Superman and Lex Luthor share one of the most legendary rivalries in comic book lore. Their enduring conflict captivates audiences even after more than seventy years since their initial encounter. This rivalry is compelling because it transcends the simple dichotomy of good versus evil. Superman represents the ideals of truth, justice, and a hopeful future. Despite being all-powerful, he remains completely virtuous, a concept Lex finds intolerable. Lex harbors a deep-seated hatred for Superman mainly because the public admires Superman for his integrity, a trait no amount of money can purchase. (In some storylines, his animosity also stems from blaming Superboy for his baldness, but this narrative mostly revolves around the former reason.)

The upcoming “Superman,” directed by James Gunn, will allow fans to witness the latest chapter in this iconic struggle between good and evil. In the movie, David Corenswet takes on the role of the renowned DC hero, who has honed his abilities over time, while Nicholas Hoult plays a conniving Lex Luthor strategizing to neutralize what he deems a significant threat. While specific details of Lex’s plan remain under wraps, glimpses from trailer footage and insights drawn from comics and earlier Superman adaptations offer clues about the danger Lex might pose.

It might seem strange to suggest that Superman should fear Lex Luthor. After all, Lex is just a human, while Superman boasts invincible strength, the ability to fly, and heat vision — yet Lex has consistently proven himself a formidable adversary for DC’s Man of Steel. Continue reading to discover why this is the case.

The first epic teaser trailer for James Gunn’s “Superman” opens with the titular character crashing into the snow, all battered and bloodied. It’s an intense way to introduce this new version of the hero, as he’s normally invulnerable to physical attacks. He rarely bleeds, although it has happened before, like in the “Death of Superman” arc, where he dies fighting Doomsday. (Notably, the version of Superman played by Tyler Hoechlin in The CW’s “Superman & Lois” similarly bleeds while battling Doomsday.) It takes someone incredibly powerful to break the Man of Steel’s skin, so the fact he’s worse for wear in the upcoming “Superman” film means something powerful is in this new DC Universe.

It’s unlikely Lex Luthor personally punched Superman so hard he was injured to this degree, but he probably has no shortage of superpowered lackeys and devices that could get the job done. It takes something massively powerful to do this to Superman, so Lex must have something brutal in store for ol’ Clark Kent.

While Superman’s bleeding serves a narrative purpose, there’s another reason why we see the hero in such a state. Gunn has said a bloody and beaten Superman symbolizes the United States as it exists today — worn down and in a divisive state. While this imagery may have taken some people by surprise, it’s important to remember that the thing that makes Superman, well, Superman is that even when he’s beaten down, he always gets back up — though Lex may take that as a challenge.

One thing that makes Lex Luthor such a powerful foe is that he wields a tremendous amount of influence. He’s a wealthy businessman who can usually buy himself out of any tight spots, and, in the comics, he’s even been the President of the United States. It becomes a lot tougher for Superman to foil Luthor’s schemes when he’s entrenched himself in American institutions, and there’s a good chance we’ll see a more political take on the villain in Gunn’s “Superman.”

In one of the trailers, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) interviews Clark and asks him if he consulted with the President before interfering in a foreign war. The scene then cuts to an image of a smirking Lex, subtly implying that he might be Commander in Chief during the events of the film. At the very least, he may have political ambitions and could be ready to mount a presidential campaign. It would honestly make sense for the film if Lex is trying to lead the U.S. while Superman is the one making headlines and diverting attention away from him.

President Lex Luthor is a dangerous foe. In the “Justice League Unlimited” animated series, Lex is elected to the office and holds the world hostage with his access to the nuclear codes when Superman comes to stop him. (In this reality, Superman makes a terrible decision, but Gunn’s version of the hero is unlikely to even consider stepping over the line.) Lex being a CEO is one thing, but him being leader of the free world could create a mountain of trouble for Superman.

When people think of the strongest Superman villains, Lex Luthor, iconic as he is, may not seem like he’d rank very high. He’s obviously intelligent and influential, but it seems apparent that he’s severely lacking when it comes to raw power. To get a genuine Superman vs. Lex Luthor fight, comic book writers and artists need to get him in his iconic green and purple warsuit so that he stands any sort of chance. And it appears as though Lex may get such a suit in the upcoming film.

A recently announced “Superman” action figure set includes Superman, Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), and Lex Luthor. However, instead of a business suit, this Lex is sporting armor like he’s worn so many times in the comics and cartoons. None of the trailers have shown Lex in a warsuit yet, and it’s entirely possible he won’t end up wearing one, as toys, though they’ve spoiled many a plot point in the past, aren’t always an accurate depiction of what we see in the movies.

On the one hand, it may not make sense for Lex to get his hands dirty, seeing as he’s working with Angela Spica, aka the Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría). She’s an immensely powerful member of the Authority, a unique DC supergroup that’s also getting its own movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC cinematic universe. On the other hand, Lex may want to show how he personally is stronger than a Kryptonian, especially if he is the president or wants to hold that position. Him beating Superman, even while wearing a high-tech warsuit, is just the thing that would soothe his massive ego.

Sans warsuit, Lex Luthor isn’t typically a physical threat for Superman, which is why past iterations, from Gene Hackman to Jesse Eisenberg, have emphasized the character’s intelligence. Nicholas Hoult’s version will undoubtedly be incredibly smart as well, but he’ll differentiate himself from past portrayals by also being really buff. Hoult discussed being inspired by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s “All-Star Superman,” which includes a scene of Lex showing off his muscles to Clark Kent, emphasizing how he actually had to work hard for them.

It’s a perfect encapsulation of why Lex views himself as superior to the Man of Steel. He believes he’s had to work hard for all he’s accomplished, whereas Superman just waltzed onto Earth and everyone instantly loved him because of his powers. Hoult getting jacked to play Lex doesn’t mean much as far as being a threat to Superman, but it does indicate where his psyche is. This will be a Lex with an unhealthy obsession, one trying everything he can to prove he’s better than Superman at everything, no matter how trivial.

Lex wanting to be muscular to show Superman he can do things all on his own is particularly funny given the hypocrisy it often represents. There are several versions of Lex Luthor, from “Smallville” to “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” where he inherits his wealth, which sort of pokes a hole in the “self-made” portion of his biography.

The easiest way for Lex Luthor to cut Superman down to size is via the hero’s primary weakness — kryptonite. The question in every DC reality, then, becomes how Lex gets his hands on some, seeing as how it’s a radioactive mineral from Superman’s home world of Krypton. One “Superman” trailer shows Lex and the Engineer raiding Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, so it’s possible he stumbles upon some kryptonite there, but there’s a far more dangerous way he can utilize the mineral.

That same trailer has a scene where Superman is held prisoner. He’s brought to a cell that’s occupied by Metamorpho, a DC Comics hero with the ability to change the physical attributes of his body into various elements. It seems to be the case that this includes the one element that can harm Superman, as his hand is glowing green (a solid indication that it’s kryptonite) while a weakened Superman joins him in the cell. If Metamorpho is working on behalf of Lex, either voluntarily or against his will, then Luthor doesn’t have to worry about kryptonite pieces getting lost or destroyed. He can just have Metamorpho produce it on command and torture Superman as much as he likes.

Lex Luthor can have a fancy warsuit and all the kryptonite in the world, but the thing that makes him such a sinister foe for Superman is his intellect. He’s always seemingly planning things out 12 steps ahead, to the point where even when it looks like the Man of Steel has won, it was part of Lex’s plan all along.

There’s no greater example of this than Lex’s plot in “All-Star Superman,” where he sabotages a space mission, forcing Superman to fly into outer space to save the crew. In the process, Superman is exposed to a lethal dose of radiation from the Sun, which simultaneously makes him more powerful but also begins the process of slowly killing him. Spoiler: Superman doesn’t die in the end, but he is driven away from Earth to fix the Sun. It’s arguably the closest Lex has gotten to achieving his plan of ridding the world of Superman, even if he seems to turn a corner upon realizing what his enemy truly wants for the planet.

Lex is also a genius when it comes to manipulating public opinion. This is seen on the animated “Justice League Unlimited” when he runs for president. He flat-out tells the Question that the entire purpose of his campaign is to smear Superman. There’s evidence of this in the episode “Clash,” where Superman fights Captain Marvel, as the former believes Lex is planning something disastrous with the construction of his new Lexor City. Superman is proven wrong, and the new city, which was supposed to provide low-income housing, gets leveled, making him look like an awful person. Rest assured, in the upcoming “Superman,” nothing will be as it seems with Lex.

Lex Luthor is bad enough on his own, but he’ll have plenty of assistance in James Gunn’s “Superman.” For starters, he has the Engineer by his side, a character who, in the comics, has total mastery over machinery, including nanites housed in her own body. This is on display in the trailer, as her hands transform into deadly buzzsaws that appear to be able to hurt, possibly even cut, the Man of Steel.

One under-the-radar “Superman” character to keep an eye on is Maxwell Lord. Played by Sean Gunn, he’s another billionaire like Lex, and he’s also known to have psychic abilities. In fact, this resulted in him defeating Superman on one occasion in “Wonder Woman” #219 (by Greg Rucka, Tom Derenick, Georges Jeanty, Karl Kerschl, David Lopez, and Rags Morales). In the issue, Lord uses his powers to brainwash Superman to do his bidding, and the only way to break the bond between the two is for Wonder Woman to kill Lord in a controversial move. It’s unclear whether Gunn’s Lord will have similar powers or if he’ll just be another generic rich guy for Lex to bounce off of, but he’s not one to be underestimated.

Lord also seems to have a hand in controlling the other superheroes in the film, like Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion). They’re all wearing suits with the LordTech logo on them, suggesting they’re working on behalf of the billionaire. This could explain how they get on Superman’s bad side if Lord and company get concerned about the Man of Steel being too much of a free agent. All of this is to say Superman has more than just Lex to worry about.

With all of the allies Lex Luthor apparently has at his disposal in James Gunn’s “Superman,” there’s one that remains a bit of a mystery. The trailers have shown a figure in a black suit with a “U” emblem on their chest battling the titular hero. Once again, a toy reveals who this is, as an action figure based on this character is labeled “Ultraman.”

Ultraman is an evil version of Superman from a reality where every member of the Justice League has taken on a more villainous role. This inverted version of the Justice League is called the Crime Syndicate, and the two teams have clashed many times in the past, like in the animated “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths” film. Generally, Ultraman has the same strength level and abilities as Superman, making the two more than a match for one another. This explains why Ultraman can apparently overpower Superman so easily in the trailer.

One would assume that Ultraman is working with Lex and, by extension, the Engineer, but there’s still the question as to whether this is truly the Ultraman comic book fans know. Is he from another universe? The multiverse is all the rage right now, but it would be a lofty concept to introduce in the first film of the new DCU. It’s possible the character will be called Ultraman but is just a clone or something more grounded than an interdimensional threat. All we know so far is this entity is strong enough to face-plant Superman into — and through — the pavement.

Let’s go back to James Gunn’s comment about how he wants his film and the Superman character to represent the United States as it is today. We live in incredibly divisive times, so not only is the Man of Steel going to have to deal with Lex Luthor, the Engineer, Ultraman, Max Lord, and the Justice Gang, but he’s also going to contend with the general public. This is seen already in the trailers when a dejected Superman is walking as bystanders yell at him, with one man even throwing a can at his head.

One of the biggest reasons Superman should be terrified of Lex is that, ultimately, he has a very easy case to make to the general public. Superman is an alien, and he’s not working with the interests of the American government in mind. He can literally do whatever he wants, performing magnificent feats, and no one is around to stop him. One can see a scenario where Lex taps into xenophobia and convinces the public that they, too, should be afraid of Superman, even though he’s shown time and time again that he’s there to help people.

It’s one thing to have a single man hate you. But Lex, with his massive influence as a businessman and (potentially) a politician, could sway public opinion to truly turn on the Last Son of Krypton. He can manipulate events to make Superman look like the bad guy, and when it feels like the whole world is against you, well — it’s no wonder why Superman looks so sad throughout the trailers we’ve gotten so far.

“Superman” arrives in theaters on July 11.