Lois Lane’s Sharp Wit Anchors the New Superman Trailer

DC Studios is entering a new chapter this summer with Superman, a rebooted look at one of its most iconic superheroes from writer-director James Gunn. The film has been in development for a while, and had already generated months of publicity leading up to its release, but this past Wednesday, July 5, the first full trailer finally debuted, and there’s a lot to be excited about. There’s a new Clark Kent, a sassy Lois Lane, plenty of DC standouts to look forward to, and of course, one scene-stealing superdog. All of this makes for a light on origin story and heavy on emotion trailer for an exciting, fresh reboot.

Superman: The Movie Isn’t Clark Kent’s Origin Story

First off, for anyone rewatching Superman trailers as I am, it’s not a standard origin story; Gunn previously made this point clear. While early elements from his backstory will be addressed, he explained that the movie is more of an internal journey for Clark Kent as he struggles to balance his Kryptonian princely heritage and the reality of his small-town Kansas upbringing. He’s a hero, but he’s not from around here, which is a new thematic approach and one that gives the movie emotional heft.

David Corenswet is the man in the cape, having worked his way into the big time with notable performances in Pearl and Hollywood. He’s 25 years old and more experienced than the new-minted, doe-eyed young Clark Kents we were used to seeing in the early days of DC’s superhero origins stories. He’s double-dutying as both Clark Kent and Superman, it seems, especially in the interactions with Lois Lane.

Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is playing Lois Lane, a not-nice, no-nonsense journalist who puts Clark through the wringer with her interviewing style and personal insights about how he’s fitting into his new job and heroics. She does her first interview in the trailer, with “Superman”, as played of course by Clark Kent, running alongside her through the halls of the Daily Planet. Lois and Clark show a definite flirtatious vibe, even some playful competition, but has she figured out Clark’s secret yet? The trailer offers a couple of different hints, though people in the comments seem to already be arguing it’s been established that she knows. Others, like myself, point to the quickness of the scene and the manner of the actors’ expressions that the dynamic of the scene still suggests Lois is in the dark. If this is all it takes to have one of the most titillating superhero setups, then we’re all for it. It also very quickly makes their relationship the focus of the story.

Nicholas Hoult was also a massive hire for DC, and it would seem he won’t be defrauded of his Lex Luthor parts anytime soon, according to this trailer. He is playing the big bad, with some brief but signature Luthor sneering corporate villain antics included in the trailer. He’s also got some lackeys, Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher) and Terence Rosemore (Otis).

Krypto, Kaiju, and the DC Universe Beyond

Krypto is perhaps one of the more surprising stars in the clip. Superman’s canine Kryptonian companion can first be seen in the December teaser last year (where he heroically drags a gravely wounded Superman to the Fortress of Solitude), but the new trailer hammers home how on top of this superhero stuff the dog is. We see Krypto go paw-to-toe against the new Luthor and high-tech DC baddie Angela Spica (Maria Gabriela de Faria), also known as The Engineer, a mysterious villain donned in black spandex and wielding some nasty rotating blades that she uses to mow through armies during a full-fledged, nanotech weapons-equipped, explosive battle against the superhero team.

Superman is still full of action, so it’s not all surprising debuts and new Kryptonian favorites. Amidst more epic action sequences and flashes of kaiju, a whole pile of new characters from the vast DC Universe make appearances. Nathan Fillion shows up as a Bowl-cut donning Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Anthony Carrigan shows up as Rex Mason/Metamorpho, a human mutant who can alter his body to control the elements. Isabela Merced shows up as a winged fighter woman, Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as a smartass physicist-turned-hero called Michael Holt/Mister Terrific.

Fans will also get their first look at Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, in the trailer, played by Milly Alcock. We will also meet his parents: Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, and Neva Howell as Martha Kent, his surrogate, earthbound adoptive parents. After all, Clark has to come from somewhere, right?

DC fans will also find another crossover moment to analyze with actor Frank Grillo reprising his animated role as Rick Flag Sr., from DC’s Creature Commandos series, while Sean Gunn also makes a special appearance as Maxwell Lord.

It’s All Heart

Sure, a lot is going on from top to bottom, lots of twists and turns and toys to play with, from rooftops to dog antics, but in many ways it’s the human side of superheroics, which feels to be a main through line of the entire movie. When Lois puts Superman’s heroism to the test by pressing him about how his heroics and saving the day are seen from on high by the likes of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Clark answers back with “People were going to die!” That’s a line that punches you in the gut, and one that will likely reappear through Superman, as the inner conflicts and morals of Clark Kent seem to be a theme that will extend through most of the film.

Not all of it is high intensity either. Small moments and quieter touches in this trailer help balance things out. The film’s final look in the trailer is brief and intimate: Superman, alone and on his own in a rare moment, lies on his bed and looks up as the camera pans over his face and down to a panting and satisfied Krypto on his chest. The interactions between the two are everything I want to see in the build-up to this movie. It’s a human moment, an emotional undercurrent to the massive superhero spectacle above.

With the cast list alone, this reboot is already an exciting prospect, and judging by this trailer alone, it has a wide net to cast for a DC superhero team-up going forward. It is going to be a new chapter for DC’s shared cinematic universe. Judging by the trailer, a good one.