Official Superman concept art showcased how the movie’s Kaiju almost looked way better. James Gunn’s 2025 Superman reboot not only introduced David Corenswet's new version of the Kryptonian hero to the worldwide audience but also explored a living, breathing DC Universe that introduced fantastical elements and creatures, including a Kaiju that terrorized Metropolis in broad daylight. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) engineered the creation of the Kaiju as a biological weapon against Superman, serving as a distraction while Lex and his allies invaded the Fortress of Solitude.
The Kaiju's arrival marked the first on-screen team-up between the Justice Gang and Superman, with the heroes taking the monster together while saving innocent lives in the process. Although Superman established that the kaiju isn't inherently evil and is just a wild animal, official concept art revealed a different look at the towering monster.
Gold Derby shared a sneak peek of the official concept art from the upcoming companion book, Superman: The Art and Making of the Film by James Field, showcasing how the movie's kaiju almost looked much scarier and better than its original design:
Superman production designer Beth Mickle talked about playing around with ideas on how to improve the Kaiju's design, noting that it almost had a "crustacean-like back" with spikes:
"He’s about 300 feet tall, so he’s about the height of most of the 25-, 30-, 35-story buildings there. It was over the course of two or three weeks playing around with ideas. We wanted it to have an almost crustacean-like back with these spikes and then a long tail for the sweep where it knocks over a bunch of the cars."
More designs showed the Kaiju having an extra arm, which could've proved to be useful when defending itself from the other heroes:
A much more terrifying portrayal of the Kaiju was also shown, implying that the monster would've been even more savage and dangerous.
An alternate design for the Kaiju also revealed more of its scaly and massive back, suggesting that it would've acted as additional armor.
Eventually, the production designer and Legacy Effects settled on a final design, showcasing a hulking, reptilian behemoth that leans more towards an innocent yet terrifying aesthetic.
This concept art showcased its bulky appearance and highlighted the fact that it drools constantly. Some notable details from the kaiju's final design include the spines on its back and its distinctive dinosaur-turtle hybrid aesthetic.
Here is a full look at the final design of the Kaiju in Superman:
Directed by James Gunn, Superman follows the titular hero as he grapples with the truth about his Kryptonian heritage while navigating the looming threat of Lex Luthor's evil schemes. The movie stars David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, and Skylar Gisondo. The movie premiered in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Why the Kaiju’s Design in Superman Should’ve Been More Terrifying
The Kaiju in Superman should've been more terrifying based on this new batch of official concept art, and it would've raised the stakes for the 2025 reboot even more.
While it was a deliberate choice for Gunn to create a less horrifying version of the Kaiju in the movie, some have argued that it was a misstep because showcasing a visibly monstrous and nightmarish version of the monster would've deepened the stakes.
It was also a missed opportunity to visualize humanity's fear of powerful aliens. While Lex Luthor eventually weaponized that fear by turning the public against Superman, the LexCorp owner, engineering a more terrifying Kaiju, should've dialed that point home even further. Instead, the reboot leaned more on Gunn's "safe" design of the Kaiju since many claimed that it was more of a fun version of the creature (which also fits Superman's comedic tone).
