I am thrilled that we are getting a solo Superman movie next year. I can’t say that enough.

I will be in line opening day, and having seen that the film is being shot for IMAX, I just might make that my venue of choice on July 10. We’ll see.

Super excited, also, that Superman is the tip of the spear for an intended new universe of films, the exact spot that he (not Batman) should always be occupying. He is the first and greatest comic book superhero, the one after whom all have followed. I really hope this movie is successful, and that we get a lot more content in the future!

So please keep all this in mind as I describe my reaction to the trailer that was finally released yesterday for all the world to see. To be fully transparent, I’m mixed.

I’m not going to rehash my thoughts about how I feel about James Gunn’s choices, or Silver Age Superman, which I’ve already done in the past. I’m keeping an open mind on all of that, so I won’t go into what I’m not a fan of in this trailer.

But I am mixed in my reaction.

This trailer didn’t exactly assuage my fears about getting a bombastic, silly Superman, a space where Gunn seems most comfortable in his films, nor about overcrowding a film that should be a solo Superman story in the hopes of setting up a universe.

To be fair, it is just a trailer, and we have no idea what the actual film is going to be like. Only time will tell.

So, without further ado, the following are some features of yesterday’s Superman 2025 trailer (I love saying that!) that I really enjoyed.

Superman Flying

Amidst all the color, characters and craziness, there were some absolutely beautiful shots that looked great and could have been taken from any Superman movie of the last twenty years.

A very good thing!

Every good Superman story must have at least 1-2 images of the Man of Steel looking majestic, whether it’s battling the villain, saving someone or even casually flying over Metropolis or planet Earth. This trailer had two moments of Superman flying through the clouds, and one incredible sequence of saving a little girl from being hit by large debris.

Superman’s most famous quality is his ability to fly, which also allows the character to be a fun wish fulfillment for kids and adults. When we see Superman flying in live action, the audience should feel that they are being carried with him. He is also the fireman of the DC Universe, who is there to protect in an emergency. Both the character’s majesty and strength are apparent in this trailer, and Gunn was right to include both.

Oh, and “Look Up” is a great tagline.

Lex Luthor

I was super excited about Nicholas Hoult being cast as Lex Luthor, both for his appearance and his acting chops, and it looks like we get a taste of that greatness here. There are shots of him angry, a shot of him holding a gun (dangerous), his LuthorCorp skyscraper (powerful) and looking down at his city (scheming).

It’s not easy to include so many dimensions of the same character in one trailer, and truthfully I would have loved to have heard some more dialogue from Hoult- and everyone else for that matter- but as a tease it does its job.

There has yet to be a perfect Lex on the big screen, despite some strong outings from many talented actors. While Hoult looks a tad younger than I expected, he could be a really good Lex Luthor, which will only serve to make the movie that much better.

Out of all the things I’m looking forward to most in this film, this just might be number one.

The Cast

While there are very few lines of dialogue in this teaser, we do get a glimpse at some of the great casting choices Gunn has made. Superman and Lois Lane, of course, but also the Daily Planet staff and some of the other DC characters. Really strong choices by Gunn and his team. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of all of them.

I think that this trailer accomplished what it needed to, all in all. It doesn’t hurt the brand of Superman by offering a different take, nor is it stuck in the character’s nostalgia (although the electric guitar riff of the Williams theme was pretty cool). It offers something that looks familiar yet fresh, and could lead to strong opening weekend.

I only hope that this movie is a grounded take on Superman as a character that offers a lot of heart, and Gunn has said some encouraging comments in this direction recently. If the point of a trailer is to make people interested enough in a film to buy a ticket, I think this is a good step towards that.

Again, time will tell. For now let’s just enjoy the moment and savor every day until the film’s release.

Enjoy the teaser for the teaser trailer, which I REALLY enjoyed!