What can we learn from the new Superman trailer?
The final Superman trailer has dropped, and holy crap is there a lot going on. I was sad to see Henry Cavill go, but David Corenswet seems great in the role. I am big fan of James Gunn (and am currently watching Peacemaker), so it will be interesting to see how this all pans out.
I guess my main concern is that there are a lot of goodies and baddies in the trailer. As Justice League and films like Spiderman 3 (the Tobey Maguire one) have shown, having a ton of characters all at once doesn’t always work. Marvel pulled it off with Infinity War and Endgame by having 10 years of films beforehand. Hopefully Lex Luthor will be the main antagonist – Nicholas Hoult is always good.
What characters do we see in the Superman trailer?
The good guys are: Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan). Plus Krypto the Superdog. Lois Lane seems like a stronger character this time round, hopefully she won’t need rescuing every couple of minutes.
Given that the trailer shows Superman doing what he thinks is right but getting dragged down by politics and human offialdom, maybe we will see the start of the Justice League. Having him as part of a team will help him navigate his way through the pedantry of modern humans. Or not. We’ll see.
The trailer shows him defending his ethics and actions, showing a vulnerability and frustration you don’t often see with Superman. (Although we also got a bit of that with Cavill.) I think Gunn is better at relationships and characters than Snyder, and he really seems to get Superman.
The bad guys are: Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) and The Engineer (María Gabriela De Faría). You also see a spaceship at some point. Could it be Zod? There is some dude in armour. Or maybe that giant monster he fights comes from space.
What comics is the movie based on?
From what I can tell, Superman is primarily based on:
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely: This series is a primary influence, showcasing Superman’s compassion and moral integrity even in the face of mortality.
Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale: This narrative offers a heartfelt look at Superman’s early years, emphasising his relationships and the values instilled by his adoptive parents.
Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu: This origin story reimagines Superman’s beginnings, focusing on his journey to becoming a global hero.
The DC Universe is expanding
Previous DC outings have been fun, and I mostly enjoyed them. I know that can be a weirdly controversial statement. I have yet to watch the Snydercut of the Justice League, but I think Gunn will be better at the helm.
I am especially looking forward to seeing Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner. Fillion is always watchable, and it will be interesting to see how they play Guy Gardner. In the comics, he is often a bit of an arrogant dick, but in some series he is redeemed a little. It will also be great to see a Green Lantern on the screen. Although Jordan isn’t always a Green Lantern, it seems like he is one here. I don’t know if that will lead to future spin-offs. I hope so.
I would also probably watch a TV show starring Krypto the Superdog, but that might just be me.
Without further ado – here is the trailer
Superman will be out on the 11th July.
You can check out the comics here:
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely