These four villains could seriously harm Superman in the DCU film

Superman is reportedly among the most anticipated films of 2025. This superhero film will launch Chapter One: Gods and Monsters from the DC Universe. Written and directed by James Gunn, the film is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025, from Warner Bros Pictures. Here's the official synopsis:

Superman, a cub reporter in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.

Based on the film's trailer, we identified four villains who can actually harm the superhero. Let's take a look at these four powerful baddies.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion.

Four villains that can harm Superman

1) Lex Luthor - Lex Luthor is one of the main antagonists in the upcoming Superman film. Played by Nicholas Hoult, Luthor serves as an arch-nemesis and a major threat to the Man of Steel. He may be among those involved with the Engineer, who can transform into a buzz saw. Another character up Luthor's sleeve is Metamorpho, who can convert his hands into Kryptonite.

2) The Hammer of Boravia—We do not know who is behind this entity. It is part of the main storyline, and interestingly, it also possesses nearly the same superpowers as the titular hero. In the trailer, we see him facing off against the hero in Metropolis, possibly due to some geopolitical issues in a foreign land. There's also a theory that Supergirl might be the actual Hammer of Boravia.

3) Ultraman - Similar to the previously mentioned villain, Ultraman's identity remains intact. While Lex can manipulate others into attacking the Man of Steel, it's actually Ultraman who presents a physical threat to him. He is nearly on par with Superman regarding strength. He represents an evil version of Clark Kent's hero, originating from Earth-3. Additionally, Ultraman leads a significant crime organization in the USA.

4) Solaris - In the film's trailer, we see Kent and Lois having a soft conversation, and then he flies out of the window. In the background, we see Guy Gardner fighting with someone who resembles the sun. This villain is so powerful that even Green Lantern cannot stop him, which compels Man of Steel to intervene. The pink beam of light suggests that it is none other than Solaris, a sentient being who resembles a sun.

James Gunn spoke to IGN about Clark Kent and Lex Luthor not knowing each other in the film. He said,

“It was about really putting us in the middle of the action from the beginning and there's a lot of these things in this movie now that I've been making it for over a year that I think of as normal. But now when you bring it up, I go, ‘Oh yeah, that's pretty unusual.’ We just start in the middle of the action. Superman's already existing. Lois and Clark already know each other. Lex hates Superman's guts from the beginning, although they don't know each other personally. So we start right in the middle of the action. It takes place over a short amount of time.”

Warner Bros. Pictures will be releasing Superman on July 11, 2025.