DC’s new movie may be better than Black Adam, but there are certainly some frustrating similarities. As one of the last installments in the DCEU’s movie timeline, Black Adam did not fulfill the promises it or, more aptly, its star made. Dwayne Johnson continuously promised that Black Adam would reinvigorate the DCEU, leading to a much more defined creative path than the one it had suffered between 2017 and 2022. However, the film failed critically and somewhat underperformed commercially.
This, of course, led to the complete restructuring of the universe under James Gunn’s stewardship, with the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters being born from that. Now, upcoming DC movies include a Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, a standalone Clayface movie, and many more unknown projects that promise to finally give DC fans their own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That said, the DCU has recently hit a bit of a snag, drawing many unfavorable comparisons to Black Adam.
In June 2026, DC Studios released Supergirl, a spiritual sequel of sorts to Superman. Despite a lot of pre-release hype, Supergirl received mixed reviews and is currently massively underperforming at the box office. What’s more, Supergirl‘s marketing promoted big connections to Superman, either via the latter himself appearing in trailers or the importance of Krypto in the film’s plot. Black Adam did the same, with Dwayne Johnson teasing a return to the DCEU for Henry Cavill as Superman, even bringing him in for a post-credit scene cameo.
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
Despite being a big talking point of the movie, Superman’s appearance did not aid Black Adam‘s box office, and did not allow it to be the fresh start Johnson and Cavill intended. The same can be said of Supergirl, to an extent. Although the 2026 DCU movie is widely considered to be better than Black Adam, one would have assumed that the big ties to Superman, which was successful upon release in summer 2025, would boost its box office. However, with a worldwide opening weekend haul of only $68 million, Superman couldn’t save Supergirl, just like he couldn’t save Black Adam.
Supergirl Faced The Same Challenges As Black Adam
Milly Alcock staring down Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem in Supergirl 2026
Ironically enough, despite Supergirl being part of James Gunn’s revitalized DC Universe, it faced the same challenges as Black Adam. The latter movie tried to be a new first step for its franchise, but came too soon after a cluttered section of the DCEU that made it unclear as to where the franchise was heading. It felt as though Johnson and his production team were simply relying on big fight scenes, exciting action, and big-name heroes, like Superman, to make the movie a success, rather than a clear, defined plan.
In some regards, the same can be said of Supergirl and the DCU at this point. Although a lot of projects were outlined for the DCU’s first chapter back in 2023, many of them have been delayed, hit production issues, or been outright canceled. Yes, Superman and Supergirl are loosely connected, as was Peacemaker season 2, but the future of the DCU as a whole remains more unclear than we thought it would be.
Some of the biggest DC characters don’t even have actors attached to play them, yet. The likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, a new Aquaman, or several other big heroes don’t seem close to being part of a movie or TV show. Unlike the MCU’s Phase One, which had four planned-out solo movies before bringing them together, the DCU’s first Chapter still feels slightly scatterbrained. Supergirl has, sadly, fallen victim to this, just like Black Adam did with the DCEU back in 2022.
Should Supergirl’s Box Office Worry DC Fans?
Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El with Krypto in Supergirl
Now, the question is whether DCU fans should worry about the franchise after Supergirl‘s box office. It would be easy to say yes, as it means audiences have no real clamor for DC characters outside of the big three, but there is still some hope. After all, many of the MCU’s biggest characters, like the Guardians of the Galaxy, weren’t well known before their big live-action trilogy; If anyone can make smaller DC characters stand out, it is Gunn.
However, the lack of a wider plan is still worrying.Clayface is the next DCU movie in October 2026, and despite looking promising with a great team behind it, it is difficult to see how that movie will contribute to the franchise’s wider narrative. Also, Clayface is known among comic book fans, but Supergirl is undoubtedly a bigger name to general audiences. If the DC Universe wants to succeed where the DCEU failed, maybe it is time for Gunn to finalize the stories that will be part of Chapter One, complete with some of DC’s bigger characters.
Release Date
June 26, 2026
Runtime
108 minutes
Director
Craig Gillespie
Writers
Ana Nogueira
Producers
James Gunn, Lars P. Winther, Nigel Gostelow, Peter Safran
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