Superman release date, trailer, cast, and everything you need to know about the new movie

Superman is only months away from hitting the big screen, and David Corenswet's iteration of the Man of Steel is set to kick off the movie side of James Gunn's DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Rachel Brosnahan is the Lois Lane to Corenswet's Clark Kent, while Nicholas Hoult will be playing the movie's antagonist, Lex Luthor.

There's still a fair bit of secrecy surrounding the movie, but the first Superman trailer gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect from the next big DC blockbuster, as does some new footage shown behind closed doors at this year's CinemaCon. We've got the lowdown on all that, as well as the Superman release date, cast, and more, to give you everything you need to know about one of the biggest upcoming superhero movies in 2025.

Superman release date

Superman will release on July 11, 2025. That's right; we only have a few more months of waiting left for one of the most exciting upcoming DC movies!

Despite the WGA writers' strike and the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike, which both took place in 2023, the movie hasn't been delayed and has officially wrapped principal photography. We've also seen the first trailer drop, so it's unlikely that there will be any date changes in the future.

Superman trailer

Superman | Official Teaser Trailer - YouTube

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The trailer for Superman dropped in December 2024 and it looks amazing. In the clip above you'll see our first look at Superman, showing all his sides as we see him with his family, with his love interest, and finally with his face all bloody from a massive fight.

The trailer didn't give any major plot details, but we do know that Lex Luthor will be the main big bad in the film and that Superman will likely be coming to terms with his various identities. Exciting stuff!

In late January 2025, a new Superman teaser was released, with footage including Lex Luthor stepping out of a helicopter, and Superman flying over an icy landscape (you can see it below).

We should start seeing more teasers emerge as we get closer to release. So far, Gunn and Warner Bros. have kept information close to their chest, but we'll learn more coming into the summer.

In the meantime, there was some new footage shown behind closed doors at CinemaCon 2025. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the previously unseen footage showed "Superman getting assistance from a particularly rambunctious Krypto, who eventually drags him into the Fortress of Solitude. A number of lines were greeted with laughter from the crowd."

Superman plot 

Not much is known about the plot of Superman just yet, but we do have some basics to go off. The main thing we know is that the film will focus on a young Clark Kent as a reporter at The Daily Planet, and it will look at how he balances his Kryptonian and human heritage. It also won't be an origin story.

Beyond that, the film is a bit of a mystery, though, from the cast, which we dive into below, we can assume that Lex Luthor will be the movie's villain, or one of them at least, and that other key DC characters will be making appearances. In the trailer Lex is on full display, so it's looking more likely that he'll be Superman's primary foe this time round though.

We also have an idea what comics have inspired the movie. "[Corenswet] mentioned how the vibes of the new movie are based on For All Seasons and All-Star, but the story is 'totally its own thing,'" The Direct's Senior Editor David Thompson shared on Twitter.

All-Star Superman is one of the comics being read in a photo from the set shared by Gunn, which you can check out below.

Plus, Metamorpho actor Anthony Carrigan said that the movie has something in common with Gunn's other superhero outing, Guardians of the Galaxy. "I am hesitant to liken it to Guardians, but I do think that [Superman] has the same heart and intelligence. That’s James’ trademark," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "But I think it’s going to be its own thing entirely. The process of working on it was such a special one, and the whole cast was on board with bringing something really special to it. So, hopefully, that’s conveyed on screen.”

Superman cast: who is playing Superman?

Superman has a fairly stacked cast. Here's the line-up:

• David Corenswet – Superman
• Nicholas Hoult – Lex Luthor
• Rachel Brosnahan – Lois Lane
• Skyler Gisondo – Jimmy Olsen
• Isabela Merced – Hawkgirl
• Nathan Fillion – Guy Gardner
• Edi Gathegi – Mister Terrific
• Anthony Carrigan – Metamorpho
• Wendell Pierce - Perry White
• Pruitt Taylor Vince – Jonathan Kent
• Neva Howell – Martha Kent

Sean Gunn has also been cast as Maxwell Lord in the DCU, though it's currently unclear if he'll be showing up in Superman – similarly, House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock will play Supergirl, but it's not known for certain if she'll be appearing in this film.

Will Reeve, the youngest son of late actor Christopher Reeve, is set to have a special cameo as a TV reporter in the movie, too. Might he have a run-in with Clark Kent from the Daily Planet? His father Christopher, of course, is forever linked with the DC character, having brought the Kryptonian to life in 1978, 1980, 1983, and 1987.

James Gunn recently shared a picture of the main cast together – including a bald Nicholas Hoult really getting into his role as Lex Luthor.

First look at Superman's suit

James Gunn celebrated Superman's birthday by revealing the tiniest of glimpses from Superman's suit. While we can't glean too much from the post (which you can see below), Superman's iconic 'S' chest logo still remains, though it appears to be made of fabric this time around. The 'S' also partially resembles the logo used by the character in Mark Waid and Alex Ross' seminal comic Kingdom Come.

A new logo for the film was unveiled at CinemaCon, too, which looks metallic, is bright yellow and red, and features an 'S' tapering off at the base.

We also have an even better look at Corenswet in costume, thanks to an image Gunn shared on Threads, which you can see below. The pic shows Clark looking pretty beat up and dirty, pulling on one of his red boots as all sorts of chaos goes down out the window behind him in the skies above Metropolis. Maybe ties those laces a bit quicker, eh, Supes? The chaos in question might very well be Solaris the Tyrant Sun, a villain that made its first appearance in DC One Million #1 back in 1998, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Is Superman connected to any other DC films? And what happened to Henry Cavill?

Superman is the first film of the new DCU, which begins with Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. This is totally different from the old DCEU, which began with Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill, and ended with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

James Gunn and Peter Safran's new universe is a reboot of the DC cinematic franchise, and it has no connection to the old set of films. It is, however, connected to the rest of the DCU – which began with the animated show Creature Commandos on Max.

As for Cavill, he played Superman in the old DCEU, and, despite announcing his return to the role after his Black Adam post-credits scene appearance, is no longer the Man of Steel. You can read our full breakdown on what happened with Henry Cavill as Superman through the link.

For more super films, check out our guide on how to watch all the DC movies in order. Or check out our list of the best superhero movies of all time.