The latest trailer for Superman was heavy on action, and in a couple of blink-and-you'd-miss-them scenes, Ultraman's true face is seemingly revealed.
By now, we know enough to posit that Lex Luthor creates the villain and has him pose as the Hammer of Boravia to turn Metropolis against its greatest protector. We've also been hearing chatter for months that Ultraman is a Superman clone, something potentially confirmed by his and the Hammer's ability to use Heat Vision.
With that information, the prevailing theory among fans has been that Ultraman will be a deformed version of Superman, and perhaps even an early iteration of Bizarro. However, a closer look at the unmasked villain suggests filmmaker James Gunn is heading down a much weirder route.
The character in the screenshots below does appear to be wearing Ultraman's suit, but his face...well, it's not exactly human, is it? That's why we believe this is Superman's take on the Ultra-Humanite.
In the comics, Ultra-Humanite was designed to be the polar opposite of Superman; he was one of the Man of Steel's earliest foes and predates even Lex Luthor; in fact, he was the original Superman big bad before the billionaire businessman came along.
As noted, the Ultra-Humanite is one of DC Comics' earliest supervillains, debuting in 1939's Action Comics #13. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, he’s a mad scientist archetype with a genius-level intellect, though we'd bet on that part not making it into this movie.
If we're correct, then Gunn has likely made some changes to the source material, making the Ultra-Humanite another of Luthor's experiments (the filmmaker has talked a lot about this Lex being a mad scientist). Gunn likes his creatures, and this ape-like Ultraman is arguably a much better option than Ultraman unmasking to reveal David Corenswet's deformed face.
Another possibility is H'El, a Kryptonian who believed himself to be a space explorer working for the great scientists Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually an illegal clone of several Kryptonians raised to believe he was naturally born.
We don't think this is H'El, and Ultra-Humanite by way of Superman's DNA is looking likely. What are your thoughts on this Superman theory? Let us know in the comments section below.
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.