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Superman trailer offers first look at Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, and many more in James Gunn's DC Universe

Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, a couple of maybe future Justice Leaguers and... oh my god, its Krypto!!

Well that was pretty exciting, no?

On December 19, we got our very first trailer for James Gunn's Superman, and with it, our first looks at some of the main cast of DC Comics characters that are coming to life in the cinematic universe headed by James Gunn and Peter Saffan. We'll get into more detail in just a second, but first, here's a quick rundown of all the characters we see in the trailer:

  • David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent
  • Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
  • Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
  • Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen
  • Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern
  • Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific
  • Isabel Merced as Hawkgirl

Got it? Ok, let's break all those down.

David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent

For the fourth time in modern cinematic history, an actor been tasked with the important responsibility of making us believe a man can fly. That's David Corenswet this round, and while we've technically seen him in the cape and boots before this, he appears to be in a worse position that previous images.

Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor

Superman's nemesis is revealed! And wow, is he looking very Gene Hackman-esque with that suit and pistol. Worth noting: this Lex seems to be the man in charge of Luthorcorp, as opposed to LexCorp in the comic book canon. Does that mean this Lex isn't quite the self-made man, or just a little less egotistical?

Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane

First revealed in a teaser from the trailer that dropped December 18, The Marvelous Ms. Maisel's Rachel Brosnahan looks breaking-story-ready in duds that remind us of her early Max Fleischer animated adventures.

Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen

It's Superman's pal! Fresh off the set of The Righteous Gemstones comes Skyler Gisondo as The Daily Planet's plucky young photographer and unwitting friend to reporter Clark Kent. (For those wondering where the rest of the Daily Planet staff are in the trailer, they're there in a blink-and-you'd-miss-'em cameo as Lois is looking up at a screen; you can see Perry White, Cat Grant and what looks suspiciously like Steve Lombard in the background.)

Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern

Not to be confused with the recently announced Hal Jordan and John Stewart actors for HBO's Lanterns series, Nathan Fillion is teaming up with frequent collaborator James Gunn for an outing as the galaxy's jerkiest space cop. (And he has the hair. He has the hair.)

Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific

Superman may be the hero of this movie, but the smartest guy in the film is probably going to be Dr. Michael Curtis Holt, played by Edi Gathegi and sporting a 100% comic-accurate outfit. In comic book continuity, he's the third-smartest man in the DCU. How will he rank in movie canon?

Isabel Merced as Hawkgirl

Rounding out the potential Justice Leaguers in the film is Isabel Merced as Shayera Hol. Sorry for the blurry pic, but you know how fast those Thanagarians are. (Also, if Hawkgirl is here, does that mean Hawkman will arrive at some point soon...?)

Krypto as Krypto

And finally, the absolute best DC character to appear in this trailer has got to be Krypto, right? I know I started tearing up the second I heard his name onscreen.

Superman flies into theaters July 11, 2025.


James Gunn's Superman is flying into theaters soon enough, and Popverse has all you need to prepare. Refreshing your cinematic memory with our Superman movie watch order, learn what we know about the upcoming Superman movie, Superman's S-Shield through the ages, and read about what DC is doing ahead of their flagship hero's triumphant return.

Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. As Popverse's Staff Writer, he criss-crosses the pop culture landscape bringing you the news and opinions about the big things (and the next big things). In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

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