McFarlane Toys has unveiled three more of its Superman tie-in action figures, this time based on the likenesses of Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Baby Joey (believed to be Metamorpho's son), and the mysterious Ultraman (?)
There were persistent rumors that David Corenswet's Man of Steel would face-off against Ultraman in the DCU reboot (then known as Superman: Legacy) in the buildup to commencement of production, but director James Gunn appeared to debunk the reports - though he chose his words carefully, noting that the movie only had one "main villain."
Even so, many people took this as a denial... until a mysterious masked character with a big "U" on his chest was spotted in set photos. Some fans speculated that this might still be a different character, but we recently got confirmation that this is indeed Ultraman thanks to some merchandise packaging.
In the comics, Ultraman is an evil Earth-3 counterpart of Superman, but there's a good chance his origin will be altered for this movie. We have heard that Luthor will engineer a clone of his arch nemesis, who may or may not become more Bizarro-like - or possibly even Parasite - by the end of the film.
Interestingly, Ultraman's costume looks dark grey/black in the movie, but the toys we've seen appear to be purple.
Superman also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabel Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner.
Sara Sampaio is on board as Lex's assistant/lover Eve Teschmacher, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell will play "Ma" and "Pa" Kent, and Milly Alcock's Supergirl has been confirmed to make her debut ahead of her own Woman of Tomorrow movie.
"And that’s a wrap," Gunn posted earlier this year when filming concluded. "God bless our cast and crew whose commitment, creativity, and hard work have brought this project to life. I set out to make a movie about a good man in a world that isn’t always so much. And the goodness and kindness and love I’ve encountered on a daily basis on the set has inspired me and thrust me forward when I felt too spent to move on my own.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It has been an honor. The destination has been Superman, but the journey has been the toil and the laughter and the emotions and ideas and magic we’ve shared together on set - and for that I am forever grateful."
You can check out an updated synopsis for the movie below.
"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."