The new Superman movie, Man of Tomorrow, is filming right now, and it looks like a classic anti-Superman weapon is coming to the big screen after 60 years. Superman will be forced to team up with Lex Luthor in the new Superman movie, as the hero and villain have to stop an even greater villain in Brainiac. The new Man of Tomorrow footage being filmed includes some fight scenes, a look at Luthor’s classic green armor, and a possible threatening scene with the villain from the cosmos. However, there was also a look at a weapon that appeared in Superman comics 60 years ago: the Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun.
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This comes from a Reddit post that shows Superman walking along, with his costume singed around the midsection. Standing behind him is a man on set holding a gun that looks just like this classic DC Comics weapon.
What Is the Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun?
The Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun was introduced over 60 years ago as a beam weapon that Lex Luthor invented. He originally showed off the plans for the weapon in Action Comics #282 (1961) by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney, and it could fire Green Kryptonite rays. There was one problem. When Luthor tried to use it against Supergirl in Action Comics #286 (1962), he accidentally shot himself with it and died. However, Supergirl didn’t believe Luthor should die and should instead serve a life prison sentence, so she restored him to life and sent him back to jail.
Don’t expect this storyline to play out in the Man of Tomorrow movie. The Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun will likely just be another gadget that James Gunn pulls out of the Silver Age of DC Comics. Instead, expect this to be a weapon that Luthor developed for ARGUS to take down Superman if needed. This might be one of several weapons that Luthor creates for ARGUS. He also had the Energy Disruptor, which he used to strip superheroes of their powers. This was from the DC Animated Universe. There was also the Deconstructor that he used in the LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes game, which was also powered by a Green Kryptonite crystal.
If the appearance of the Nuclear Kryptonite Ray-Gun says anything, it is that ARGUS, Rick Flag Sr., and Lex Luthor are still looking for ways to neutralize Superman if he steps out of line. There have also been shots of Lex Luthor in his classic power suit. With Brainiac coming, this might backfire on them because it could leave Earth without its most powerful protector when they need him the most. At the same time, it will also provide DC Comics fans with even more Easter eggs and fun additions, which is what makes James Gunn’s work in the DCU so entertaining.
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