James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy trailer has ignited both awe and laughter, showcasing David Corenswet’s Man of Steel in breathtaking flight sequences while accidentally spawning a viral meme frenzy over an “awkward” promotional image. The 30-second TV spot, released early for DC Fan First members, opens with Superman soaring over jagged ice mountains in a scene heavily inspired by Top Gun: Maverick’s drone-shot aerial cinematography. But the trailer’s hype collided with social media ridicule after fans unearthed a May 2024 first-look photo of Superman casually adjusting his boot mid-explosion, which Forbes described as “weirdly low-stakes” and “AI-generated.”
The trailer’s most thrilling moments, reported by WION, include Superman battling a fire-breathing kaiju-like monster and rescuing a child from a collapsing building. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor also makes a cryptic appearance, stepping out of a helicopter in a snowy wilderness—a scene fans speculate hints at a Fortress of Solitude showdown. Gunn confirmed the film avoids retelling Superman’s origin, instead focusing on Clark Kent balancing his Kryptonian identity with Smallville values, including a heartfelt “porch talk” with Pa Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince).
However, the marketing campaign hit turbulence when fans resurrected a promotional still of Superman sitting on a couch, pulling on his red boot while ignoring a fiery explosion outside his window. The image, mocked by Mashable as “Temu’s discount Superman,” went viral with edits placing the hero in absurd backdrops like Shrek’s swamp or Homer Simpson’s living room. “This looks like Superman forgot he’s supposed to save the planet,” joked one Twitter user. Gunn defended the shot, calling it a deliberate choice to humanize the character: “Even superheroes need to tie their laces.”
The trailer also introduces lesser-known DC heroes like Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), whose shape-shifting abilities are teased in a blink-and-miss scene. Krypto the Superdog, making his live-action debut, soars alongside Superman—a detail Gunn emphasized to highlight the film’s comic-book roots. Yet lingering questions remain: Who bloodies Superman in a snowy crash scene? Is the kaiju villain tied to Lex Luthor’s experiments? And why is Superman facing hostility in the fictional nation of Boravia?
With a July 11, 2025, release date, Superman: Legacy aims to reboot the DC Universe—but the memes underscore fan skepticism. As one Reddit user quipped, “Gunn gave us Top Gun meets Sharknado.” Whether the film soars or crashes may depend on how well it balances spectacle with the heart its trailer promises.
