Meet the New Superman: David Corenswet Takes Flight in First Trailer

DC Studios is hoping for a fresh start with its reboot of Superman, the film version of the hero written and directed by James Gunn. The long-awaited film is releasing this July, but it’s been generating headlines for months. Now that the first full trailer has dropped, audiences have no excuse for not being excited.

Superman features a new Clark Kent and Lois Lane (looking sassy and determined as ever), a host of DC heroes and villains, and one adorable superdog. The trailer gives fans a strong indication of just how different Gunn’s take on the Man of Steel will be. But before we take a closer look, here’s the full video for you to enjoy.

Watch: James Gunn’s Superman Trailer Drops

One thing Gunn has made clear, even before he shot a single frame of the film, is that this isn’t your traditional origin story. This is a very specific take on the classic tale of an alien coming to Earth and trying to figure out where he belongs. Superman will focus on Clark Kent’s emotional journey as he struggles with both his upbringing as a small-town Kansas farm boy and his birthright as a Kryptonian prince.

The former Arrow star David Corenswet (Pearl, Hollywood) plays the title character, Superman, and most of his portrayal in the trailer shows him as a 25-year-old who’s already quite worldly and experienced. He’s got very different versions of himself under both Clark Kent and Superman costumes, which he deftly juggles, particularly in scenes with Lois Lane. Brosnahan, no stranger to witty characters, plays Lois Lane as a strong, feisty reporter who Clark must pique.

The trailer begins with Lois running away from the “Superman” she was just interviewing while being filmed for a behind-the-scenes-style reality show (talk about subverting expectations). After she trips and a concerned Clark runs after her, they share some banter, and then tease and flirt with each other. But does Lois know who Superman is? One look at Lois’s face at the end of this scene has some people convinced that she does know. Others (including this writer) don’t buy it based on the cast’s facial expressions, which seem more in line with Lois still being in the dark. We’ll see, but either way, it’s a dynamic at the center of the film that’s working.

Nicholas Hoult is another notable actor in the lineup as Lex Luthor, the ultimate Superman foe. We get just a brief glimpse of his patented scheming bad-assery here as the self-made business titan, but he’s got some eager company. Sara Sampaio (Poldark) stars as Luthor’s right-hand woman, Eve Teschmacher, and Terence Rosemore is Luthor’s right-hand man, Otis.

Krypto, Kaiju, and More DC Characters Than You Can Spell

One character not even DC fans could have predicted becoming the breakout star of this film? Superman’s white dog, Krypto. In the teaser released last December, he swiftly pulls a gravely wounded Superman into the Fortress of Solitude. The full trailer has another dose of the dog’s daredevil action chops as he takes on Luthor, the armor-clad Angela Spica (The Engineer), and more. Spica, played by Maria Gabriela de Faria, comes armed with her signature black body suit and a weaponized shoulder sleeve that fires razor-sharp, rotating blades (powered by nanotechnology). She leads a massive assault on the Fortress in this action sequence.

In addition to the epic battles, kaiju (we see a few flashes of it in the trailer), and team-ups, the trailer also hints at a wide cast of supporting players. Nathan Fillion shows up as Guy Gardner, a dude-with-a-dude-bowl haircut Green Lantern; Anthony Carrigan is Rex Mason/Metamorpho, a human alien with the ability to control elements within his body; Isabela Merced plays winged warrior, Hawkgirl; and Edi Gathegi is Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, an inventor-turned-masked-hero.

Milly Alcock, best known for playing Wendy in the Harry Potter films, is on the team as Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El (yes, that Kara Zor-El), also known as Supergirl. It’s more evidence that Gunn might be expanding on more than just Superman’s family tree with this story. Pruitt Taylor Vince (Memoria, Flightplan) and Neva Howell play Clark Kent’s adopted Kansas farm parents, Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, while Rachel Zegler costars as one of Superman’s love interests, Missakian.

DC Crossovers and Creature Commandos

Speaking of crossovers, you may recognize Frank Grillo as well. He returns to the DC universe as Rick Flag Sr. from the animated series Creature Commandos, but also seemingly gets a nod in the film. It’s less surprising that Gunn found a place for Sean Gunn as well as the two worked on the Guardians of the Galaxy movies together.

The heroics and explosions in the trailer are nonstop, with special effects ranging from grounded rooftop acrobatics to space-aged combat. But the best part of the film, teased in the trailer, might be the emotional core. As Lois tries to get under Clark’s skin (or his suit), she challenges the hero’s sense of right and wrong by questioning how his actions may look to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. This scene, where Clark finally loses his cool (and completely ignores Lois’s point), is the heart of the story. “People were going to die!” is a phrase that hints at the kind of inner conflict Clark will have to face.

This raises the stakes beyond just the personal. It hints at how Clark may have to adapt to the constant scrutiny that comes with his heroism. This is probably why this story works as an origin of sorts: because the true test of Superman isn’t just whether he can fight alien kaiju monsters. It’s whether or not he can reconcile the weight of his personal choices with those of his public image.

The trailer also nicely sets up a lighter tone, and the film may strike as well. The last shot of the trailer is the best: Superman finally collapses on his bed, in his underpants, in a rare moment of peace and contentment. Krypto is resting, eyes closed, on his chest with a satisfied snort. It’s not the most exciting moment of the trailer, but the perfect one to end on. If Superman can strike that kind of balance between blockbuster heroism and quiet connection, Gunn may have nailed this reboot.

It’s a stacked cast, a fresh modern tone, and an emotionally driven story that make this Superman trailer look promising for a reset on the DC universe as a whole. We’ll find out this summer if it is.