The Man of Steel is making a triumphant return in James Gunn's upcoming film, "Superman," set to hit theaters in July. The recently released trailer has sparked a wave of excitement among fans, showcasing the dynamic performance of lead actor David Corenswet and the thrilling action sequences featuring Superman's loyal companion, Krypto. However, the trailer's packed lineup of characters has left many fans pondering how the film will manage to weave a coherent narrative amidst the bustling activity.
On Reddit's r/Superman thread, reactions to the trailer were mixed but passionate. One user commented, "Strong start to the trailer. But then practically every shot was another new character and I started worrying how the movie was going to tell a coherent story." Echoing this sentiment, another fan noted, "The movie looks like it might be a bit busy, there's a lot going on here," despite praising Corenswet's portrayal of both Superman and Clark Kent.
Concerns about the film's potential overcrowding were further highlighted by a fan who wrote, "Am I the only one who is worried for all the cameos that are in the trailer? Like I swear I was counting like 8 friends and foes in this movie. I know they want to set up James Gunn's DCU with this but I would prefer it to be less heavy on cameo fodder and take more time to develop the characters that are needed to tell the story that they're trying to tell."
The trailer indeed introduces a wide array of characters, from Clark Kent's Earth parents and love interest Lois Lane (played by Rachel Brosnahan) to a host of villains led by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Despite the worries, many fans are thrilled at the prospect of these character introductions. One user expressed enthusiasm, stating, "I'm glad there's a lot going on. We've seen him fight Lex & Zod countless times at this point, I want to see him completely overwhelmed and emerge as a symbol of hope." Another fan defended the character lineup, noting, "It's side characters, less cameos. Like Iron Man had several side characters."
A third fan added a pragmatic perspective, saying, "Movies usually need secondary/side characters. Gunn here is just filling in those spots with rather big names, but I doubt he'll give them more than what they need."
Superman: Behind the Scenes Cast and Character Images
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While some fans expressed concerns about the film possibly being overstuffed, the general excitement remains high. One user wrote, "It looks good but wondering how they're going to shoehorn so many different characters into one movie," to which another fan responded, "It's not any more characters than the average comic book movie. It's fine." A third user even drew a comparison, saying, "Kinda like Guardians of the Galaxy…?"
James Gunn has reassured fans that the film is not an ensemble piece but rather focuses on the core trio of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor. During an Instagram Live session at the start of 2025, Gunn stated, "At the middle of everything is Clark, Lois, and Lex. It's about these three characters." How he balances the expansive cast with this central focus will be a key point of interest when "Superman" flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.
