Superman Director James Gunn Reveals New Up Close Image of Ultraman — but Who’s Under the Mask?

With Superman’s merchandise conscionable astir the corner, and a fig of trailers and promotional images down us, we person a decent thought of what to expect from the movie and the galore characters acceptable to look wrong it.

However, 1 quality has remained shrouded successful enigma ever since helium popped up successful the debut Superman trailer: Ultraman.

Writer and manager James Gunn’s Ultraman is simply a precise antithetic instrumentality connected the quality made celebrated successful the DC comics. In the comics, Ultraman is an evil, alternate-universe reflector of Superman himself. He looks a batch similar Superman, just… evil.

Ultraman successful James Gunn’s Superman doesn’t look similar Superman astatine all. His suit, including his mask, has a much subject fatigues feel, though the ample U emblem connected his thorax arsenic seen successful trailers is unmistakable. But Ultraman’s powerfulness acceptable looks accordant with Superman’s, astatine slightest based connected what we’ve seen of the quality successful trailers.

Now, Gunn has released a caller representation of Ultraman that gives america a bully look astatine the quality up close. We tin spot the disguise successful plentifulness of detail, implicit with dusty goggles. But who is underneath?

Ultraman. pic.twitter.com/KvdcMYL3XZ

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 24, 2025

Fans person already spent a large woody of clip speculating astir the existent individuality of this film’s Ultraman, with theories ranging from the plausible (a clone of David Corenswet’s Superman, the Hammer of Boravia successful disguise, Martian Manhunter / J’onn J’onzz) to the outlandish (Henry Cavill!). Some are joking it’s Chris Pratt. IGN’s ain comic publication adept Jesse Schedeen has speculated that Ultraman is much akin to Nuclear Man from 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, oregon immoderate versions of Bizarro from the comics.

So it's confirmed this is ultraman but who's playing him. pic.twitter.com/1TanQAGBJv

— sonci4536 (@AtikChafik) June 24, 2025

But this caller representation has sparked a caller circular of speculation, with immoderate likening the character’s look to Doomsday, fixed the vague similarities betwixt the 2 suits and goggles. Doomsday appeared successful monstrous signifier successful Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but his archetypal afloat appearance, connected the screen of Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (December 1992), is much humanoid.

pic.twitter.com/e97jbFv9yG

— Daniel Guerra (@guerra_daniel) June 24, 2025

There’s a crushed this Ultraman is covered from caput to toe. The character’s existent individuality is meant to beryllium a enigma arsenic audiences caput into theaters, truthful the eventual uncover volition beryllium rather the moment.

Gunn precocious teased the origins of this Ultraman, though helium kept things ace detailed. In an interrogation with Entertainment Weekly, the DC Universe steward was asked whether Ultraman was Lex Luthor's effort to make a "Superman benignant of figure." He replied: "It's close. Yeah, I deliberation that's close. Ultraman is benignant of Lex's thug and is beauteous powerful."

We’ll yet find retired erstwhile Superman launches July 11.

In different Superman news, Gunn precocious dismissed concerns that Superman could beryllium confusing with truthful galore superheroes and villains already established successful its world, saying: “Oppenheimer has 3 times arsenic galore speaking roles arsenic we do.”

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].