In the upcoming DC flick, Superman (David Corenswet) faces off against the Hammer of Boravia, who seems to have a version of Supes' Heat Vision at his disposal. And now, another mystery character, concealed by quick shots and shadows, makes his debut in the trailer.
Fans have deduced that it's Ultraman without a mask, which could be true. Since these characters share the ability to produce Heat Vision, they may be related. They're probably even of the same species—like Kryptonians. But, that notion is impossible. Unless the canon has changed, Kal-El's home of Krypton no longer exists.
What isn't impossible, though, is the introduction of a Kryptonian clone—or perhaps multiple clones in SUPERMAN (2025). The Hammer of Boravia's Heat Vision points to them being a Kryptonian clone. And Ultraman—he is literally Superman's doppelganger in the comics. He could presumably be a clone in James Gunn's more-grounded universe to fit the universe's context. The new character sporting long hair might be one, too.
A popular theory currently circulating around is the disheveled villain that Superman encounters is a clone. That explanation has a precedent, having already happened in the Young Justice animated series.
In that series, Batman's squad of young heroes infiltrated a secret base, freeing a young Superman clone in the process. He later went on to become the team's Superboy. That storyline pertains to the upcoming SUPERMAN film since the ragged character that Kal-El fights could be a LuthorCorp creation, similar to Young Justice's Superboy. The villain exhibits powers similar to Superman and appears equally durable, which adds credibility to the theory. The final trailer provides more evidence.
In it, there's a quick shot of Kal-El grabbing a large metal girder to swing at the unmasked villain. The Boy Scout seems to need it to level the playing field, suggesting his opponent is his equal, if not superior. Assuming that is another of Lex's genetic experiments, he presumably infused it with as much solar radiation as possible. Lex isn't known for creating inefficient clones, after all.
The silver lining to Lex creating clones with Superman's abilities is it may lead to the next generation of superheroes in live-action format. DC movies have seemingly overlooked the existence of freshmen vigilantes, and maybe it's time to change that. A confused Kryptonian clone who gains some awareness during a confrontation with Superman could eventually go on to become Superboy. Given the catalog of DC heroes joining James Gunn's cinematic universe is growing, it's not that preposterous to consider.
Audiences have speculated for years how Robin could enter the DC Cinematic Universe despite experiencing an offscreen death at the Joker's hands in Zack Snyder's Justice League. The interest in such a preposterous scenario proves that fans want to see more than just Superman and Batman on the big screen. Moreover, alternative heroes deserve their time to shine; Superboy, most of all.
SUPERMAN (2025) debuts in theaters on July 11, 2025.