Contains spoilers for “Superman”

“Superman” is more than just introducing a fresh face for the iconic hero—played by David Corenswet. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in the DC Universe, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran. This film is setting the stage for a new wave of superhero cinema in Hollywood, with characters like Mister Terrific, portrayed by Edi Gathegi, and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl joining forces to combat threats such as giant monsters and villains. The central antagonist in this explosive summer movie is Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult. As a tribute to all things DC Comics, “Superman” has received mostly positive feedback, suggesting that Gunn, who both wrote and directed the film, is starting this new journey on a strong note.

For newcomers to the world of superheroes, or those who have typically leaned towards Marvel films, “Superman” provides an excellent introduction to this new franchise. It serves as a launchpad for the first phase of the DC Universe, aptly named “Gods and Monsters.” Nonetheless, die-hard fans of DC and Superman will discover numerous Easter eggs and hidden gems throughout the film. DC enthusiasts likely spotted many references during their first watch, but this overview might uncover a few that went unnoticed.

James Gunn is no stranger to the entertainment scene, having directed the entire “Guardians of the Galaxy” series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before transitioning to DC with “The Suicide Squad.” His extensive experience has earned him numerous connections in the industry, which are evident in “Superman.” Some appearances are hard to miss, like Bradley Cooper, known for voicing Rocket Raccoon in the MCU, portraying Jor-El, Superman’s father. Nathan Fillion, a regular collaborator with Gunn, takes on the role of Green Lantern Guy Gardner. However, there are other cameos in the film that might have gone unnoticed.

Notably, the voices of Superman’s robots in the Fortress of Solitude all come courtesy of some old pals. Alan Tudyk plays Robot #4, who takes on the moniker of Gary. Tudyk is known for his voiceover prowess, which is probably why Gunn also tapped him to voice Dr. Phosphorus in “Creature Commandos,” the official start of the DC Universe that Looper praised for its violent wackiness. Two of the other robots are voiced by Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff, who appeared in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies as Yondu and Mantis, respectively.

You never know what kind of background details you might catch upon rewatching “Superman.” Early in the film, there’s a quick shot of a truck with “Dupree Chemical” written on it. The company was first introduced in 1991’s “Justice League Quarterly” #1 from Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Chris Sprouse. The company sponsors a new superhero team called the Conglomerate, composed of Booster Gold, Vapor, Echo, and Maxi-Man, among others. Of course, Dupree has less-than-ethical reasons for wanting a superhero team under its thumb. At one point, they dispatch the group to eliminate rebels in another country for the sake of protecting their own plants. 

Even though Dupree doesn’t factor into the actual plot of “Superman,” a corporate-sponsored superhero team is present. Guy Gardner, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl operate under LordTech, the company Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn), oversees. But who knows? Maybe in this universe, Dupree has another group that will be inspired by Superman’s actions and stand up for what they believe is right rather than what a CEO tells them to do. 

Lex Luthor meets with several high-ranking government officials following Superman’s intervention in the Middle East. Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) should be the most familiar of the bunch, especially considering he had a prime spot on “Creature Commandos” already. But there’s also General Mori (James Hiroyuki Liao) and Flo Crawley (Tinashe Kajese-Bolden), the latter of which has already been introduced via “The Suicide Squad.” Flo is Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) cousin, and she’s integral to saving Task Force X during their mission on Corto Maltese. When the team disobeys orders, Amanda doesn’t think twice about preparing to detonate the explosives in their necks. Flo is the one who knocks Waller unconscious. After that, she and the other A.R.G.U.S. agents help the team defeat Starro. 

By the end of the film, Flo gets captured and presumably incarcerated over her assault on Waller. But it seems as though that hasn’t dampened her career prospects. She’s still part of this high-profile meeting with Lex Luthor and would be a perfect fit for the Amanda Waller spin-off series that’s in the works. It may seem confusing as to whether “The Suicide Squad” is canon going forward, and James Gunn set the record straight on BlueSky: “Only Creature Commandos forward is pure canon. For instance, Rick Flag Jr was killed because we heard Rick Flag Sr talking about it in Creature Commandos, not because we saw it in The Suicide Squad.” That leeway probably explains why Flo’s still working for the government. 

Part of world-building isn’t just introducing a bunch of characters. It’s also about making the movie feel lived-in, like this really is some alternate dimension characters could walk around in and occupy. That’s why it’s fun to see a bunch of brands that have populated DC media over the decades.

During Superman’s fight with the kaiju, we get a bird’s eye view of a bunch of advertisements, including one for Big Belly Burger. This is a burger chain that’s been around in DC properties since its introduction in “Adventures of Superman” #441 from John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, and Dennis Janke. It was a prominent fixture in the Arrowverse shows on The CW, appearing in most realities for characters to grab a bite. 

Another ad is for Zesti Cola, another fixture in DC Comics. The true question is whether these brands exist alongside real-world brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. If they don’t, audiences can rest easy knowing there won’t be any awkward product placement in future DC films. 

James Gunn has really made a point to be more transparent about the myriad writers and artists who helped shape these comic book characters over the decades. He even took to Threads at one point to clarify that comic book creators do, in fact, get compensated for their works’ continued use: “Both DC and Marvel compensate comic book writers for their creations. I have created personal relationships with many if not most of the writers who have created characters who I’ve gratefully put into films.”

Part of that also seems to extend to including little Easter eggs of various comic book writers and artists within the film itself. For example, there’s a store called “Vincenzo’s.” This is probably named for Darren Vincenzo, who worked as an editor, writer, and colorist for DC Comics, including on some “Superman” titles. When Superman’s getting arrested, you can make out a street sign that says “Waid St.” This seems to be a nod to Mark Waid, who’s contributed to Marvel and DC books for years, including writing the highly influential “Kingdom Come.” 

Waid even noted the sign’s inclusion months prior to the film’s release on his Threads account, pointing out what a big deal it is to get recognized for contributing to the Superman mythos. Waid actually got to attend the “Superman” premiere, so it’s nice to see Gunn making an effort to honor those who have made Superman what he is. 

The next DC film might be “Supergirl,” but another DCU project is coming out a lot sooner. “Peacemaker” Season 2 debuts on HBO Max in August, 2025, and fans have long wondered how the character, played by John Cena, would factor into this new continuity. That remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: He’s in Superman’s world now. 

Peacemaker pops up on a news program to talk about the revelation that Superman’s parents sent him to Earth for the purpose of conquering it. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Peacemaker has a few choice words for the Man of Steel, especially given his comments during the first season of “Peacemaker” where he spoke about Superman’s alleged poop fetish. 

Of course, that’s when “Peacemaker” was presumably set in the DC Extended Universe, meaning he would’ve been talking about Henry Cavill’s version of the character. Does Peacemaker think all Supermen are alike? The “Peacemaker” Season 2 trailer sees the titular character encountering one of his own variants, so it certainly appears like different realities are in play. Peacemaker might just find himself stumbling into a whole new franchise.

Lois Lane might be punk rock, but Clark Kent is … whatever The Mighty Crab Joys are. When the two discuss bands early in the film, Lois doesn’t even try to hide her disdain toward the band, but Clark’s a fan. And his admiration goes way back, as Lois spots a Mighty Crab Joys poster in Clark’s childhood bedroom. It appears James Gunn isn’t solely interested in world-building when it’s concerned with superheroes; he’s created a rock band that’s infiltrated every sector of the DCU so far.

We already saw this band before in “Creature Commandos.” During a fight between the Bride (Indira Varma) and Eric Frankenstein (David Harbour), you can see Eric wearing a Mighty Crab Joys shirt. Plus, the “Peacemaker” Season 2 trailer has a brief moment of a character jumping from a rooftop, and there’s a billboard featuring a couple of members from The Mighty Crab Joys. Maybe they’re too mainstream for Lois, but The Mighty Crab Joys have some DCU heavy hitters as fans. Now we just need a full album…

Rex Mason, aka Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), is a reluctant villain at first, as Lex has him imprisoned to turn part of his body into kryptonite to weaken Superman. Of course, he’s only doing this because Lex is holding his son, Baby Joey, hostage. But when he finds his humanity, he helps Superman escape, and the next time we see him, he’s watching a news broadcast with a blonde woman, played by Louisa Krause.

Going off comic book lore, this is more than likely Sapphire Stagg, who’s the wife to Metamorpho, mother to Joey, and daughter of Stagg Industries head honcho Simon Stagg. We know for a fact Stagg Industries is part of this universe, as Superman enters one of its buildings earlier. More than likely, the pair have followed the same path as in the comics, in which Sapphire falls in love with Rex before he undergoes his mutation. It’s during a trip on behalf of her father that Rex encounters a powerful meteoric light that turns him into an elemental man. 

Sapphire may not get any lines in ‘Superman,” but it shows how James Gunn is sticking to DC’s mythos. Metamorpho is definitely a highlight of the film, so there’s always hope Sapphire will have a bigger role in a future project. 

Lex Luthor isn’t interested in merely selling weapons to Boravia to use against Jarhanpur to make a quick buck. He’s in cahoots with Boravia’s president so that when the country conquers Jarhanpur, he gets half of it. The Daily Planet team uncover this information and get a look at Lex’s new map, which sees Jarhanpur divided into two, with one half labeled “Luthoria.” 

It’s the perfect name for an egomaniac like Luthor to name a country, but considering all of the deep cuts James Gunn has put into the movie, it seems unlikely he’s not aware that the name also hails from the pages of DC Comics. Luthoria was, in fact, the name of a country, although it hasn’t exactly been relevant for decades. It appears in 1939’s “Detective Comics” #34 from Gardner Fox, Bob Kane, and Sheldon Moldoff. 

What’s interesting is that, in the comics, Luthoria seemingly has nothing to do with Lex Luthor. After all, Lex wasn’t introduced until 1940. Alas, Luthoria will remain out of reach for Lex, as Superman foils his plans by the movie’s end.

2025’s “Superman” is a celebration of the character throughout his storied history. James Gunn has spoken about the film’s various influences, from the “All-Star Superman” comic book arc to Zack Snyder’s take starting with “Man of Steel.” Naturally, “Superman” wouldn’t be who he is today without 1978’s “Superman: The Movie,” directed by Richard Donner, and its sequels. Gunn even brought back the comedic relief from “Superman: The Movie,” although, to be fair, he isn’t very funny this time around.

Otis (Ned Beatty) first appeared in the 1978 film as Lex’s bumbling henchman. He can’t ever seem to do anything right, and when Lex (Gene Hackman) aims to buy up California property on the cheap, Otis sneakily tries to name one piece of land “Otisberg.” He’s popped up in various DC projects ever since, like “Young Justice” and “Supergirl,” but he makes a grand return to the big screen in 2025’s “Superman,” played this time by Terence Rosemore. 

Rosemore is a frequent collaborator with James Gunn, having previously appeared in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “The Suicide Squad.” Unfortunately, the MCU killed many superhero film trends like having memorable henchmen, and that seems to be the case here, as Otis really only has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role.

Lex Luthor’s plans fall apart by the movie’s ending. The last we see of him, he’s being hauled into a vehicle and told that he’s about to take a trip to Belle Reve. That name should be familiar to anyone who keeps up with DC lore, as it’s primarily the prison where super-powered villains are held. Luthor may not have any superpowers of his own, but law enforcement clearly sees him as dangerous enough to warrant a place here.

Belle Reve just so happens to be the prison where Amanda Waller picks out recruits for Task Force X, aka the Suicide Squad. As mentioned previously, not everything in James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” is canon going forward, so it’s unclear if Lex Luthor will encounter Calendar Man (Sean Gunn) and wonder why he looks suspiciously like Max Lord. 

Of course, given Lex’s vast resources and wealth, it seems unlikely that he’ll stay locked up in Belle Reve for long. But it’s a good excuse to get Lex out of the picture so another figure in the Man of Steel’s rogues gallery can get a shot in a prospective “Superman” sequel. 

While Superman appears to like Krypto to an extent, he does seem somewhat antagonistic toward the pooch. He even says at one point how Krypto’s sort of a foster situation. We see exactly what he means at the film’s conclusion when Supergirl (Milly Alcock) crashes into his frozen abode. Krypto is technically her dog, and she’s come to pick him up. 

Hopefully, Krypto will be back if (or when, most likely) “Superman 2” gets off the ground, but he’s clearly needed elsewhere. The forthcoming “Supergirl” movie, which was originally titled “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” will borrow elements from the comic book of that name from Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Krypto is in that story, but fans may want to brace themselves for some puppy endangerment. 

This might be a potential spoiler for the new “Supergirl” film, but “Woman of Tomorrow” sees Supergirl encounter Krem of the Yellow Hills, who will be played by Matthias Schoenaerts. In the first issue of “Woman of Tomorrow,” Krypto gets shot with an arrow. Don’t worry: He’s okay by the end. But it functions as the inciting incident to get Supergirl committed to tracking down Krem. If you want to know more about this super pooch, check out our roundup of all Krypto’s powers.