The first teaser trailer for the new "Superman" movie has not broken viewing records for a DC property, it also sparked intense speculation about a mysterious figure featured on the front page of the Daily Planet newspaper visible in several scenes.
The newspaper headline reading "Hammer of Boravia Creates Havoc Downtown" initially led fans to theorize about potential appearances of classic DC villains, with some speculating it might be Legion of Doom member Gorilla Grodd. However, a high-resolution version of the newspaper obtained by DCU Updates reveals a more nuanced story that adds significant context to the film's plot.
SPOILER ALERT! We are not sure if the following information will have any bearing on the plot of the "Superman" movie directly, but continue reading at your own risk.
The "Hammer of Boravia" appears to be an original character created by Gunn for the film, rather than an established DC Comics villain. According to the newspaper story, this super-powered individual attacked Downtown Metropolis in retaliation for Superman's intervention in Boravia's invasion of its neighboring nation, Jarhanpur. The attack resulted in over $20 million in property damage and sent 22 Metropolis citizens to the hospital.
While Boravian President Vasil Glarkos has distanced his government from the attack, claiming the Hammer is an independent vigilante, the incident raises intriguing questions about the film's exploration of Superman's role in global politics. When questioned about his intervention in the Boravian-Jarhanpur conflict, Superman defended his actions, stating, "While critics thousands of miles away from this conflict continue to argue if what I did was right or wrong, the bottom line is peoples lives were threatened. I had to act."
The plot appears to draw inspiration from classic Superman comics, including a storyline where the Man of Steel halted a Boravian civil war. This political dimension of Superman's activities has been a recurring theme in DC Comics, most notably in Action Comics #900, where the character renounced his U.S. citizenship, declaring, "Truth, justice and the American way - it's not enough anymore. The world's too small. Too connected."
The political ramifications of Superman's actions may also tie into the involvement of Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, with speculation arising about potential LuthorCorp interests in the Boravian invasion of Jarhanpur. These elements suggest Gunn's film will explore the complex implications of a superhero operating on a global scale in today's interconnected world.
Here is the text decipherable from the Daily Planet newspaper prop:
Metropolis was targeted by a superpowered mystery man on Sunday, resulting in over 20 million dollars in damage to the city. The self-titled "Hammer of Boravia" attacked Downtown Metropolis claiming it was retribution for the recent political interventions in Boravia by Superman. This vengeful expedition turned into a terrorist assault on American soil, hospitalizing 22 Metropolis citizens.
Boravia has been the source of numerous headlines worldwide in recent weeks as it invaded its neighboring country Jarhanpur, only for the brief war to be swiftly ended by the Superman. The President of Boravia, Vasil Glarkos(?), maintains the Hammer of Boravia is not a representative of the national government, but rather an independent vigilante...
When addressing the political ramifications of his actions, Superman said, "While critics thousands of miles away from this conflict continue to argue if what I did was right or wrong, the bottom line is peoples lives were threatened. I had to act."
Damages included an ocular laser strike on the well-known Chocos building. "Luckily no employees were injured," says a Chocos spokesperson, "and this will not affect the production of our beloved Chocos cookies!"
The company also promised to offer employees affected by this attack a paid recovery holiday and says any requested therapy will be fully covered. No employees could be reached to confirm these offers...
"I mean he's helping people every day. I can do it at least once."
The destruction of public property due to the actions of super-powered individuals and extraterrestrials has been a contentious topic of discussion in local government. Many believe that the recent tax hike is a consequence of this rise in super-people acting outside the law. "The recent tax raise was only to support our ever growing population", claims a representative from the metropolis capital, "our latest project is to restore reported condemned housing and recodify them into modern standards. This would increase available homes in New Troy 17%, Bakerline 19% and Queensland park 26%".
"Superman," DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who's driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
The film stars David Corenswet ("Twisters," "Hollywood") in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel") as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the "X-Men" movies, "Juror #2") as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi ("For All Mankind"), Anthony Carrigan ("Barry," "Gotham"), Nathan Fillion (the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, "The Suicide Squad"), Isabela Merced ("Alien Romulus"), Skyler Gisondo ("Licorice Pizza," "Booksmart"), Sara Sampaio ("At Midnight"), María Gabriela de Faría ("The Moodys"), Wendell Pierce ("Selma," "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan"), Alan Tudyk ("Andor"), Pruitt Taylor Vince ("Bird Box") and Neva Howell ("Greedy People").
"Superman" is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Behind the camera, Gunn is joined by frequent collaborators, including director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with editors Craig Alpert ("Deadpool 2," "Blue Beetle"), Jason Ballantine (the "IT" films, "The Flash") and William Hoy ("The Batman").
"Superman" will be in theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning 9 July 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.