7 strongest characters in James Gunn’s ‘Superman’

James Gunn's Superman (2025) made waves at the box office for its revival of the fan-favorite DC Universe superhero. David Corenswet stars as the metahuman tasked with saving his reputation and the world in the latest iteration. The superhero action flick introduced plenty of new faces for the familiar characters, showcasing their might in various ways.

Whether it's a sinister villain who almost defeats the titular character or a furry friend with unexpected powers, the movie has no dearth of strong characters. By using the premise to set up the broader DC Universe, Gunn introduced an array of interesting powers amongst the superheroes and the mega-villains.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. The list is in no particular order.

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The titular character, the Engineer, and other powerful characters in Superman (2025)

1) Superman (David Corenswet)

Coreswet is the newest version of the hero (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

The superhero is undoubtedly the strongest character in the movie. His origin story talks about how his Kryptonian physiology reacts to Earth's "yellow sun", so it's safe to say the character can channel the power of the sun itself. He has a wide array of powers, including superhuman strength, flight, super speed, super durability, and other abilities like laser vision and super breath.

Although he is almost bested several times throughout the movie, what sets his powers apart is his emotional intelligence and ability to outsmart his opponents. He channels his power the best compared to other strong characters in the movie, making him the resounding victor by the movie's climax.

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2) Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría)

The Engineer almost defeats the superhero (Image via Instagram/@thefaria)

Angela Spica, AKA The Engineer, is one of the most formidable villains in Superman because of the nanotechnology built into her body. The nanites help her with Mechanokinesis, which puts her on par with the superhero himself. Her abilities include endless transformation and turning her body into black metallic armor. She also possesses superhuman strength.

Apart from expertise in hand-to-hand combat and technological prowess, which she uses to almost defeat the titular character and his dog, Krypto, she also possesses extreme intelligence. Fans can see this in the way she hacks into the hero's Fortress of Solitude and restores the recording of his biological parents.

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3) Ultraman (David Corenswet)

Ultraman (right of Superman) is a formidable villain in the movie (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Lex Luthor fashions a villain that matches the superhero in every way. He is a clone, and in a surprising dual role reveal, fans saw Corenswet battle himself in the climactic action sequence. With the villain mimicking every power of the hero, his might becomes a grave threat.

The only weakness that Ultraman has going against him is his mental adeptness. Corenswet's hero uses that to his advantage and traps him in the rift after a long and arduous battle. Other than that, this Luthor henchman is capable of a resounding victory against anyone he comes up against.

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4) Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion)

Fillion plays Green Lantern (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Guy Gardner, AKA the Green Lantern, is one of the strongest characters in Superman for his ability to create complex force fields. He weaves intricate patterns and deals fatal blows with the touch of his Power Ring. One of his biggest upsets is when he topples an entire Boravian army with the power of his force field.

His powers also show a potential to be scaled up and used for the greater good, which opens up limitless possibilities in the DC Universe. With an arrogant and overconfident demeanor, Fillion's Green Lantern could become one of those immensely powerful characters that fans love to hate.

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5) Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan)

Metamorpho poses a challenge in the movie (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Rex Mason, AKA Metamorpho, could potentially be one of the most underrated powers in Superman. His ability to create any material with his body and shape materials makes him a valuable weapon. Luthor forces him to create Kryptonite to use against the superhero, which means he inadvertently has what it takes to defeat him.

However, the character also creates a star, which Superman uses to reclaim his powers. The potential to explore his powers, which could give him superhuman strength in the process, is huge, which fans can surmise from the way he fights Luthor's raptors.

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6) Krypto the dog

The dog has superpowers too (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Krypto was a fun yet powerful addition to Superman. The titular character fosters the Kryptonian creature for his cousin. Because he is also from the same planet as the hero, he has the same powers, including superhuman strength, flight, and super senses. He also possesses super speed, all of which he uses to trouble his master.

The superdog puts up a valiant fight against the Engineer's nanites and even wins against Luthor's raptors. His only weakness might be his intelligence compared to his metahuman counterpart. Apart from being a powerful character in the movie, the dog also brought wholesome moments on screen as a rescue who had tons of tricks up his sleeve.

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7) Supergirl (Milly Alcock)

Supergirl is one of the next superheroes in the DC Universe (Image via Amazon)

It turns out that Krypto is none other than Supergirl's dog, and she makes sure to come back for him at the end of Superman. Alcock only has a short, comical cameo in the movie, but her arrival foreshadows powers identical to her cousin's. For starters, she is also a Kryptonian, gaining energy from the Earth's yellow sun.

In the movie, however, she does not display much of her powers, which fans will get to see in Supergirl, releasing in June 2026. If the comics and the lore are anything to go by, the character possesses superhuman strength and speed, durability, and enhanced vision. Apart from that, she is very durable in combat. In some versions of the comics, she also exhibits telekinetic powers.

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Honorary mention goes to Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor. Although he doesn't possess superhuman powers, he has the tenacity and authority to control many of the strongest super villains in Superman, making him a force to be reckoned with.

Watch the movie in theaters worldwide.

Edited by Riya Peter