For a film that’s supposed to save DC’s cinematic future, a new plot leak for James Gunn’s Superman is already doing something dangerous—alienating the very people it needs to win back.
Superman wounded in the snow in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
A newly leaked plot detail from the upcoming 2025 reboot has ignited a firestorm online, and fans are asking one simple question: Is James Gunn using Superman to go after us?
What the Superman Plot Leak Says
There are potential spoilers ahead for Superman—but they’re already plastered all over X, with YouTuber Nerdrotic, confirming the info is legitimate.
Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
According to the leak, Superman will feature a recurring gag—or what some call a “theme”—involving online backlash to the hero. A hashtag featuring an expletive is referenced multiple times in the film, and we’re told that Kal-El is emotionally rattled by the negative social media discourse.
Nicholas Holt as Lex Luthor in Superman – YouTube, DC
But it doesn’t stop there…
In a bizarre twist, Lex Luthor is revealed to be operating in some sort of interdimensional world where mutant monkeys are seen at keyboards, typing furiously and generating digital hate aimed at Superman. These monkeys are essentially Luthor’s troll army, spreading misinformation and ridicule online to demoralize the hero.
If that sounds insane, it’s because it is. But more troubling than the monkey business is what it represents.
Gunn’s Message… Again?
To longtime observers of James Gunn’s work, this may feel familiar.
James Gunn and Chris Pratt attend the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023.
(Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
In Creature Commandos, Gunn inserted an out-of-nowhere “Incel army” as a jab at fans, a choice that felt more like a Twitter feud than storytelling. It didn’t fit the plot, and it didn’t enhance the narrative. But it did make a statement.
Now with this plot leak for Superman, a much bigger and infinitely more important property, Gunn seems to be going back to the same well—using his script to settle scores.
David Corenswet as Superman flying in James Gunn’s “Superman” – YouTube, DC
Whether it’s aimed at conservatives, Snyder fans, or just critics of his leadership at DC, the metaphor is too on the nose to ignore.
Social media trolls = Lex Luthor’s mutant monkeys.
Hashtags = existential threat to Superman’s psyche.
And the underlying tone? “Look what you’ve done to me.”
That’s not the mythic return of Superman fans were hoping for.
Fans React: Satire or Snub?
The backlash has been swift and unforgiving. Some fans have labeled the leak “dumb,” “petty,” and “tone-deaf.”
Superman grimacing by a Stagg Industries sign in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
But not everyone sees it as doom and gloom. Known scooper ViewerAnon tried to spin the moment as comedy, posting: “Uh guys the #SuperSh** thing… is one of the best jokes in the movie. Even people who didn’t like it have pointed to the punchline as something fantastic.”
Even if that’s true, the question remains—why is it in the movie at all?
Krypto the Super Dog in Superman – YouTube, DC
If you’re rebooting Superman to reestablish hope, courage, and timeless heroism in an era of uncertainty, why make his greatest enemy… the comments section?
The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher
This isn’t just about a single scene. Superman is the launchpad for Gunn’s entire DC Universe. After the total collapse of the Snyderverse and the spectacular box office failures of The Flash, Black Adam, Blue Beetle, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, Wonder Woman 1984, and Shazam: Fury of The Gods, this movie needs to be more than good—it needs to win everyone back.
Instead, we’re getting early signs of the same behavior that cratered fan trust in Marvel: creators (in this case a major Marvel creator…) using major IPs to push their message instead of letting the story speak for itself.
David Corenswet as Superman in Superman (2025), DC Studios
Audiences have been remarkably clear over the past five years. They don’t want lectures. They don’t want jabs at fan culture or meta-commentary about social media drama. They want escapism. They want inspiration. They want Superman.
What they don’t want is to be made the villains of the most important superhero movie of the decade.
James Gunn’s Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025. Whether the world will still care by then… depends on what flies faster—hope, or hashtags.
What do you think about this Superman plot leak? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
