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It's time for the superhero of superheroes to have his day.

On July 11, 2025 (and sooner for some people), DC's Superman will once again star in his own live-action movie. In a world where Marvel Comics have given rise to arguably the most successful movie franchise of all time, it's about time for the quintessential superhero around the world to get his moment. And in the first trailer for Superman, we are reminded why he matters - because he saves people.

With the first clip out from James Gunn's Superman starring David Corenswet as your Man of Steel, the next six months will be a cavalcade of sights and sounds as trailers, posters, clips, interviews, surprises, and more will come out about this benchmark flick - and we here at Popverse will be covering all those major moments - in our various Superman stories, but also in this encompassing guide to all things 2025 Superman.

WIth everything from Superman trailers to Superman plot, Superman cast, Superman release dates (there' more than one!), we will have it all for you right here. But first...

What is Superman?

Officially being referred to by Safran and Gunn as “the launch of the new DCU,” Superman (originally called Superman: Legacy) is the first movie in the new era of DC Studios output, which will see the majority of movies and television shows share one common continuity (projects like Joker: Folie à Deux and The Batman Part II will still be produced, but will fall outside of this new shared universe setting; think of them as Elseworlds stories). As such, it’ll be audiences' first chance to see the new DCU on the big screen, and an introduction to a canon that will also include Supergirl, the Green Lanterns, and more.

What Superman should we be expecting on screen?

There are eight decades’ worth of Superman stories to draw on when bringing Superman to the screen, and several different versions of the character inside that time. So: which era and version of Superman should audiences be expecting to see reflected onscreen?

It’s too early to say for sure, but all signs are currently pointing towards Grant Morrison’s take on the character being the primary influence; not only has DC been using Frank Quitely’s artwork from the Morrison/Quitely 2005 series All-Star Superman to accompany news of Superman: Legacy’s announcement, but Gunn himself has shared the book as reading material on social media before now, and also spoken about Morrison being an influence on the new onscreen DCU more generally.

Of course, “Morrison’s Superman” goes far beyond just All-Star Superman — importantly, there’s also their Action Comics run from 2011 through 2013, which spelled out the character’s early days in the 'New 52' era of DC, and showed a more rebellious side to the Man of Steel, as well as the more recent Superman and The Authority miniseries. Oh, and about the Authority...

Is the new Superman movie a reboot?

Yes indeed! The Superman we're going to meet in 2025 is not only a new iteration of the character, but exists in an iteration of the DC Universe on screen, dubbed by its creators the "DCU."

Just what is the legacy, anyway?

Though the word has been dropped from the title, using the term “legacy” in a project that’s intended to launch the new DCU is certainly a choice, and suggests that both filmmakers and executives are well aware of the pressures they’re dealing with in bringing a new generation of DC to movie and television audiences. If the original title was meant to refer to something more concretely inside the movie itself, though, the obvious question is… what?

Safran has said about the movie, “It’s not an origin story. It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Superman represents truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned.” Is the legacy Superman’s Kryptonian past, then, or perhaps the idea that being kind and helpful is an outmoded concept in today’s world…? Or, perhaps, both…?

(That Superman is rumored to lead into The Authority makes this a particularly interesting topic, given that the Authority is a famously morally grey super team. The comparison or contextualization of both concepts and attitudes together feels very intentional… but where is it going to lead, exactly?)

Who is the Superman 2025 director?

On March 15, 2023 James Gunn confirmed via Twitter that he would be directing Superman: Legacy, also sharing with fans his personal connection to the date and the character himself.

Yes, I’m directing Superman: Legacy to be released on July 11, 2025. My brother Matt told me when he saw the release date he started to cry. I asked him why. He said, “Dude, it’s Dad’s birthday.” I hadn’t realized. pic.twitter.com/ohQNV8nI4g

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 15, 2023

Who is the Superman 2025 cast?

The name of the movie might be Superman, but as you can tell from the first Superman teaser trailer this is an ensemble affair - Lois is there, Lex too, but also everyone from Perry White to Kelex, Mister Terrific and more. Here's who we know so far:

• David Coenswet as Clark Kent / Superman
• Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
• Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
• Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mister Terrific
• Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho
• Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner / Green Lantern
• Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl
• Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen
• Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher
• Maria Gabriela de Faria as Angela Spica / The Engineer
• Wendell Pierce as Perry White
• Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent
• Neva Howell as Martha Kent
• Terence Rosemore as Otis
• Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard
• Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant
• Christopher McDonald as Ron Troupe
• Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
• Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord
• Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl

In addition to that, Alan Tudyk has an unannounced role in it as does Will Reeve, the son of the late Superman actor Christopher Reeve. There are two characters we don't know who will be playing them just yet - Krypto the Dog and Kelex. Don't discount dog actors or motion-capture actors (I know James Gunn doesn't!).

Who is the new Superman actor?

David Corenswet is playing Superman in DC Studios' new cinematic universe. He comes to the cape and tights after watching Smallville growing up, making his on-screen debut in 2018's House of Cards, then going on to be a lead actor for Ryan Murphy in both The Politician and Hollywood. Like Superman's creators, Corenswet grew up in a Jewish household - and is actually related to the creator of the Choose Your Own Adventure novels. 

When the casting call to play DC's Superman came out, Corenswet beat out a host of contenders including Jacob Elordi, Tom Brittney, Pierson Fode, Jack Quaid, and Nicholas Hoult. 

If you're looking to get to know David Corenswet before Superman, I recommend watching 2024's Twisters and his co-starring role in 2022's horror hit Pearl.

Who is the villain in Superman 2025?

Where is the Superman 2025 trailer (or trailers)?

The first real clip from the 2025 Superman movie came to us on December 19, 2024 - a tight 2+ minute 'teaser trailer'. The first of many we expect to come between now and... .wait... what's that in the sky?!

When is the 2025 Superman release date?

James Gunn's Superman will be coming out in June 2025 - July 11 for those of us in the United States, but two days early for those of you outside of it all. If anyone says Superman is just America's hero, they're lying to yourself - thee's enough to share!

Read more about the new DCU and the many projects intended to appear.