast is filled with many more familiar DC heroes and villains that will be sure to entice comic book fans, but a new Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and superpowered dog are what the film seems to be banking on for an emotional, grounded reboot.

Superman‘s main character, played by Pearl and Hollywood alum David Corenswet, is a 25-year-old veteran of the big blue suit, more world-weary than wide-eyed in the uniform. The trailer gives us a look at his secret identity as Clark Kent, and his double life is hinted to be central to the storyline in his relationship with Lois Lane.

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) joins the cast as a snarky, take-no-prisoners Lois Lane, who gives a job interview in the trailer’s first scene… to Superman, naturally (played by Clark Kent). We see the beginning of what appears to be a cat-and-mouse flirtation between the reporter and superhero, but it’s not clear yet if Lois has successfully uncovered Clark’s secret identity. Some fans online would argue that the answer is yes. Others, including this writer, would argue that a scene that goes on for as long as this one does has clearer-cut and more telling pauses and facial reactions from both actors, indicating that Lois is likely not in the know. We’ll have to wait and see either way, but what is known for certain is that Lois and Clark’s relationship is at the core of the movie.

Lex Luthor, on the other hand, is more immediately clear: Nicholas Hoult is the super-villain of choice for this new iteration of the DC universe. We see a traditional streak of snark and villainous megalomania that runs true to the comics and past iterations of Lex in the trailer, but he’s not alone. Sara Sampaio (Billions) plays Eve Teschmacher, and Terence Rosemore plays Otis, both being Luthor’s lackeys.

Krypto, Kaiju, and More Characters from the DC Universe

Speaking of lackeys, another character fans have taken notice of who is likely not going to remain in a supporting role: Superman’s white superpowered dog, Krypto. After we first got to see the do-gooder pup in the December teaser where he drags an injured Clark Kent back to the Fortress of Solitude, the full trailer hits fans over the head with doggo goodness: While Superman fights Lex Luthor and a leggy, bespandexed, superpowered villain with rotating blade weapons (more on her later), Krypto goes toe-to-paw in a fierce standoff with both Lex and the other costumed villainess. Is this the cinematic debut of The Engineer? Is this the mainstream introduction to kaiju? Who knows—this movie may have us answering many questions when it hits theaters.

But the trailer doesn’t skimp on introducing a few of those questions, either. There’s one microsecond of space dragon—what appears to be a kaiju, for sure—before audiences are back to fights and flips with no shortage of spectacle. But in between those moments of visual flair, fans are treated to a seemingly stacked cast of lesser-known, but still compelling characters from DC lore. Nathan Fillion (Deep Space Nine) shows up as a bowl-cut-sporting Green Lantern Guy Gardner; Anthony Carrigan (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) plays shapeshifting Element-Master Rex Mason/Metamorpho; Isabela Merced is the winged warrior Hawkgirl; and Edi Gathegi (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) is the inventor-turned-masked-hero Michael Holt/Mister Terrific.

DC Comics fans will also recognize Milly Alcock, who plays Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, who is a.k.a. Supergirl. We’re bound to see a lot more of her over time. Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell join the cast as Clark’s adopted Kansas parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.

Fans of the animated series Creature Commandos will also get a crossover cameo in the form of Frank Grillo reprising his role from the show as Rick Flag Sr., while the elastic-limbed Sean Gunn is Maxwell Lord.

Hero and Heart

The trailer is filled with action beats from rooftops to planets to space pirates, but one of the more intriguing glimpses into the movie’s tone is Clark trying to justify to Lois about whether his heroic actions are effective and if he’s getting his messaging right with the likes of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The second he feels his frustration and righteous indignation boil over at Lois’ accusation that he’s making a “show” of himself out there, he says, “People were going to die!” while saving the Earth yet again. This will likely be an ongoing theme of Clark’s character throughout the movie and how he is perceived by others.

It’s also not all punching, though, as there are some lighter and heartfelt moments in the trailer. In the final moment, we see Superman, having just come out of a full-blown galactic battle he likely didn’t need to be a part of, reclining on his bed in what’s likely a moment of peace we don’t normally see from the Man of Steel. On his chest, looking as sated as a doggo can look after a job well done, is Superman’s Krypto. It’s a small shot, but one that sets the emotional tone of what appears to be Gunn’s vision of this movie: an epic one, yes, but grounded in connection.

Superman appears to be more of a reset for the DC cinematic universe than just a reboot, and this trailer is enough to show fans it will be more than just fun action beats, but an emotional investment with an appealing, modern cast of characters that’s worth the wait.