Summary
Tucked amidst tons of Easter eggs inSuperman’s second trailer is a shot that is as exciting as it is unsettling. It features a flood that keen-eyed viewers have already begun to connect the dots around.
Five months after the original teaser debut, James Gunn finally hearkened to fans’ pleas by releasing the follow-up official trailer to his highly anticipated magnum opus,Superman. Weeks before,at Cinemacon in mid-April, attendees were treated to a five-minute exclusive sneek-peek of the Fortress of Solitude jutting out from the ice, and the Kryptonian robots rush out to speed Superman’s recovery. Come July 11, fans will get to witness on the big screen David Corenswet as the latest Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and a bunch of other superheroes, including Isabela Merced’s Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardener/Green Lantern, Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific/Micheal Holt, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
There Seems To Be A Subtle Reference To Matt ReevesThe BatmanInSuperman’sOfficial Trailer
Does a flooded Gotham Ring a Bell?
Inserted in the three-minute clip ofSuperman’s trailer are tons of Easter eggsand DC references, but one manages to slip under the radar than most, despite being arguably the most important. At the 1:43 mark, to the right of the screen, there’s a billboard on a skyscraper airing a news channel which reads “Major Floods Causes Suffering.” Although there’s the implication of a flood somewhere in the clip (at 2:16), there’s a strong belief among some fans that the flood referred to on the billboard is the same one that occurs in Gotham in Matt Reeves’ 2022 film,The Batman.
For context, inThe Batman, a huge flood affects thousands of lower-class citizens afterthe Riddler blows up Gotham reservoirto purge the corruption-ridden city. That film is distinct from the DC Universe, home toSuperman.
If the flood being reported by the newscaster is indeed Gunn cheekily referencingThe Batman’s Gotham, it wouldn’t be out of character for the filmmaker. HisGuardians of the Galaxyhas so many references that about 40% are yet to be fished out—eleven years later! Robert Pattinson’s Batman in the DCU is a possibility that has been hotly debated among the DC faithful. Arguments for his inclusion cite the ease of an already loved Batman and the unsuitability of two parallel Batmen; these very same reasons are why some other fans loathe this idea. More importantly, it would mean that despite the talk of faith inReeves’ vision forThe Batman: Part 2, DC Studio executives, who include Gunn himself and Peter Safran as co-CEOs, are already putting contingencies in place for the sequel’s cancellation.
There’s a chance thatSupermanwill provide answers about the fate of Batman in the DCU. It’s already giving clues as to the fate of the character and the new universe in general, in terms of audience reception:the teaser is DC’s and Warner Bros.’ biggestof all time, with 250 million views across all platforms. The just-released trailer, by comparison, had just eleven million on the first day. It’s no cause for alarm—trailers outperforming teasers is rare.
