TheDC Universedynamic between Lex Luthor and the Man of Steel gets established by James Gunn for the newSupermanmovie. One of DC Comics' most classic rivalries will be reimagined once more, withGunn’sSupermanmoviepitting Krypton’s last son against Metropolis' most powerful figure. While the DC Universe is setting up the idea of superheroes already being established in this world, it also poses a lot of questions about various relationships between heroes and villains in this continuity.
During aSupermanset visit in Cleveland, Ohio, back in June - withScreenRant’sown Rob Keyes present along with other outlets in the midst of principal photography for Gunn’s 2025 superhero installment -the press got a better idea of not just the DC Universe timeline, but also about where Clark Kent’s story picks up when audience members first begin to follow him. With the idea of a superhero origin story being less of a focus forSuperman, Gunn stressed that there is a big focus on starting things off in the middle, as the DC Studios co-CEO shared the following:
James Gunn: It was about really putting us in the middle of the action from the beginning. And there’s a lot of these things in this movie now that I’ve been making it for over a year that I think of as normal. But now when you bring it up, I go, oh yeah, that’s pretty unusual. We just start in the middle of the action. Superman’s already existing. Lois and Clark already know each other. Lex hates Superman’s guts from the beginning, although they don’t know each other personally. So we start right in the middle of the action. It takes place over a short amount of time.
What James Gunn’s Superman Movie Story Comments Mean
Withthe many live-actionSupermanmoviesand TV shows that have come throughout the decades,the conflict between Superman and Lex has been heavily explored in various ways. WithSmallvilletackling how they became enemies,Superman & Loisseeing the end of their war, and the DCEU having Lex responsible for the Man of Steel’s death, now Gunn’s DC Universe gets to tackle it a new way by having their rivalry already established.
Since Superman is most likely in his second or third year as a superhero, Lex’s hatred still gets to be fresh while also not feeling it has skipped too many steps yet that will be relevant for the audience to follow. The idea of Lex and Superman still being relatively new opponents will also leave the door open for flashbacks to potentially explore how they got there.
Since this will be the first film version of Superman and Lex where they are relatively around the same age,Hoult’s version of the character could also still be early into his trajectory as one of the most dangerous players in Metropolis. This works as a departure from whatthe DCEU movie timelinetried to do with their Lex while also paving the way for him to have a long arc in the DC Universe.
Our Take On James Gunn’s Superman Movie Story Comments
Based on Gunn’s tease about theSupermanmovie timeline,it will be fascinating to follow what the long run will be for Lex and Clark in the franchise. Their rivalry will hopefully be one of the big takeaways inthe firstSupermantrailerwhen it gets released this Thursday, giving audience members a taste of what to look forward to in 2025. Hopefully, the events ofSupermanwill help to set up the DC Universe for many years to come.
Superman
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Superman (2025): Superman follows the dual life of Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, as he endeavors to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Set against a backdrop of personal discovery, the film explores his journey of identity as he navigates his existence in a complex world.
