Ask Your Own Question
What is the plot?
The film opens in June 1938 with a child reading a comic about the Daily Planet, setting the stage for a sprawling saga. The scene shifts to the majestic Daily Planet building in Metropolis, then zooms out into space to reveal Krypton, a planet with a dense molecular structure shaped by its heavy gravity and a red sun. Krypton is ruled by a Council of Elders representing various clans. Jor-El, Krypton's foremost scientist, oversees the trial of three criminals: General Zod, his brutish ally Non, and the ruthless Ursa. The Council finds them guilty, but Zod defiantly vows revenge against Jor-El and his family. Meanwhile, Krypton faces destruction due to an irreversible orbital shift. Jor-El, desperate to save his infant son Kal-El, builds a starship to send him to Earth, a planet orbiting a yellow sun that will grant Kal-El extraordinary powers. Jor-El and his wife Lara share a poignant farewell before launching the ship, which narrowly escapes Krypton's cataclysmic end.
The starship crashes in a Kansas wheat field in 1951, where Jonathan and Martha Kent find the three-year-old Kal-El and adopt him as Clark Kent. Clark grows up concealing his powers, and after his father's death, he journeys north to the Fortress of Solitude. There, he activates a crystal that connects him to Jor-El's consciousness, revealing his Kryptonian heritage and destiny. Years later, Clark works at the Daily Planet in Metropolis alongside Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Lois is intrigued by Clark's humble demeanor and mysterious abilities. Clark discreetly saves Lois from danger multiple times, deepening their connection.
Meanwhile, Lex Luthor, a cunning billionaire, plots to undermine Superman. With his assistant Otis and accomplice Eve Teschmacher, Luthor steals nuclear missiles to execute a scheme aimed at acquiring land and power. Superman thwarts Luthor's plans repeatedly, saving lives and battling his machinations. Lois and Clark's relationship blossoms, culminating in a romantic flight where Lois dubs him "a super man." However, tragedy strikes when Lois dies in a disaster, shaking Superman profoundly. In desperation, he uses his powers to reverse time and save her, grappling with the moral weight of altering fate.
Three years into his career as Superman, Clark intervenes in an international conflict by stopping Boravia's invasion of neighboring Jarhanpur. He warns Boravian president Vasil Ghurkos to cease hostilities. This intervention sparks controversy, especially as Luthor exploits the situation. Luthor unleashes a formidable metahuman called the "Hammer of Boravia" to defeat Superman. The Hammer proves a formidable adversary, and Superman suffers his first defeat, retreating to the Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica with his superpowered dog, Krypto. There, robots bathe him in concentrated solar radiation to heal his wounds. They also play a damaged video message from Jor-El and Lara, which initially only reveals that Kal-El was sent to Earth to be saved from Krypton's destruction.
Superman returns to Metropolis but is again bested by the Hammer, who is revealed to be Ultraman, a clone of Superman created and controlled by Luthor. Luthor's henchwoman, Angela Spica, known as The Engineer, possesses nanite-infused blood allowing her to conjure weapons. Together, they infiltrate the Fortress of Solitude, overpower the robots, and capture Krypto. The Engineer restores the damaged portion of the Kryptonian message, which shocks Superman and the world: Jor-El and Lara explicitly instruct Kal-El to conquer Earth and take many wives to restore Krypton's legacy. This revelation turns public opinion sharply against Superman, branding him a threat.
Superman's relationship with Lois becomes strained as she challenges his involvement in foreign affairs, questioning the ethics of his actions. They argue, and Lois suggests a break. Meanwhile, Luthor orchestrates chaos by unleashing a kaiju monster on Metropolis as a distraction. Superman teams up with a group of metahumans called the "Justice Gang," consisting of Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl, funded by billionaire Maxwell Lord. Superman attempts to subdue the kaiju peacefully, but Mister Terrific kills it by dropping bombs inside its stomach, much to Superman's dismay.
Luthor broadcasts the full Kryptonian message worldwide, intensifying the backlash against Superman. Feeling betrayed and disillusioned, Superman surrenders to the U.S. government, who hand him over to Luthor. Luthor imprisons Superman in a pocket dimension prison alongside Metamorpho, a metahuman capable of creating organic matter. Luthor uses Metamorpho's infant son Joey as leverage to force him to create kryptonite, weakening Superman. During captivity, Luthor murders Malik Ali, a civilian who aided Superman, devastating the hero. Metamorpho, moved by Superman's resolve, helps him escape, freeing Joey and Krypto as well.
Lois convinces Mister Terrific to assist in rescuing Superman. They infiltrate LutherCorp and enter the pocket dimension, rescuing Superman, Metamorpho, Krypto, and Joey just before the portal closes. Superman recuperates at his childhood home in Smallville, where Jonathan Kent reminds him that his choices define him, not the message from his birth parents.
Luthor's girlfriend Eve Teschmacher, secretly working against him, contacts Jimmy Olsen with evidence of Luthor's collusion with Boravia's president Ghurkos to seize Jarhanpur and establish a monarchy. Luthor imprisons Eve after discovering her betrayal. He reopens the pocket dimension portal to lure Superman back, causing a rift in reality that splits Metropolis. The rift threatens to destroy the city.
Superman dispatches the Justice Gang to stop Boravia's renewed invasion of Jarhanpur. Green Lantern demolishes tanks, Metamorpho combats soldiers, and Hawkgirl infiltrates Ghurkos's palace. Defying expectations, Hawkgirl kills Ghurkos by throwing him to his death, rejecting any moral restraint. Meanwhile, Superman and Mister Terrific confront Ultraman and The Engineer in Metropolis. The Engineer attempts to kill Superman by forcing nanites down his throat, but Superman escapes into space, causing her to lose control of the nanites. He returns to battle Ultraman, aided by Krypto, who destroys Luthor's surveillance drones. Superman tricks Ultraman into flying into a black hole beneath the rift, neutralizing the clone.
Mister Terrific closes the rift using Luthor's computer system. Luthor rants about orchestrating the Boravia-Jarhanpur conflict to discredit Superman, driven by envy of the hero's public admiration. Superman challenges Luthor's ideology, asserting his humanity and moral compass. Krypto attacks and subdues Luthor, who is then arrested and sent to Belle Reve prison.
Lois, Jimmy, and the Daily Planet team expose Luthor's schemes to the public, clearing Superman's name. Those imprisoned in the pocket dimension, including Eve, are freed. Lois confesses her love to Clark, and they share a passionate kiss while floating in the air. Jimmy and Eve also begin a relationship.
Superman returns to the Fortress of Solitude, where he befriends one of the robots. His cousin Kara Zor-El, Supergirl, arrives to collect Krypto. Superman recharges in front of the sun, comforted by footage of his childhood with Ma and Pa Kent. The film ends with Superman overlooking Earth from the moon, cuddling Krypto, and sharing a lighthearted moment with Mister Terrific about a building's uneven construction as Metropolis rebuilds.
Throughout the film, key character deaths include Malik Ali, executed by Luthor to intimidate Superman, and Boravian president Vasil Ghurkos, killed by Hawkgirl during the Jarhanpur conflict. The major battles encompass Superman's initial defeats by Ultraman, the kaiju fight in Metropolis, the pocket dimension prison breakout, the rift crisis in Metropolis, and the final showdown against Luthor's forces. Political intrigue centers on Luthor's manipulation of the Boravia-Jarhanpur conflict to undermine Superman and seize power. Betrayals include Eve's covert opposition to Luthor and Metamorpho's alliance with Superman after witnessing Luthor's cruelty.
This narrative weaves Clark Kent's struggle to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human values, his fight against public distrust, and his ultimate triumph over Luthor's machinations, reaffirming his role as a hero committed to justice and humanity.
What is the ending?
In the 2025 film Superman, the ending shows Superman defeating the villainous clone Ultraman and Lex Luthor's schemes being exposed. Lex is arrested, Ultraman is trapped in a black hole, and the Engineer is taken into custody. Superman embraces his humanity by replacing a Kryptonian message with one from his Earth parents. Supergirl arrives to retrieve Krypto, and the world once again accepts Superman as a hero.
The ending unfolds with Superman confronting the final threats orchestrated by Lex Luthor. After a fierce battle, Superman faces Ultraman, a clone created by Luthor from a single hair of Superman, designed to kill him. Ultraman is controlled by Luthor through drone cameras. Superman calls upon his superpowered dog, Krypto, who destroys these cameras, allowing Superman to fight Ultraman fairly. In a decisive moment, Superman sends Ultraman flying into a black hole that had opened beneath Metropolis due to Luthor's out-of-control pocket universe technology. Ultraman is trapped there, effectively neutralized.
Meanwhile, the Engineer, an ally of Luthor who had tried to kill Superman by forcing nanites down his throat, loses control and consciousness after Superman flies high above Earth's atmosphere. She survives but is taken into custody.
Lex Luthor's plot to discredit and kill Superman is fully exposed by the Daily Planet reporters, with help from Eve Teschmacher. They reveal Luthor's manipulation of the Boravian conflict and his use of a stolen Kryptonian message urging Superman to conquer Earth. This evidence leads to Luthor's arrest and his imprisonment, presumably at Belle Reve, ending his reign of terror.
In the final moments, Superman replaces the original Kryptonian message from his birth parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, with a recording of his adoptive Earth parents, Ma and Pa Kent. This symbolizes his choice to embrace his humanity and protect Earth rather than rule it. Supergirl arrives to retrieve Krypto, signaling a continuation of the legacy and support for Superman. The world, having seen the truth, once again embraces Superman as a hero despite Luthor's attempts to paint him as a villain.
The fates of the main characters at the end are:
- Superman (Clark Kent): Victorious, embraces his human upbringing, and is accepted as a hero.
- Lex Luthor: Exposed, arrested, and imprisoned.
- Ultraman: Trapped in a black hole, effectively neutralized.
- The Engineer (Angela Spica): Taken into custody but survives.
- Krypto: Retrieved by Supergirl, continuing to support Superman.
This ending ties up the major conflicts and sets the stage for future stories in the new DC Universe.
Who dies?
Yes, several characters die in the 2025 Superman movie, each under different circumstances:
-
A street vendor who helped Superman after he was knocked down during a fight is killed by Lex Luthor. Lex brings the man into his pocket universe and, while playing Russian roulette to threaten Superman, accidentally kills the vendor.
-
Ultraman, a metahuman clone of Superman created by Lex Luthor, dies near the end of the film. After a battle in Metropolis, Superman fights Ultraman and ultimately sends him flying into a black hole in Lex Luthor's pocket dimension, resulting in Ultraman's death.
-
Rick Flag Jr., a noble DC hero, dies in a notably mundane way. He is killed by a piece of an ordinary household item (a toilet) stabbed into him by a character without powers. This death is remembered for its unceremonious nature and has narrative significance in the DC Universe timeline.
No other character deaths are detailed in the available information. The deaths occur at different points: the street vendor during Lex's attempt to coerce Superman, Ultraman at the climax of the battle in Metropolis, and Rick Flag Jr.'s death is referenced as part of the broader DC narrative connected to the 2025 film universe.
Is there a post-credit scene?
Yes, the 2025 movie Superman has a post-credits scene. It features a humorous interaction between Superman and Mister Terrific. They stand next to a Metropolis building that was damaged by Luthor's pocket dimension rift and then repaired by Mister Terrific. Superman points out that the building looks "just a little off," which annoys Mister Terrific, who responds angrily, asking if Superman wants him to take it apart and fix it again. Superman apologizes, calling himself a jerk, while Mister Terrific walks away frustrated.
Additionally, there is a mid-credits scene showing Superman and his dog Krypto sitting on the moon, quietly staring at Earth. This moment is peaceful and reflective, symbolizing Superman's love for Earth and its people after the intense events of the movie.
What are the origins and motivations of the main antagonist in Superman (2025)?
The main antagonist is billionaire Lex Luthor, who allies with Angela Spica / The Engineer and creates a metahuman clone of Superman called Ultraman to defeat the real Superman. Luthor also manipulates the nation of Boravia to invade Jarhanpur and unleashes a kaiju on Metropolis as a distraction while infiltrating Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
How does Superman's Kryptonian heritage affect his actions and decisions in the story?
Superman receives a damaged message from his Kryptonian birth parents urging him to conquer Earth and restore the Kryptonian race, which shocks him and complicates his identity. He struggles to reconcile this with his human upbringing and his role as a protector of Earth.
What role does the superpowered dog Krypto play in the film?
Krypto assists Superman by helping him retreat to the Fortress of Solitude after his first defeat, destroys Lex Luthor's drone cameras to give Superman a fair fight against Ultraman, and is captured by Luthor's forces during the infiltration of the Fortress.
Who are the members of the Justice Gang and what is their involvement in the story?
The Justice Gang consists of Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl. They assist Superman in fighting the kaiju unleashed on Metropolis. Despite Superman wanting to capture the creature alive, Mister Terrific kills it.
How does the relationship between Superman and Lois Lane develop in the film?
Superman agrees to be interviewed by Lois Lane, his girlfriend and colleague at the Daily Planet, which leads to an argument about the legal and ethical implications of his actions in Boravia. Lois also helps expose Lex Luthor's involvement with Boravia by uploading evidence to the Daily Planet's website.
Is this family friendly?
The 2025 Superman movie, directed by James Gunn, is rated PG-13 for violence, action, and language. Despite this rating--which is standard for contemporary superhero films--Gunn has described the movie as "relatively serious" yet "pretty family-friendly," aiming for a tone that can engage and inspire both children and adults.
Family Friendliness and Sensitive Content
- Intended Audience: The film is designed to appeal to a wide audience, including children, but the PG-13 rating means it may contain content considered too intense for very young viewers.
- Potentially Objectional or Upsetting Content:
- Violence and Action: Given the PG-13 rating, expect action sequences featuring superhero fights, destruction, and peril. These scenes may include loud noises, explosions, and moments of heightened tension typical in superhero movies.
- Language: The film contains some strong language, though it is unlikely to be excessive.
- Intensity of Scenes: There may be moments of suspense or threat to characters, but nothing graphic or excessively dark according to available previews and descriptions. The inclusion of elements like Krypto the Super Dog and robot butlers is meant to add a more whimsical and child-friendly tone.
- No Notable Adult Themes: While Gunn is known for more adult humor in other films, early indications are that this Superman movie leans away from raunchy content and focuses more on inspiring, all-ages storytelling.
Summary Table
| Aspect | Description | |------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | MPAA Rating | PG-13 (Violence, Action, Language) | | Family-Friendliness | High, but best for children 10+ due to intensity and some language | | Objectional Content | Superhero violence, action, loud noises, mild language | | Upsetting Scenes | Moments of peril and suspense (standard for superhero films) | | Adult Themes | None indicated; focus on inspiration and adventure |
This Superman (2025) film is expected to be suitable for most families with children old enough for a PG-13 movie, but may be too intense for very young or sensitive viewers.
Does the dog die?
In the 2025 movie Superman, the dog Krypto does not die. Although Krypto is captured by Lex Luthor and his allies and suffers some injuries, including being covered in a goo and appearing smothered, he survives the events of the film. Krypto plays an active role in helping Superman, such as destroying Luthor's drone cameras during a critical fight. There is no indication in the plot summaries or viewer reports that Krypto dies at any point in the movie.
Who is Mr. Terrific?
Mr. Terrific in the 2025 Superman movie is Michael Holt, portrayed by Edi Gathegi. He is depicted as a brilliant Black superhero known for his intelligence, strategic mind, and use of advanced technology, including floating tech orbs called T-Spheres. In the film, Mr. Terrific plays a crucial role as the brain and strategist supporting Superman, significantly contributing to the hero's efforts and survival.
Michael Holt's character in the movie is based on his comic book origin, where he first appeared in The Spectre #54 (1997). He became Mr. Terrific after the death of his wife and was inspired by the original Mister Terrific, Terry Sloane, to continue a mission of inspiring and helping others. His costume features the motto "Fair Play," symbolizing his core values.
In summary, Mr. Terrific is a key ally to Superman in the 2025 film, combining genius-level intellect, leadership, and advanced technology to support the Man of Steel.