James Gunn Ratchets Up the Ultraman Theories Ahead of 'Superman'

James Gunn’s Superman has already pulled off an impressive feat: For the first time ever, my son is actually interested in the character. I wouldn’t say he hated Superman, but he was very adamant that he’s “boring.” Now? He’s freaking pumped for this movie. We’re going on wild goose chases looking for Cyborg Superman figures, talking about the ’90s comics, and hey, who came in here and got tears all over my keyboard? Not cool!

Anyway, yesterday, I received a frantic text while he was at the pool: “You see the new pic of Ultraman James Gunn posted?” Now, my immediate concern was that he used punctuation. I’m told that’s the ultimate form of aggression amongst young people. Is a question mark just a question mark, or does he yearn for my death? Phones were a mistake.

As for the photo in question, it was a surprising escalation around the character. People have been wildly speculating about Ultraman after his name was confirmed in leaked toy images. He’s been spotted in the trailers going toe-to-toe with Superman, and Gunn just poured a bucket of fuel on the theory fires with this up-close pic:

Ultraman.

[image or embed]

— James Gunn (@jamesgunn.bsky.social) June 24, 2025 at 2:24 PM

In the comics, Ultraman is an — big sigh — alternative universe variant of Superman, who gets his power from Kryptonite. Traditionally, he looks more like an evil Superman, but Gunn’s version has a notably different vibe. In fact, Ultraman’s movie costume, particularly in the image above, is a dead ringer for Doomsday’s containment suit from his first appearance. Taking things even further, it almost seems like the fabric from Ultraman’s mask is forming white horns. So, what the heck is going on? Let’s hit the big theories.

Doomsday

If you don’t know who Doomsday is, what was it like dating in high school? Tell me everything! He’s the big spike monster dude who infamously killed Superman in the ’90s. More recently, a turd monster version of the character appeared in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. You’d just assume James Gunn would want to distance himself as much as possible from the failed cinematic universe that he’s paving over, which is why I didn’t put much stock in the Ultraman is Doomsday theories. Until now.

The new photo is practically begging for comparison. If that’s the path Gunn is taking, it’s a ballsy move. Then again, it has been nine years since BvS punched a hole in the side of the Snyderverse boat. That movie also had Lex Luthor, so it’s clear that Gunn isn’t letting a past failure affect the story he wants to tell. Why not play with all the toys?

Bizarro

With a comic book history that stretches all the way back to the ’50s, Bizarro is basically a botched clone of Superman with polar-opposite powers. Considering we have no idea who’s playing Ultraman, one prevailing theory is that it will be Superman actor David Corenswet as the classic villain. The trailers have heavily implied that Lex Luthor is up to all kinds of experiments and trying to make his own Superman is peak comic book shenanigans.

Henry Cavill

I sh*t you not, the Henry Cavill theory is everywhere. Look at any pic of Ultraman on Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, you name it, and you will instantly see people swearing on their children’s lives that it’s Cavill under that mask. As who? Some sort of evil Superman, which may or may not be his version of the character from the Snyderverse. Do I think this is happening? No. That would be some insane stunt-casting. Not to mention, James Gunn had front row seats for Marvel shooting itself in the foot with its own multiverse.

But then again, why not play with all the toys?