New marketing materials for Superman feature the first-ever inclusion of Kryptonite on a DC Studios poster. The green rock from Superman's destroyed home planet of Krypton has become famous as the only material to weaken the Man of Steel. With James Gunn's new Superman releasing on July 11, the DC film will once again bring Kryptonite to the screen, although it will be in a new form this time.
DC Studios has released an official Chinese poster for Superman, which features new art of the film's characters and a glimpse at Kryptonite in the movie. The poster includes some of the major characters in the film, including Superman (David Corenswet) and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). However, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) does not wield the Kryptonite as might be expected. Instead, it is a part of the villain Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan).
Metamorpho's powers allow him to shapeshift his body into any elemental form, even multiple forms simultaneously. This includes transmuting into Kryptonite, which is evident from this poster, showing Metamorpho with a hand formed of the green rock.
In Superman's trailers, it's already been hinted that Metamorpho will facilitate Kryptonite's use against Superman. It appears that Metamorpho may be a captive, and the villain will be forced to use his shapeshifting powers against the Man of Steel.
This is notably the first time that Kryptonite has appeared on a DCU poster, but Superman's Achilles heel has featured on DC movie posters in the past. Notably, Superman III's poster features a look at the Kryptonite Ray, and the character posters for 2005's Superman Returns include Lex Luthor holding a Kryptonite crystal.
The imagery of Metamorpho with a handful of Kryptonite is not the first time this has been hinted at in Superman's marketing. A specific scene from Superman's trailers shows the shapeshifting villain bringing the glowing green rock close to a weakened Superman while in captivity.
Following the lore set out in DC Comics, radioactive pieces of Superman's homeworld are the only thing that can weaken the alien superhero, and it appears the villains in Superman will use this to their full advantage.
Superman is the first feature film released in the rebooted DCU created under James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios. The film wipes the slate clean of the old DCEU and restarts with Superman's journey. However, it won't be a typical origin story for the DC hero; instead, it takes place a few years after the Kryptonian has established himself as Superman.
Will Kryptonite Be A Big Part of Superman?
Kryptonite is one of the core components of Superman's lore, and it's not at all surprising that it will be used to affect the Man of Steel in his next outing. However, Metamorpho being the one to make the use of Kryptonite possible is a first for a DC film.
Metamorpho's storyline is one shrouded in mystery, headed into Superman, but trailers seem to suggest that the villain may be forced to use Kryptonite to weaken Superman against his will. There are suggestions that Metamorpho may undergo a redemptive arc, and turn against his captors to help Superman, which could mean that Lex Luthor will lose his Kryptonite weapon against Superman and have to resort to other options.
Superman has no shortage of villains to fight in the new film, with a Kaiju, the Engineer, and the mysterious Ultraman also on the docket. Luckily, Superman may have some allies at his side with the members of the Justice Gang (Green Lantern, Mr Terrific, and Hawkgirl) also on deck.
