Superman: James Gunn Reveals Shocking Set Photo of DC’s Most Mysterious Villain

James Gunn, one of the co-CEOs at DC Studios, recently shared a troubling new image from the Superman movie that features María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, a character from the contentious superhero group, The Authority. This promotional snapshot depicts The Engineer lying dead in what resembles a stadium setting, mirroring earlier trailer clips where Superman fights Ultraman in a similar location. This is the first confirmed indication of The Engineer’s crucial part in the upcoming film and hints at more serious challenges for David Corenswet’s Superman when the movie premieres on July 11th. Notably, this image is especially ominous since a standalone film for The Authority has been shelved, despite initially being planned as one of DC Studios’ first projects.

Celebrating the Anniversary of ‘The Engineer’ Character, co-created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, brilliantly portrayed by the canine-human hybrid Gaby de Faria in this July’s #Superman! Gunn expressed this on X. Previously, viewers caught a glimpse of The Engineer in the film’s teaser trailer, with some noticing de Faría walking under a LuthorCorp sign, suggesting a possible connection to Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor. With The Engineer appearing alongside Ultraman, it seems plausible that she may be collaborating with Lex Luthor.

Celebrating the Anniversary of the Engineer character, designed by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, brilliantly portrayed as a canine-human hybrid named Gaby de Faria in the upcoming series #Superman airing this July!

This version aims to maintain the original meaning while using more common and easier-to-understand language.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 10, 2025

As a passionate cinema enthusiast, I’m thrilled about the introduction of Angela Spica, who, in her civilian life, is an engineer. Yet, she has a secret identity – a mastery over nanotechnology that allows her to morph her body into diverse mechanical shapes. In the DC Comics universe, she’s a crucial member of The Authority, a team known for their unorthodox and sometimes brutal methods to achieve their objectives. This is quite distinct from Superman’s conventional approach to heroism. The inclusion of Angela Spica in Superman signifies director James Gunn’s dedication to introducing lesser-known DC characters to the mainstream, all while preserving their intricate comic book backgrounds. This revelation also hints at Superman serving as a stepping stone for introducing Authority members before their eventual union.

How Superman Is Building a Bigger DCU

As a supporter, I find it intriguing how the blend of Superman with The Authority opens up captivating storyline prospects for the DCU in the comic books. Superman’s unwavering idealism frequently clashes with The Authority’s practical utilitarianism, offering an opportunity for dramatic tension that could span numerous films. Gunn’s decision to introduce The Engineer in a seemingly adversarial or antagonistic position sets up an exploration of ethical dilemmas fundamental to superhero narratives, such as the boundaries of power and the moral obligations that come with it. This setup enables the DCU to tackle complex themes while preserving the inclusivity and hopefulness synonymous with Superman. Moreover, The Engineer’s apparent death in the stadium scene in Superman could pave the way for future plots involving the remaining Authority members pursuing vengeance or justice for their fallen ally.

In the movie “Superman”, Nathan Fillion’s character, Guy Gardner, isn’t the only DC link. He appears as a bold Green Lantern, teaming up with Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific. They seem to be working for Maxwell Lord, played by Sean Gunn. Meanwhile, the HBO series “Lanterns” will focus on different members of the Green Lantern Corps, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Despite the darker tone of “Lanterns”, Guy Gardner serves as a connection between Superman and this upcoming series. Additionally, Anthony Carrigan joins “Superman” as Metamorpho, who possesses the ability to alter his molecular structure, potentially being useful for various future DC Universe projects.

Superman flies into theaters on July 11th.

What do you suppose Superman will do with the Engineer? Could it be that the antagonist meets his end in the film? Feel free to share your hypotheses in the comments!

Read More

2025-03-11 11:16