The Only Recap You Need Before Superman: The DCU Reboot

James Gunn's "Superman" debuts on July 8, 2025, and this version of the Man of Steel has a lot riding on his shoulders. "Superman" is meant to be the start of the new DC Universe onscreen, but the superhero in question still has decades of on-screen history to keep in mind. Looper's refresher video above will get you up to date on everything you need to remember about Superman before heading into the latest film.

Henry Cavill's "Superman" movies were the last time the character made it to the big screen. The Zack Snyder films "Man of Steel," "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," and "Justice League" were divisive amongst critics and comic book fans, but combined to earn over two billion dollars. Fans haven't seen that version of the character since his cameo in "Black Adam" in 2022, but he won't be returning. Gunn's movie presents a fresh version of Superman played by David Corenswet, and the hype for that among superhero fans is growing.

If you need evidence of the excitement, look no further than the ticket presales for "Superman," which climbed to $10 million more than two weeks ahead of the film's debut. Conflicting predictions estimate that the movie will earn somewhere between $90 and $145 million in its opening weekend. That's not a bad start for "Superman," but there are other characters who are also depending on this movie's success.

"Superman" is the first movie in James Gunn's DCU, and we already know that the film is going to introduce quite a few characters who already exist in this universe. The "Superman" trailer was filled with heroes and villains like Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and the Green Lantern known as Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), with other DC Comics personalities entering the fray as well.

When it comes to how those characters will factor into the overall plot, we really don't know much. The movie's official description on IMDb vaguely reads, "Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way, he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned."

What seems clear is that Gunn's "Superman" is going to be brighter, zanier, and quite a bit funnier than the last version of the character we saw on the big screen. The movie's trailers are full of bright colors and cheeky jokes, which is in line with what Gunn's fans have come to expect from his superhero movies. Now the question is whether or not that new take on the character will please audiences enough to launch the DCU to success. In the meantime, watch our video and get up to speed on everything you need to know about the last son of Krypton.