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

Superman has finally hit the big screen, which means it's time to be taken up, up, and away by a brand new version of the Man of Steel. David Corenswet is donning the red cape (and trunks), while Rachel Brosnahan is picking up Lois Lane's pen, and Nicholas Hoult is stepping into his villain era as Lex Luthor.

This movie is also kicking off the theatrical wing of James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, following Creature Commandos' 2024 small-screen release. Having been one of the most exciting upcoming superhero movies for years now, it's well worth getting yourself ready with all the facts before you put on your movie-watching capes.

Below, you'll find details on every trailer, who's who in the cast, and what's out there about the plot, so you'll be up to speed in no time. If you're just in the mood for a movie marathon, though, you can head to our guide on how to watch the DC movies in order to get up to date.

Superman reviews

At the time of writing, Superman has had a wave of positive reviews and reception from fans and critics alike. The majority of reviews praise the reboot as a great comic book movie outing that (while not perfect) is plenty goofy and enjoyable in the best kind of ways.

However, a common critic among movie watchers is that the film's plot is a bit clunky as well as "scattered". The GamesRadar+ team were personally big fans of the film, though, with our Jordan Farley writing in his Superman review: "James Gunn’s DCU launchpad is a spectacular reinvention of Superman, bringing the character closer to the comics than ever before and laying solid foundations for the future of a new superhero universe."

We'll keep you posted as more verdicts come in!

Superman release date

Superman was released worldwide on July 11, 2025. That's right; after topping our list as the most exciting upcoming DC movie, the new version of the Man of Steel has finally flown onto the big screen.

We are still waiting for a streaming release date, though, for all you fans who aren't massive cinema-goers. But, while we wait for VOD details, we have a list where we have all the Superman movies ranked from worst to best. Just in case you want a Kryptonian marathon!

Superman trailer

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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 it does show that Lex Luthor is the main big bad in the film and that Superman has 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).

Then, a full trailer was released, which features Lois Lane interviewing (borderline interrogating) Clark about his Superman activities, as well as plenty of city-shaking action. Check it out below.

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Superman plot 

We don't want to give too much away about the Superman plot here. If you want a full spoiler-filled plot breakdown, you can head over to our Superman ending explained guide!

However, the general plot of Superman that we can go over without ruining the story is that the movie follows an already established Superman who has been saving the day for quite some time now. But the film opens with a situation that Superman has never faced before: he lost a fight. It turns out that Lex Luthor is aiming to eliminate Superman once and for all and has employed a group of powerful "metahumans" to help accomplish the task.

The film then dives into a plot centered around framing Superman as a dangerous alien, turning the public and the US government against the hero. There is a war, a pocket universe, and an unruly Superdog, too, but those are more of a backdrop to Lex Luthor's pure hatred and jealousy of Superman in general.

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
• Milly Alcock – Supergirl
• Will Reeve – Reporter
• John Cena – Peacemaker

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 tie those laces a bit quicker, eh, Supes?

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 the best superhero movies of all time.