Superman was a family-friendly film, but it also featured adult-leaning characters and themes. A big example of this is Mr. Handsome, played by Trevor Newlin. Created by Lex Luthor, the gruesome creature acted as the villain's companion. He was nightmarish-looking, with a tall, lanky body and disturbing features that made him look like he'd fit right at home in a Guillermo del Toro horror movie.
Simply put, he was disturbing. But, as it turns out, he could have looked even gnarlier. Superman: The Art and Making of the Film book came out recently. The publication dives into the visual development of the DC Studios feature, providing an inside look into the different aesthetics considered for the film. An X user posted some pictures of pages from book, featuring alternate character designs for Baby Joey, the Kaiju and Mr. Handsome:
Mr. Handsome's alternate designs stand out above the rest. Though most of the character concepts shown are quite similar to their final designs, Mr. Handsome's is surprisingly more gruesome than what ended up in the film. The image depicts initial plans to have his insides exposed, connected to something else through a fleshy tether. Another one of the pieces shows him with a tube attached to his head. They're particularly gnarly designs for such a family-friendly project, so it makes sense that they were scrapped.
Still, the design highlights something about James Gunn's artistic vision. Among his many talents is his eye for gruesome character designs. The director knows how to handle cute animals in films, but he's just as good at crafting nightmarish monsters. Mr. Handsome is a perfect example of that. His name may be humorous, but there is nothing visually appealing about him. He's unnerving—a perfect fit for Lex Luthor's twisted world.
Little was explained about Mr. Handsome in Superman, but the character actually has a compelling backstory. In July, James Gunn took to X to share BTS pictures of Mr. Handsome. Gunn expressed his love for the character in the post, and revealed the creature was actually created by Lex when he was just a boy, his first attempt at creating life. As it turns out, Mr. Handsome may also happen to be the only person Luthor truly loves:
"When people ask me my favorite character from Superman, it just might be Mr. Handsome. Lex created Mr. Handsome in a Petri dish when he was 12—he was trying to make a human. He didn't come out so well, but he just might be the only one in the world Lex has any true sentiment for, as evidenced by the photo on his desk. Our Mr. Handsome was portrayed by the wonderful Trevor Newlin."
Superman is available to stream on HBO Max. Its sequel, Man of Tomorrow, will arrive in theaters on July 9, 2027.
What do you think about these alternate designs for Mr. Handsome? Would you have liked him to be more gruesome in the movie? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!