Popcorn Podcast joins James Gunn for Superman teaser trailer first look
David Corenswet as Superman in James Gunn’s Superman. Image: Warner Bros.
In James Gunn we trust
Our first look at DC Studios’ Superman teases the perfect balance of action, emotion, character and that instantly recognisable John Williams score. Nostalgic and fresh, Superman evokes a feeling of excitement with droves of film fans eager to see it take flight in July of 2025.
Popcorn Podcast took part in an early virtual press conference with James Gunn (writer, director, producer) as he discussed his highly anticipated Superman with select media outlets, offering snackable insights into the teaser trailer and what to expect from the film – coming to Australian cinemas July 10, 2025.
Starring David Corenswet as Superman, the film’s cast also includes Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern), Milly Alcock (Supergirl), and Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific).
At 2:19 in length, the trailer is quite the tease indeed. As the first film from the newly formed DC Studios, this franchise-starter clearly has a lot of setting up to do. But we know Gunn can balance character and tone and story well, which is exactly what the teaser delivers.
There is so much to unpack in this first teaser for Superman. It has the Kryptonian hero saving people, blasting off into the sky and looking demure and flustered in equal measure as his alter ego Clark Kent, all the while promising a strong introduction to a brand new interpretation of the classic comic book character.
As we see a bruised, battered and bloodied Superman pummelled into the snow wearing his iconic red and blue costume (and yes, the red trunks are back), we know Superman is coming up against big foes.
Gunn reveals: “This movie is about Clark Kent's humanity. Yes, he's an alien from another planet who's super powerful, but he is also deeply, deeply human. He has emotions and feelings, and every day he wakes up and tries to make the best choices he can – and sometimes he fails – and that's what this movie is about.”
One of the biggest takeaways from the teaser is John Murphy’s fresh interpretation of John William’s iconic theme from the 1978 original film starring Christopher Reeve. This time, an electric guitar riff builds into a full-bodied orchestral score, reminiscent of Top Gun. If that doesn’t get you pumped, we’re not sure what will.
The mention of formidable foes brings us to a first glimpse at Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. “One of the things that was really important to me was to make a Lex Luthor who was absolutely Superman's equal, maybe more than that… this Lex is scary,” Gunn says of Superman’s most famous adversary. “And it's not just because he is a bad, bad guy, because he's pretty bad, but he has his reasons for thinking what he thinks, and it's a lot of ideological things about what Superman represents versus what he represents as the world's most intelligent man. I think it really is this battle of ideologies between the two of them and how they look at the world.”
Where there are foes, there are also friends, or better still, a best friend. Superman’s Kryptonian sidekick Krypto barrels through the snow in the opening shots of the teaser, saving Superman from a precarious situation. Gunn shares there are hints of his own rescue dog in the look and feel of the loveable canine.
“Krypto is based on my dog, Ozu. He was the world's worst dog and he was actually one of the inspirations because I was like, ‘Well, thank God I don't have a super dog like Krypto! What if Krypto was as bad as Ozu was?’ You'd have a pretty difficult situation.”
We also get a few glimpses of Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane in the trailer, and Gunn offers insight into her character. “I think Lois is a journalist of the highest order. She believes in the truth pretty much at almost any price, and that makes her a real force to be reckoned with. I wanted to really see why Superman loves Lois so much. And so, from the beginning, we did chemistry reads with Superman and Lois. David and Rachel got these roles, not because they were individually great as those characters, but together, as a couple, they bounced off of each other in an incredibly dynamic way.”
It’s safe to say we are in for an incredible ride with James Gunn’s Superman. We cannot wait to see what the whole cast brings to the film, and follow the adventures and challenges their characters all endure.
