A new clip from DC Studios’ highly anticipated Superman has revealed a charged confrontation between the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) and his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). The footage showcases an enraged Superman bursting through the door of Lex Luthor’s office, demanding to know the location of his dog, Krypto. In a stunning display of manipulative power, a completely unfazed Luthor sips his coffee and feigns ignorance, prompting Superman to lose his composure and violently flip a massive table against the office’s reinforced window. The entire exchange is captured on camera by Luthor’s girlfriend, Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), confirming Lex’s actions are part of a ploy to paint Superman as an unstable and dangerous figure to the public. The scene culminates in Luthor whispering “ugly dog in a cape,” confirming he is behind the kidnapping and establishing his evil intentions.
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This confrontation offers the most significant insight yet into the dynamic between the new Superman and Lex. Hoult’s portrayal of Lex Luthor is immediately established as a master manipulator who understands that Superman’s greatest vulnerability is his humanity. Luthor remains calm and in control, knowing all too well that Superman would never harm him. Meanwhile, he’s weaponizing Superman’s understandable emotional response, turning an act of love and concern for a pet into a spectacle of unchecked aggression. The scene most likely follows Krypto’s battle against Angela Spica a.k.a. The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), a key set piece of previous Superman trailers.
The clip also pushes Corenswet’s Superman to an emotional breaking point, demonstrating a vulnerability that makes him more relatable. That echoes the movie’s marketing campaign, which is focused on how human the DCU’s version of the Man of Steel truly is. As such, the new scene perfectly sets the tone for the story’s main conflict, while also giving fans a hint of how evil the DCU’s Lex can be.
James Gunn’s Superman Is the Keystone of the DCU
James Gunn’s Superman serves as the foundational cinematic launch for Chapter One of the new DC Universe, titled “Gods and Monsters.” The introduction introduces audiences to a Clark Kent who is already established as Superman and working as a young reporter for the Daily Planet. The core narrative, as described by Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, will focus on Superman reconciling his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. It aims to present a hero who embodies “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow,” emphasizing his kindness and empathy. Central to this story is his relationship with his fiercely intelligent colleague at the Daily Planet, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and his ongoing battle of wits against the brilliant and ruthless CEO of LuthorCorp, Lex Luthor.
Superman distinguishes itself by presenting a DC world that is already populated with heroes and villains from its very first frame. This approach bypasses the need for origin stories, allowing the DCU to feel lived-in and historically rich from the outset. Because of that, Superman will have to navigate his role not just as an individual hero, but as part of a larger metahuman community that includes Nathan Fillion as the abrasive Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as the winged warrior Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as the genius inventor Michael Holt, also known as Mister Terrific. Anthony Carrigan also appears as the elemental transmuter Metamorpho.
Superman is scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th.
What do you think of Superman‘s take on Lex Luthor? Let us know in the comments.
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