Is This the Best Superman and Lois Duo Yet? Watch the Trailer

DC Studios is going big in its next chapter in the DC Cinematic Universe with Superman, a rebooted take on the genre-defining superhero, set for release this July, courtesy of writer-director James Gunn. The movie has been months in the making and has had a lot of buzz to build on in recent months. However, after an initial teaser trailer was released in December, fans were finally treated to the first full trailer for Superman. They have reason to be excited. The reboot is packed to the brim with a whole new Clark Kent, a sassy Lois Lane, an A-list of DC heroes and villains, and a scene-stealing superdog to boot.

Superman Trailer Sets New Tone

The film promises to be an emotionally grounded reboot, a new tone for Superman that’s been years in the making. Gunn previously stated that Superman was not an origin story, and it shows. The trailer reveals that this time around, the story is less concerned with his origin as an alien refugee on Earth and more focused on Clark Kent’s internal journey and the conflict of not feeling as though he belongs.

For example, he is shown in conflict between his Kryptonian royal past and his down-to-earth, small-town Kansas upbringing. His parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, provide an earthbound connection and the trial of Clark himself struggling to find the in-between.

Known for his work in Pearl and Hollywood, 29-year-old David Corenswet steps into the red and blue suit as a relatively more mature version of the character, both literally and figuratively. He’s Superman for the first time at 25 years old, and the film isn’t an origin story, so it’s no secret he’s not a wide-eyed boy scout anymore, but rather a young and relatable Clark Kent, torn between two identities.

In an interview, Corenswet shares that his work on Superman is more about Clark than Superman himself, more specifically, how Clark Kent hides behind and makes excuses for himself. The nuance in this struggle will especially come in how he handles his alter-ego relationships with co-stars like Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), who plays Lois Lane.

The trailer opens with Lois doing her own ‘woman-on-the-street’ mock interview with “Superman”, who, of course, is Clark Kent himself. Lois is feisty, and the rapport between her and Clark is both flirtatious and competitive, but has she discovered Clark’s secret? Fans are already in debate about it, some confidently in the yes column, but in this writer’s humble opinion, I would have to side with the no column based on the subtlety of the scene and the actors’ facial expressions.

One thing is for sure: the Superman and Lois Lane relationship is firmly at the center of the film. Corenswet will also be joined by other major superhero additions like Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, and Terence Rosemore as Otis, each of whom appears to be loyal compatriots in Luthor’s master plan.

Nicholas Hoult Plays a Familiar Face

Nicholas Hoult himself is no stranger to big-budget superhero film franchises, previously playing Beast in the X-Men franchise and supporting roles in F9, Star Wars, The Kid Who Would Be King, etc. Superman, however, will mark Hoult’s first outing playing DC’s most infamous mad-genius and corporate villain Lex Luthor. Fans will get a big dose of the usual villainy in the new trailer, which in this case includes a devastating terraforming weapon capable of reshaping Earth to Luthor’s design.

This isn’t to say that Luthor will be in the film by himself. Sara Sampaio joins the cast as Eve Teschmacher, a Luthorian-loyalist bodyguard from the pages of Superman comics, and Terence Rosemore as Otis, another Luthor assistant. The action and tension don’t end there for the film either.

For example, one particular breakout character is a bit more literal. Krypto, Superman’s famous white dog from the comics, has a particularly active role in the film. Fans first saw him in the December teaser trailer, leaping to the rescue to drag an injured Superman back to safety at the Fortress of Solitude. The full trailer for Superman doubles down on the puppy’s heroics, this time showing Krypto in full combat mode against Luthor himself and the high-flying, nanotech-powered, corporate villain Angela Spica, aka The Engineer, played by Maria Gabriela de Faria. Dressed in black spandex and lethal rotating blades, The Engineer leads a full assault on the fortress. It is also a possible tease at her comic book and graphic novel ties with Lex Luthor.

The trailer is not lacking in these big action set pieces either. From superheroics to hints of kaiju and epic team-ups, the audience also gets to see a smorgasbord of lesser-known but no less interesting DC characters, including Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific. Fillion, Carrigan, and Gathegi in particular are well-known faces to superhero audiences, previously playing roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, The Boys, and The Flash, among many others. Fillion also appeared in Gunn’s previous film, The Suicide Squad.

Milly Alcock as Supergirl

Comic fans will also spot young Milly Alcock as Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl, in the film. The presence of Zor-El suggests the film could play up the dimension of an even bigger and more deeply connected Kryptonian family lineage than has previously been told. The movie also features Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as Clark Kent’s earthbound adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.

Fans of DC’s animated media and the wider industry will also recognize Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., reprising his role from the animated film series Creature Commandos, and Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord.

Action, Drama, and Drama

Packed to the brim with action and the usual high-flying superhero antics, the Superman trailer has its share of epic. The former member of The Guardians of the Galaxy himself, Gunn, has already crafted a trailer that is rife with spectacle, whether it be large-scale battles, glimpses at kaiju-sized creatures, or even a full-on team-up. However, what the film, and this trailer in particular, highlights is the strength of which it also balances the two, from moments that test Clark Kent’s moral code to even quieter, more intimate beats.

In a key exchange, Lois pushes Clark Kent on how he expects people to perceive his heroism after a confrontation with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, who argues that Superman’s actions are too extreme. Clark responds in a burst of anger and frustration to Lois Lane with “People were going to die!” A reply which likely hints at not just the outer world conflict that the film will wrestle with, but also a theme that will ruminate within Clark’s own story throughout the film.

Yet, while much of the trailer has a sense of tension, there are some more subtle yet effective moments of levity and warmth, too. The most notable one being the film’s final moment in the trailer, which offers a moment of reprieve in the quiet darkness, Superman simply lying in his bed, at peace with himself, and a visibly content Krypto resting on his chest. It’s the type of beat that gives even high-flying superhero stories some of their most powerful resonance. It’s a simple shot, but it speaks volumes about the character and where Gunn is aiming to go with the film. In other words, don’t judge a trailer by its action set pieces alone, and take a look at what the character and the connections they share with the people around them mean.

Looking at the entire canvas of the trailer for Superman, a stacked ensemble cast, a refreshingly modern tone, and heart on its sleeve, the film is shaping up to be not just a reboot for the character but a reset for the DC cinematic universe itself. And if the first trailer is any indication, it’s one with a lot of promise.