There have been hints that James Gunn's Superman will put its own spin on real-life events, with many comparing whatever's happening in the fictional nation of Boravia to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
It's hardly a surprise, as many of Superman's comics have balanced Truth, Justice, and the American Way with politics; heck, Lex Luthor even became President of the United States for a time.
A multitude of Superman plot leaks have been doing the rounds in recent weeks. The latest pertains to Sean Gunn's Maxwell Lord, and comes after the Guardians of the Galaxy star confirmed he'll appear in the movie this July.
According to scooper @MyTimeToShineH, "Max Lord (Sean Gunn) only appears in one scene in SUPERMAN. He's on [TV], saying 'The one thing both the left and right can agree on is that Lex Luthor sucks.'"
Is that a joke anyone is likely to be offended by? We doubt it, though it's brave of James Gunn to mention the right or left, given how sensitive a subject politics has become in recent years. Still, the fact that Lord hates Lex Luthor is interesting, and could suggest Lexcorp and LordTech are big rivals in the DCU.
We'd expected Lord to play a bigger role in the story with him seemingly having his own superhero team—comprised of Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl—but there are likely much bigger things in store for the character down the line.
Sean has been asked about his take on the villain, and while he's typically declined to go into too much detail, he has said that this version of Lord, "won't be based on any live-action portrayals fans have seen before. It’s all from written materials with things that we figure we’re looking at."
Superman is generating a lot of discussion among fans, and there's a lot riding on its success. While it's easy to judge largely out-of-context leaks like this ("#Supershit" has taken on a life of its own on social media), they're likely to feel very different in the movie itself.
We're still waiting on a new Superman trailer, but you can check out the recent 5-minute sneak peek below.
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures.
In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Also appearing are Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, and Milly Alcock.
Superman arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025.