Truth, Justice, and Krypto: Superman’s Trailer Delivers All Three

Superman is a fresh start for DC Studios. Writer-director James Gunn will be rebooting the legendary superhero in the first feature film for the studio, which hits theaters this July. Months of speculation have preceded the release of Gunn’s take on the Man of Steel, but with the first full trailer now available, fans have plenty to be excited about.

Superman introduces a new Clark Kent, a fresh Lois Lane, DC’s pantheon of heroes and villains, and one adorable, superhero dog that steals the show. Combining elements of classic, character-driven storytelling and modern blockbuster expectations, the Superman trailer positions the film as an exciting, action-packed reboot with a grounded emotional core.

Emotion, Not Explanation

Gunn has made it clear that the film is not a typical superhero origin story. The trailer does not retread a young Clark Kent’s life in both the Kryptonian and Kansas versions of Smallville. Instead, the film looks to be about Clark’s internal conflict of trying to reconcile his royal Kryptonian heritage with his small-town upbringing in Kansas.

Clark’s quest to find his place in the world, physically and emotionally, is what provides the movie with an emotional anchor. This Superman will have lived more than a few decades at the time of the film. The costume design nods to the traditional Superman look, but the character at the center of the story feels both familiar and new.

The Role of Superman

Star David Corenswet (Pearl, Hollywood) is unrecognizable as the 25-year-old Superman. He’s more experienced than the wide-eyed, well-meaning, but often inept version of Superman audiences are used to. The duality of his role as Clark Kent and Superman plays out in his interactions with Lois Lane, in particular.

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is Lois Lane. In one of the first shots in the trailer, Lois is seen running through a scene of her big interview with “Superman”—Clark Kent. Lois is aggressive and determined, but the two have some chemistry and banter with each other that straddles flirtation and rivalry. It’s still unclear if Lois Lane already knows Clark’s secret identity, but the trailer seems to leave the door open. Some are arguing that she already knows. Others, including this author, point to the body language and especially the facial acting of both Brosnahan and Corenswet in that sequence as indicating that Lois is in the dark.

Nicholas Hoult, who has a well-earned reputation as one of the go-to bad guys in Hollywood, plays Lex Luthor. The trailer features some of Hoult’s trademark menacing brains-over-brawn corporate villainy, but he’s not the only big-name character. Sara Sampaio is Eve Teschmacher, and Terence Rosemore plays Otis, both Luthor’s sycophantic allies.

Dog Day (Kaiju) Afternoon

The real breakout character in the trailer, however, is Superman’s best friend. Krypto, Superman’s white dog, first made an appearance last December in the teaser trailer. In it, fans see the energetic white dog drag a critically injured Superman to safety to the Fortress of Solitude. The official trailer, released today, heaps more fan service on the Krypto hype. One scene shows Krypto—full hero-mode—squaring off paw-to-paw with Lex Luthor, no less, and an alien villain.

Meet Angela Spica, The Engineer, played by Maria Gabriela de Faria. Dressed head to toe in black spandex and wielding a staff with energy-charged rotating blades (nanotechnology at work), Spica is a villain known for high-tech gadgetry and business acumen. The Engineer, as she is also known, is leading a full-scale attack on the Fortress and Superman in particular.

The trailer doesn’t skimp on action and spectacle, either. In between moments of heart, kaiju-style references, action, and ensemble team-ups, Superman also gives fans their first look at a larger collection of lesser-known but no less engaging DC characters. Nathan Fillion stars as Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern with a green complexion and a bowl-cut hairstyle; Anthony Carrigan plays Rex Mason/Metamorpho, an alien with the power to transform the elements within his body; Isabela Merced is the winged warrior Hawkgirl; and Edi Gathegi is the genius inventor and costumed vigilante Michael Holt/Mister Terrific.

Fans also get the first look at Milly Alcock as Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl. The inclusion of Kara, both in this role and in other shots with Superman, hints at the continued expansion of the Kryptonian family saga. Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell round out the family casting as Clark Kent’s adopted Kansas parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.

Frank Grillo fans get one more crossover moment in the form of Rick Flag Sr., reprising his role from the animated series Creature Commandos. Sean Gunn also has a cameo as Maxwell Lord.

Hero or Kid?

With scenes of Superman leaping across rooftops and trading blows in battles with the explosive force of a supernova, the trailer packs in all of the expected comic book spectacle. But most refreshing of all is how the trailer juxtaposes Clark’s sincere desire to be a hero against his own need to justify that to others. In one moment, Lois takes Superman to task about how his well-meaning actions can be perceived by the general public, or worse, officials like the U.S. Secretary of Defense.

Clark’s earnest defense (“People were going to die!”) is both inspiring and also feels relatable. Balancing Clark Kent’s desire to do the right thing and the full-on superhero response to a world that does not always recognize that need is likely to be the thematic heart of the movie.

Lighter moments and character banter are peppered throughout, but the trailer ends on an elegantly simple and charming note. Superman, for a moment, is on his bed alone in peaceful repose, the stresses of the world, at least momentarily, behind him. Superman has always been a hero of quiet dignity and power, but he is also very much a character that people can relate to. The last shot of the trailer: a relaxed Superman in bed with a contented Krypto dog on his chest. This shot could be an over-the-top comic book cliché, but in the way that Gunn and his team are building the world, it’s as close to a perfect Superman ending as one can hope for.

Superman isn’t just a reboot, but a reset. The cast list, the storytelling, the visual style, all of it seems pointed at a new, modern DC cinematic universe. The future looks bright and high-flying, and if this trailer is any indication, it’s off to a spectacular start.