Now we know how Clark protects his secret in Superman

The marketing of Superman is in full swing as the DCU movie flies into the cinema halls across the world in a week. The James Gunn movie, headlined by David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Kal-El, will feature various things that people associate with his character, including how Clark manages to keep his secret. Over the years, fans have complained that it is unrealistic that a pair of glasses can hide one's identity.

Now, it seems James Gunn and his team have an answer for this long-standing question about Superman. Gunn, in an interview, revealed that the DCU version of the character has an explanation for the different appearances of Clark Kent and the Last Son of Krypton. It turns out Clark uses hypno glasses as a disguise and to hold on to a civilian identity and semblance of a normal life.

What did James Gunn say about Superman's disguise?

James Gunn sat down for an interview with ComicBook.com on June 28, 2025. In this interview, the director touched upon various aspects of the upcoming DCU superhero movie. But the highlight of the interview was when the director touched upon Clark Kent's disguise to hide his secret that he is the Man of Steel.

Pointing out the use of hypno glasses by the hero in the comics, Gunn said:

“That’s canon in the comics. It’s kind of been forgotten but that’s from the comics. I was sitting with Tom King, the comic book writer, and I was like, ‘you know the thing that I just don’t really know how to reconcile in myself is the glasses because the glasses always bothered me as a kid.’ They bothered me because I just don’t have that much suspension of disbelief to believe that.”

Then, pointing out that Corenswet's Clark and Man of Steel already look different thanks to the former's messy hairstyle, Gunn continued:

“You know, they’re two different people even though I think out of all the actors that have played Superman, Corenswet looks the most different as Clark Kent to Superman, even more so than Chris Reeve. But he said, ‘you know, there’s an answer for that in the comics, it’s canon that they hypnotize people.’”

While the idea of hypnotism sounds silly, it must be noted that a comic from the 1970s did confirm that the Last Son of Krypton does use something called "super-hypnosis" to maintain his secret identity from the world.

What is Superman about?

Gunn and his team must be credited for keeping the story of this hotly anticipated summer blockbuster under wraps. Moreover, as of now, we don't even know who the antagonist of this movie is. We know that Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor is an antagonist, but it is unclear if the movie has more antagonists or not.

"“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind."