James Gunn and Peter Safran have set out to create a new shared world with DC Studios' DCU, and Superman will both establish and expand the franchise this summer.
We'll meet "The Justice Gang" in the movie, while Peacemaker season 2's trailer already confirmed that Maxwell Lord, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Hawkgirl will appear in the HBO Max series. So will Rick Flag Sr., a character first introduced in Creature Commandos, whose story continues in Superman before he takes on Christopher Smith.
There's clearly plenty of connectivity in the DCU, and another example has been unearthed in the latest Superman trailer.
Actor Lawrence Gilligan will play a news anchor in the movie, reprising a role he also took on in animation. Thus far, Gunn is making good on his promise to have actors play the same characters across animated and live-action projects.
Gilligan's character doesn't have a name, so we don't know whether he's playing anyone from the comics. Either way, this is a fun Easter Egg, and you can find more observations from the trailer in our breakdown.
Talking of Easter Eggs, eagle-eyed fans have noticed that the Superman trailer includes a news report about "major floods." The Batman ended with The Riddler flooding Gotham City, while The Penguin dealt with the aftermath of his attack.
As tempting as it is to take this as "confirmation" that The Batman takes place in the DCU, don't forget Gunn has already debunked the notion.
"It's certainly not the plan," he said earlier this year before Safran chimed in with, "We love him, but we've got to introduce a Batman into the DCU. It's imperative. That's the plan for The Brave and the Bold."
The veteran producer added that DC Studios is "in very active development on The Brave and the Bold, and that story's also coming together very nicely. We'll have more on that for you very soon."
We're a little surprised Gunn didn't take into account the fact that people would likely connect the dots here, but you can check out this reference below and let us know what you think 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.
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.