‘Superman’ Set Photo Teases the Luthor Family’s Ties to the Founding of Metropolis

DC Studios’ co-chair and Superman director James Gunn has been known to drop an Easter egg or dozen in his films. A decade after Guardians of the Galaxy debuted in theaters, Gunn still hasn’t publicly revealed an Easter egg he’s taunted fans with since the film’s release. Photos from the Cleveland set of Superman have indicated that the first DC Studios film will be no different as references to former Supermen, DC Comics creators and characters who may well exist in the DC have all been discovered as fans comb through hundreds of shots. Given what’s known about the film, it’s clear that while it’s the launch of the DCU, Superman takes place in a “lived-in” universe where metahumans are established. As Gunn and crew have tried to create a true-to-the-comics Metropolis, they’ve been sure to add plenty of details to give the City of Tomorrow a rich history as well and now, one that ties to the family of Superman’s archenemy has been spotted.

Via a set photo by Michael Collier, a set prop for Metropolis’ Downtown District which tells the history of the fictional city has been shared online. The very comic-accurate history of Metropolis, including its founding by Dutchman Paul De Vries, includes a reference to the Luthor family.

While it may seem like a reference to John Henry Irons at first glance, the sign indicates that Metropolis’ boom during the Industrial Revolution was due to a company called Steel Works. In the comics, that company was founded by Wallace Luthor, the great-grandfather of Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor will be played in Superman by Nicholas Hoult, who has also recently been spotted on set.

Obviously, it remains to be seen what impact, if any, this detail might have on the film; however, it’s incredible to see this level of reverence to the source material and the attention to detail in crafting the DCU’s Metropolis. The sign itself may ultimately not make it into a single frame of Superman but as Gunn and DC co-chair Peter Safran try to craft a massive shared universe, you never know what may or may not matter and there’s no harm in creating a fully fleshed out DCU bible.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.