Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) and Superman (David Corenswet)
Warner Bros./DC Studios
Superman, first of a new wave of superhero stories from Warner Bros. and DC Studios, teases the next film in the franchise and sets the tone for DC’s rebooted cinematic universe.
Director James Gunn reintroduces Superman as an earnest man in a cynical world, and gives the character a modern twist. But what lies ahead for the Man of Tomorrow?
The ending of Superman hints at sequels and spin-offs—here’s the ending, explained.
What Happens During James Gunn’s ‘Superman’?
Warning—Spoilers Ahead
James Gunn’s Superman—the third Superman film reboot in the last 20 years—resets the tone and canon of DC’s cinematic universe.
Superman emphasizes the humanity of the titular character, a man overwhelmed by a chaotic world.
Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) has found a way to decisively defeat Superman (David Corenswet), using a superpowered clone—Ultraman—that he controls like a video game avatar.
Superman’s stint into geopolitics (rescuing civilians during the Boravian invasion of Jarhanpur), has made his very existence political, enabling Luthor to lobby against him, citing the successes of his own “metahuman” experiments.
The Justice Gang (Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern, Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl) dismiss Superman’s strict moral code, as the world seems to be moving on from him.
Worse, Luther manages to uncover a video of Superman’s biological parents, urging their son to colonize Earth and spread the seed of the Kryptonians.
Are Superman’s Parents Really Villains?
This damning video, it turns out, is legitimate and not one of Luthor’s tricks (I was expecting a reversal that never came).
It’s an unexpected twist that runs counter to Superman’s traditional origin, commonly found in stories that deconstruct the superhero genre, such as Invincible.
The reveal ignites a wave of hostility against Superman—the world accuses him of being a traitor, a supervillain, even suspects him of unsavory sexual activities—you might say he gets “cancelled.”
The film questions if Superman’s old-fashioned approach to heroism is still viable, as he suffers not so much a crisis of faith, but a PR crisis.
Luthor, of course, has helped sway public opinion with his army of extremely online monkeys, flooding comments across the internet.
Against the tide of public opinion, Superman turns himself in, knowing Metropolis is still safe, more or less, because of the Justice Gang.
Luthor seizes his opportunity, immediately imprisoning Superman in a pocket dimension, where he is weakened by Kryptonite, manifested by Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan).
Luthor has clearly been setting up this elaborate plan for some time, but his obsession with beating Superman has made him underestimate everyone else, along with Superman’s ability to inspire others.
Luthor’s girlfriend turns against him, as does Metamorpho, and as Superman breaks free, Luthor creates a dangerous rift in reality to lure Superman back, willing to risk everyone else for a chance to take down the Kryptonian.
Superman and Ultraman have their final showdown, where Superman learns that Ultraman is his clone. Ultraman seems to be completely devoid of empathy, and Superman appears to break his moral code by throwing his adversary into a black hole.
However, it’s possible that Ultraman survives the fall—he might even uncover Bizarro World and return as Bizarro, Superman’s polar opposite—Gunn’s version of Superman seems more likely to embrace fantastical elements from the comics.
After a prolonged struggle, Superman manages to seal the rift, with help from Mister Terrific (who very much lives up to his name), and Luthor’s shady political dealings are revealed to the public, resulting in his arrest and public shaming.
Before his arrest, Superman explains to Luthor that it is his flaws that make him human, despite being literally superhuman.
Notably, the overseas war is solved by Hawkgirl decisively murdering the President of Boravia, seemingly rejecting any geopolitical complexity, along with Superman’s own moral code.
The film ends with a memorable appearance from Supergirl (Milly Alcock), who drunkenly crash lands and demands to see her dog, Krypto. Superman reveals that the yellow sun of Earth grants Kryptonians incredible powers, but that Supergirl chooses to party on “red sun planets” so that she can become intoxicated.
The final scene sees Superman happily watching clips of his childhood, having rejected his alien parents and embracing the love of his adoptive family, the Kents.
While there are a couple of MCU-style post-credits sequences in the film, they give no hints for sequels, just little snippets and character moments in the wake of Luthor’s destruction.
Is There Going To Be A ‘Superman’ Sequel?
On Threads, a fan asked Superman director and DC Studios co-head James Gunn about a sequel, and Gunn wrote an unexpected response: “Define ‘Superman 2.’”
Gunn’s mysterious statement sparked rumors that the story will continue, but that Superman might be more of a side-character.
It could be that Gunn was talking about the second film of DC’s new universe, Supergirl, teased by Milly Alcock’s brief appearance. Supergirl, the cousin of Superman, is younger, edgier and more carefree.
Gunn told ScreenRant that Alcock’s Supergirl is a “total mess” and hinted at her tragic origin story, in contrast to Clark Kent’s wholesome upbringing.
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