Many members of the new cast of 2025’s Superman, the first feature film in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DC Universe, have already appeared in other comic book movies and TV shows. Superman marked the first live-action instalment of Gunn’s new DCU, following 2024’s animated Creature Commandos series, and it is a strong start to the rebooted franchise. David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan lead the cast as Clark Kent’s Superman and Lois Lane, but they are among the few who haven’t already appeared in previous superhero projects.
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Superman’s cast is incredibly strong, comprised of many of director James Gunn’s frequent collaborators, as well as some new additions to the filmmaker’s repertoire. Each cast member has brought exciting parts of DC Comics’ history into live-action, some for the first time ever, but, for many, Superman isn’t their first foray into the world of superheroes and villains. Some have had minor and significant roles in franchises delivered by both DC and Marvel, but now have bright futures in the rebooted DC Universe.
20) Sean Gunn
One of the most regular stars to appear in many of James Gunn’s projects is his own brother, Sean Gunn. In the new DCU, Sean Gunn has been introduced as Maxwell Lord, the wealthy and influential CEO of LordTech and the benefactor behind Superman’s Justice Gang. He’ll be returning in Peacemaker season 2, while he also voiced characters in Creature Commandos, including GI Robot and Weasel, the latter of whom he played in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, as well as briefly playing Calendar Man in his brother’s first DC-produced feature film.
Prior to joining his brother at DC Studios, Sean Gunn is best known for portraying former Ravager and Guardians of the Galaxy member Kraglin Obfonteri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kraglin was a high-ranking Ravager who assumed control of the Yaka arrow after Yondu’s death, and became an official Guardian of the Galaxy at the end of 2023’s Vol. 3. He has appeared in eight MCU projects, including two Avengers movies and the animated What If…? series, but it’s unclear if he’ll be returning as Kraglin in the franchise’s future.
19) Alan Tudyk
The most prominent robot guarding Superman’s Fortress of Solitude is number 4, who is voiced by Alan Tudyk. Tudyk is a long-time DC veteran, having voiced various characters in many animated movies and shows including Justice League: War, Big Hero 6, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice, Harley Quinn, MODOK, and Creature Commandos, where he voiced Doctor Phosphorus, Will Magnus, and Clayface – who will be played by Tom Rhys Harries in the live-action DCU. Tudyk also had live-action roles in Deadpool 2 and Doom Patrol, and it’s likely he’ll be seen again in the DCU’s future.
18) Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker is yet another long-time James Gunn collaborator, though he only briefly voiced robot 1 in Superman. He will appear in Peacemaker season 2 as Red St. Wild, after previously playing Savant in the opening of The Suicide Squad. Rooker is best known as the blue-skinned Yondu Udonta in the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, however, who sacrificed his life at the end of 2017’s Vol. 2 to save Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Rooker also had a role in the 2010 short film, DC Showcase: Jonah Hex, as Red Doc.
17) Pom Klementieff
Pom Klementieff has also been central to the development of the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, where she plays the alien Mantis, Ego’s (Kurt Russell) daughter and Quill’s half-sister. She was last seen at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but Klementieff is likely to have a bright future in the DCU after briefly appearing as a dancer in The Suicide Squad and even more-briefly voicing robot 5 in Superman, alongside Tudyk, Rooker, and James Gunn’s own wife, Jennifer Holland.
16) Jennifer Holland
Jennifer Holland made her DC debut in The Suicide Squad as Emilia Harcourt, a high-ranking member of ARGUS working alongside John Economos and Amanda Waller. She reprised this role in Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Peacemaker, and will continue to portray Harcourt in Peacemaker season 2 and in the DCU’s future. Holland also appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Kwol, a staff member at the High Evolutionary’s Orgosphere.
15) Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper finally made his live-action superhero franchise debut in Superman after spending a decade voicing Rocket Raccoon in the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Rocket was central to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but it’s great to finally see Cooper appear physically. He’d previously been a producer on 2019’s Joker, but now portrays Jor-El in the DCU, bringing Superman’s own father to life and giving him a more hardened and villainous twist, as Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van (Angela Sarafyen) urged their son to rule over humanity.
14) John Cena
John Cena, admittedly, has portrayed the same role in all of his superhero franchise appearances, but Christopher Smith’s Peacemaker is one of the few characters to cross over from the old DC Extended Universe. Smith previously appeared in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1 before making a brief cameo on a news report in Superman ahead of his return in Peacemaker season 2. His follow-up season will premiere on August 21, 2025, and is expected to have a different feeling to season 1, given its new place in the rebooted DCU itself.
13) Michael Rosenbaum
Another frequent collaborator with James Gunn is Michael Rosenbaum, who made a short appearance as Lex Luthor’s Raptor Guard in Superman. As well as appearing as Martinex in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Rosenbaum has voiced many characters in animated DC projects, such as Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Justice League: Doom, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Perhaps most notably, however, Rosenbaum played Lex Luthor for ten years in Smallville, so his return alongside a new Luthor makes sense for the star.
12) Tinashe Kajese-Bolden
Following appearances in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1, Tinashe Kajese-Bolden returned as Flo Crawley in Superman, where she was revealed to now be “Secretary Crawley.” She was last seen being arrested for betraying Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) in The Suicide Squad, but it seems this has been rewritten. Kajese-Bolden has also made brief appearances in the MCU, as Officer Fitzgibbon in 2022’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and as “Dee,” a LARPer in Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye episode 2, “Hide and Seek.”
11) Frank Grillo
Frank Grillo has been very vocal about his disappointment regarding Brock Rumlow’s treatment in the MCU, as Crossbones was set up in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, only to be killed off very quickly in Captain America: Civil War. Grillo briefly returned in Avengers: Endgame and What If…?, but has a brighter future in the DCU as Rick Flag Sr., a role he originated in Creature Commandos and has now brought into live-action in Superman. Flag will return as the Director of ARGUS in Peacemaker season 2, and will likely show up in several other upcoming DCU projects.
10) Stephen Blackehart
Stephen Blackehart is yet another frequent collaborator with James Gunn, having appeared in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies as a Knowhere dispatcher, Brahl, and, most prominently, Steemie in Vol. 3 and the Holiday Special. For DC, Blackehart appeared as Briscoe in The Suicide Squad and Charlie the Gorilla in Peacemaker season 1, but took on the more prevalent – albeit still minor – role of Sydney Happersen in Superman. Happersen is one of Lex Luthor’s top scientists and respected assistants, so it’s possible he’ll return in the DCU’s future.
9) Pruitt Taylor Vince
Taking over from Kevin Costner from the DCEU, Jonathan “Pa” Kent is played by Pruitt Taylor Vince in Superman, and he has avoided meeting his tragic and controversial demise, instead being an ever-present comfort in Clark Kent’s life. Vince previously appeared as Father Hennessey, an alcoholic priest who can communicate with the dead, in 2005’s Constantine movie, and also appeared in Agents of SHIELD season 5 as Grill, a slave-owner and manager in the future Lighthouse. As Pa Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince will surely have a lengthy future in the DCU alongside David Corenswet’s Superman.
8) Mikaela Hoover
Following a brief appearance in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy as Nova Prime’s (Glenn Close) assistant, Mikaela Hoover was recast as the voice of Floor the Rabbit in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. She portrayed Camila, Silvio Luna’s assistant, in The Suicide Squad, and became the sole survivor of Harley Quinn’s (Margot Robbie) rampage. Now, however, she has been recast again as Cat Grant in Superman, bringing the Daily Planet gossip columnist into live-action on the big-screen for the first time ever, and she’ll surely return alongside other Daily Planet staff.
7) Wendell Pierce
The editor-in-chief of Superman’s Daily Planet paper is Perry White, played expertly by Wendell Pierce, who deserves a lengthy future in the DCU after his debut. After voicing Lex Luthor in the animated Harley Quinn series, 2025 has seen Pierce make his debut in two different superhero franchises – playing Perry White in Superman and Congressman Gary in Thunderbolts* in the MCU. Gary admonished Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) during Thunderbolts*’ hearing, and showed surprise at the introduction of the New Avengers team.
6) Skyler Gisondo
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Skyler Gisondo appeared alongside Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker in Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel as Howard Stacy. Howard was one of the brothers of Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy, but only had a very minor role in the duo logy. Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen, the Daily Planet’s photojournalist, has a much more prominent role in Superman, and proves crucial in bringing down Lex Luthor, especially because of his ladies’ man persona and connection to Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), Luthor’s current girlfriend.
5) Isabela Merced
Isabela Merced was wasted in 2024’s Madame Web as Anya Corazon, never getting the chance to become Araña from Marvel Comics and seemingly ending her Marvel career before it really began. In the DCU, however, Merced has a much more prevalent role as Kendra Saunders’ Hawkgirl. Introduced in Superman as a member of the Justice Gang, she’s set to return in Peacemaker season 2 and may appear in more upcoming projects, perhaps even Lanterns, which could explore her romance with John Stewart’s Green Lantern (Aaron Pierre).
4) Anthony Carrigan
Anthony Carrigan’s role in Superman was small but mighty. Rex Mason’s Metamorpho was originally used by Lex Luthor to incapacitate Superman by transforming his hand into Kryptonite, but Mason eventually helped Superman save his son and escape from Luthor’s pocket universe, before being recruited into the Justice Gang. Prior to Superman, Carrigan played both Kyle Nimbus’ Mist in The CW’s The Flash series and Victor Zsasz in Fox’s Gotham series. Metamorpho is his most prominent superhero role, and Carrigan is expected to return as Rex Mason in future DCU projects.
3) Edi Gathegi
Similarly to Merced, Edi Gathegi was also seriously underused and wasted by Marvel, as the adaptable and indestructible Darwin was inexplicably killed by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. Gathegi has recently revealed that Darwin was supposed to return in X-Men: Apocalypse, but this didn’t happen, leaving the actor open for a role in the DCU. Mister Terrific was a fantastic choice for Gathegi in Superman, and has been speculated to get his own spinoff, which would make him one of the franchise’s most interesting and exciting new heroes.
2) Nicholas Hoult
British actor Nicholas Hoult took center-stage in Superman as Lex Luthor, the envious and entitled adversary to David Corenswet’s Clark Kent and the world’s Metahumans as a whole. Despite his arrest, it’s very likely Luthor will be returning in the DCU’s future, though it’s less likely Hoult will be reprising his Marvel role of Hank McCoy’s Beast. Hoult played the younger version of Beast in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool 2, and Dark Phoenix, and hasn’t been confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday alongside other classic X-Men stars.
1) Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion is perhaps James Gunn’s most regular collaborator. In Superman, Fillion plays the DCU’s first on-screen Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, who is set to return in both Peacemaker season 2 and the Lanterns series alongside Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart. Fillion has also loaned his voice to animated DC projects including Wonder Woman and Justice League Unlimited, and he voiced Hal Jordan in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Justice League: Doom, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, The Death of Superman, and Reign of the Supermen.
Nathan Fillion has also appeared in Marvel projects. After appearing as the blue alien prisoner in the Kyln in Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn teased his intention for Fillion to debut as Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man – whom he voiced in the animated MODOK series. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will debut as Wonder Man in 2025, while Fillion went on to assume the hilarious role of Master Karja in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. His role of Guy Gardner will be much more significant, though, setting up a strong continuation of his relationship with DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn.
Who was your favorite character in Superman? Let us know in the comments!
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