The Superman teaser trailer released Thursday finds David Corenswet as a more vulnerable Man of Steel: We meet him lying bloodied and face down in the snow in the first look at James Gunn’s incarnation of the venerable DC superhero.

We’ve seen Superman bloody before — notably in Superman II, released in 1980, during a sequence when Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) sacrificed his powers to seek a normal life with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). But it’s striking, in the trailer for the 2025 update of Superman, to meet him for the first time in such a weakened state.

Also Read: 5 David Corenswet Roles to Enjoy Before Seeing Him as Superman

Fortunately, he has a best friend — one we’ve never seen before on film. With a whistle, Superman summons the adorable (and powerful) Krypto, his superdog. If that sounds silly, no — it works. Gunn has a way with cute but powerful animals, as he demonstrated as the director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy saga.

More on the Superman Teaser Trailer

The new trailer also offers a first look at Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, and an array of superheroes and villains. (Notably, Luthor’s company this time around is known as Luthorcorp, not Lexcorp, as it’s been called in past incarnations.)

The new Superman teaser trailer also revives the beloved John Williams theme from the 1978 Superman, as Gunn previewed earlier this week in a teaser for Thursday’s teaser (yep, that’s where we are).

In a welcome departure from past Superman films, Corenswet’s Clark Kent looks convincingly different from Superman: His hair is very different, and, with the aid of his blocky glasses, almost conceals his Superface.

The Superman teaser trailer also hints at the appearance of Superman’s icy Fortress of Solitude: When Krypto arrives to leak his wounds, Superman asks him to “take me home.”

James Gunn and Superman

Gunn has a lot riding on Superman: He’s not just the writer and director of the film, but the co-chair and co-CEO of DC Studios. He told reporters on a recent set visit that the future of DC films will depend in large part on how Superman performs with audiences.

Gunn is already facing some fan skepticism for the decision to give Corenswet the cape and tights instead of allowing Man of Steel star Henry Cavill to remain in the role of Superman. Lovers of the Zack Snyder’s Snyderverse, which includes Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and one of two versions of Justice League, wanted more of the same, not a fresh take.

Gunn, however, has an encyclopedic knowledge of DC characters, and a proven track record of mixing action and humor in The Suicide Squad and his Peacemaker series with John Cena. The Snyder version of Superman was notably lacking in comic relief.

Warner Bros. offered the following description of the new film as it unveiled the Superman teaser trailer: “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.”

Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran are producing the film, based on characters from DC. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

The film also stars Edi Gathegi (For All Mankind), Anthony Carrigan (Barry), Nathan Fillion (Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad), Isabela Merced (Alien Romulus), Skyler Gisondo (Licorice Pizza), Sara Sampaio (At Midnight), María Gabriela de Faría (The Moodys), Wendell Pierce (Selma) Alan Tudyk (Andor), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Bird Box) and Neva Howell (Greedy People).

Superman is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Gunn’s team includes several frequent collaborators, among them director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with editors Craig Alpert (Deadpool 2, Jason Ballantine (The Flash) and William Hoy (The Batman).

“Superman” will be released in theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning 9 July 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Main image: Superman teaser trailer. DC Studios.

Editor’s Note: Updates with more detail on the Superman teaser trailer.