An hour-long featurette for Superman was released yesterday, and eagle-eyed fans have spotted a storyboard that may mean very little...or drop a huge clue about what's next for the DCU's Man of Steel.
In that, we see Superman, Supergirl, and Krypto the Superdog all flying into action together, and Brainiac's unmistakable head can be glimpsed in the next shot! Filmmaker James Gunn has previously said that he considered the fan-favourite villain for Superman, meaning this could have been from a much earlier iteration of the DC Studios reboot.
Warner Bros. Discovery recently confirmed that Gunn's next DCU movie (which he's writing and directing) will be a "Super-Family" title. The DC Studios co-CEO has repeatedly said it won't be Superman 2, and the implication seems to be that it will be a team-up project, albeit not World's Finest.
The prevailing theory now is that Superman and Supergirl will team up, and pitting them against Brainiac in an event-level movie featuring the cousins has a ton of potential to be a hit. Heck, all Gunn would need to do is reveal that Lex Luthor successfully created Connor Kent, a.k.a. Superboy, while making Ultraman, and we'd be off to the races.
If Gunn does intend to have Superman and Supergirl share the screen in his next feature, he must be confident in the Woman of Tomorrow's movie being a hit. Still, with Cruella helmer Craig Gillespie behind the camera and Jason Momoa set to play Lobo alongside the talented Milly Alcock in the title role, we're likely in for a treat.
"Supergirl is a way more rock and roll film [than Superman]," Gunn said last month. "It’s a little bit rougher, in certain ways. She’s a tougher character. She’s not Superman at all. And so it’s not the same. This movie really is for everybody."
"And so is Supergirl, but it’s a little bit edgier in some ways than this film," he teased. "Mind you, I’ve seen all the dailies, but I haven’t seen the cut. I see it next week, I think. So I’m very excited about that."
Take a closer look at this unused Superman storyboard below, and let us know what you think it means in the comments section.
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.
"Superman is an indescribable joy," we said in our review. "A beautiful, moving thrill, David Corenswet is the perfect Man of Steel in a movie packed full of ideas. Fortunately, under James Gunn’s expert direction, all of those work, creating a rousing experience that flies higher than DC has in a very long time."
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 is now playing in theaters.