Superman

Superman is a 2025 superhero film written and directed by James Gunn, and the first theatrical feature in the new DC Universe. David Corenswet stars as Clark Kent / Superman, with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Rather than retelling the familiar origin story, the film presents Superman as an already established hero trying to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage, his Kansas upbringing and his place in a world that is often cynical about goodness and power. The film combines large-scale comic-book action with a more openly hopeful version of the character, while also introducing several other heroes and organisations that help set up the wider DC Universe.

The film was shot across Norway, Georgia and Ohio, with Cleveland forming the main real-world basis for Metropolis. Production began in Adventdalen on Svalbard, Norway, where the Arctic landscape was used for scenes connected to the Fortress of Solitude. Much of the studio work was based at Trilith Studios near Atlanta, with additional Georgia filming around the state, while Ohio supplied many of the most visible urban locations. Downtown Cleveland was heavily used for Metropolis, including Public Square, Ontario Street, the Cleveland Arcade, the Detroit-Superior Bridge, the Cleveland Greyhound Station, Progressive Field and the Leader Building, which served as the Daily Planet exterior. Cincinnati also appears, most notably through Union Terminal, used for the Hall of Justice. The result is a film that builds Metropolis from a mix of Midwestern architecture, Arctic isolation and large-scale studio work, giving this version of Superman a world that feels both grounded and heightened.