The Superman
trailer introduces a whole host of heroes to the DCU
, but Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner stands out as one of the most unique and perfectly cast characters set to appear in the film. There is a lot of exciting reveals in the Superman trailer, but as much as it gets me excited to see David Corenswet step up as Superman, and Nicholas Hoult handling playing the evil genius Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion stole the show.
Fillion is an incredible actor who has played several characters in pop culture TV shows and films, and more often than not, he gets to play the hero. It makes sense, he makes a great hero. But, seeing him briefly as Guy Gardner is enough to get me excited about a character that I struggled to see the point of for the upcoming DCU. After all, out of all the human Green Lanterns, Gardner is not the first one to jump to mind, but the character makes sense in a fun way for the upcoming film.
Why Nathan Fillion Looks So Weird As Green Lantern
Guy Gardner Is A Unique Green Lantern
Let's get the bowl cut shaped elephant out of the way, Fillion's haircut. A bowl cut has never been a flattering look, and even when it was at the height of popularity, I think it just made sense for hairdressers' convenience over any style purposes. However, this haircut is a key piece of the Guy Gardener story, and one that evokes his sad and unforgiving childhood which led him to become such a unique super person in the DC Comics.
The Superman trailer has finally arrived, and just as soon as it did, fans online began taking the trailer and making dozens of hilarious memes,
For most heroes, there are defining moments that push them to embrace responsibility, and become a hero. For Gardner, his defining moments were born in trauma, sadness, and neglect. Usually, these are characteristic of a villain's backstory, and Gardner walks the line between hero and villain a lot. As a kid, Gardner was verbally, physically, and emotionally abused by his alcoholic father, and while he was constantly bullied and beaten, his older brother, the athlete, was praised. This led Gardner to look for idols in fiction, where he found the General Glory comics, and began modeling his haircut after GG's sidekick.
I Already Know Fillion Will Be The Perfect Guy Gardner
Nathan Fillion Was Born To Play Superheroes
Gardner's story is one that is constantly underlined with drama, trauma, and being a back-up. Despite wanting to be a hero, and even stepping up to make heroic saves, such as saving his brother in a shootout that led to him being chosen as a potential Lantern, Gardner was only picked as a back-up. Hal Jordan was chosen to be the Green Lantern, and as a result, he had missions across the universe, saving worlds, helping others, and being praised for how great he is.
In the small glimpse we get to see of Gardner in the trailer, two things are clear; he has a chip on his shoulder, and he absolutely nails the look. This character is not meant to be a straight-up hero, but that doesn't mean they can't be a part of the story. He may be mean, grumpy, burdened by life, and feel like he can never catch a break, and in seconds, Fillion really delivers this persona in a way that is immediately recognizable. And I can't wait to see him in both Superman and the upcoming Lanterns TV series as his interactions with characters like Hal Jordan get to take center stage.
Why Guy Gardner Is The First DCU Superman
Guy Gardner Has Been A Hero For Some Time Now
The Green Lanterns are incredibly powerful superheros who wield power rings tied to emotion to perform impossible feats. Through their will, they can manifest and create weapons and tools to help save, fix, and do incredible things. And within the DC Universe, it is clear that Guy Gardner has been around the block considering his advanced age, and the fact that several other Green Lanterns exist. So, despite Guy Gardner having a ring of power, he remains a back-up Lantern, not the real deal. This likely means that while Hal Jordan has been saving the universe, joining forces with other Lanterns, and stepping up on a galactic scale, Gardner is restricted to his home planet.
Lanterns is shaping up to be the DCU’s most anticipated TV show, complete with an intriguing story, fan-favorite characters, and a fantastic cast.
With a power ring, and a deep desire to be a hero, he has likely spent these past few decades trying to protect others, and being a hero, with powers that far exceed any ordinary human. This would essentially make him the first person to be viewed as a Superman on Earth, unless there are other heroes that were present and preceded Guy Gardner. But at least from what was revealed in the Superman trailer, Fillion appears to be the perfect man for the role.
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Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.' rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill's departure from the role, honoring the character's roots as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way."
Release Date
July 11, 2025
CastDavid Corenswet
, Rachel Brosnahan
, María Gabriela De Faría
, Edi Gathegi
, Nicholas Hoult
, Frank Grillo
, Nathan Fillion
, Milly Alcock
, Sara Sampaio
, Pruitt Taylor Vince
, Skyler Gisondo
, Anthony Carrigan
, Wendell Pierce
, Beck Bennett
, Sean Gunn
Custom image by Milica Djordjevic
English (US) ·