James Gunn's 'Superman' will release Lex Luthor's iconic battle suit

James Gunn, of hits such as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘The Suicide Squad,’ has created much hype for his next film, ‘Superman,’ which comes out in 2025. Latest reveals indicate that Gunn is going back to the comic book origins of the characters, especially with Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult. Indications are that Luthor will be wearing his classic battle suit, which diverges from most of the live-action adaptations in the past.

Gunn's commitment to the source material can be seen in the casting of characters such as Krypto the Superdog, Mister Terrific, and Guy Gardner. And now, it appears that Lex Luthor is also receiving a loyal adaptation. As the article reports, ‘Superman’ is "going all-in on the comics' version of DC."

Historically, Lex Luthor's look has changed quite a bit. Early portrayals showed him as a clever businessman, but subsequent interpretations, especially in the comics, gave him an even more powerful edge with the introduction of his war suit. As explained in the article, "‘Action Comics #544’ presented a significant makeover for both Luthor and Brainiac. In Luthor's case, his Battle Array costume yields to his war suit, constructed out of alien technology to really put Superman in a fight".

The war suit became a regular part of Luthor's persona, showing up in different TV shows, such as the Diniverse cartoons and ‘Superman & Lois.’ Big-screen films have been reluctant to fully commit to the suit, though.

Gunn's ‘Superman’ trailer teases a more comic-book-accurate Luthor. Although he first appears in a business suit and tuxedo, the last shot is a close-up of his face, with cuts and bruises, implying a physical fight. This has generated speculation that the war suit will be an important part of the movie.

The appearance of the war suit has several purposes. First, it enables Luthor to physically confront Superman. Second, it is a nod to the character's more over-the-top versions, which tend to be forgotten in favor of the businessman archetype. As the article points out, "Not only does it let Luthor properly duke it out with the Man of Steel, but it pays homage to the character's wilder incarnations, which often get overlooked in favor of the businessman template."

Moreover, the step taken by Gunn can also be understood as a rebellion against the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If the MCU is struggling, then Gunn's ‘Superman’ can easily steal its show by presenting a villain who is not only a genius but a physical menace too.

‘Superman’ will hit the screens on July 11, 2025.