James Gunn has officially given DC fans a preview of his future for DC with ateaser trailer for his first major film, Superman. The first look into David Corenswet’s iteration ofSupermanwas well received by the masses, but outside of everyone’s favorite Kryptonian, Gunn used the nearly two-and-a-half-minute trailer to tease a ton of other prominent DC characters, good and bad alike.
Krypto the Superdog
The true star of the Superman teaser trailer, Krypto the Superdog,, will finally make the jump to live-action in Gunn’s Superman story. Krypto shows off his super-canine hearing and speed, rescuing a bruised and battered Kal El. James Gunn stated previously that his inspiration for bringing Krypto into his live-action DC universe came from his own dog Ozu, who he adopted while writing Superman.
Krypto is another survivor of the demise of Krypton who’s found his way to Earth, with his first official appearance in DC comics dating back to 1955 in Adventure Comics #210. DC’s Superdog carriesvery similar powersto his loyal companion Superman, including super speed, strength, breath, and flight. Krypto had made live-action appearances in television, appearing in CW’s Smallville, Superman and Lois, and HBO Max series Titans.
Guy Gardner
Another highly anticipated debut in the Gunnverse was Guy Gardner, thethird Green Lantern of Earth, played by Nathan Fillion. Gardner doesn’t get the Krypto treatment but can be spotted for a brief few seconds firing a beam of green light before approaching a kneeling Superman. Fans on social media have already begun to meme our first live-action Guy Gardner, especially for his bowl haircut, which is a comic-book-accurate portrayal.
Guy Gardner first appeared in the Green Lantern comic book series' 59th edition in 1968. Gardner rose to popularity around the 1980s, known as the macho man and sometimes hot-headed member of the Green Lantern core. Gardner almost appeared in a now-deleted scene of the 2011 Green Lantern film starring Ryan Reynolds, only showing up in various animated movies and TV shows from DC.
Lex Luthor
Arguably Superman’s greatest foe, Gunn’s teaser trailer also gives viewers a sneak peek at billionaire baldyLex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult.Luthor flashes across the screen a few times in the trailer, once from atop his skyscraper corporate headquarters, Luthocorp as Superman flies by, and another time brandishing a fancy revolver of sorts, and lastly sporting a defeated look with cuts and scrapes covering his face.
Unlike Krypto and Guy Gardner, DC fans have gotten a few iterations of live-action Lex Luthor. The last silver screen adaptation came in the Snyderverse by Jesse Eisenberg, but Michael Cudlitz played the most recent Lex in CW’s Superman and Lois. In all his iterations, Lex Luthor has proven to be a formidable adversary to Superman, driven by his fear of the Kryptonian’s other-worldly powers and what he could do with them to humans.
Another iconic DC character in the Superman teaser trailer is Kendra Saunders, A.K.A Hawkgirl, played by Isabela Merced. Hawkgirl, much like Guy Gardner, gets her moment in the trailer, with a shot of her swooping down from the heavens in full costume, mace and all. In an earlier interview, Mercedhyped up her wardrobefor the upcoming film with fans finally getting their first look thanks to the teaser.
Hawkgirl’s first true appearance was in 1940 in Flash Comics #1, with her immortal spirit through Egyptian princess Chay-Ara. Now having gone through three different reincarnations into the modern era. The last time DC fans got a live-action Kendra Saunders as Hawkgirl was in the CW Arrowverse, played by Ciara Renee. A main storyline for Hawkgirl revolves around her immortality being tied to a love bond with Hawkman, meaning both will likely appear in James Gunn’s DC universe in the future.
Mr. Terrific
Completing the trio of Superman’s allies from the latest teaser trailer isMichael Holt, aka Mr. Terrific, portrayed by Edi Gathegi. The super-genius inventor can be spotted a few times, with an awesome scene showing Holt in his comic-accurate T-suit walling off a field of gunfire with a holographic projection.
Michael Holt’s Mr. Terrific debuted in Spectre Volume 3 in 1997 and has since made many appearances across DC animated film, television, and video game adaptations. Holt is a genius inventor known for his “T-Spheres,” which can create holographic barriers on command, energy bursts, and high-level hacking abilities. Holt’s backstory is one of tragedy, marred by the death of his wife and unborn child, a fate he blames himself for. Hopefully Gathegi can bring the personification of these deep scars to the character.
Metamorpho
If you blink during the teaser trailer you’ll miss it, but Gunn does in fact debut Rex Mason, A.K.A.Metamorpho, or The Element Man, played by Anthony Carrigan. Metamorpho pops up for a single shot displaying his true-to-character blue irises and black eyes. Metamorpho is a lesser-known sad tale in the DC universe, having lost all his flesh, bones, and blood when he was transformed against his will into The Element Man. It will be interesting to see how Gunn utilizes Metamorpho in this film, especially considering another still frame shows Stagg Enterprises, the corporation responsible for turning Rex Mason into The Element Man.
Superman Trailer Has One Cringe Moment But Is Otherwise Full Of Exciting Details
The “teaser” trailer for James Gunn’s Superman shows off a whole, bustling world.
