When Superman begins, Clark Kent has been protecting Metropolis for at least the last three years. That's allowed filmmaker James Gunn to breeze past many of those expected, and all-too-familiar, moments from the character's origin story.
Among them is the moment Lois Lane discovers that her fellow Daily Planet reporter is Superman. She and Clark are already a couple in the DCU, meaning Lois knows her boyfriend is also the world's most powerful metahuman.
Exploring their dynamic should still be fun, but Rolling Stone pointed out to Gunn that he's managed to sneakily bypass one of the biggest questions about how Superman hides his secret identity:
How did Lois not see past his "disguise" (a pair of glasses) and realise that Clark and Superman are one and the same?
"It comes up again later in the movie and it’s explained. She says it. We mention it," Gunn confirmed. "And it’s a one-off and people chuckle, but there’s stuff later in the movie about the glasses that are canon. That’s canon in the comics."
The site brought up an explanation from the comics, which saw readers learn that Superman was using "super-hypnotism" to change people's perception of him while he was wearing the glasses as Clark.
"Something like that! I only know it from [DC Comics writer] Tom King," Gunn noted. "The first time we met was at Peter [Safran’s] house. We had this sort of writers group come in. One of those people was Tom King, and he was the most helpful. I’m like, 'I just don’t know how to [frick]ing deal with the glasses thing, because it bothers the f*** out of me.'"
"All that little stuff that people are like, 'It’s a fantasy, just let it go.' I’m like, 'No, I have to explain everything.' Everything for me has to come from a place where I believe it, as outlandish as it is," he continued. "With Rocket, I could not just make it a talking raccoon. It had to have a real foundation for where he came from and how he came to be. And I needed to believe that."
Gunn didn't elaborate on how Superman will explain the glasses, but we wouldn't be surprised if they're Kryptonian in origin. Recent comics have confirmed they're made from the same glass used in the ship that brought him to Earth, so that seems most likely.
We've also seen that David Corenswet has changed his hair and posture for scenes as Clark, a nod to what Christopher Reeve did in 1978's Superman: The Movie, perhaps (and All-Star Superman, a key source of inspiration for Gunn).
Ever fancied taking a bite out of the Daily Planet? Then the video below is most definitely for you...
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.